Incredible. What a wonderful holiday.

Kramer and I ate dinner at a delicious French resturant, celebrated with champagne and turned in to bed early. We arose at 5am to get ready to go to Supper Club, where he was djing.

I was awed by the costumes. There were so many people there in spectacular garb, I found myself fantastizing about going home and creating wearable art! Many there wore these gothic victorian creations ... which I visualized re-creating in whites and golds... very elegant, regal, big bustles, wonderful hair adornments of feathers and more... Also, another person was wearing a tank top that had been completely studded with rhinestones which twinkled in the light... what a fun project!

Then there were dancers. The floor cleared as a cluster of 3 took turns doing percussive pop-and-lock jams. One woman in particular was so amazing! She did the linear pop and lock moves but was also able to combine them in ways which were circular and spiral in nature, giving her a real dance flow .. different from the other super rigid robotic movers. Inspiring!

Later the floor cleared again for some breakdancers. They were flying around spinning on their heads, leaping up and doing continuous handsprings, whirling around with their legs splayed in the air, contorting and twisting so fast it was a blur.

After Supper Club we went to breakfast of Champions at Whisper. While I had danced for a while at Supper Club, I hadn't been super inspired. At Whisper, I went straight into the back dancefoor and sucked into a pulsating, jam packed vortex of happy dancers grooving and moving to house, electro and funky breaks.

WOW! I danced there non-stop for about 4 hours. I got into a movement meditation --every time one foot touched the ground I would mentally say, "thank" and when the other foot touched the floor, I would say, "you". So the whole time I was letting my feet say thank you and all I could think about was all the amazing things I felt grateful for! I felt grateful for my body, my life, my husband, my friends, my family ... and so much more!

I saw SO many friends I had not seen in a long time and it was wonderful to have small moments of connection and then to just get lost again in the dance. It was really the first time I felt so connected in a long time. I had left conscious thought behind and was just taken by the music. My body was moving in fast articulate ways but it was almost as if I was just a marionette channeling something much more basic -- the essence of rhythm. Delicious. And rejuevinating.

Even better was that I didn't have, nor did I want my hoop! I feel like I need super juiced up connection to the music imprinted on my dna to really connect with my own dance which I can bring to the hoop when it is time. So it was a truely wonderful opportunity to drink in the wellspring of at-one-ment. So much more energy to give to the hoop later...

Of the many resolutions I have for the New Year, I want to share one in particular...

Did you know that children laugh over 300 times per day, while the average adult only laughs 15 times? It is amazing -- especially since laughter is so linked to healing and wellbeing. This is because children laugh unconditionally and adults laugh only if there is a cause. Since 70% of illnesses are linked to stress and laughter is the number one stress reliever... why not laugh your way to health?

I calculated that if I awake most days at 7am and go to bed around 11, that means that I am awake 15 hours -- to laugh as much as a child does I would need to laugh 20 times an hour! So here we go! This is one of my new year's resolutions. I don't know if I can manage that many times per hour, but in general I plan on laughing more. I'll keep you updated.

On this note, I also downloaded internet movie recommendations which list of the top comedy movies. I figure whenever I need to choose a genre of a movie to watch from now on, I'll reach for comedies which could make me laugh and avoid the violent ones and anything else which doesn't make me feel good.

I am so grateful for life. Thank you to everyone who has helped me in so many wonderful ways and thank you Creator to reminding me what is most important in life ... connection, happiness and love.

I really cannot express in words how much my entire life has been changed by Dr. Michael Beckwith, the minister of Agape International Spiritual Center in Los Angeles.

When I lived in LA, I would go to service, listen to Dr.Beckwith, and leave a transformed being, vibrating at a different frequency of joy filled light and awareness. One of the hardest parts of leaving LA was leaving the ability to go to the center regularly for their wednesday and sunday services.

Lucky for me, you can actually subscribe to service cds, which can be mailed anywhere in the world (see www.agapelive.com). So every few days, I get packets in the mail here in San Francisco. I play them frequently in the gym while working out, during walks, while lying on the couch as an inspiring alternative to watching tv, and recently by candle light in the bathtub.

Tonight I was using some relaxation body salts, Ylang ylang and sandlewood bubbles. Michael's message was so great I feel I have to share it.

He spoke of being a "praise machine" -- reprogramming ourselves to see everything that is RIGHT and good and beautiful around us, instead of focusing on what our ego percieves as wrong. Noticing what inspires and uplifts us in everything and praising that at every moment with our attention, thereby raising our own vibration to a place of beauty and rightness. Seeing everything with the eyes and awareness of Creator, with the knowledge that all our needs are met and that we are inherently whole. That in these times more than ever, we need to be light beacons radiating light, positivity, joy and love to thrive and be healthy.

My eyes closed, I listened and just felt all the hairs on my arms stand up because there was so much inherent "rightness" in what he was saying. It applies to everything -- friends, finances, family, relationships, self image, job, security ... every possible "issue" we could ever have in the human incarnation (and of course as a hula hooper!)

This means looking always for the goodness everywhere. Complete re-wiring all of our sensory mechanisms to tune into what is RIGHT, because what is right is really what has LIGHT that can nourish us and raise our own frequency.

It was an awesome sermon, and I am inspired to tune my inner radio into this new vibratory channel in 2007 and see how it transforms my reality.

I see with the eyes of Creator who is at one with me. Creator is radiant joy, beauty and love which exists in a field of conscious awareness and connection to all things. I actively seek out things to admire in people who surround me. I tune into what is right about every situation I am in. I look for things to praise and celebrate in every moment. I treat my body as a temple and see only beauty and rightness. I look for every opportunity when I can share an uplifting comment to someone I know. I enter every event determined to inspired by many aspects of it. I am a praise machine! I am a radio tuned into the frequency of positivity, love and gratitude. This feels so good! Thank you!

I find myself looking forward to writing in my blog more and more. Originally I thought this would be all about hula hooping -- the latest tricks I am working on, the latest spiral inspired revelations from dance, the people I perform with and for and other things directly about hooping.

But something much deeper has emerged. The destination. Hooping is a path (one of many!) but I am getting so clear about where the path goes that I find myself compulsivly writing about it, sometimes twice a day!

Life force energy as our divine substance of being. Joy, radiance and wellness saturating our lives to an overflow of goodness. Happiness as a birthright. Dance as a sacred celebration of at-one-ment with community. Consciously choosing good feelings to plug into the luminescence of the awake and aware universe. Emptying out that which no longer serves to make space to welcome miracles.

I had a sense during morning meditation that it is high time for me to create a list of new affirmations to use over the next few weeks... so here is what I am playing with. I really want to go to the gym right now, so I will probably edit this again later...

(By the way, when I do affirmations, I like to look in the mirror, say the statement and then breathe in the feeling of that statement. I pause for a moment and then exhale and smile and then go on to the next...)

I am full of happiness, joy and positivity.
All my needs are met, giving me time to focus on divine creative play.
I am always connected.
I have faith in my oneness with Creator.
I choose good feelings.
I emanate a shining aura of playful, unconditional love.
I am a child of light.
I am a magical being of goodness.
I breathe deeply.
I am a praise machine.
I look for the good in all things.
I take breaks to rejeuvinate myself.
I organize my life so it reflects the perfection of the universe.
I priortize relationships and connections with family and friends.
I welcome miracles!
I pray with all my words and actions.
Cleaning and organizing is a celebration of love.
Preparing wholesome foods is an act of love.
I worship my body temple with love.
I listen to messages from my body and respond immediately.
I accept myself unconditionally.
I recognize divinity in my husband.
I take time to connect with my husband's higher self.
I take responsibility for my own spiritual growth.
I remember to say thank you with every step I take!

I think everyone needs fabulous counseling now and then. There has been so much happening in my life, that I have been getting regular phone coaching sessions from my friend Dawn, a minister and Theta Healing Practitioner. Each session we create new beliefs for me to focus on for the week. Here is what we came up with this session.

Everything comes to me with ease.
Everything comes to me through divine download and in divine time.
I can accomplish 12 hours of work in 6 hours.
I download how to accomplish work now which meets my needs 6 months down the road.
I am used to pre-planning.
I accomplish things now that make life easier down the road.
I call upon the early bird and do my early bird work with ease.
I have a deep knowing and acceptance of good in my life.
I think of my dream house for at least 10 minutes every day.
I focus on what my new home feels like, what it looks like, what the floors look like, the bedrooms and every aspect of it.
I imagine myself already living in my new home.
I know it is possible to have anything my heart desires.
I know how to keep this clarity throughout 2007 and access it when I need it.
Creator's definition of work is my definition of work.
I approach work from a place of joy, love and bliss.
Creator teaches me how have a steady visualization while I am doing other daily activities.
I can focus on my heart's desire even when I am doing other work.
My house is coming quicker than I think!
I choose to spend more quality time with my husband.
I take breaks often and easily with the knowledge that work is still being accomplished.
Even though I am connected to work, I am spending more time playing, loving and exploring my spirituality.
I take time to explore my spirituality every day.
I take time to play every day.
I take time getting to know my body every day in a very physical way.
I let Creator download to me directly how to have more laughter in my life.
I manufest and easily attract people I can easily and effortlessly share heartfelt laughter with.
I know how to instantaneously and spontaneously invoke and evoke laughter.
I let Creator teach me how to further accelerate cellular regeneration in my body.
I let Creator teach me how to bring more childlike innocence and joy into my everyday activities.
I am open and eternally youthful.
Creator teaches me how to download the rejeuvination of 12 hours sleep in 6.
I know how to get a full night's rest every night, regardless of how many hours I actually sleep.
I know how to travel and keep my health vibrant.
I embrace women's empowerment as my path of spiritual exploration.
I am writing a book which will inspire millions of women.
I experience instant healing in my body.
I can access restful calm no matter what I am doing.

Thank you!

FLICKER: Flicking hoop up extended arm while doing backwards lean, and-across neck, up-other-arm to opposite hand... a continuous body roll diagonally across body including both arms.

CROWN: Head stall carry

LONG-JUMP: Under extended leg swing directly to under other jumping leg swing

SWOOSH: Forward under thigh swing which looks like swinging hoop directly underneath crotch

EROTIC: Sitting on floor leaning back on both elbows with legs spread eagle in the air and out to the sides, almost in splits, while spinning a hoop on one foot.

TANGO: Standing with hoop vertical on the floor and twisting it on the top with one hand while stepping sideways, one foot over the other, then the other foot continuing out the the side.. creates a continuous in and out sensation while the hoop is twisting.

Getting deep with articulations of shoulder carries whicle twisting spine, while continuously turning. Alternating the shoulder carry with all the vairations of hand carries possible.

Body breaks galore! Especially off thighs facing forward transitioning to off bum

Arching back and kicking legs

Exploring continual jumps and step-throughs from every direction.

Vogue-ing while hooping or just moving between poses as an entry

It is so amazing to play with someone who you don't normally hang out with because you can teach eachother so much! Shredder has been in the circus for a while and was doing all kinds of crazy hand stand walks and foot pick up/flips with the hoop. In the past I might have felt intimidated, saying to myself... "o my gosh! I have to learn that!" But really, I am quite at home in my funky dance boogie while hooping with a couple tricks sprinkled in to jazz it up and playing more with theatrics. It feels so good to know where my home is in my dance! But I really admire that she set for herself a goal of learning these things and then ran out and joined the circus and learned it all! Amazing. What a beautiful woman!

Thank you Creator for sending Erin into my life again. I really appreciate being able to learn from others as much as others learn from me! Thank you for inspiration! Yippie for hoop play time every day!

Wow! It feels so good to be starting a new year with a solid practice regimen! Finally, managing my life and lining up what is important is easier. Much of last year I felt I was running to catch up with life... now I can actually participate and enjoy it!

Here are some highlights from things I worked on today:

erotic - yea! I finally got it without hitting myself in the head!

Eagle and chest rolls

foot carries to swirling off body stalls

pizza toss

striking poses with long arms and angles during high tosses

continual step and jump throughs

Swinging the "pot of honey": exercise: holding the sides of the hoop as if it is a big pot of honey and swinging it side so side with awareness so the "honey" doesn't slosh out! Then exploring all angles around the body, vertically, on the sides, above and behind with the same consciousness.

BODY POP: Taking the hoop from a vertical isolation onto one shoulder, letting it loop around the back and then jumping as it pops off the otehr shoulder and goes up in the air.

STAR: Lying on the floor sideways, supporting yourself with one arm while sticking the other leg straight up in the air with the hoop rotating on it. (Kind of like EROTIC but lying sideways facing the audience).

I am determined to set up a continuing practice schedule into the new year! Thank you for the determination and focus to continue this exciting work!

My favorite yoga teacher in LA is Hala Khouri. In her recent newsletter, she recommended checking out something called, "The 21 Day Dextox". It is a 3 week plant based full body cleanse combining cooked, raw and liquid foods, supported by weekly educational seminars by a local medical and naturopathic doctor. I have been wanting to make a MAJOR change to my diet for a while... so I jumped in!

All I can saw is WWOOOOOOOWWWW! The introductory meeting was tonight. I actually tried to bail out and avoid it several times and finally went for it. After all, 3 weeks is a commitment to change.

I am so glad I went. The doctor was amazing ... by Dr. Richard DeAndrea! (I can say my NEW personal doctor in the Bay Area, based on this presentation alone. 415-346-7871 if you are in need.) Lots of solid experience working in medical clinics with migrant workers, in community clinics in Watts, a private practice, experience as a surgeon, and amazing mixture of medical and natural knowledge.

The entire slideshow and lecture unfolded almost exactly like one of the expose documentary films which are becoming so popular now -- like the Corporation, Why We Fight, Bowling for Columbine, etc. The scientific information was 100% on the level, jam packed with factual information about pollution, disease, US governmental agriculture interests, pharmacuedical corporations, and basically how what we eat is effecting our health.

I just typed a few pages of all the information he shared and as I read it over here in my blog, I realized how INTENSE it all was. I paused and wondered if sharing all these details with you would really inspire you shine brighter ... or?

I deleted it all.

I think I am going to leave it at this. Eating plant based foods can create radiance in your mind, body and soul! Eat high frequency foods for health and wellbeing! Hooping and magnificent health go hand and hand.

If you want, you can cleanse right along side me and do this 21 day program. Materials are available at www.21daydetox.com

Thank you Creator for inspiring me to take the next step in my healing and transformation! I am so grateful to be making a positive change in my health! I am excited to eat high frequency, plant based foods which will help my body shine with radiance and vibrancy. I am ready to let go and cleanse my body on a deeper level than ever before. I am so thankful for the amazing resources which San Francisco has, including knowledgeable natural health experts, a supportive community focused on activating their higher potential, and unlimited opportunities to experience new healing modalities and inspiring experiences. I give thanks for the internet which allowed me to know that the cleanse program existed. I give thanks for Hala for taking the effort to write and send her newsletter. I bless Richard who gave so much of his time and sincere effort to share this very important information in a professional and well thought out manner. I am so glad that I took a risk and listened to my inner voice which said I should attend this seminar! I am so exicted to develop healthier patterns of living and being in the world. I imagine my cells reprogramming and my dna inexplicably drawing me to consume primarily raw, organic plant foods. Thank you!

Started off Sunday right in the dance studio with Shredder, working out some hoopdance moves. I brought some unlabelled CDs so I had no idea what music we would have ... slow mantras and Indian Temple Dancing music created a very mezmerizing atmosphere to try lots of head balance dancing... balancing the hoop on the top of my head while exploring ecstatic arm undulations, leg lifts and poses. It was so beautiful! Felt like an invocation of the divine feminine... then we were out the door to a 2 hour presentation at Rainbow Grocery Health Food Store where Dr. Richard from the 21 Day Dextox gave us a tour of the store... sharing lots of detailed information about every aspect of the healthiest supplements, vegetables, water, everything! We went through every section and he provided amazing information about many products.

In the evening I watched a film called, The Future of Food. Everyone who eats food MUST watch this ... which means everyone! A massive expose on the entire genetically modified food industry and it's dangers ... a MUST SEE for anyone who values their health and the health of future generatons. This means YOU. You can get it from Netflix. This movie has reinforced my dedication to shop at Farmer's Markets as much as possible and look into an organic food delivery service. It stimulates awareness and response-ability ... reflection on how much we personally plan to take a stand for wellbeing... not just for ourselves, but for the planet.

And the bathtub? I love tubbing. It is a major passtime for me. It is nice to take a bath every day. It is a really wonderful time to unwind and relax in total privacy. You can give yourself nice foot massages and use essential oils and basically just lounge. I light a candle and play some meditative music or sometimes a sermon from www.agapelive.com from Dr. Beckwith. Lately I have been wondering why no one has taken the time to actually create a line of bathtub meditation DVDs ... music and spoken words specifically designed to help women unwind amongst bubbles... could be a fun project for the future!

Tonight's dinner on the 21 day detox was particularly yummy...

I made fresh hummus of chickpeas, olive oil, salt, cumin, and raw tahini which we ate on fresh warm organic whole wheat pitas and an awesome organic salad of dandelion greens, fresh sage, fresh rosemary, arugula, alfalfa spouts, tomatoes, fresh parsley, fresh cilantro, radish, daikon radish, apples, and black olives. Yum!

Day 2 on the 21daydetox.com diet! Here's what's cookin for dinner:

Detox Soup
handful dandelion greens
handful arugala
handful kale
1 red pepper
1 large carrot
1 handful fresh parsley
6 leaves fresh sage
1 stem fresh rosemary
1 large chunk purple cabbage
1 bag dehydtaed wild mushrooms
1 handful sundried tomatoes
1 red onion
1 cup red lentils
4 cloves garlic
1 tbsp. dehydrated garlic
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. thyme
1 tbsp. basil
1 tsp. cayenne
1/2 tsp. chili peppers
6 cups water

Sautee garlic, onions and red lentils for a while. Add water. Add other ingredients as you finish chopping them until it comes to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for 1 hour. I'll let you know what else I add once I taste it!

Enjoy! Thank you Creator for the abundance of fresh foods available to nourish our bodies! And thank you for slowing down my lifestyle so that I can take time to enjoy the things that are important! Aho!

I am getting a bit sick, but I still went to hoop practice. So glad I did!

I practiced some super slow double hooping to Buddha Bar music and it was quite meditative. I did the usual moves, but then played with imagining both hoops were actually one. I flipped them around my body continually, and let my body wrap around them and be wrapped by them. It was really kind of passionate and intimate. Erin said it looked like I was treating them like my babies.

I liked the over back propeller especially and also played with body stacking like I have seen Rainbo Flo do -- using the hoops almost like Native American dance props. Trying them out like wings sailing gently through the breeze and then stacked vertically for twirling. Double handed stalls, two as one vertical isolations, flip offs, atomic twirls, matrix, etc.

Played for a while self fanning while hooping on legs (as I saw Elena do in her recent YouTube video -- Hot!), Stefan one-leg step outs, karate kids. Played for a while with slow motion vertical hoop spinning and continually stepping and jumping through the hoop at every possible angle, interspersing with body breaks off feet, thighs and bum. Also included lots of eagles, chest rolls, whispers, tosses into jumps and stalls, etc. My thought is to continue practicing this in super slow motion so that eventually I can accelerate to a super crazy speed and precision.

I was really inspired by Erin, as usual. She has total control of the hoop on her foot while doing all kinds of circus contortions and yoga poses. Also, particularly cool was her striking of profound poses between that shoulder pop move and full stops to reversals... she has taken on a lot of the habits of Spiral with eloquent pauses and rounded or anglular limbs ... simillar to what I have been exploring as well... the curvature of the foot, the knee, the hands, the arm, the neck, the torso... all of these things can be played with to create dynamism and framing in the dance.

Thank you Creator for continuing to send inspiring women my way!

Here are some exercises I am working on today:

1. Vertical isolations, alternating from squatting down low to standing. when standing, try lifting alternate knees high and extending opposite hand out

2. Chest rolls to warrior and around body swirls. At end of chest roll raise knee opposite diagonally to accentuate movement.

3.Punctuated stop from vertical hooping to horizontal, break and beginning -- working on transitions between vertical and horizontal hooping. Double break -- stopping vertically on left side of body down from warrior then moving diagonally across to flat plane and hard break sideways back other way

4. Swirling while holding hoop overhead and then lowering down over body while turning fast so it looks like it is levitating down, transitioning around shoulder to one hand only

5. Float up with backwards head lean, horizontal vertical, wildwest to jump in to many rapid up and down corkscrews, alternating hands on the up and down, on upward swoosh try lifting a leg

6. Holding hoop overhead while turning with head leaning back

7. Lots of alternating levels, from horizontal lasso to overhead to around body to corkscrews over and over again

8. Taking steps while doing corkscrews lifting legs high alternatly to leaning forward with horizontal lasso low

9. Alternating one arm and hand up to head then other, while opposite hand goes to waist while lifting one leg then other

10. Transition from warrior 3, prayer pose, horizontal lasso, overback swing, around the body

11. Hooping around shoulders to stop with hand and push to alternate direction in flow

12. Vertical lasso with alternating leg lifts

13. Vertical lasso with one hand and then whole body twist turn over to back to facing forward three times in a row with small pause between (turn torso flat up to cieling)

14. one handed form highslow angular stall holding hoop moving around body, corkcrew, to horizontal lasso, around body to side ways hoop frame while turning to corkscrew

Inspired by a Spiral video from:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8qr4qijb_0

Creator, I am so full of gratitude! Everywhere I turn, I see inspired action. Everywhere I turn, I see open hearted women who want to connect and share so we can all grow and experience more love, joy and wellbeing. Thank you!

Dr. Michael Beckwith asked a question on one of his service CDs.

"Are you going to focus on the presence or the problem?"

At every moment we are given the choice of what to give our attention to. Will I focus on the presence of perfection and Universal Source or what my finite human experience is labelling a "problem"?

Attention grows anything like the sun grows seeds! Attention is living energy which animates and inspires what we think about to life.

Divine Source energy is the presence which is everywhere, omnipresent and It knows nothing of our human perception of "problems" -- Creative energy is just that, life-giving, sustaining, magically enlivening and ever overflowing. Ever expanding, connecting and healing. Our attention is made of this Source energy. So what we focus on better be good because we will grow it!

Our perceieved problems are ideas created by the "ego" who resists wholeness and connection. Problems, critcisms, judgements and fears are passing thoughts that are not the essence of us. The only thing that is us is vibrating perfection and infinite possibility. We are crafted of the same composite as Divine Source.. maybe just a bit heavier since we have physical bodies.

So every day, in every way we can choose to look at what is right, perfect, full of light, generous, beautiful, giving, welcoming, abundant, admirable, inspiring, open, loving, nourishing and perfect about every moment and every person... or we can focus on what we fear, dislike, are disgusted by, are afriad of, lack, judge, compete with, reject, are intimidated by, are jealous of, or what we wish was different. Hmmm... reading both of those lists created two very different feelings in my body. Which one feels better to you?

I have such a strong inner critic. Focusing on the Presence is a valuable spiritual practice for me because it helps me realize that I can create my own positive life experience without waiting for others to do it for me. We are the ultimate co-creators of our reality. As long as we stay plugged into Source and download our own divine calling and path, all is well!

Hands up in the air to the DIvine! I am so blessed to have so many inspiring resources for inspiration and transformation in my life. Thank you Spirit for sending the perfect realizations to me at the perfect time. Thank you for the ability to listen and the strength to act on what feels right for me.

Tonight a large group of women gathered with me at my! It was so inspiring. Erin, Jessica, Nanette, Ember, Annie, and a visiting friend of hers from out of town and myself hooped it up at Dance Ground Keriac for two hours. Erin playfully said,"this is like hoop therapy!" I looked at her and knew she had found words for what we were doing there. I am toying with the idea of posting to the SF Tribe and generally opening up my personal practice times as Hoop Therapy. Stay tuned...

Interesting day back to practice for me since I have been so sick this week, so I wanted to take it super slow with isolations and nothing too exhausting.

I worked on vertical isolations for about 40 minutes, 10 minutes in right hand to the right, 10 minutes in right hand goinf to left, 10 minutes in left hand going to the right, 10 minutes in left hand going to the left. Wow -- what a huge world of precision and awareness was in that one exercise! I also played with turning to the side instead of always facing it .. still trying to keep the circles perfect even without spotting in the mirror.

After that I worked on super slows stalls which slowly raised and lowered the hoop up and down around my body, completly supporting the weight of the hoop with the strength of only one hand and then doing it again with the other. Then I played with coiling down and then stopping and reversing directions to coil up the other direction.

Played a bit with holding the hoop on an angle while turning.

Then spent the last 30 or so minutes working on atmomic twirl in each direction, playing with reverse breaks created by kicking it, pushing it with my hand or bumping it off my thigh. Also played with continual overhead reversals of atomic twirl, especially letting the hoop spin free of contact on the palm of each hand. Then played with some atomic twirls on angles...

By the end I was coughing and a bit short of breath so I knew it was the perfect time to stop. But it was so wonderful to get back in there! And with so many fantastic women, it was even better.

I am so grateful for the health and vitality in my body! Thank you Source for the energy and presence to set aside time for myself to do what I love! I see myself imprinting this habit onto my dna, making it instinctual make time for me. Thank you!

Great 2 hour morning practice session. It was so great to be back in the studio after being sick! I had to take yesterday off because I just couldn't do it.

Of particular interest today was a series of transitions between vertical whisper, toss, turning while hoop is in air, jumping through on the descending toss, into traveller then body breaks. I practiced this for a long time.

I realized it is possible to turn more easily while the hoop is in the air if you look up and spot it at first instead of just whirling around and trying to find it very quickly on it's way down suddenly. Tosses are so much more fun when you can link them directly with another series right after... like going straight into traveller or leap on the downward fall. I played with this a bit.

I also worked on the vertical isolations, each hand, each direction for a while. There is a whole world of magic for me in this exercise. Especially when I turn my body sideways and do it on each side of my body. I imagined how it would feel to have two hoops on each side of my body, alternating directions while doing this move (but alas, I only had one hoop at practice).

Again, I worked on atomic twirls each direction. For some reason it doesn't flow as easily to the left as it does to the right, so I am adding an extra spin in my hand so it moves more fluidly around my back.

Even more exciting was the hand balancing spins I have been working on. Bringing the hoop up overhead and just letting it spin on my open palm. Today I realized I was doing it over and over again, but not really that present. So I deepened my breath and willed awareness into the palm of my hand. I realized I can distinguish the sensation of which angle the hoop is on as it turns.

I also realized that when I bring it down from an overhead spin, it is often sloppy and wobbly. But by activiating awareness in my hand I can feel for that moment when it is at the right angle to grab it fluidly ... in this way the hoop continues it's beautiful eliptical spinning without any interruption and my hands move more like a supporting liquid for it. I spent more time working on atomic twirl to the left and spinning on my right palm since that direction seemed weaker.

I also realized that developing this awareness in my palm is the beginning of not needing to SEE the hoop during this particular move. Up until now, when I bring the hoop up onto my palm and let it spin freely on a flat hand, I have needed to spot it either in the mirror or by looking up. I realize now that by developing awareness in my palm to distinguish the feeling of exactly where the rotation is in it's cycle, I can (at least for a few moments now) do this with my eyes closed or while looking straight ahead at a wall. Quite exhilerating!

Thank you Spirit for helping me develop the deep hunger and commitment to excel on my hooping path! I am so grateful for the beautiful dance studio where I practice, especially that it has such fabulous heaters and wonderful skylights, mirrors and spacious wood floors. I am so excited to continue learning!

Creator, thank you for flooding my enitre body with a healthy, nourishing warmth! I feel totally comfortable with my body in the weather here. My skin is flourishing. My nose is warm. My feet feel fantastically warm. My hands are warm. My arms are warm. My neck is warm. I fall asleep warm and I wake up warm. When I get out of bed I am warm. When I get out of the shower I am warm. Throughout every day, I feel a core warmth keeping my body comfortable and nourished.

It feels so amazing to be able to breathe clear again! I was sick for over a week and am now stunned by how many things I take for granted.

I am glad that I have such a wonderful home to support me while I am healing. I love our couch -- it is a gift. I am so grateful for the unlimited abundance of clean pure water I have access to. I am so grateful for my body! I love how quickly it responds to tender loving care. I am so happy I have access to unlimited healing tonics, herbs, and vitamins. Thank you for the 21 day detox which is inspiring me to clean up my eating habits. Thank you for a loving husband who nurtures and supports me!

Thank you for my health! I love how easily and effortless I can breathe. I love how clearly my eyes can see. I am so happy that my throat is open and I can speak with ease and as much as I want. It feels fabulous to fill my lungs so full of air. I am grateful for my tastebuds! I feel so blessed to be able to workout and raise my heart rate easily. It feels so good! I am glad to be able to take walks outside with ease. I am happy for how good my head feels. I am so glad I can turn upside down. I feel gratitude for the wellbeing and presence that allows me ot spend time with friends. I am so happy that I can do the work I need to do with joy and enthusiasm. I am so grateful I have the energy to leave my house everyday! Thank you Creator for everything!

Energy soup I have been drinking once a day:
1 tomato
1/2 cucumber
1/2 avocado
squirt of braggs liquid aminos
pinch cayenne
2 cups spinach
1 cup water
fresh dill
fresh thyme
fresh cilantro

Put all in blender. Blend, put in bowl. Eat raw soup.

Today in hoop practice I test drove some sample LED hoops custom made by Patrick of psihoops.com. There were various pipe thicknesses, from 1 inch to 1/2 inch, all in a diameter of 37.5 inches. I casually tossed the 1/2 inch hoop aside, unopened from the shipping packaging it arrived in. "I know I won't be interested in that one," I had written to Patrick in an email.

I tried the others. They felt heavy and sluggish. He even offerred to drill holes in them to make them lighter but all they did was abrade my skin, even when covered with tape. The response time lagged. I looked over at the unopened 1/2 inch hoop on the couch in the corner of the dance studio. It looked like a typical traditional skinny hoop. Why didn't I even want to try it?

After sawing the packaging away with my keys for 10 minutes, I tried it out. It zipped around like lightening. The response time was amazing. It was light as a feather. It flew arund me easily and hand held isolations were a breeze. Tosses were high. Jumps with immediate stops were easy.

But there was something about it... something about it's skinniness and similarity to toy store hoops that irked me. I kept hooping. There was no feeling of resistance against my body. I noticed that right away. The larger diameter hoops have a certain resistance which allows me to play with the push and pull relationship to create mesmerizing floats and thunderously pumping dance action. The weight catches with the rhythm of my dancing and creates a very powerful pulsation which feels and looks solid. But this little hoop flew more like a whisper. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Does this mean I should take a risk and try something new? I crave and celebrate that root-chakra relationship with my hoop... that primal pulsing feeling when we are in the same rhythm with eachother. The 1/2 inch hoop is faster than my rhythm, faster than my body's vibration. I have to work to keep up with it. I like that I have to work again! But the gifts are it's speed...

30 minutes later I was still working the 1/2 inch hoop. Obviously by body liked the this one the best. But my mind was still struggling. Would it be as bright and visible as the 3/4 inch tubing? What is it about the hoop getting smaller that I am resisting? Somehow it feels so chinsy. Is it in my mind?

Or maybe it just reflects my own lightening of self? Letting go of a heaviness I have needed to comfort myself for years... not sure. But I'm ordering two 1/2 inch hoops from Patrick to find out.

xo
Christabel

So I've been on this pure raw diet for a full week, after having been on a detox veggie diet for a week. Tonight is the 3rd 21 Day Detox Lecture and officially the beginning of an all raw, liquid week.

I notice things are shifting with the all raw diet I have been on with two liquid meals and one solid per day.

On occassions when I would normally hold something upsetting in or defuse it within myself and let it go, I have had loud angry outbursts with my husband. It has caught us both by surprise... more so me listening to a stream of words coming out of my own mouth almost as if I were watching a film. The words and feelings were true, but taken to an extreme beyond needed... and I felt physically impossible to stop it.

Also, my energy levels have plunged. Normally I can go to the gym and do an intense 45 minute cardio session followed by lots of weights and stretching. Today I went in and felt like stopping after 30 minutes of 4.3 mph walking on the treadmill and one set of lifting. Practice times in the studio have been challenging to maintain my focus. I am telling myself this is all part of the process, as I have heard and experienced before.

None the less, I am committed to maintaining a serious change in my life after the detox. I took the plunge and bought a vitamixer and a food dehydrator so that I can make some more dynamic raw foods after the detox is over. I've always wanted to make dried vegetable chips and raw breads, am am exited to explore this whole world of raw cheffing. I don't think a 100% raw lifestyle is right for me at this moment, especially in this San Francisco climate, but I definately want to bring in at least 60-70% raw from now on.

When I drink the energy soup, I can feel how much life energy it has in it... I can smell it and instantly feel it as it goes into my body. It is practically glowing with green energy! I love all these raw foods! At the same time, I look forward to bringing some range fed, organic beed into my diet at least once a week when this is over... it is so grounding.

Creator, I want to ask for continued awareness of how to nourish myself on all levels. There is a divine download being delivered to me right now with all the information I need about how to support my own healing and renewal. I am so grateful for all the wonderful resources about healthy living which continue to pour into my life. I am excited to continue learning about how life energy infuses the food I consume. I know that an amazing stream of raw food recipies and raw food allies are heading toward me at light speed! I download from Source how to bring radiant life energy into every aspect of my life. Thank you for the space and quiet time to process and internalize these remarkable realizations. Thank you for surrounding me with friends and family who support this journey of transformation!

I sat on my cushion and closed my eyes, focusing on my breath. I imagined a glowing luminescent whitish-blue web of energy surrounding my head. A mesh of electrical orderliness and wisdom which extended up high, over a bridge of light to the world of essence. I spent time imagining the mesh become finer and more beautiful as it extended up and connected, and I travelled up this mesh in my mind's eye.

In the world of essence, it was a cloudlike, bright place of expansiveness. I decided I wanted to connect with the essence of the perfect television appearence for this coming thursday and began to look for the essence of it in the clouds. In the distance I saw a large orb of radiant light. The sphere was sparkling with rainbow colors and seemed to radiate flowerlike bursts of fine light. It also emitted a sound ... a sound which made my heart vibrate. It was alive and morphing through a heart shape and then back to a round orb.

This orb contained the essence of what I needed this thursday! It held the vibration of confidence, presence, being articulate, joyful, professional, and sophisicated. It also held the essence of performing in a way which way full of heartful love, beauty, radiance, joy and perfection. It held the rememberance of how to diviely download my higher self instantaneously when needed. It held clarity that the timing of this appearence while I am cleansing has been divinely orchestrated. The orb of awareness and beautiful radiant light showed me how brightly this cleanse would allow me to shine on camera. The essence contained the awareness that this opportunity is a true gift!

Wow!

I imagined playing with the energy, swiming and diving through it as it playfully surrounded my whole body with a blanket of shimmering beauty. We were like baby dolphins swimming together in celebration! I would slip through it like water and then come back to looking at it, admiring it's radiance. Slowly, the essence released droplets which became shining molecules in reality, moving from the world of essence to the world of matter. These shining molecules were even more perfect than what I had imagined before, beyond my scope of understanding. They pulsated with divine intelligence, perfection and unlimited possibilities as they slipped into my body and began to merge with the dna in all my cells. I imagined strands of light joining the already glowing rainbow strands of my dna and harmonizing with me, raising the frequency of my body. My whole body took on a higher note as I breathed deeply and felt a beautiful peaceful clarity surround me. I had a deep knowledge that this essence was now a part of my body. Thursday will unfold in the most perfect of ways! I opened my eyes and smiled.

Creator, thank you for reminding me how important meditation is! I am grateful that I have developed the habit of mediatation and prayer whenever I need clarity and faith. Everything has been divinely designed to reveal the highest good in my life! I am so glad I will be able to show up as my higher self on Thursday and present myself in the most perfect of ways. I am so grateful I will be able to successfully transmit the joy and love which flood my body while hoopdancing. My words and my dancing will inspire those watching to revitalize their lives. Those who can be transformed positively by what I have to offer will be magnetically attracted to my classes and products. Those who have something important to teach, reveal or share with me will also be inexplicabily drawn to contact me. I see myself luminescent, happy, confident and articulate as I present from my higher self. I see my detox allowing me clarity, presence and unlimited energy! I see thursday being my best television appearence so far. I see amazing miracles unfolding in a never ending stream of goodess! Thank you!

So after my meditation I went in the studio to practice. I was remembering what I did last time on TV and wondering, how can I make this better? The answer was obvious --- double hooping instead of one hoop! For various reasons I have resisted double hoop performances in the past so I have decided to use this media opportunity to do it.

I haven't been given the music or any time parameters yet, but my choreography so far looks like this (I figure I have about 2 minutes):

-Start in matrix pose
-Turn 3 times in matrix
-Keep turning while scooping the matrix and squatting down low
-Push hoops together and then swing hoops on each side body up and back twice with leg kicks
-Weave for about 3 beats
-Spin on diagonal with hoops extended
-Jump in one hoop, wildwest with other
-Dance for a while with expressive face, hand, legs in this position
-Switcheroo 3 times
-Double handed stall
-Snake and Pump
-Snake and stall
-Wildwest and karate kid
-One leg step out/carry with wildwest
-Propeller while squatting down low 3 times
-Holding hoops out to side like "o"s
-Bring hoops together revolving door
-Hoops held together vertical turning body around in them
-Booty bump with both
-Barrell roll with both
-Pump and flip offs
-Revolving door
-Double whisper
-Jump in with wildwest
-Spunk with over back duck in
-Pump with angle frame
-Pump and Vertical isolation
-Pump and toss
-Spunk and atomic twirl around body
-Spunk and atomic twirl overhead
-Double handed stall while curling spine and turning
-Double hoop flip off
-Ending pose with hoops out to each side

I'll keep visualizing this choreography throughout the day and try to make time to do it a couple times each day before Thursday. I feel so much better having created this foundation to work from!

I realize with the double hoops, I do want to keep using the larger 41 inch diameter, 1 inch pipe ones. Their slow speed and weight make it possible to make it look so graceful! But I spent the rest of practice working with the single lightening hoop prototype Patrick sent (1/2 inch diameter tube, 37.5 inch diameter from one side to the other). It is so darn zippy! It is like that cute, yet slightly annoying child who keeps running around a creating havoc at lightening speed! I'm feeling more affectionate towards it every time i use it. I love the "whoosh" of air it makes audibly because it moves so darn fast! I had fun doing eagles and chest rolls with it, all kinds of jumps and tosses into jumps, atomic twirl hand balances and much more.

It was nice to break a sweat and really get into the groove. After an hour, though, my energy dipped and I knew it was time to pack up.

Thank you divine inspiration!

It started last week when I actually dreamt of a Vitamixer! Seriously, I had dreams of blending food in this amazing Vitamixer and all I could see were all the various foods that I could effortlessly blend. All the colors were amazing and vibrant and I felt so good using it. It was amazing! So of course, the next day I ordered one.. especially since my little blender is burning out from all the raw food blending.

But... last night got more interesting. I dreamt of sprouts! HUGE sprouts! A whole tree of oversized sprouts emerging from this little sprouting machine. I have not contemplated sprouts or anything like that. I am not even really a big sprout fan. Well, I have been trying to eat more because I hear they have lots of good enzymes and all. I am on a cleanse so I guess my mind is in a place of health. But to dream.. to fantatsize about running my hands along these massive, delicious, radiant, supple sprouts interweaving like massive trees, emerging from a little sprout machine? To be filled to overflowing with the joy of sprouts?

I'll be doing a bit of research on sprouts today...

Thanks for the Divine Guidance of dreams!

Tonight I got to teach my own classes for the first time in months! I was travelling so much and so far I had to turn over everything to the amazing Allstars. Finally, I was back in my element. Back in the place where passion flows for me. It was AMAZING.

As can happen, I had a long day and actually was feeling a bit overwhelmed before class. I wondered where I would get the energy, but I did my best to show up with a fantastic attitude. Despite technical difficulties which prevented the use of music and my mic tonight, I have to say it was awesome.

Teaching heals me. When I teach, it just flows out of me. It feels so good to move around and help each person feel good and achieve success. I don't know why? Why does it feel great to a chef to cook? Why does it feel good to a dj to spin? For me, teaching gives me this pure, fresh clarity and presence. I feel joy helping others feel joy, and am so grateful. I really feel teaching presents an opportunity to evolve as a physical, spiritual and emotional being. I feel so blessed to be given this experience.

So tonight, I had some very special guests. Two men travelled all the way from Japan to attend my class. That's right. They flew in yesterday and will be flying out Thursday. They flew over 30 hours each way just to take my 3 day beginner class!!! I can hardly believe it. Not just that, but they ordered my DVD last month and watched it so precisely that they translated all my instruction, WORD for WORD into Japanese!!! They tell me they are devoted to bringing hoopdance to Japan and I believe them! They had all the moves in class and obviously have been practicing and are very serious. I will meet them tomarrow night before class so they can tell me all about their plans. I am so honored.

Thank you Creator for bringing students from around the world to attend my classes. I feel so humbled and full of gratitude that I have been given something valuable to share with people. Thank you for my wonderful body, ability to articulate movement and love of teaching. Thank you!!! Thank you!!!

Creator. Thank you for flooding my body with vital, raw energy! I feel so alive and energetic and inspired! I am full of gratitude for all the opportunities which have been given to me. I feel connected and at peace with myself. I feel confident and joyous and I love life.

With every breathe I center myself and connect to the vital essence of what I want to give. I choose words which resonate and uplift. I take time to collect my thoughts when needed. I enjoy laughing! I feel completly at ease with Janelle and Spencer and can't wait to connect with them in a soulful, real way. As I speak, I will be opening my heart with my breath and visualizing myself connecting with tens of thousands of women watching, sending them radiant, resonant light. Thank you for such a wonderful experience!

I have been devouring lemons lately. There is something so wonderfully cleansing their smell and taste. Upon waking I have been squeezing two mighty sized, bright yellow ones into glasses of water and then throughout the day I go by and squeeze and drink even more.

Can you have too many? I even blended some up whole without peeling them to put in my green energy soup the other day and it was amazing -- seeds, skin and all! I love how fresh and cleansing they feel. I feel like my liver really likes it too.

I'm loving the raw food exploration and am anxiously awaiting my backordered dehyrator so I can make some raw pizzas and breads and veggie chips! Snooped around online as well and discovered a 3 week raw food nutrition seminar in June. I feel called on a deep level to learn more about the energetics of food. Hooping is an amazing movement form and I'm curious to experience how eating raw can amplify the feelings of radiance and vitality it gives me.

Some intuitive part of me feels that this exploration of raw food is SO important for something about to emerge in my life!

Thank you Creator for the gift of energetically empowered food! Please continue to send inspiring raw food resources, people, events and information my way!

A time efficient go-getter girl with wheels needed for mundane office tasks, random errands, calls, meeting customers, and help around HoopGirl Headquarters. We have gotten very busy and need someone who can work efficiently with our fast pace. We would like you to commit to be here one day per week for 8 hours, preferably mondays, with the option for additional hours every now and then. You are: organized, always on time without excuses, a clear communicator, have excellent time management skills, upbeat, prosperity-oriented and fun. You will be hired as a contractor and paid bi-weekly by check. Please contact Annie at 415-661-4667 for an interview time. We would like you to start Feb 5 or Feb 12.