Hooping as a Tool for Meditation

Why do you hoop? For fun, fitness or as a way to release your mind from everyday worries that hinder you from staying in the present moment? There is no right answer to this question. Over the years I have found that at different times I have hooped for all of these reasons. In fact, sometimes all of them simultaneously. What keeps me coming back into the hoop, though, is the peace I encounter with each spin.  For me it becomes a type of movement meditation unlike any I have experienced before. I become lost in cradle of the hoop’s touch as it rolls around my body. My mind sinks into a place where there are no thoughts but the present moment. I am in a state of mindfulness throughout the hoop session, and feel refreshed and calm when I am done. Sure I have frustrating times within the hoop, but when my goal is meditation, the hoop works wonders as a tool for this end. So how do you find this tranquility in your hoop practice? Here are some tips:

1. Find a quiet, serene place to hoop. Location can be everything when attempting use hooping as a form of meditation. Rather than hooping in crowded, loud venue, look for a softer place perhaps in a more natural setting. For many of us, nature allows us to begin to relax the moment we are fixed upon it. If this is not your inclination or possible then find the place that most calls to you as a comfortable environment.

2. Breathe. Allow yourself the opportunity to breathe deeply and with intention. Hear your breath and take note of it. Breathe from your belly rather than just from your chest. If needed, place your hand on your stomach to feel the inhalation and exhalation of each breath as it enters and leaves your body. Throughout your hoop session, take time to notice how you are breathing and if there is a mindfulness to it.

3.Begin your hoop practice with a slow, deliberate warm-up. Perhaps start with moving without your hoops, stretching, or slow movement within your hoop. Be aware of your body and how it is responding. Does it feel tight, sore or limited in any capacity? Use this time to scope out your environment. Are you able to move freely? Center yourself in your body and take as long as you need to find that place that feels comfortable to begin spinning in your hoop.

4. Use intention when making your playlist or hoop in silence. (Turning the Music Off) Whatever you choose, music or focusing on the sounds surrounding you, bring intention into it. If using music, I recommend finding a playlist that matches the mental space you hope to obtain in your hoop practice. During your warm-up start with something slow that matches the pace needed. Build upon that with songs that will motivate you to stay in the present moment, and leaving the daily worries behind. If a song doesn’t resonate with you at a particular moment don’t be afraid to skip over it and move on to the next one.

5. Don’t be afraid to drill. Often times we think that a hooping meditation session is not a good time to work on drilling a certain skill. On the contrary, this can be one of the best times to work on drills, as long as you practice patience with yourself and allow yourself to be present. Constant drilling on one skill can become a meditative movement in itself. Working on angles for example, sure you’re breaking a sweat and it’s hard, but your mind is present to what is happening and the repetition often creates a space for us to let go and stay mindful of the task at hand. The key is patience with yourself and not allowing frustration to enter into the picture and stay with you. Staying frustrated takes us out of the present and keeps us in a different state. Instead try acknowledging the feeling of frustration and letting it go.

6. Just dance. Sometimes all that is needed in a hoop practice is to dance, allowing the hoop to fully engage becoming our partner in the spin. Have you had those moments where you are so lost in the rhythm that you aren’t sure if you are controlling the hoop or the hoop is controlling you? You are one in the flow and it feels perfect. These are the moments when the “hoop bliss” we so often hear about arrives. It often surprises us when we are just dancing with our hoop. Not concerned what anyone else thinks, not concerned about learning a new trick, but just living in the moment and dancing for ourselves. This is often when we can truly find ourselves in a state of movement meditation within the hoop. Present to only the here and now and full of joy.

One of my students once told me that “When I’m hooping I can’t have a to do list going on in my head.” This has stuck with me for years and I use it in classes periodically. She expresses so clearly what many people feel. My hoop is a place for me to clear my head and go for refuge. With so many people telling their stories of healing within the hoop, I can’t imagine that I am alone with these thoughts and feelings. I am curious about yours. I invite you to take this time to share your experience of presence or presents offered through hooping. I can’t wait to hear!