Inaugural Hoop Class at Ladies Fitness and Wellness

Last night was the inaugural (wonderful word given the time of year) hoop class at Ladies Fitness and Wellness. We had an awesome time! In attendance, were 21 beautiful women, each with their own rhythms and movements to bring to the hoop. We spent the majority of the class working on basic core hooping at the waist, as most of the women had not picked up a hoop since childhood, if ever. It was fantastic to see each person find their own connection, struggles, bliss and more within the space of the hoop and the studio.

One of the things that I love about hooping is that anyone can do it. I mean anyone. In the HoopPath, http://www.hooppath.com there is a concept that Baxter talks about as a sort of fundemental to hooping. This is the "Belief, Strength, Grace" concept. It is true in hooping as it is in life (I'm finding most things are). One must first have the belief that they can do something, in hooping that they can accomplish "a move". The belief is the essence to all else, once it is established then comes building the strength. In reference to last night's class for some this strength means continuing to work just on increasing the amount of "flight time" (time spent with in the hoop) on the waist, for others it may be becoming fluent in both currents, and others it may just be having the stregth to pick the hoop back up each time it falls and sustain the belief that it will stay up longer and longer the more you try. Grace comes later, with fluidity of movement and thought. Last night was beautiful watching others begin to find their way into this dance.

I look forward to seing what next week brings for this group of hoopers and for me as an instructor. I am reminded of a the parenting philosphy that we are using, reminding us that we should be happy when our kids make mistakes or do something "wrong" because these are the learning moments that will last a lifetime. Isn't this true for all of us? We are each climbing up this mountain at our own pace, taking time to enjoy the beauty surrounding us, perhaps falling back a bit, but always working toward that acension that will make us better hoopers and better people.

Owning a "Move"

photo from www.mandalahoops.com

Over the last several years as hooping has become more mainstream, or perhaps as the number of hoopers on tribe.net has increased, there has on occasion been a thread written about the idea of hoop moves and ownership. For example, was there truly someone out there that was the first person to do an isolation, a barrel roll, a sky/earth angle etc. I've always struggled with this idea of ownership or firsts for many reasons. The main reason being that the hoop is an ancient tool/toy that can be dated to 1000BC in Egypt (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hooping) .That being said can we really be so arrogant to think that in all these thousands of years no one else has been creative enough to come up with the hooping moves of today? There are also circus performers, gymnasts and others who have used the hoop in current times, and all though they may not be a part of the flow arts, they certainly have played with and used hoops enough to have explored many of the techniques we currently use.

So that is the soapbox I have sat on for many, many months....years even.

The last month or so is where the self exploration begins. Several months ago, perhaps it was even back in late summer, I can't remember time has played tricks with me this past year; I was at a Weds. night class at the DoJhang. Baxter was having us work on two tree technique, specifically moving our feet. Something I've been doing for along time is accentuating my foot movements, pretending almost to be a ballerina, in my desire to really "dance" as I hoop. I've never had an formal dance training, but I was your typical little girl who closed her bedroom door, turned up the music and danced her ass off in solitude. I never really grew out of that, or out of the idea of being a dancer. Hooping has allowed me to play with that dream.

As the class went on Bax mentioned that as your balance got better you could begin to "draw" with you feet like Bonnie was doing. It felt good to be noticed. I know that we all like feedback in his classes as we joke about it from time to time. In my daily practice I continued this style of dance as I had been. Unfortunately the economy was getting worse and worse and gas kept increasing, and hard decisions needed to be made. So I decided to take some time off from class and my general trips into town. It was just too expensive and we really needed to keep a tight budget.

After a couple months, I resumed classes again and Baxter was teaching this method of "drawing" regularly. I wasn't sure what to make of it. I thought I was the master at this move, not the student. I felt robbed....I thought, "dude he stole my move"....uuhhummm, yep knocked right off my high horse. I was having this huge inner turmoil. Why did I have such attachment to this "move"? I've seen tons of other hoopers move their feet. I am surely....I mean surely... not the first to move my feet in this way...hello hooping is called a "flow art"...flow ..you can't flow if you aren't moving. Yet, still I was struggling inside with the idea that he was teaching "my move". I so badly wanted to reconcile this with in myself.

Then Monday night in class I went in and told myself I would be an open book. I was there to learn. Baxter is my teacher. I am the student. During the entire class I let go of attachment to anything regarding my hooping. I allowed myself to just be. Just be a hooper. Just learn. Listen. Open. It was one of the best classes I've had in a very long time. I learned a lot, especially as Baxter taught about drawing. Mostly I learned more about myself. About my judgments of others, about my own attachment, and about my need for approval. The hoop, a tool, a toy, an instrument for great growth, both inner and outer. Once again I am blessed by its sacred geometry.

Monday's class was the bow on a package of yuck which I was trying to let go. Nice metaphor huh? Really though, I had been needing to release this attachment, needing to learn, and needing to face my own judgments of others that have felt similarly. Once again facing my humanness. While I strive to be "Maidan", "Haven", these are aspirations...beautiful aspirations, great aspirations, but not a place that I am. I am human, with faults, idiosyncrasies, and many areas to grow. I love that the hoop, my hooping community, my family, the greater community is constantly challenging me. How boring life would be without constant growth. To be stagnant, would be like death. Thank you all for helping me grow. Thank you to my hoop, my dance partner, for always pushing me to new illuminations.

Bringing in the New Year

New Year's Eve and the days leading up to it were very special this year, as we spent them with our dear friends from NYC, Tiffany, Brian and their son Kadin. Over the past several years we have tried to vacation together once a year and visit at other times throughout the year. Both of our families have similar financial situations with make for perfect vacation partners...the motto, keep it simple and very fun. This past year we both had a lot of things, financially and emotionally on our plates that did not allow for us to get together at all, except for an emergency visit from Tiff in the depths of my post partum depression. It was so wonderful and special to spend these few days with them before New Years and then to ring in the New Year with them.

On New Years Eve, magically, all of the kids were in bed before 7pm. How this happened, I have know idea, except that God, the universe, someone knew we all needed this time together without the kids. Tiffany suggested that we each speak of the worst part of 2008 and the best part of 2008 and then when we were done we would talk about our aspirations for 2009. It was an extremely cathartic evening. Ushering out demons that had haunted me quietly because I had been to afraid to speak them openly. Hearing clearly others thoughts and feelings and how they differed or affected my own. We all laughed and cried and grew closer to each other. Then we affirmed each others dreams for 2009 and further. It was completely raw, beautiful and honest. And I was once again reminded what a "true" friend is.

Last night was our annual HoopPath fire for the New Year. I wasn't sure that I would have much to say, being that I had really said what I needed to on New Year's Eve. So with Tim's help, I brought a hoop made out of wisteria branches with pieces of paper intertwined. On each piece of paper was written something I had talked about on New Year's Eve. Things I was ushering out, things I was grateful for, aspirations for the future. I spoke briefly of a few of these things and then read an email that I had written to Beth and Mary on River's birthday...at the exact moment of his birth. I think this was truly what I wanted to offer. To acknowledge them publicly for their amazing friendship and also to say thanks to all of my friends for their support over the last year. I feel the need to do that once more here. So I will copy the letter below:

Hi My Dear Dear Friends,

Do you remember where you were exactly one year ago today? You, Tim, Sarah, Ellen and me were in the process of birthing a beautiful baby boy. And you, Tim, me and a host of others began a long journey to bring both he and me to a healthy place a year from when I stood in the bathroom of the birthing center...sure he would never be born, but having the most incredible support to carry me through and encourage me despite the exhaustion. Now this silly boy sits here with me still nursing happily at my breast and I feel so much gratitude to his godmama and earthmama (the two of you).for your strength when mine was faltering, for your constant love and friendship, for giving me a place to go through labor, for standing by me and my family. I love you both immensely.

Tonight I will look through all the amazing pictures Beth took of the whole experience....what an great record for me to remember (and although you face does not appear in the photos, you are in everyone because you took so much care in shooting them). I don't know how to properly thank anyone for the gifts over the past year, but in particular, my two amazing Maidan sisters who carried me like Ahna carried Saza on her back.
Love to you both always, but especially today.
Bonnie (and River Song)

So I suppose I've rambled quite a bit in this post. And what does it have to do with hooping you may ask? Well from my perspective everything. Like the hoop, the year has come full circle, and now we begin again...or continue on in the journey. The miracle of the circle, of the hoop. No beginning, no end. Just a journey that we all are on, the question being how do you choose to travel on that journey?

pe*A*ce