Mandala Monday - Elemental Mandala

This beautiful mandala illustrates the connection between the astral and the physical body. Rather than conceptualizing the physical world of mountains, rivers, and skin as an illusion, today's mandala suggests mind and matter can exist in harmony.

Killing Us Softly

"Jean Kilbourne takes a fresh look at how advertising traffics in distorted and destructive ideals of femininity. The film marshals a range of new print and television advertisements to lay bare a stunning pattern of damaging gender stereotypes -- images and messages that too often reinforce unrealistic, and unhealthy, perceptions of beauty, perfection, and sexuality."

Goddesses Don't Stress???

Demeter Mourning Persephone by
 Evelyn De Morgan

Around 10:30 in an otherwise awesome yoga video Katherine Budig encourages a yogini in Utkata Konasana to "Channel your inner goddess while you're there….And then again goddess pose. Goddesses don't get stressed out. They just look good all the time. Ok. So open it up. Smile. Find that space."

I’m all for grinning and finding space in my yoga practice, but the idea that goddesses don’t get stressed out is ridiculous. Not just ridiculous. Offensive. Katherine Budig is an awesome yoga teacher. I thank both her and Yoga Journal for offering free videos and podcasts. Free yoga rocks! Trivializing goddesses does not.

Millions of men and women across the planet worship and revere goddesses. From Quan Yin to the Virgin Mary, from Shakti to Persephone, goddesses continue to inspire and empower people in very real, meaningful ways. Even outside the realm of worship, storytellers, psychologists, artists, businesswomen, and parents “channel their inner goddess” to tap into the strength and creativity that goddesses embody. And while art traditionally portrays goddesses as “looking good,” these ancient archetypes aren’t meaningful because they’re beautiful or perfect. On the contrary, goddesses inspire because their stories teach us to rise above adversity, both in smiling serenity and teeth-gnashing fury.

A statue of Sekhemet
at the Brooklyn Museum

Was Demeter stressed when her daughter disappeared into the Underworld? Most likely. Was Sekhemet worried about looking good as she rampaged across ancient Egypt punishing heretics? Hell no! Goddess stories are full of heartache and triumph. They reflect the daily struggles of women on a superhuman level. When women work with these legends, they “find that space” to feel and to act uninhibited beyond the limitations that argue femininity means being perpetually polite and polished.

Without the space to stress and sweat, goddess become archaic fashion models. They look pretty and keep their cool, but fail to inspire. They exchange their stories for lipstick smiles. Fuck that.

So next time you’re dropping beads of sweat onto the mat or sobbing in savasana, embrace your inner goddess in all her furious, luminous, tragically transcendental, bi-polar glory….and keep breathing.

I Sing The Body Eccentric

Last weekend at festival I overheard a woman discussing her struggle with body image. Her complaint is a common one: feeling fat in a world that values only thinness. However, her solution struck me as brilliant. She explained that every time she walks past a mirror, she jiggles her belly. She pulls up her shirt, grabs two luscious handfuls of fat, and gives them a shake. She went on to explain that it makes her laugh, which makes her feel good, and that acknowledging her non-industry-standard body in a positive way makes her more comfortable in her skin.

Now I consider myself a curvy gal. True, I’m thinner now than I was in my immediate post-baby years. But I still have floppy tits, stretch marks, and jiggling arms. I’m making peace with that. My tits and belly both sustained my children. My arms carry heavy grocery bags and bust out some bad-ass hoop moves. So while my body may not reflect the conventional beauty standard, it’s functional. I like it. More than I have in a long time.

Like the woman at festival, I’ve found small ways to make myself comfortable with the sensual, fleshy vessel that carries me through life. I practice yoga, which makes my body stronger and more flexible. I dance. I find transcended moments in motion where mind and body are united in gestures of strength and grace. I wear revealing clothes.

There are, of course, heated debates about the politics of women’s clothing. I won’t touch on those here. However, I do hope to make a case for occasional exposing the valleys and mountains of the body to a little sunlight. In my opinion there is nothing more lovely than stripping down to short shorts and a sports bra to sprawl in the sun while my kids play in the yard. There’s nothing more sensual than hooping topless in my living room or in a swimsuit at the creek. There’s nothing more comforting than child’s pose in the nude.

Showing some skin, especially in the hot, humid Missouri summer, isn’t about sex appeal. It’s about making contact with the body as-it-is when there’s no one to impress or criticize. It’s feeling the sun, grass, breezes, and cool sheets on skin that usually hides behind clothing. The mass media bombards me with polarized body images every day. If I’m not careful to reaffirm my body and notice the beauty of women around me, it’s too easy to believe those images are both real and ideal. When I strip back my clothes and inhibitions, I strip back the layers of media-inspired misconceptions. In their absence, I find a body worthy of love.

Jew-Ish

A Kansas City poetess clears up a few MissConceptions about spirituality.

View from a Hooping Plateau Part 2

While time on a hooping plateau is natural, no hooper wants to linger there. After all, we hoop-dance for joy and self expression. Thus when hooping starts to feel stale or frustrating, panic often ensues. Luckily there are many paths down from the mountains and obscure trails leading upward to new vistas of possibility. Here’s a few suggestions…and counter-suggestions.

Stick to it! In role playing games characters often have to accumulate experience points before they can level up. The same concept applies to hooping. The more time you spend in the hoop, the more experience you gain. A couple dull days practicing the same old moves might be enough to level up and break into new territory.

OR

Take a break. Sometimes we need to step back and gather new resources to reinvigorate our dance. Let your hooping self rest and seek out inspiration from yoga, meditation, other forms of dance, long walks, and good friends. Remember, it’s ok to put down the hoop for a while. Your plateau may be a sign that it’s time to redirect your energy.

Refine old moves. Since hooping feels dull on a plateau, use the time for the more tedious work of polishing up old moves. Smooth out isolations. Find new poses while core hooping. Work in your reverse current. Straighten out your planes.

OR

Learn new moves. The encyclopedia of hoop-tutorials on Youtube is constantly evolving. Search out new videos and expand your hooping vocabulary. Look for advanced tricks, variations, or adapt moves from other flow-arts like poi.

Enjoy body-rocking. You might be surprised by the things you discover when you bring your hoop back to your core.

OR

Move off-body. There’s whole hooping worlds centered around isolations, tracing techniques, and mini-hooping.

Practice something that makes you giggle like foot hooping or tosses.

Reconnect to the hooping community by attending a hoop jam or workshop.

OR

Reconnect to your solitary hoop practice. Rock out in your living room. Carry your hoop to the beach. Bliss our Hoop Path style with a blindfold. Solitary practice is especially important for hoopers who spend a lot of time performing or teaching. A while back on Elephant Journal I read advice from a yoga teacher that yogis should spend 1 hour in personal practice for every 2 hours they spend teaching or following a teacher. I think the same principal applies to hoop dance.

Hoop to a favorite song.

OR

Hoop to music you don’t normally listen to. When you expand your musical horizons, you also expand your range of expression.

Mandala Monday - Word Mandalas

A word-mandala brings together two techniques that C. G. Jung used to study the unconscious mind: word association and mandala drawings. Jung conceptualizes mandalas “patterns of order which, like a psychological ’view finder’ … superimposed on the psychic chaos so that each content falls into place and the weltering confusion is held together by the protective circle.”  The “sacred circle” of the mandala helps the artist bring order and find patterns in the chaotic flow of the unconscious mind.

An archetypal illustration from Jung's Red Book.

Mandalas are traditionally geometric drawings, but they can also be created with words.

In Memories, Dreams, and Reflections Jung notes that during word-association sessions patients often drew blanks at certain words. The patient might instantly respond “Frisbee” to “dog,” while “cat” receives a long silence. Jung links these silences to Frued’s concept of repression, but they have positive implications too. Certain words serve as keystones for larger ideas. So if you begin with Word A, the words will connect to Word A for a while, but when another keystone word appears, the words begin to connect with it instead. If you hunt through a page of word-associations, you’ll probably pick out the ‘big ideas’, the keystones that mark the flow of thoughts. Jung called them Complexes. So while the stream of words might appear chaotic, they map out patterns similar to the circles, squares, and crosses of hand-drawn mandalas. What the mandala maps thoughts kinesthetically, word associations map linguistically.


Or you can play with both sides of the brain and create a word-mandala that combines word association and mandala drawing.

• Begin with either the word-association or the mandala. But first take a moment to meditate on your central thought. I chose Shakti, the Hindu goddess who awakens love and creativity.

• Create a mandala using the technique of your choice. I repeat my central thought as a mantra when I draw the dot in the center of my mandala. Keep it in mind as you create both the drawn and written portions of your mandala

• After you've sketched the outline of your mandala drawing, begin a page of word association beginning with your central thought. Write slowly and mindfully. Let your mind wander freely from one word to the next. 

• Next, study your word-association page and begin picking out the keystone ideas. Study your drawn-mandala to get a rough idea of how many words you need and how they’ll interconnect in the drawing.

My word-association began as: 

Shakti: Namaste ~ Pray ~ Play ~ Dance ~ Flow ~ Grow ~ Seeds ~ Beads ~ Tangled twine ~ Divine ~ Stars ~ Galaxy ~ Mind ~ Vibrant  ~ Rainbow ~ Crescent ~ Crescendo ~ Sound ~ Profound ~ Inspiration ~ Liberation ~ Revolution ~ Rise like lions ~ Slumber ~ Surrender ~ Submerge ~ Purified ~ Sanctuary ~ January ~ Stillness ~ Center ~ Spiral ~ Dancing ~ Flame ~ Never break the chain ~ Entwine ~ Sublime ~ Mystery ~ History ~ Storyteller ~ Grandmother ~ Spider web ~ Thread ~ Blood ~ Journey ~ Descent ~ Transcend ~ Living Light ~ Illuminate ~Poetry ~ Word Hoard ~ Dragon ~ Ancient ~ Prophecy ~ Raven ~ Trickster ~ Coyote ~ Horizon ~ Shadow ~ Glimmer ~ Glitter ~ Joy ~ Whirling ~ Rumi ~ Library ~ Treasure ~ 

And became:
Shakti:  Grow ~ Vibrant ~ Inspiration ~ Liberation ~ Sanctuary ~ Stillness ~ Center ~ Sublime ~ Transcend ~ Storyteller ~ Journey ~ 

• Finally, begin placing keystone words inside the mandala outline. Add colors, symbols, patterns, and other decorations. I chose to add some lines of poetry, because I realized my association of lions with rebellion originated from a Percy Bysshe Shelley's "The Mask of Anarchy". 

Word-mandalas are amazing tools, because they challenge the creator to link the intuitive lines and shapes of a drawing with the linguistic shapes of words. Word-mandalas are thus an example of what the Kesh in Ursual K. LeGuin's Always Coming Home call hand-mind: a task whose mindful motions makes space for mental exploration.

View from a Hooping Plateau Part 1

The view is breathtaking: valleys, rivers, and luminous sky. I stand in awe of the heights I’ve climbed, while gazing, inspired, at the mountains still waiting to be scaled. Below me a landscape of new friends, new skills, and blissful memories unfurl like a tapestry.

But I’d rather be somewhere else. Almost anywhere else.

I stand, grateful but impatient, on a hooping plateau.

You’ve probably reached one or will reach one some day. It’s the place in your hooping journey where everything seems a little stale. You’re comfortable with your skill-set and flow…too comfortable. Maybe it’s been a while since you’ve learned something new, and you worry you’ve reached the limits of your dance. Maybe you’ve poured your energy into the hooping community, and you feel burned out. Whatever path you’ve followed, you know you’re on a hooping plateau because all the birds are singing, “Same old. Nothing new. Same old hoola hoop.” It’s not a danceable tune.

The tricky thing about my hooping plateau is that nothing has really changed. I’m still part of a fantastic community. The crowd still crows when I bust out a pizza toss from my knees. I still adore the murmur of flames before I launch my fire hoop into motion. Nothing external exiles a hooper to a dreary plateau. It’s internal. It’s a state of mind.

Solanaceae surveys the hoop-scape.

Believe it or not. It’s a good sign.

Hooping plateaus are part of the natural ebb and flow of a dynamic hoop journey. They acknowledge accomplishment and skill. After all, I’ve worked long and hard to build the plateau’s foundation. They also promise change…if I persevere. They’re a resting space before plunging into the mountains of possibility. Like the proverbial calm before the storm, they signal a lull before a flood of new energy, inspiration, and flow.

So enjoy the view, hoop-friends. Set your hoop in the sand and meditate. Take inventory. Write a hymn in honor of the circle. Be patient, because the journey never ends.

Spin Gypsy

Spin Gypsy celebrates self-discovery through dance, movement, and music. We are a collective of hoop dancers, fire spinners, flow artists, and performers who connected through the Sedalia Farmer’s Market in the summer of 2010. We host performances and workshops throughout Mid-Missouri, including a weekly spin-jam in Liberty Park. 

We hope you join us in the circle!  

June 17th- Randomly at the Sedalia Lion’s Club Blues &   BBQ

June 18th - Spin Jam at Liberty Park, 4-7pm

June 24th - Friday Spin Jam at Sedalia Farmer’s Market, 4-7pm 

June 25th - Performance with the Hulagans @ Beach Party 101 in Columbia, MO, 9-midnight 

June 25th- Summer Solstice Bonfire Party in Leeton. Contact  Jeluna for details.

 

July 2nd - Spin Jam at Liberty Park, 4-7 pm

July 4th - Fire Spinning Performance at Dresden Community Center (free food & fireworks!!!)

July 8-11th - Zenfest at Camp Gaea, Kansas. 

July 16th - Spin Jam at Liberty Park, 4-7pm 

July 21st - 3rd Thursday Celebration in Warrensburg. Details TBA

July 22nd - Spin Jam at Liberty Park, 4-7pm

July 30th - Friday Spin Jam at Sedalia Farmer’s Market, 4-7pm

If you're a musician or pro-spinner interested in sharing your talents, please contact Heather Hughes @ tangledmacrame@yahoo.com

Mandala Monday - Shadows and Sight

In the center of this mandala by Yen Chua, the mediator dissolves into bliss. Beyond the shadow of the ego, the eyes of the mind open and reveal universal harmony.  

One Tribe, Many Voices

The sound extends the circle wide,
Draws the dancing souls inside,
Gathers strength, ignites the tribe,
Quickens feet and sooths the mind,
So that thoughts take flight and leap
In silent prayer or kindly greeting.

Like the rambling waters flowing,
Like leaves of trees and breezes blowing,
A current carries dust and jewels
To anoint the dirty hair of fools,
Thus all are blessed who cup their hands
To grasp and drink this moment’s wine.

If I wander drunk and dazed,

Stomping rhythms, singing praise,

The moths may fold their wings in prayer

and linger, trembling in my hair,

For I exchanged my mask for light

And mingled my voice with the song of the tribe.

The Spark of Basic Goodness

Khristian Snyder Photography

You have an inclination: in the flash of one second, you feel what needs to be done. It is not a product of your education; it is not scientific or logical; you simply pick up on the message. And then you act: you just do it. That basic human quality of suddenly opening up is the best part of human instinct. You know what to do right away, on the spot—which is fantastic.


That is what we call the dot of basic goodness and unconditional instinct. You don’t think: you just feel, on the spot.


Basic trust is knowing that there is such a thing as that spark of basic goodness.


Chogyam Trungpa, The Ocean of Dharma

Mint Tea Recipe

Last night I made this yummy tea with mint from my garden. It's the first time I've ever eaten something I've grown. Pure magic....and delicious.

Steep 6 mint leaves in 2 cups boiling-hot water for 1-3 minutes. 
Remove leaves
Add a splash of orange juice
Add a swirl of honey.
Stir and enjoy. 

"Louisa was slow and still in her movements; it took her a long time to prepare her tea; but when ready it was set forth with as much grace as if she had been a veritable guest to her own self."

-From Mary E. Wilkins Freeman's "A New England Nun"

Grandmother's Rainbow

Once upon a time, on a rainy day, Grandmother Spider found the end of the rainbow. She pulled a length of twine from her pocket and quickly wrapped the rainbow's end in a half hitch sinnet. Then she began to tug. With each pull the rainbow became smaller, until it was small enough to fit into Grandmother's pocket.

Grandmother Spider carried the rainbow home. Later that night, she divided each band of color into a colorful piece of hemp. She crushed the leftovers with her pestal and rolled the shards in her palm until they were round and bright like beads. Finally she pierced each bead with a sewing needle, and slipped them onto the rainbow twine. She left the findings on her table with a teapot sitting on top. Rainbows, she knew, had a way of slipping away over night. Then she went to bed. In the morning, Grandmother Spider knotted the pieces of the rainbow into a luminous crown.

Mandala Monday - A Memorial Flower

"Within every seed a flower sleeps. Within every mind lingers a dream."

I’d like to take a moment this Memorial Day to dedicate a mandala to the dreamers, laborers, parents, and soldiers who have given their lives in service. Memorial Day traditionally honors veterans, but I believe there is something equally noble in the sacrifices of everyday men and women. This mandala honors the father who surrenders his personal aspirations and works two jobs to buy his children a foothold in the American dream. This mandala celebrates the environmental activist sowing seeds in abandoned parking lots. May their spirit of generosity and perseverance inform the future of our nation. Blessed be. 

  

Reach for the sky....wait! Not that high!

For the second time this week I looked up from my garden and spotted my daughter perched high in the branches of a tree. For the second time this week I struggled between worry and pride. On one hand, all my modern parenting instincts scream, “DANGER!” On the other hand, I marvel at her bravery and her wild whims. I have never been the girl who climbs trees. I’ve always been too scared to scale the branches. Or perhaps my mother was too scared to let me scale branches, so I evolved into a creature that lingers among roots, gazing upward. The facts are lost deep in my memory.

Meanwhile, Abby grins and hurls handfuls of leaves down at her brother. I hope my daughter will grown into a young woman who dares to climb. I hope she ascends toward happiness, financial stability, and knowledge. I want her to smile down at the world and breathe the bright breezes. But those are all metaphors.

Climbing a tree is real. Climbing a tree--or rather, falling from one--can break a pre-schooler’s neck. So part of me demands that I summon her back to earth, while the other part argues that tree climbing is the cornerstone of a joyous childhood. My mind cannot convince itself either way. I wander over to the tree. I take my customary spot among the roots, gazing up with a two-part plan in mind: to share this moment with my pixie child and catch her if she falls.

From Birches by Robert Frost

I'd like to get away from earth awhile

And then come back to it and begin over.

May no fate willfully misunderstand me

And half grant what I wish and snatch me away

Not to return. Earth's the right place for love:

I don't know where it's likely to go better.

I'd like to go by climbing a birch tree,

And climb black branches up a snow-white trunk

Toward heaven, till the tree could bear no more,

But dipped its top and set me down again.

That would be good both going and coming back.

One could do worse than be a swinger of birches. 

Interview: Lindsay Love

The half-stated purpose of this blog is to share ideas for embracing an inspired, happy, and creative life. On my own journey I've met a host of brilliant people who create 'the good life' through their art and community service. This week's interview with Lindsay Love is the first in a series of profiles that showcase artists living their dream.

Lindsay and her inspiring daughter, Baila

Lindsay Love is also a certified children’s yoga and meditation instructor and is a member of multiple local community organizations. Lindsay is joined in her journey by her daughter and inspiration, Baila (3 years) and their dog, Bea.

When and how did you discover hoop dance?
Lindsay: I was introduced to hoop dancing in 2006, as it was becoming increasingly popular among the summer music festival scene. I was always intrigued but it wasn't until I watched Spiral's Earth Dance video in the Spring of 2008 that I felt inspired to pick up a hoop myself.

Spiral's Earthdance video is a hooping classic! What about that  video changed your intrigue into inspiration?

Lindsay: Spiral wasn't just hooping, she was DANCING! I was spotting chaine turns, deep grande plies in second position, sustained spins, etc. much different than I've ever seen before.

You studied modern, ballet, and tap dance for 13 years before discovering hoop-dance. What are some of the similarities and differences between hoop-dance and more 'traditional' schools of dance?

Lindsay: Studio dance and hoop dance share many similarities in the art of expression through movement, performance and flow. In the fall of 2006, I walked away from studio dance with little inspiration and motivation remaining. With the hoop came a new challenge, less boundaries and infinite possibilities in discovering how to utilize this prop to ignite my desire to dance again. Hoop dance has allowed me to tap into my unique free flow, without direction or limitation.

How has your extensive dance background informed/impacted your hooping?

Lindsay: My background in dance has served as great preparation as I now spin in my ultimate joy in the flow arts community. I was a very shy child and am grateful to my mother and dance teacher for all they contributed to my experience in dance. That opportunity gave me confidence, built incredible self-esteem and sparked the creative fire within at a very young age. I still enjoy creating choreography, only now with props and tools (generally on fire!) and love sharing my art through performance, both of which I learned during my years in the studio.

Do you have any suggestions for hoopers who want to incorporate more dance into their spinning?

I strongly believe that the hoop has a way of finding

 you  and when that connection between yourself and

 the hoop is recognized, you will begin experiencing

 your unique flow.

Lindsay: My advice to hoopers who wish to incorporate more dance into their practice at home would be to JUST LET GO! I strongly believe that the hoop has a way of finding you and when that connection between yourself and the hoop is recognized, you will begin experiencing your unique flow. If it is technique that is desired, utilize resources such as dance tutorials on YouTube and discover the multiple ways to integrate your hoop with specific moves and combinations. Do not limit yourself as your body will intuitively guide you through your expression!

I think the freedom to just let go and dance draws many people into  hooping. It's so liberating. At the same time hooping draws a lot of  attention --though it may be different in Lawrence than here in  rural MO. Most of its very supportive, but there's sense of being on  display. How do you balance the pull of performance with the desire  to just experience the dance?


Lindsay: I feel like experiencing the dance in your highest excitement is what draws people in. To see someone having fun and being playful brings a lot of smiles, my advice is to dance as if no one is watching, even if you are on display. Be in tune with yourself and it will be radiant.

That's a great way to look at it! So tell me about your yoga-practice. When and how did you discover yoga?

Lindsay: I began practicing yoga in 2006. Stretching was a huge part of my dance practice growing up but I like to refer to yoga as "conscious stretching". I began setting intention, focusing on breath and listening to my body during these stretch sessions. Deepak Chopra's "Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga" is a book that found me early on in my yoga journey. This book has accelerated my practice over the years by opening doors to healing, meditation, compassion and Love.

What styles/schools of yoga do you study? 

Lindsay: The majority of my yoga practice consists of Hatha Yoga and Kundalini Yoga. Hatha Yoga includes the basic poses that contribute to flexibility and strength. Kundalini provides for a more intense spiritual connection, navigating through your chakras and finding balance within. I find Intuitive Yoga very refreshing also as it's very much like my hoop sessions--naturally flowing from pose to pose without a predetermined agenda.

What is Angel Bear Yoga?

Lindsay: Angel Bear Yoga is the curriculum used at my practice, Love~Joy~Harmony: Children's Yoga and Meditation. The program was founded by Christi Eley, a certified children's yoga instructor who wanted to make yoga more creative for children. Angel Bear Yoga teaches children to embody positive character traits through a story-based practice of poses, heart affirmations and active meditations, while discussing nature facts, endangered animals and tips on how to contribute to a healthy, sustainable environment. An overall connection to the Source, the Earth and it's creatures!

I feel that all children are born with the natural 

love of the practice and hope to act as a guide for

many who wish to continue to cherish that tool 

throughout their lives.

How is teaching children different than teaching adults?

Lindsay: Teaching children is my biggest joy as it is constantly a learning experience for myself! I enjoyed the opportunity teaching adults while instructing dance, but the children help me tap into my inner child and I am constantly pushing to be more creative and interactive to make a more positive, lasting impression.

How do children benefit from yoga?


Lindsay: Yoga Journal has a great article outlining the benefits of children's yoga that I have found to be very inspiring. In it, Marsha Wenig states, "Children derive enormous benefits from yoga. Physically, it enhances their flexibility, strength, coordination, and body awareness. In addition, their concentration and sense of calmness and relaxation improves. Doing yoga, children exercise, play, connect more deeply with the inner self, and develop an intimate relationship with the natural world that surrounds them. Yoga brings that marvelous inner light that all children have to the surface." I feel that all children are born with the natural love of the practice and hope to act as a guide for many who wish to continue to cherish that tool throughout their lives.

Is yoga accessible to all children? My pre-school age son, for example, is very high-energy and easily distracted. How do you teach to a child like him? 

Lindsay: Yoga is accessible to all children! Whether setting aside time to do stretches at home with mom or dad before bed time or joining a classroom setting, there is generally little to no cost involved, as yoga is something that is already within us all. Children who are high-energy and easily distracted generally benefit most from the program. Love~Joy~Harmony bases each yoga session around character traits such as Patience, Listening, Imagination and Respect, which I feel will be extremely beneficial if presented effectively. The classes are kept between 30-45 minutes (depending on the age group) and are very interactive to help motivate the children to stay involved in a fun environment.

What teaching/performance events (yoga and hoop) do you have lined up this summer?

Lindsay: I will be hosting free children's yoga workshops in the Kansas City and Lawrence areas throughout the summer and will begin teaching semester-based classes beginning in August. For information on these events as they are announced, you can visit my website or follow Love~Joy~Harmony on Facebook.I will be performing and instructing workshops as part of Helios Fire Tribe at local events in Lawrence throughout the summer, while we are also preparing our piece to perform at the annual Fringe Festival in Kansas City this July.

That's an impressive list of events, plus you also organize monthly Goddess Gatherings. What is the KCL Goddess Gathering? Are men allowed? What are your gatherings like and what sort of volunteer work do you do?

Gatherings are also intended to celebrate our 

unique gift of femininity.

Lindsay: The KCL Goddess Gathering is an organization I created after acknowledging the unity among so many strong, influential and positive women in our community. It serves as an opportunity for us to unite on a monthly basis and share inspiration, bring awareness to the needs of ur community and motivate each other to continually play a part in giving back while still taking the time to nurture ourselves and our spirit. While we hope to inspire and serve everyone, regardless of gender, our Gatherings are also intended to celebrate our unique gift of femininity. Our volunteer work is open to anything that needs attention in our community--from the Boys & Girls clubs to food drives and working with other non-profit organizations to assist where they may need volunteers.

Why are gatherings like these important?

Lindsay: I feel as though gatherings such as ours act as a way to inspire and set example through action. It allows us to serve a purpose in unity and open doors for more people to become involved. Most importantly, a lot of our members are mothers. We have crafts and activities prepared for children of all ages and encourage them to take part in this supportive, productive environment at an early age.

How can folks get involved in KCL Goddess Gathering? 

Lindsay: For information on the KCL Goddess Gathering, you can visit our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/goddessgathering or email: KCLGoddessGathering@gmail.com. All Goddesses Welcome!

Service and volunteer projects, like the KCL Goddess Gathering, are often described as dharma in the yoga-community, but you also refer to dance as your dharma. What is dharma? How does it relate to creative-work?

Lindsay: I first became aware of the term "dharma" in my yoga practice a few years ago. This refers to your purpose, your reason for being born. We all have a unique gift to contribute to our environment. I do consider dance (in all forms) to serve as my primary purpose, while continually seeking more possibilities. I have found purpose in motherhood, community involvement, serving as a mentor, being a student, etc. Dharma is often the subject of my conversations and blogs and the source of motivation for my practice as my it continues to reveal itself more and more each day.

So is dharma fixed--like everyone is born with a purpose--or is it fluid?

Lindsay: As a person, you are constantly evolving with every experience and with that, one could assume your dharma is constantly evolving as well.

How can people embrace/discover their dharma?

Lindsay: You can attempt to recognize it on a large scale (your ultimate purpose) or in the moment. We are all born to contribute talents, compassion, and ideas (just to name a few). Everyone is full of purpose, trust in yourself and focus on finding those outlets within.

How do you balance your creative and mundane (work, for example) obligations?

Lindsay: Balancing priorities and "playorities" comes with much practice and dedication. As a sole parent with my family being hours away, I am blessed to have the opportunities to be involved, as many in my situation otherwise would not. I have gained the most incredible support system over the years because of hooping and the community events I participate in. Together, we can accomplish anything and set a great example for generations to come. Behind every motivation and creation is my highest purpose, my daughter, Baila. She serves as my partner in all that I do, my teacher in life. Live in Love!

Thank you for making time between your priorities and "playorities" for this interview. You're an inspiration, Lindsay!


Lindsay: Thanks for the interview, it helped me reflect and find more gratitude in so much! Thank you!

Gardening is an Act of Faith

"The best place to seek God is in a garden. You can dig for him there." 

~George Bernard Shaw, 

The Adventures of the Black Girl in Her Search for God

Gardening is an act of faith.

Undoubtedly, gardening is also a science with two rather sprawling and well-devloped branches called horticulture and agriculture. Nonetheless, for the novice, for the hands-off hippie (that's me) who presses a handful of seeds into the soil, gardening requires faith.

When I first decided to garden, I recieved a monthy copy of Mother Earth News. They taught me about organic gardening and heirloom seeds. I priced organic potting soil and heirloom tomatoes. I ran out of money. I planted some greens and two tomato plants...then watched the weeds conquer their space.
Next year, I bought a gardening book. One of those polished, magazine-style guides with long lists of garden designs and infastructure purchases. I got scared again. I dropped a row of okra into the mud behind my shed along with a couple clusters of daisies from the Farmer's Market. They all died. Like the tomatoes. Like last year's greens.

This year, however, something amazing happened. I wandered out behind my shed and noticed wild clumps of lace-leafed plants that looked suspiciously like daisies. I took heart. I called up my friend Rose for gardening advice. After all, she grew whole bucketloads of tomatoes and cucumbers outside her duplex last year. "Teach me!" I cried. "Well," she replied, "You put some plants in the ground and they either grow or they don't." I could have kissed her lotus-annointed, garden-guru feet.

Gardening is civil and social, but it wants the vigor and

 freedom of the forest and the outlaw.

 ~Henry David Thoreau

So I tilled. I started seeds inside: zuccini, canalope, basil, and sunflowers. My neighbor gave me tomatoes. My husband took me to a plant sale where I adopted green peppers, watermelon, broccoli, herbs, and bedding flowers. I watched the zuccini flourish. I watched a dozen bright canalope seedlings wither into oblivion over night. I created a garden.

One day I hope to learn more about the science of growing things. I'd like to figure out why the canalope died. Maybe I'll Google 'canalope'. Maybe I'll study my seedling more carefully next year. In the meantime, I garden intuitively with advice from the backs of seedpackets and the green stems themselves. Because knowlege can be a guide, but it can also paralyze. Confronted with the facts, it often seems that success hinges on a host of perfect tools and techniques.

I'd rather play the Fool and step blindly, faithfully into the garden of possibility. A family of half-wild daisies lifted their faces to greet me.

A World Divided - The Commidification of Water in Bolivia

Welcome guest-writer Tim Dieker. Tim is a father, fire spinner, and student of history. He's also a hermit with no website or e-mail, so leave your comments here! ;-)

From "The People United: The 1999-2000 Cochabamba “Water Wars” and Their Continuing Impact" by guest-author Tim Dieker. 

Global water consumption is rising more than
 twice as fast as the population explosion.

“The wars of the next century will be about water” (qtd. In Barlow 1).  With those chilling words Ismail Seregeldin, Vice-President of the World Bank in 1999, offered people a glimpse into the 21st century.  Water scarcity is a growing global issue, and many world leaders (both elected and otherwise) believe the answer to concerns such as these lie in the free market system, arguing that a privatized water system ensures superior conservation, higher quality and expanded service, especially in the Global South.

Water is a vital resource, and is becoming increasingly scarce. Over a billion people in the world have no access to clean water, and twice that number lack sanitation services. The majority of these people live in the global South.  At the same time global water consumption is rising more than twice as fast as the population explosion (Barlow 2), while in many areas of the world, freshwater supplies are beginning to run low.  Because of this, there has been a growing movement to turn water into a commodity, and move away from idea of water as a necessity to the World Bank’s conceptualization of water as an “economic good” (Grusky 15).  Thus, global markets have taken an interest in water supply and distribution.  Since the 1980’s, global institutions like the World Bank, along with a handful of multinational corporations, have increasingly pushed to commidify the remainder of the world’s water.

Many consumers in Cochabamba saw their water bills go
 up 200-300% to prepare for the company’s arrival even
 before any kind of improvements to the system.

The number of large multinationals that have leapt into the water market have enjoyed dramatic growth, as well as massive profits.  In the early 1990’s the three largest private water firms worked in twelve countries, and served roughly 50 million people.  By 2004, they were established in well over a hundred countries serving 300 million people (Barlow and Clark 16).  Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux and Vivendi, the two largest firms, are both in the top one hundred corporations in the world, and control over 2/3 of the private water market (Bakker 330).  Interestingly, although conservation is often touted as a reason to privatize, most of the industry’s expansion has occurred in the global South, not in the first-world nations where most water waste occurs.  Maude Barlow, author and Senior Advisor on Water to the 63rd President of United Nations General Assembly in 2008-2009, notes “. . . a mere 12% of the world’s population uses 85% of its water, and the 12% do not live in the third world” (54). Thus privatization in the developing world addresses only a fraction of the world’s water usage and ignores waste in wealthy nations with already privatized systems.

Another oft-cited reason for privatization is that it will bring increased investment in water services to areas in need.  However, most of this investment comes not from foreign companies, but from the users themselves.  Prices have to rise in order to, as noted activist Vandana Shiva noted, “support a commercial operation” (Shiva 12).  Or in the words of an executive for Suez, “People are to pay regarding what they consume” (qtd. in Flow:  For the Love of Water), and of course, enough to make a healthy profit for the company involved.

This move proved so unpopular that residents
began what has come to be know as the "Water
Wars," a massive protest movement against
privatization. 

In perhaps the worst case example of corporate mismanagement and national exploitation, the water systems of Cochabamba, Bolivia were privatized in 1999 and sold to a water consortium named Aguas del Tunari, in which American firm Bechtel held a majority stake.  This move proved so unpopular that residents began what has come to be known as the “Water Wars,” a massive protest movement against privatization.  The 1999-2000 “Water Wars” in Cochabamba radically altered Bolivian and, indeed, global politics.

Almost 75% of Bolivians live below the poverty line, making it the poorest of the poor nations of South America (Foshee et al. 10).  In spite of this abject poverty, the World Bank, and its Director, James Wolfensohn, “. . . argued that giving public services away inevitably leads to waste, and said that countries like Bolivia need to have a ‘proper system of charging’” (Schultz 29).  This was the firm, contradictory stance from organizations like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, who’ve previously said water is a common resource of the people.  The World Bank’s stance that private markets were the quickest and best way to provide and expand water services was reflected in the fact that for many nations, like Bolivia, debt relief loans from the Bank and the IMF were granted on the condition that water systems be privatized.  In Bolivia the Bank demanded that the systems of Cochabamba and the municipal area of El Alto/La Paz both be taken over by private industry (Bakker 330).

As a result, many consumers in Cochabamba saw their water bills go up 200-300% to prepare for the company’s arrival even before any kind of improvements to the system.  For the poor, this meant often choosing between water and other necessities.  Indeed, as Sara Grusky, co-director of the Globalization Challenge Initiative noted, “Although the minimum wage stood at less than $65, many of the poor had water bills of $20 or more” (19).  In spite of only having access to water a couple hours a day at best, and even then with almost no pressure, the citizens of Cochabamba were paying water bills that roughly equal to water bills for a small home in some parts of the United States.  Meanwhile Aguas del Tunari projected profits for the year of $58 million dollars (Barlow and Clark 17).

Ashwin Desai explains, "By telling a woman who's got nothing," 

that she must give up her "meager amount of money, what is she

going to do but go to the river and take that dirty water and die of

cholera? And then you say people don't know how to practice 

hygiene. "

The contracts the government of Bolivia signed were implemented through Law #2029, passed in October of 1999.  It was a law that came to represent all that was wrong with “global free trade” to the Bolivian people.  Indeed, when one examines the details of the law and the contract, free trade doesn’t seem to be as big of a concern as monopolistic control of the resource. For example, Law #2029 stated that “. . . the private companies are the only ones who can distribute water.  All of the autonomous water systems are handed over to them without paying anything to the people who invested in having their own systems” (Olivera 16).  Meters were installed on people’s hand-dug wells, and collection agents were sent to people with cisterns and other traditional water collecting systems, ordering villagers to get a permits to collect the rainwater--now legal property of Aguas del Tunari.

Continued next Tuesday as the people of Bolivia rise up in protest...

Polypro Hoops

Polypro hoop from synergyfirehoops.com

When the word polypro began to wander across the Hoop City  forums last year, I knew these hoops were going to be big. After all, they were promoted by Rich Porter whose name is synonymous with hoop-pioneer. Secondly, the name. If you clicked into an Etsy shop and saw listings for a HDPE hoop and a polypro hoop, which one would you look at first? I bet most folks would look at the polyPRO. Advertising repeatedly proves that names sell--especially names that suggest something desirable. Pro is positive. Pro is professional. Pro promises to transform every hooper into a bad-ass.

Polypro hoops are marketed as ‘professional hoops’ and hoops for advanced hooper. We’ve all seen jaw-dropping videos of Rich and Spiral rocking their tiny, ephemeral polypro hoops. We’ve all wondered how this potentially revolutionary tool can reshape our dance.

Well last weekend, I picked up a pair of 35” polypro twins. My regular hoop is a 36” PE (classic black) cut from ½” 125psi tubing. It is light and very springy. After an afternoon in the sun, I can feel my regular hoop squish during fast reversals.

My new polypro hoops are even lighter. They don’t give like the PE hoop during reversals. Their light weight, combined their rigidity explains why Rich Porter reports, “I’m up to 200+ shoulder reverses per/minute with my PPE hoop. This just wouldn’t have been possible with Polyethylene. At this speed you literally are pushing the physical limitations of the material.” 

I can’t pull off anywhere near that many reversals, but in one week I’ve noticed a host of differences between polypro and classic hoops. Here’s the break-down:

• Polypro hoops soar during tosses. They fly higher and descend slower. 

• Polypro hoops require precision. If your regular chest-rolls bounce a bit, expect your polypro hoop to catapult. Similarly, during chest rolls, you have to make sure the polypro hoop makes solid contact with your first forearm, or you’ll be tossing the hoop, rather than rolling it, across your chest.

• Polypro hoops are fantastic for isolations. Light and responsive is key in isolation-based hooping. Plus, the current tradition is to leave polypro hoops untapped, so they reinforce the “floating bubble” illusion behind many isolations. They are, however, more difficult to keep from wobbling forward and backward out of their planes. 

• Polypro hoops are perfect for poi-style, off-body doubles. They’re light and they’re fast, so their perfect for poi-inspired tricks. They also make moves more accessible with larger hoops. For example, with ½” PE tubing I could only link a three-beat-weave to an under-the-shoulder toss with my 30” doubles. Bigger hoops were just to cumbersome. Now I can nail the combination with my 35” polypro doubles.
• Polypro hoops are kind to sensitive wrists, ankles, and feet. I’ve gone back to working on the kick-start, because the polypro are far gentler on my ankles. 
• Polypro hoops love clean planes. They wobble when I’m sloppy.
• Core hooping is harder with polypro hoops. The hoops are so light I miss the very kinetic experience of the hoop whirling around my body. They lack momentum, so I have to push more with less sensory feedback from the hoop. I’m still working to reclaim my sky-angle hooping. 

I’m not sure if this is a recipe for bad-ass hooping….especially if you’re a body-rocker. However, I recommend polypro hoops for anyone who wants to explore poi-style and isolation-based hooping, for hoopers who need a lighter hoop to protect their wrists and feet, and for any dancer who wants to delve into a faster and more precise flow within their hoop.



Shakti Sunfire dances with a polypro fire hoop at Wanderlust 2010

Sweet Centering, Sublime Savasana

Like many solitary, rural yogis, I fulfill my yoga-fix online.  Other than a handful of classes at local colleges, I’ve predominantly studied asana at the feet of a digital guru. You might call me a Youtube Yogini. Most days I’m contented with my practice. Feedback would be nice, but the flexible scheduling, almost limitless choice of sequences, and absence of witnesses suit my needs perfectly. The best videos combine accessible but challenging poses in creative sequences. The instruction is clear with a focus on anatomy and transitions… with a bit of Sanskrit scattered in between.

One thing I’ve noticed, however, is that most videos cut straight to the asana sequences. When they do focus on breathing and setting an intention, I find myself distracted. I struggle to breathe naturally when someone instructs me to breathe naturally. I can’t find my center when someone asks me to find my center.

So rather than following the instructor’s centering exercises, I find my mental comfy spot before I begin the video, and then I skip ahead to the asana sequence. This simple change has deepened my practice considerably, and I hope it can deepen your practice too.

Tips for sweet centering:

Rest your hands open on your knees. Palms turn up to welcome energy. Palms turn down to ground energy.

Breathe a few rounds of Ujjayi, then ignite your lungs with a round of  Kapalabhati. Breathing, ironically, is my biggest struggle in yoga. I tend to over think it, and then loose my rhythm. When I take a moment to breathe slowly, then quickly, I somehow sidestep that mental barrier. Kapalabhati just sounds, and feels, so crazy, my mind can’t help but relax.


Stretch out your neck, shoulders, hands, and feet.

Sing a mantra, chant, or healing song.

On the final round of your mantra, bring your hands, folded in prayer, to your heart. Open your eyes. Speak your intention, exhale, and begin your asana sequences.

It also helps to pause the videos occasionally. For example, I adore yogayak’s Grounding Afternoon Sequence, but that gal flies through her sun salutations. I need a minute or two to center after each salutation and I take it….with a click of the pause button.

Tips for a sublime savasana

Some videos include savasana at the end of their videos. Others encourage the viewer to take it on their own. Either way, turn off the video. If you’re impatient like me, dash into the kitchen and set the oven timer. It’s oddly liberating to sink into relaxation without having to guess when my time’s up or without listening to a digital guru breathing across the computer speakers.

If my mind’s still wild, I tame it with more singing. I know technically savasana is a self-contained pose, but I’d rather have a mindful, energetic experience than no experience at all.

The heart of yoga is a personal, moment-to-moment practice. When we rely on videos or pod casts to guide our practice, we must take time to modify them. Singing Tool in savasana may not be traditional, but it heals my mind, so I create space for the song. I create space for my own sublime experience instead of accepting a pre-packaged substitute.

Technology is the tool. The practice is individual. How do you modify your yoga? What other healing paths and sources of inspiration do you incorporate? How does your unique approach inform your practice?



Also: A wonderful take on the difference between savasana and meditation.

Welcome the divine, creative spirit of Shakti

ADI SHAKTI, ADI SHAKTI, ADI SHAKTI, NAMO NAMO,

SARAB SHAKTI, SARAB SHAKTI, SARAB SHAKTI, NAMO NAMO,

PRITHUM BHAGAWATI, PRITHUM BHAGAWATI, PRITHUM BHAGAWATI,

NAMO NAMO,

KUNDALINI, MATA SHAKTI, MATA SHAKTI, NAMO, NAMO.

Another version with better vocals, but no embedding allowed. 

9 Ways to Welcome Spring with Very Little Green

Last month the gals at Hoop Dance Freak Flow shared 9 Ways to Clean-Up for the 2011 Hoop Season . The first couple suggestions included creating a rainbow hoop with left-over tape and donating beater hoops to neighborhood kids. Great ideas, for sure. Spring encourages us to unclutter, give, and breathe new life into winter's left-overs. The rest of the article, however, focused on new clothes, earrings, and hoops. While I love (and often covet) new hoop gear, the list struck me as kind of a bummer for folks in the broke-hooper camp. So here’s Tangled Macrame’s 9 Ways to Welcome Spring with Very Little Green.

1. Organize a free hoop-day in the park or find one near-by. If everyone contributes a little (snacks, hand-made prizes, ect), no one has to contribute a lot.

2. Practice tosses. There’s something sublime about a hoop hovering against blue sky.

3. Gather your hoop friends for a photo shoot.

4. Explore nearby state parks for a new space to play.

5. Hoop near or in the creek.

6. Organize a costume swap at your local hoop-jam. This might be fun before the photo-shoot!

7. Volunteer to teach hoop-dance at the Boys and Girls Club or another children’s summer program.

8. Visit your neighborhood Farmer’s Market…with hoops. Nothing refreshes the soul like fresh strawberries and hooping with Mennonite children.

9. Drink water!