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!