In the dance of shiva we learn about seeing possibilities so that we can “Dance” among them.
By sensing the “limits” we become free to move within them.
By knowing the limits we can then change them.
The Dance of Shiva starts with a simple movement, keeping the hands horizontal while moving them along a spiral path. How do we increase the possibilities? By dividing this path into four stopping points. We then add the intention of learning how to join each of these four points to each of the others. We do the same thing for both hands. Because we do the same thing for both hands we can add even more possibilities. What if each hand can be in the same position or a different one from the other. We then have 4×4 possible positions that use both hands.

How do we apply this to doing things or living life? If we know what we are trying to do and it is something big and complex we can divide this big thing into smaller ideas. The only constraint is that each of these smaller ideas has a well defined meaning. In the dance of shiva position 1 is just above the head with the fingers out to the side and the palm horizontal. If we can break big ideas down into small ideas that have some meaning then we can either work at understanding the big idea by understanding the small parts that make it up or we can do the small ideas one at a time that make up the big task of what we are trying to do.
Doing a yoga pose we can break the pose and the body down into the parts that make it up. Starting a business we can break down the big idea of starting a business into the small well defined steps that make it up.
Not only that we can look for the different ways of breaking the body down into small parts or the different ways of breaking down the starting up of a business into ideas that are easy to do or easier to do.
Knowing that we can join position 1 to position 2 by going backwards 3 times or going forwards once (or doing a transquarter followed by a backwards move) we can pick the way we want to do it. Likewise sensing the options for not only doing something but the way we break it down (or build it up) we can pick the one that is best or that we like the most.
Thus we can get things done, or do things well or simply enjoy living life… or all three at once. And at the same time we can enjoy what is around us, noticing life and all things that make it up.