The night I arrived at the hot springs, I walked up a hill to an overlook where there was a large flat camping platform. Perfect for hooping! It was nice ... no concrete, no cars driving by, no background noise from the city. Just the rush of wind flying through trees. The dry, crisp smell of tall yellow grasses. Crickets. Birds.
After a while, I dropped into a rhythm led by the sound of the hoop hitting my body. It was sweet to let go of music as the spark and just settle into a movement pattern created by the hoop. For a long time, I simply did breaks on my upper body in Snake position. It was soothing. Breathing in rhythm felt soothing. When I felt the bump of the hoop on my opposite shoulder blade, my hands got into the symphony of pushing -- outside hand pushing in, inside hand paddling in. It brought a real awareness of my centerline. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, over and over again. But what made it feel better was letting the lower half of my body twist with the break, letting my torso turn out to each side in an elastic, fluid way which softened breaks into more of a wave pattern.
Next I did the same thing with Float/Float down. I would Float the hoop up and immediately coil down into a Float Down. Then I would break the direction and do the same the opposite way. It was a bit slow going at first, as my right side lagged in speed. I felt a bit like a car with a flat tire on one side with drag. But after about 10 minutes, the "little sister" side (As Baxter of the Hoop Path would call it) started waking up and becoming alert and responsive. I could easily envision the thrill of speed with this move... seeing myself lifting and dropping the hoop at lightening speed, adding a crouching squat a the bottom and spring up at the top. How good it would feel to have that agility, control and responsiveness! To feel that power in my muscles. And then, in the back of my head, Carlos Rosas' words came from my Nia White Belt Training. "Speed is the illusion of mastery." And I slowed down. All in time.
I went until the sun crested on the hill and despite vigourous movement, my hairs stood up on my arms. Time to soak....
Soaking, soaking, soaking. Despite the hot waters, my thoughts held on for dear life and wouldn't seem to leave. The next day, soaking galore and a 4 hour hike on a high mountain ridge alone. Sweat, ankle speaking loudly to me, and I got a bit turned around. But still, my thoughts! I would focus on my breath in and out, trying to focus my awareness always back to the moment. The brilliant green leaf. The pale grey rock rolling under foot. The snake. The bird. The wind on my cheek. The sensation in my calfs as I climbed straight up. My breathe. The hat touching my forehead. The sweat on my neck. The bright yellow flowers. I went on like that, letting my focus travel from things in the now to the next now. But my brain still wouldn't stop it's loop, feeling regret something already in the past.
Later, A Thousand Names for Joy by Byron Katie was back in my lap as I sat by the mineral spring pool. Sweet relief! I read her words and my troubling thoughts lifted. "Reality is always kinder than the story we tell ourselves about it." (p. 231), "The balanced mind is always at ease. It isn't for or against anything; it only wants what is. Its at ease because there is nothing to be opposed to." (p241). "Grace means understanding that where you are is where you always wanted to be." (p. 234) And more... and it was like a switch turned on in my head. Suddenly, compassion.Loving the very thing I resisted in my mind as perfect because it was reality.
That night a massage dispelled thoughts even more and then I went out to soak again. Japanese lanterns glowed softly with a pale yellow glow as steam rose from all the pools and baths. Looking up, there was an endless expanse of dark sky with brilliant stars. Amazing. A satellite flew by. A shooting star blazed by in orange for a moment, then gone. And flickering stars just kept shining. Frogs singing. The contrast of cool air and the hot water. It was an amazing sense of being in the perfect place at the perfect time. I remember smiling and feeling good. Like I had finally arrived.
Creator, please help me remember that your definition of time is divine, and I am always in the perfect place at the perfect time. I love what is happening because it is reality! Thank you for the gift of retreat centers like Wilbur Hot Springs. I am so grateful for the beauty of the earth and the abundance of healing waters. I always remember to drink lots of water anytime I am in doubt! I always remember to breathe deeply and feel the sensations of my body to come home to the present moment. Yes.