Thursday, March 12, 2015

Day 4: Details

As I walked to the dining hall this morning, I watched in awe as one of the gentlemen that works here at Ananda was going around collecting flowers. The way he did this with a long picker that reached up very high, and he would just pop the highest blooming hibiscus right off the vine and it would fall onto a plate he held in his hand. Later at breakfast, he went around and replaced all of the old flowers with the new, freshly picked ones. Every day there is a fresh flower on each table and each statue. This is the element of detail that makes Bali so beautiful. They even use little pieces of eggplant to hold the descriptions of the food at mealtimes. They carve little faces into the leaves of the flower bouquets. There are offerings all around. It’s amazing, all of this detail. 

Our practice in the hoop and outside of the hoop is also about details. I am remembering to focus on the details in many aspects of my life  here. Floss daily, step lightly, edit my writing, shift my weight in my feet properly for balance and success in certain hoop postures, etc. 
Today’s workshops focused on detail. 

Jocelyn Gordon is an entrepreneurial goddess and creator of the Hoop Yogini Spinal Awakening Series. She blessed us with the first morning class. The details of her workshop focused on the important detail of spinal alignment, proper posture and strengthening the muscles that hold us upright. One participant, Karla, said “My mind was so busy when I went in this morning, and now my mind feels totally quiet. I also had some lower back pain, and now it’s gone. I am so glad I got up early and went.” Jocelyn has put so much commitment and dedication into creating a Doctor Recommended Hoop Fitness program; a course that you can take in person or online! The hoop is a wonderful tool to awaken the dormant or blocked energies of our spine. The nuance of bending, twisting and turning can activate this energy fully! Thank you Jocelyn for bringing this important detail to our attention.

Tiana’s workshops focused on the details of creating the runway across the arms and back for rolling the hoop from point A to point B. From finger tip to finger tip, addressing the details of subtle placement of hands, timing, finger positioning and posture, we created clean runways for our hoop to roll effortlessly across our bodies. Tiana has been traveling the world sharing her metaphorical and ‘flowetic’ teachings, helping hoop dancers all over to clear the way for an effortless expression. In her workshop we discovered that if we naturally open to our full expression, full posture, and full power...the pathway is available, and has always been there...a major detail that makes a world of difference. Thank you, Tiana.

Babz rocked our worlds with all kinds of epic tricks such as The Polish Flip, Chest Duck In’s, Hit Pop, and so much more. Together Babz and I created the GreenLight Spin Pop Special. Ha! This class was so much fun as we learned all kinds of flashy looking tricks that with practice are actually simple, but look like we are on rock star status (because we are). It was so awesome to witness everyone taking the tricks they learned and creating their own combinations and dance additions. Thanks to Babz for opening up our creative world of trickery and fun.

After lunch, Jaguar Mary delivered a sweet experience called Plastic Circle Meditation MixTape. I love the name! JM is from a family that practiced Buddhism and other types of deep meditation. She incorporated the essence of these practices into some really fun exercises for hoopers including eye gazing and witnessing. Witnessing simply means watching another dancer dance for a matter of minutes, as the dancer hoops for you while you simply witness the dance, then switch roles. It was very powerful to observe another hooper dancing in an authentic moment, and to report back on feelings you observed, not technical skill. It is a beautiful practice! It allows us to feel completely seen, and also allows us the opportunity to really watch. To listen with our eyes.
The eye gazing was so sweet. As we eye gazed with another hooper through the frames of our hoops, a powerful connection was made. Eye gazing is a simple yet profound practice that feels very vulnerable and intimate. To gaze into another persons eyes, a detail of deep connection often avoided, opens up our humanity into our True Nature of Eternal Presence. Thank you, Jaguar Mary for helping us step into the Circle in a meditative, playful and transforming way.

After a full day I felt tired but knew I needed to move my body in a freestyle and flowing way. The LED hoop jam and skill share was just what I needed! Babz had some seriously epic tunes bumpin’ and I had to know who it was. Turns out it was SOOHAN out of Baltimore, MA, so stay posted for videos and tutorials featuring this epic new favorite of mine. I swirled around to the beats and bass in the therapy of my lighted hoops, watched my friends do acts of wonder inside of their own circles, and just straight up had a good time. I love this life!

I really do. This life; my life, your life, the life that we create together is AMAZING! All of the little details make it so special. To have the honor and privilege to see our friends spinning in bliss, to be able to join them, to smell and see the fragrant flowers, to witness the creativity of Great Spirit, to be able to craft our own experience as we walk along this perfect path with all of its divine spirals is nothing short of a tremendous blessing. I hope you have the time today and everyday to witness the tiniest and most magnificent details of all around you, for that is where the greatest beauty tends to reside.
Blessings from Bali,

Shellie White Light

3 comments:

  1. Thank You Boo for this account of magic that you witnessed. Thank you taking me in your morning tour yesterday. It was really special to see the gardens and watch you eat my favorite fruit, Mangosteens!! I look forward to seeing some new flashy moves and so excited to fall into your eyes, with a deep eye gazing session, on a Maui beach. Sweet Dreams Beloved~ Thank you for BEing my best friend and the Love of my Life. Aloha Nui Loa~ <3

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