Yesterday was amazing! We went to Kipu Falls and jumped from a cliff into a massive pool below again and again. Kramer swung on a giant rope swing as well and we just soaked in the vibes of tropical pool-ness. It was quite delicious. Gentle rains came and went, swaying sugar cane fields, slow pace. Then on south to Shipwreck beach and a beach hike along the volcanic rocks. The sea was so wild and blue! The mountains on the horizon a gorgeous rich green and earthy reds and browns. Lazy run driving through small towns, hanging out, feeling relaxed. Cooked an awesome fresh island Mahi in seasame oil and spices and had it with a giant dynamic salad for dinner. It was so nice to just take time preparing food, enjoying the time spent cleaning, slicing, and mixing.I blazed through the entire book, "Cellophane", in 2 days! What a great beach read. Now I'm onto "Shark Dialogs", a sensuous Hawiian saga. My phone broke yesterday... no no more emails or phone calls. Darn! Now we are off now to explore the west side of the island... no more time to write.

Thank you!

4 hours of deep thoughts... in short, it is time for soulfulness, spirit, creativity and joy.
Aho!

We dropped into our little Northern Kauai studio for a minute before going to lunch. We arrived here yesterday. A total steal at $55 a night. North Kauai is amazing. A true tropical paradise. I LOVE it i here. Kramer has a coconut in his hands twice the size of his head and I can hear him shaking the water inside. I can't stop smiling! This is crazy, unrestrained, beautiful gorgeous land. Dogs are barking non stop. Chickens are running around like mad and crowing. Someone woke up us playing the drums at 7am. We didn't care .. we got up and went to Ke'e beach and sat in wonder. We snorkeled this morning and saw mad gorgoeus tropical fish of yellow, purple, electric green and incandescant yellow. Wonderland! Wanderlust. High on deliciousness -- last night's salad of organic greens and Hawaiian butterfish with passionfruit dressing was yum. So much beauty here.

p.s. This painting is by a woman who I adore who I discovered here in the islands... she can be found at www.kimmcdonald.com and I am pondering the bliss of buying this gorgeous painting. The colors shown here are about 1/10 the glowing luminscent color of the actual painting.

Thank you!

Here I am with some sweet flowers. We are still in Kauai, paradise land. All night long and through the day the jungle leaves have been flapping with rain. The air is heavy and moist and smells like earth. Again roosters and dogs awakening us at 5:45am, so the days feel long.

The rain gave me an opportunity to finish my second novel since arriving here -- actually the second novel I have probably read in years! I had forgotten how much I love novels, having been so wrapped up in self-development books lately. Anyways, the book I finished today shook my world. Like my years studying anthropology, it shook away my naiveté.

It was called "The Shark Dialogs" by Davenport. This beautiful land of Hawaii which to a visitor can be so enthralling, so romantic, so captivating has such a turbulent political and cultural history! "Paradise" has been anything but for the native Hawaiians, decimated from one million to 60 thousand in number upon their initial contact with the West. Since then, the native lands has been taken by force and annexed, global labor imported as indentured servants have been squished into slave like work and over the years have come to dominate the service sector of labor while rich (primarily white) off-islanders have capitalized in every way possible. Now stifling mega resorts are on sacred lands, pollution and monopoly agriculture companies rule. There is an economy of innocence here -- where the illusion of Eden is bought and sold every day at resorts, in tourist gifts and tee shirts. Meanwhile, there is a vast complexity to "Paradise". Scratch below the surface and you get lost in confusion of a historically complex situation which, by our very being here, we enable. Anyways, I am on a stint of reading as many books as I can about Hawaii, so if anyone has any recommendations, I would love to know! I figure that I should learn all I can about the reality of life here if Kramer and I are seriously considering spending more time here. They don't all have to be this heavy though! I wish life was all flowers...

It's a tough situation. All over the world industrialization has created situations so complex that right and wrong are no longer clear-cut. I felt the same confusion exploring my own heritage when I went to Africa. I went to Senegal to connect with my father's African roots, with good intentions and lots of love in my heart for ancestors I never knew. When I lived there for 3 months, however, I encountered judgment, racism and resentment. Even though I may consider myself "non-white" because of my Caribbean heritage, all our African hosts saw was a moneyed white girl of privilege. My Irish and Scottish ancestry feels equally inaccessible to me. So the result is me-- a mixed mutt of the modern world with a bit of everything but not enough of one thing to feel at home anywhere. Where to connect? This is where modernity is going... the global human. Meanwhile there is so much anger out there in the world for wrongs. Apathy by those of us who have never had to fight for basic rights and are wrapped up in our little realities. Feeling angry and guilty over the past can't change it for me though. Being positive and openhearted can. Even if it is a luxury, I admit, I feel I can only change this world by changing myself and my response to it.

In a sermon lately, Michael Beckwith of Agape suggested, as in the book "Alice in Wonderland", we must imagine 6 impossible things before breakfast every day. What a simple but profound practice. Focus on the positive. Focus on the impossibly positive! So this prayer below is part of my six impossible things before breakfast for today, since peace has been on my mind.

Prayer for Peace
Glorious vibrant Universe which connects us all, I see an era of Peace and Wellbeing coming to all humanity! I see people laying down their differences and prioritizing justice, generosity and life. I believe it is possible to bring about change through a strong positive vision. We are experiencing radical and all encompassing serenity in this lifetime! I see forgiveness becoming commonplace and easy. I see each person making little changes to become more loving, which in turn creates a more loving planet. I see us connecting with long lost family members and welcoming new beginnings. I see all people receiving enough of what is needed. I see people of all nations coming together and setting precedents for worldwide healing and health. People of different ethnic and religious beliefs are bridging the gaps to become one family united by joy. Worldwide, people are waking up and respecting the Earth in new ways. Laws are being passed to preserve the environment and human rights and those in power are making choices which contribute to the planet's vitality and wholeness. A shift is happening in the minds and imaginations of millions of people who are taking time to imagine a peaceful future every day! I see billions of people actually beginning to believe worldwide peace is possible and helping to make it happen. I see values evolving to valorize collaboration, peace and unity. In a new era of awareness and harmony. I see a new global culture evolving to prioritize creativity, art and the sciences.Thank you! I feel so alive and inspired to be a part of this rapid and healthy change!

Sheet-like, pouring, driving, pitter-pattering, down pouring rain! For a few days now it has been flowing and flowing at fast, then slow then gargantuan velocities! So much rain obviously nourishes the land here, along with the vibrant sunlight. I have a sense of being in a land which is alive, aware and growing every moment. Rain is holy here, but I am uninitiated and impatient for beams of light. I am feeling a bit of cabin fever... I didn't go in the water yesterday or spend much time on the beach in the rain. Today I will, whether it is a hike on the waterlogged NaPali coast or a drive to see if another part of the island is sunnier.

Though I didn't venture out yesterday, Kramer did. He went surfing in the afternoon for an hour. I elected to stay in the car and finish the last pages of my book. It was hard to concentrate though, because there were some wicked whippersnappers out there cutting up the waves in a gritty gangster surf style which was hypnotic. I put down my book and watched between waters sliding down the windshield. Off to the right, though, there was a flash of gold in the parking lot which caught my attention. I rolled down my window, feeling some of the humidity of the closed car slip out and fresh rain patter on my leg. Craning my head back to look, I saw a tall, lean teen-aged girl wrestling to get her surfboard out of a large silver pickup truck with her arm. My eyes locked on her. I knew her! Thinking back, I remembered seeing her on television. That girl... that girl who got her arm eaten by a shark. I remembered the media blitz years ago. She surfed since toddler-hood with her whole surfer family and was on her way to becoming a pro competition surfer...

She grabbed her board and jogged out to the sand. I couldn't help but just stare. She was gorgeous, with a stub at her shoulder where her left arm should be. She paused on the sand and seemed to converse with a woman with a video camera ... I imagined that the small crew there may be producing some sort of news or documentary story about her, still today. Then she ran off through the rain into the waves. I was just simply and fully astounded. She was out there bobbing on the waves with the rest of them, catching some coming in and going back out. When Kramer got back into the car I pointed her out and he said, "Oh yea..." and we looked up the story when we got back. Irony of ironies, the attack happened across the street from where we are staying, at Tunnels beach.

To me, this woman is the ultimate icon of bravery. Having had a fear of sharks since childhood, I always hesitate before entering the ocean. For decades I spent nighttime dreaming of encountering sharks in water. So I guess I am a bit paranoid. And I don't even surf! But to have your arm taken by a 14-foot shark and then to hop back in continue surfing 3 weeks later. This girl deserves a medal in my mind! To me this is facing the ultimate fear. Wow. I just went to her website and learned so much more: http://www.bethanyhamilton.com She is a huge celebrity in the surfing world and beyond.

She has been actively competing ever since! When judges offered her more time to get out into the waves before others in her heat, she refused and went out with the pack. And she still places and often wins! She has written books, teaches at surf camps, has a documentary film which has been made about her, etc etc etc. One busy woman! I am so inspired. Her story makes me look within and question fear.

Meditation for Courage
I am filled with courage! I breathe deeply in and out, knowing all is well in my world. I calm my mind through breathing. I observe my breath, in and out. I observe what is. What is, is good! What is, is now. I love the now. Reality is beautiful. All is well. I am so grateful.

(Didn't get a chance to post this when I wrote it... here it is!)

Super sweet land here in Kauai. Like a dream come true. Rains come and that's a part of life. They pour and then the sun always comes back. I'm high on the land and feeling so connected to a part of myself lost in the artificial shuffle of city life. Not sure what is happening. It is our last night here but I want to move here. Is it just a fantasy? Longing? I am reading "Soul Surfer", by Bethany Hamilton. I picked it up today at the local bookstore after having seen her yesterday. Her story is pretty amazing. Her sense of faith is so unshakable. Even though I don't relate to the divine in the same impersonation as her words of Jesus Christ and "god" I still also revere a sense of connectedness between all things. For someone to have such a sense of this at such a young age, well jeez that is pretty cool.

Snorkeled again today and confronted my fear of open water. It was cool for a while... I take it in little doses. Beautiful fishes.. Electric yellow and purple, pure white, luminescent corals, big sea urchins with their foreboding spines... Then we hiked gorgeous NaPali coast and saw turquoise perfect waters beneath tropical palms as our feet slid in squishy mud the color of pure milk chocolate for 4 miles. It was a trek, but so rewarding. All the thick ropey vines of tress and wide leaves and palms pregnant with water was quite a sight. So much rich green and blue.. it is like the colors themselves are healing my cells with each glance. Even the thick smell of earth after the occasional rains was nourishing. The humidity was comforting. Bright sun... then more clouds and rain. Ah, the tropics!

Saw lots of art... Kramer and I picked up some local watercolors. The artist was there and so outgoing. Her art had playful names like "Loverwoman" and was a kaleidoscope of color. I was so darn inspired! I can't wait to play with shades of color very soon and see what collages of sight and texture I can create.

Then on to hang on a beach while Kramer surfed. I read Bethany's book while the waves were glassy and the land was green and a radiant rainbow jumped onto the horizon. How is it possible for such beauty to just jump into existence so quickly?? I love it. I worship it.

Then we grabbed some fresh Hawaiian butterfish and papaya salsa and avocadoes and white wine.. Grilling up dinner... ran out to watch the sunset at Tunnels... now back and ready to cook. K just got out of shower and is impatient. He doesn't understand my world of blogging and rarely reads so I best jump off and slice avocadoes and such.

I Love Life! I am so grateful for the non-stop beauty which surrounds me at every moment. I have an attitude of gratitude! I am so thankful for the perfect unfolding of life. I know that I am always in the divine place at the divine time and thank you! I am so happy for it. Thank you or my wonderful skin which sits on my body so nicely and looks so brown and healthy. Thank you for my eyes which reflect so nicely with the abalone earrings I got today. I am so grateful for the nourishing food which has been provided for us and the sweet digs we are staying in. Thanks for such a beautiful bright husband who has sucha big heart and peaceful vibe. I am so grateful for this wonderful two week trip into the gorgeousness of paradise! I know that we can come back at any time and have an even more wonderful time! We are worth it. Thank you!!!!

Finally back home! After travelling for 2 weeks in Hawaii and then running off the next morning to Harmony Festival, I am finally back! Yippie! It is nice to be home.

Harmony was a fun adventure! Jasmine came down from Portland and we spent some serious girl time together connecting, getting blinged and dancing. It was awesome to connect with Dawn, Jess, Spiral, Malcom and Tristan while there too! Everyone is so beautiful and inspiring. What a gift to have such amazing people in my life. Lots of gorgeous art too (this image from a neat artist displayed at the Goddess Temple area (www.heartsoulvision.com) and neat-o duds.

I hooped like crazy on Saturday night and experienced full body hoop rapture at a level I had almost forgotten existed! A group called Rabbit was playing and I felt so connected it was off the hook! I couldn't bring myself to use my psi hoops since they just don't have the heft and size of my smaller hoops which I've been calling "firecrackers". The lights were also actually pretty annoying and distracting to me while I was trying to hoop, so I put them down and opted for my unlit small ones. Hot hot hot! I had to use my hands like windshield wipers to "squigee" the sweat pouring off my body so my hoop would stop slipping. It felt so pure and good and nourishing to just rock out and be so inspired to move so powerfully by the music. The fire show was also breathtaking. Yea! I love my life!

Thank you Divine Source for the infinite flow of bliss, inspiration, beauty and friendships which are in my life! I am so grateful for the gift of freedom and the abiltiy to explore new places and experiences. I am so happy to be living my life. Thank you!

First, I just have to say *props* to the goddesses at Harmony! How could I have forgotten to have spoken about Shiela Chandra and Erykah Badhu? Shiela sang twice and apparently it was her first US performance in 15 years. She was like a channel bathing us in sonic healing. She would strike notes which made my hairs stand on end and flooded me with feeling. The power of sound is amazing. Erykah? Seeing her is therapeutic. Last concert I saw in Santa Barbara, I left with the same feeling in my body. Awe. Inspiration. Healthy attitude and appreciation for all women as divine queens of beauty, power, sensuousness and strength. Thank you!

This morning I did my first actual timed personal hoop practice since I left for Hawaii. I've to theme my personal practices for a while on the principles of Nia. Today, while hooping I focused on the first principle of Nia called, "The Joy of Movement". Nia, The Technique (an awesome handbook) advises about this princple of dance on pages 264 and 265. Here are some quotes which I reviewed before hooping:

"Tweak your movement until joy again arises...sustain it. When joy is not present, look for it... focus on joy as the energy and sensation you seek in every workout... Pearls... love, light, honesty, play, freedom, trust, listening, honoring, integrity, humility, grace, respect, passion, achievement, personal, pleasurable, ecstacy...seek a relationship with joy...make joy something you cultivate and nurture...seek the sensation of liquid joy running through your veins...eyes only for joy...I am choosing and sustaining joy so that my body is getting stronger, healthier and more vital...I am running wild with images of joy that feed my bosy and invite me to choose pleasure..." (by Debbie Rosas and Carlos Rosas).

I set the kitchen timer set to 60 minutes, cleared the coffee table from the center of the living room and went for it. I put on delicious slow indian-inspired ambient music, Prem Joshua "Sky Kisses Earth" album.

The sun was shining through all my plants by the window and the spritely music coupled with this attitude brought such a magical playfulness into my hoopdance. I did a lot of my typical drills, but I left myself tweak and modify hands, arms, head, legs, and whole body so that it kept going back to being fun, light, free and happy. I was fascinated to see how easily distracted my mind could be, suddenly going to some task I had to do later in the day. But I lovingly just came back to the mental mantra "joy!" and it became hypnotic as long as I could remember it, before getting lost again in the flow. I let my mind imagine the hoop was a magical ring of joy and so everytime I circled it over my body it was making the cells vibrate faster and more essentially. Then I pretended my hoop was a bowl of joy and I poured lots of joy all over my plants. I pushed it out from my body, giving thanks for the amazing art which is now on our walls which I brough back from Hawaii... everywhere, I envisioned myself surrounded by joy. I imagined my hoop was an actual being of Joy, delivering healing to my whole body. I imagined movements of my hoop shining light, creating streams of bubbles, showers of sparkles, shooting rainbows out in a vortex of radiance. Wow! When I let my mind go with such joyful images, it changes everything about the quality of my hooping.

My mind drifted back to Hawaii and I remembered Erin's joyful, light Nia classes and how she bathed us in such happy words and movements... I let myself undulate and sway with joy, the hoop flipping in new and unusual ways, playing with alternating step out reversals. Remembering Erin's tagline, "Experience Paradise in Your Body!", I felt full of lightness and so happy. How true! How beautiful! How amazing! We can choose to experience paradise in our body at any time. We can choose to live a magical life! So, this was a great way to start today. When I was done, I pulled out the Nia instructional DVD "Global Unity" and left it on top of the DVD player so I can remember to do it later today (or at least soon).

By the way, yesterday I was talking to Jasmine about wanting to play with more art in my life, so I went out and bought my first watercolors and some paper, just to play around. In about 10 minutes I made the image pictured in today's blog. It felt so freeing and fun to just let myself play with color like a child. No ambition to create anything specific. Just letting the seeking for joy guide my hand.... it is called, "Kauai Energy Burst".

*Props* to the Universe! Yes, thank you again for making magic happen at every turn. I am so happy to be spending more quality time with amazing girlfriends! Thank you for bringing Jasmine into my life! I am so exited to be be freely creating and expressing myself through art. Thank you for bringing so much inspiration into my life, so much awakening. Yea for the gift of Nia! Thank you for the power of focus! I feel myself getting clearer, focusing more and more on the things that matter. I let go of all distractions with ease. I am getting clearer every day about what matters most in life -- love, family, friends, quality of life, beauty, joy, and health! I make choices every day which support my highest good. I make choices to make my life easier, efficient and joyful. Creator's infinite wellspring of joy is now flooding my body and I am so grateful to be living this day. I know I can create the life I dream of living now! Thank you!

During this morning's hoop practice, I continued to work with the first principle of Nia, the Joy of Movement. With every nuance of movement, I looked for joy as a conscious entity. In my mind, I telepathically sent out a message, "here I am joy! come and get me! I'm ready!" I let my movements be fun and playful instead of trying ot achieve anything. Sometimes I just danced while holding the hoop, imagining joy was my dance partner and we were waltzing and having a romantic whirling dance together. Sure, I got distracted a bunch. My mind would go to bills and projects and then I would reign it back in and focus, focus, just trying to be in the moment. Back to what matters. Back to joy.

I imagined my hoop was a shining incarnation of coalesced joy and visualized that when I lowered it around my body, it flowed bright white joy into my cells. I let myself smile, feeling joy in every part of my body. Feeling the joy of total happiness, complete security, complete creativity, complete love. Then my imagination let the hoop become a huge bubble wand I would dip into an imaginary pool of shimmering joy and swing around to create massive joy bubbles which drifted down, popped on my floor and plants, and nourished us all. Next, the hoop became a round sparkler which sent out crackling white light of anticipation, elation, positive expectation and smiling. I would slip into drills for a moment, doing repeated moves, but let my body sigh into comfort and pleausure with each expression. It was nice that the sun was shining so brightly into my dance studio/living room making the light yellow walls glow and the whole room felt warm and wonderful. Jai Uttal (the music I was dancing to) was singing kirtan and when I could I would sing along with the mantra refrains while moving and imagining. I love my personal hoop practice. It is such a wonderful time just for me. I can be so spontaneous and there is always such a universe of things to do, and such a variety of music to lead the way.

I am so grateful for the ease with which I join my practice time. It feels so natural to slip into hoopdance time. I see the ease and joy of my hooping slipping into every aspect of my life! I feel the ability to change directions being easy and effortless... part of the flow. Life is becoming easier and easier because my hooping is teaching me how to flow with each moment and stay centered. Hooping gives my mind time to relax and let go while my body's sensations awaken. Hooping gives me time to slow down or speed up, whatever I need. Hooping teaches me how to be in relationship with a partner... how to lead and how to be guided and flow. Hooping allows my body to lengthen and stretch and my muscles to gain strength and power. Hooping sparks my creativity and makes me feel radiant. Thank you!

The image on today's blog is from Tony Scheving (www.heartsoulvision.com)

This morning I hooped for an hour while meditating on the second princple of Nia. Principle #2 is called, Natural Time and the Movement Forms. As stated on pages 265-266 of the Nia Technique handbook, natural time is, "movements done in your own personal, natural sense of time. Move the main 13 joints of the body and use your body's sensations to measure movement... witness yourself and notice in every move the joints that are connected or disconnected...visualize each joint as a mouth that can open and close...visualize your joints as windows that move air in and out...imagine creating more space in your joints...imagine sounds coming out of each joint as they open and close...I am more aware of the real me by dancing in my own way and in my own time..." It goes on and on. So I put on Shaman's Dream's new CD "Dance:Dream"Dance", which has really been rocking my hooping lately, and danced!

While the music played I said aloud a joint journey mantra: "ankles, ankles, ankles, ankles, knees, knees, knees, knees, hips, hips, hips, hips, shoulders, shoulders, shoulders, shoulders, elbows, elbows, elbows, elbows, hands, hands, hands, hands, head, head, head, head" and then in reverse. Saying and thinking about specific joints while hooping really helped me let my entire body go in more complex, polyrhythmic movement! It was amazing how my whole body just opened up and so many parts moved at once. I sweat more and felt more ecstatic. Breaks, which I already added a step with, started to include whole body leaps and jumps and alternating hand-to-belly, hand-to-heart gestures in between each swing. My head let go and my knees drew up high. Suddenly what used to be just a rote drill became a pulsating, rhythmic dance. What a gift! I was truely making it my own, letting my body celebrate the sounds with movement which seemed to come from deep inside my bones.

I also allowed myself to explore stalls to the right, second current direction. I did stalls to the left for about 8 rotations and then to the right, simply alternating. While holding the hoop continually with one hand, I let my other hand massage up from my hip, across my belly, up my chest, along the side of my head, over the top and back down and then I would switch to the other hand while switching directions. I was amazed that I felt no dizziness from this continual turning -- I guess we can really develop the muscles of our inner ears! Also, I was amazed how good it felt to move my hand along my body while dancing... it felt as if the "chi" or life force energy was accelerated by this light, moving sensationand my body felt more electric .

I had moments of feeling overwhemled with joy for the focus to commit to my daily practice. Several times I just whirled with my hoop overhead, grinning from ear to ear, thanking the Universe for the gift of hooping! At times I felt a moment of thinking of "all I had to do" today to "catch up", a slight sense of panic in a momentary holding of my breath. But then I breathed in deeply and remembered the principle I was dancing with -- Natural Time! Duh. We can take our dance of natural time into our lives. Life is meant to be lived in natural time, like the flow of our dance in the hoop. I can take natural time into how I walk in the world. Natural time in my life means not comparing myself to anyone and measuring my success by others (which unfortunately I sometimes do). It means trusting that all will unfold in a perfect way at the perfect time. Natural time for me means letting myself respect my sleep cycles by getting enough. It also means being okay with flowing through different parts of the day which need to include play and outside time in addition to work! While obvious to many, this is all deep learning for me. It has been easy for me to forget natural time and instead focus on work-work-work. But what's the point? Especially when my work is about hoopdancing to bring more joy, health and vitality into life! Stressing myself out is not acceptable. So I'm letting my hooping take me back to the natural rhythms inside my bones. Thank you!

p.s. I did this watercolor called, "Seed" two days ago in a about 15 minutes... I am finding that experimenting with art and color is really helping my hooping in some way I cannot yet articulate...

Hello hoopy friends!

Thank you so much for your votes last yeat that helped me win the Guardian's Best of the Bay Award for "Best Personal Trainer"!

Can you take a moment to vote for me again this year to help spread the good news of hoopdance?

http://www.sfbg.com/bob/2007

Thank you SO much!

xoxo
Christabel

This morning's green smoothie:

Coconut-Kale Head:
1 head of organic kale
1/2 cup coconut nectar
2 cups water
1 organic pear
1 bunch organic fresh spearamint -- use only leaves
1/2 a bin of organic strawberries

Yum! I have been re-energized to keep drinking green smoothies after yesterday's awakening. Studies have showns that a large number of women who have endometriosis, the mysterious disease which I have, also have extreme allergies and are unaware of it. They think there is a connection. After 2 years of promopting by my doctor, I finally went and got a zillion shots yesterday to test me. I was utterly stunned by the results.

First of all, I am allergic to my own body's seratonin. How is that possible, I wondered?! How can I be allergic to my own body's hormone? Second, I am allergic to: corn, rice, wheat, bannanas, oranges, almonds, chicken, diary, eggs, soy, and brewer's yeast.What the heck??! There goes all gnoshing of mindless snacks. I also tested allergic to dust and mold. I read over the instructions she handed me, which included things like, "remove all houseplants". .. hah!

Aside from being in tears by the 87th test injection, I was feeling a kind of stunned awe. How asleep I have been, how little I truely know about my own body's chemistry. I mean, I eat all kinds of food and never had any reason to believe I could be allergic to things. No labored breathing, no bloating, no indigestion. It's nuts. So basically I need to NOT eat these foods or anything with them for 60 days, aftter which point we re-test for things. What this all means in the long range eating habits in store for me, I do not know. In the short term, I am a bit inspired that my instinct towards raw food in large part steered me clear of many of these items. Interesting, how the body knows things... I have completely slacked on my raw diet lately, so this was a big wake up call. Hence, this morning's smoothie.

I know this is *way* more information than some of you may want to know, but I share it because I realize now I wish I had done this a LONG time ago. Everyone should know what they may be allergic to. It can compromise your body's immunity in so many subtle ways... I am so passionate about building a healthy radiant body and I realize now more than ever the role that nutrition plays in our wellbeing.

I told a few people. My brother's first reaction was a lowered voice and, "I'm so sorry..." He could have been responding to me telling him some horrible news like my goldfish got run over, or something. Honestly, I don't feel like I have been afflicted with anything that is terrible, but rather that I now understand the rules to the game of my own body much better and need to make some adjustments. I am not really attached to eating in ways which are habitual.. so this should be a fun new challenge.

Thank you for Western medicine and the information it can reveal! I am so grateful for the gift of knowledge. Everything happens for a divine reason.

p.s. the image for today is a cool picture which someone took of me at Bay Area Hoopers a while back.. it is a neat camera which takes four images at once. This past sunday at BAH was epic. Even though I was exhuasted from this weekend's canoe trip, it was divine to see Ariane rocking her hoop and to play for a a little bit. A new breakthrough for me... hooping on one foot up in the air while standing and supporting the leg with my hand. Wow~ so much to explore and play with in this magical life...

Well, yesterday I had a lot of sneezing and nose blowing as an aftereffect of the allergy testing, which forced me to hang out and chill for a bit. Interesting how gifts show up in unexpected packages. While on the couch I decided to internet surf on youtube. My profile which can be found at "hoopgirlvideos", BTW. While I have a couple videos on my profile (which don't actually represent how I hoop now a days I might add) I have never taken the time to create a "Favorites" list and really look around for inspiration which I can review again and again. I've only visited based on the links found on tribe or from friends. So off I went, sneezing and surfing and I found some pretty remarkable, inspiring teachers on there. I watched hoopers for hours, and found many bright lights who were so shiney and talented. From street jams, television shows, parks to circus stages and olympic arenas, teachers are everywhere waiting to share their knowledge with me!

Honestly, it can feel isolating as a more advanced hooper in a town without many advanced hoopers who are wanting to jam out with you or who teach classes that you can take for an inspiration hit... youtube is such a great reminder that my teachers are all there and waiting for me virtually! It is jut so darn amazing that I can sit down and watch hoopers for hours. It is like hoop tv! So I decided that I will treat youtube as an essential part of my own, self-created Hoop School. I have decided to put in 3-5 hours a week at HoopGirl Hoop School online to start, in addition to my practices, classes, performances, jams, etc.

Also, on a whim, after watching the absolutely unearthly talent of Elena Lev, the hooper-contortionist from Cirque's Alegria show, I sent her an email asking her if she ever takes on students. To my shock, she replied within 10 minutes of my email with her rates... I wrote her a humble note back, explaining more who I am and what I was seeking, that I am not a contortionist or gymnist, etc, but sincerely want to study with her to bring more grace, poise and advanced moves into my dance. Haven't heard back from my lengthier email... I imagine someone who has intensely trained for 8 hours a day since childhood may have a very different perspective than most on my request. I hope she writes back! I hope she doesn't think I am insane for even asking. We shall see.

Anyways, this morning's personal practice was so sweet. I almost skipped it because I have to get a choreography together for a big performance I have coming up, but then I remembered that personal practice is NOT rehersal, teaching performing or jamming. Personal practice is personal and it is practice. So glad I committed because it was a joyous ride.

Set the kitchen timer for 60 minutes... and...I naturally swept into isolations, rocking back and forth while switching hands. I got a bit lost in the shimmer of the silver as it slipped by my eyes and realized that instead of tracking the stillness of the circle with arm extensions and a mirror, I can actually just keep it at the same height as my eyes and look straght ahead. A nice realization. I tried the "Chest Bump" move I saw in a few rhythmic gymnastics itube videos yesterday and it was so easy and fun! If I had more space, I would have played with chest bumps directly into jumps.

I worked on the lateral jump/revolving door that I see Spiral doing a lot. I did it over and over again in slow motion watching how high I would have to lift my leg and extend by arm to really swoop the the hoop around my whole body. I also saw variations of this in the gymnastics videos I have been watching, although they jumped almost completely into the splits in mid-air while swooping the hoop from the tip of toe to the other... for now, just slo-mo again and again.

I slipped into a brand new isolation exercise which felt delicious. One handed break against my hip, horizontal isolation to overhead, pass to the other hand during an overhead isolation, then another isolation directly in front of my body horizontally with that new hand, to a break on my opposite hip and then the whole thing in reverse. Over and over and over I did it to some breaks music and it felt nice. Yea! I new breaks exercise!

I worked with single and double handed horizontal hoop stalls which levitated up over my head and then lower down my body, reversing and continuing up and down. For a long time I was just spinning on my socked feet, reversing while lifting and lowering, giving particular attention to keeping the hoop as flat as possible. It became quite trace-like.

Then I played with body-breaks for a few minutes, bumping the hoop into reversal from my hips, thighs and feet and naturally I went into a whole galaxy of the move traveller which I have never visited before. I was doing reversals in the middle of travellers (lateral step throughs) and coming out, then going back, going through, twisting my body and going in backwards, reversing and basically just going off (though in slo motion), letting sensation carry me to the next twist and turn. It was so windy and wonderful.

BTW, Today's picture was taken by Patrick Roddie of www.webbery.com on China Beach here in San Francisco a couple months ago...

Thank you to the Universe! I love hooping. I am so happy that I take time to play and have fun every day!

Finally last night I managed to get a second 1 hour practice in for the day... sweet! I danced to psytrance at first and found that it was really making me feel a bit bristled and tense, so I switched to an entirely different type of music I can only classify as a journey. Andreas Vollenweider's "Book of Roses". His music, which feature a modified electric harp, takes me on a journey to another place and time... literally, it is as if it is the soundtrack of a life you didn't know you had lived in another world and another time. It was very light and airy and bouncey and classical sounding at moments, with African chanting at other moments... with the sounds of the pages turning between tracks which were like chapters in a book. Suddenly my whole dance and body lightened up. I went naturally up onto my toes and began making long sweeping movements with my legs, dancing with my hoop more than in it. Suddenly my hoop was a basket of roses held at my hip and I imagined I was reaching in with the other hand and scattering rose petals everywhere... I couldn't help but smile and dance and I skipped around the room like a mad fool. The challenges from my day evaporated and I got so lost in the moment. My hoop became my true partner, and we danced together. Afterwards I took the longest candlelit bath and slept like a baby for 10 hours.

This morning I tried beginning my hour practice with the same music and it was too slow and ambient.. my body was aching for faster music. Because it was next to the soundsystem I put in Paul Oakenfold.... the repetative beats were an ok ride, not great but at least different. It was a challenge... I kept looking in at the clock to see the time. My mind kept movng to tasks for the day, but I stuck with ut for 55 minutes and worked up a little lather. Played with alternating floats with breaks in between, lasso and wildwest drills with breaks in strange repetative patterns, two hoops (unitl I knocked the orchid), a neat elbow hooping to the floor and transitioning up into Yoga warrior pose while the hoop still swung on my elbow (that was neat). Otherwise, I just encouraged myself to keep going by dancing through all my body's joints, imagining that my hands were birds flying, trying some pop and lock moves with the music and a few isolations.

While hooping, I realized how good it feels to have a regular practice you can count on and push through, no matter what your day is like or how you feel. It reminds me of how much nourishment I got from my daily meditation/visualization practice which I had done with such regularity some months back, but now have backburnered. I can't wait to have time to begin that again. While meditating, visualizing and praying daily, I remember realizing it was the singlemost important thing I could gift myself with.

There seem like there are only so many hours in the day! How to balance daily hoop practice, 8 hours of office work for HoopGirl, a relationship, healthy meal preparation, meditation practice, going ot the gym, reading, walking, having fun, cleaning and chilling! There is so much I want to experience in every day. For now, I am working on bending my perceptions of time to slowly make more space in my life to do all the precious things that really matter.

Hawaii was such medicine. For 2 weeks straight we had nothing really we had to do and a gorgeous environment to simply restore and enjoy. I think I am going to go ahead and book our (or at least my) next trip back to Kaui for fall sometime (www.cheapflights.com is awesome, btw). Until then, I need to bring paradise and nirvana into my everyday experience in urban life. Aho!

Off to begin the day!

Today's picture is also from a shoot a few months ago by www.webbery.com

This was my affirmation as I sat through my second Conscious Bookkeeping Class taught by Bari Tessler, which combines financial therapy and bookkeeping skills. I was thinking this to myself, "I love money", because tonight we were going over how to create balance sheets. A part of me was wanting to scream and run the other direction. On one hand, like everyone else, I want more money in my life. But there are certain things about managing money which cause me to go unconscious. I don't balance my checkbook. I don't do complex financial analyses. I basically just work my butt of to make lots of money but I don't really take responsibility in terms of my spending habits and future planning. I am taking this class to help "wake up". I keep reminding myself that I love money because when you love something, that means you care enough to give back. If I loved money the way I love other things and people in my life, I would be more nurturing, more attentive, more present and release whatever fears I have. What the heck is there to be afraid of behind those numbers? The numbers just reflect choices which can be changed.

Bari was speaking about how we idealize moving from having a lot of liabilities to a lot of assets. She also mentioned redefining assets: not things you can liquidate for cash (as traditionally taught), but rather things that you own that are actively generating more money .. such as investments, income generating property or income generating businesses. What many people think of as assets are not -- cars sitting around depreciating, morgages for homes which drain cash, etc.

I listened to her and looked up and down at the sheet, from liabilities to assets and back and forth. I realized that even though my business is quite large and very successful, we still have a ways to cross over from having liabilities to true assets. A lot comes in and lot goes out. Where have I been asleep in the process? And when did I believe it was okay to fall asleep when it comes to money?

Somehow people who own lots of properties and have lots of investments and things like life insurance feel very mature and different to me. I think of people that I don't really know personally (except my parents)... country clubbers, software engineers, doctors, lawyers ... a bit outside my social scene. I realize that I want to have these things in my life, a sense of financial security... and I also want to know more of these people who seem to understand how to work with the energy of money in more intimite ways.

We worked through the "therapy" aspects to our relationship with money last week. We looked at how our parents and grandparents used and taught us about money (or not) and all the subtle beliefs we have around receiving, spending and keeping track of money. We did a regression visualzation which took us back to childhood and asked us to search for memories of getting our first (if ever) allowance and what we were taught about how to spend it. How our religious and ethnic backgrounds informed our beliefs about money. We looked at when we opened our first checking account and what we were taught about that. We looked at how we felt among others of more and less financial means around us as we grew up. Etc. Lots of us in the group felt the were never taught even the most basic things about managing money as a child.

This week we worked on issues of completion... do we have a will? Do our loved ones know where all our important documents can be found? Do we have a plan in place which will handle all our financial responsibilities if we die and protect those we love? Do we have homeowners insurance? do we have life insurance? Are all our debts repaid and have we been repaid? How much do we spend each month and on what? Where is there financial ambiguity in our relationships? Etc.

Bari also had us create a more spiritual pie chart representation of why it is important to keep track of money. Basically, the IRS was 1/8 of the reason and the rest were all reasons about waking up -- on all levels. The biggest reason was basically so we can become sacred vessels to manifest our divine purpose on this planet. Doing it because we need to deal with living in a human material reality right now and we have a choice -- waste time and energy struggling, hiding or fighting against money or embrace it like a lover (lover being my choice of a word).

I mean, if money was our lover, we would be so full of passion whenever it was around. When it was around we would know everything about every inch of it's "body", how it was "breathing", what all of it's little sounds meant, how it slept, how it laughed, how to feed it so it stayed healthy and happy, how to anticipate it's needs, how to nuture it and take care of it. WOW! What a paradigm shift... to even think of money as a more than just abstract "energy" but an actual conscious being. It really feels like it wakes me up to think that way, even if it is only my imagination. And then, it just came to me... if money is like a metaphoric "lover", like all lovers, it visits us for a purpose. To wake us up to our divine mission. Like any relationship, the purpose of the exchange would be to rise to our highest self and move to the next level. When I think about it this way, it makes hiding from money's numeric language seem absurd. It is like telling your lover, "sshhhhh" never talk to me because I don't like how your voice sounds". How can you love someone you refuse to have an interaction with???? How can you love someone you refuse to look squarely in the eyes, breathe deeply, and fully accept? Such a big divine reason for taking financial responsibility. To experience actual love. To take it on as part of the work to be done to be able to the higher divine work you are called on this planet to do. Opening bills, meditating on statements, tallying numbers, generating monthly statements becomes part of a conscious life practice that welcomes the energy of money to enter one's life to enable true manifestation of life purpose. It makes amazing (yet obvious) sense.

No one really chats about money too directly when I spend time with them. It isn't like we sit down and compare how much we are making and spending and discuss our latest plans for savings, investments, life insurance, etc. Many people I know seem to complain about not having enough money. No one I know hangs out and says, "you know, I found this incredible new way to triple my savings... do you want to know how?" Why is that? These are important issues which we should all feel comfortable discussing and learning from eachother about, and yet there is so much hidden-ness around speaking about it. Money. Money. Money. Money!! People talk about money less than they talk about sex! I think it really is the most taboo subject. Just entitling today's blog, "I love money" felt extremely risky to me for some bizzare reason. What will people think of someone who loves money?

I'll sign off with some positive money affirmations. I think it is possible to make radical changes in our habits, no matter how long we have had them. Here are some good thoughts for me to remember:

I love money!
I love managing money.
I love keeping track of what is coming in and what is going out.
I enjoy paying off my debts as soon as possible.
I take time every week to journal about my life plan, spending habits and financial health.
I balance my checkbook!
I ask for help when I need it.
Numbers are fun!
I make time in my life to financially nurture myself.
I take responsibility for all my financial commitments.
I am building more assests every day!
I love paying my bills because I know 3 times more is on it's way in.
I love keeping all my reciepts and enterting them into my accounts.
I love financial spreadsheets!
I love analyzing monetary reports and understanding everything.
I enjoy thinking about how to make, save and invest money.
Money is fun!
I surround myself with successful people who love and understand money.
I freely talk about money with my family and share my thoughts and feelings.
I invite my friends to share their money stories with me so we can all learn together.
I am open to having a radically new perspective on money.
I am ready to invite the energy of money into my life so I can give my divine gifts to the world.
When the topic of money comes up, I am excited and joyful.
I love learning from my friends and family how to improve my financial knowledge.
I am always trying to educate myself more about money through books, audio CDs and other sources.
Money is an energy which can be used to create amazing positivity in the world.
Money is an energy which can provide freedom and security.
Having money can free up life energy, or chi, to flow into more divine life callings.
I enjoy being financially secure enough to focus on creativity and spirituality 100%
Money is good!
It is okay to love having money.
I save more money than I spend.
It is healthy to have a healthy relationship with money.
I am open to new ideas about being more financially aware, efficient and present.
I am excited by the idea of bookkeeping!
Keeping track of money is easy!
I am wildly successful in all ways.
Thank you!!

Geez, it keeps happening! Yesterday I hooped it up with Bay Area Hoopers in a massive jam circle (which ended up on stage) at the Pride festival. The music was bumpin and the grooves were hot! It was so fun to just dance before even hooping and lock into the funky beats. Street jamming was even better, and it was so interesting to notice how my flow has changed with more regular personal practices. As if my vocabulary has more ways to express without conscious thought. What an amazing afternoon!

Last night, I put in some time on Your Tube and watched some freakin HOT krump, break and house dancers tearing it up. WOW! That is really what I aspire to.. that level of being in syc with the music... with just my body or also a hoop! I added a bunch of the most inspiring to my favorites so I can keep studying them. After watching for a few hours, I felt as if I had dropped in on these other dance worshipping communities which are so culturally different from my own, yet also on the same page of celebration. Also, I was astounded my the "out there" areas of specialization which others have as well. Somehow I happened upon Etch-a-Sketch champions, yo-yo fanatics and double dutch teams which was hot. It is so neat to see how far people push their passion!

This morning I rocked my practice time with isolations and a lot of double hoop reversals to the tunes of Talvin Singh.

Now off to work at HoopGirl Headquarters.. we have a LOT of work to finish up this week in preparation for launching HoopGirl hoopdance at the IDEA Fitness Convention coming up in San Diego! I have kept a lid on this project for a while so I could focus on making it happen. Now we are wrapping up all the final details for the booth and my hoop class presentation and performances. So many details!

For the past 6 months+ I have made a huge personal shift in focus in HoopGirl to focus on whole body integrative fitness with hoops. Preventative movement medicine for body, mind, spirit and emotions. For a long time I was on stage and playing with costumes, geting high on the adrenline of the crowds and the djs. Now, I am much more interested in deepening my own personal practice and sharing information in a different way. I feel like I need to mobilize all that energy towards a focus which benefits society in a way larger than just "inspiring the crowd". I am over my personal self discovery ego-fest of endless performances to connect with my own inner power and abilities. I feel like I know who I am and how to connect now. I know how to inspire and celebrate. Of course there is always more to learn.. but my fundamental focus is now looking out instead of in.

Bottom line... how am I doing my part to change the world? I am now fully and passionately devoted to taking hoopdance as an art form and a sport the to the people in a way which is physically needed. I am so completely inspired by this organization, IDEA, which is devoted to "inspiring the world to fitness", because I feel like our goals are totally aligned. In my opinion, there is *nothing* more important that fitness. The definition of fitness has moved beyond endless jumping jacks and Jane Fonda style "no pain no gain" exercises. Now the mainstream fitness industry finally agrees that integrative fitness means being physically fit, emotionally happy and healed, spiritually connected and having good positive thoughts. BODY* MIND* SPIRIT* EMOTION. The paradigm expansion is thrilling to me because it makes space for hoopdance to play a major role. So this upcoming conference is a BIG deal for me. It is my first immersion into the mainstream cutting edge fitness community, and my first time having a booth of this magnitude or presenting my work to a crowd like this. I will be flying in directly from a Canadian TV show appearance... nothing like everything happening at once! As usual.

I am so grateful for all the people who have helped me to take this leap into the fitness industry! I trust that I am being drawn to the perfect place at the perfect time to meet the perfect people who will help me take hoopdance to the next level. I am so excited to learn new things about health and fitness and become more positive, connected, happy, radiant and stronger myself as a result. I am open to expanding my beliefs about everything related to health and wellbeing. I am willing to have an open mind to learn new ways of how to present hoopdance classes in ways which make it more accessible to more people. I am ready and willing to recieve inspiration at a level never before experienced. I am ready to meet amazing and inspiring people who will play important roles in helping me inhabit my highest potential. I am ready to share my work with the world in a confident, fun new way which is transformational for all involved. Thank you for the upcoming positive exprience of a life-time! Thank you!

*Photo by Patrick of www.webbery.com

Hula hooping with two hoops in reverse on different parts of the body ... kazaam! Talk about a fresh world of hooping wonder and delight!

This morning I did my hour with 2 hoops the entire time and worked in alternating directions, with lots of breaks and reversals in the middle of barrell rolls. I also just focused on doing 30 rotations in a single position -- limbo -- and then switched to booty bump -- 30 more, then reverse and the same the other way. The weight of 2 hoops really pushes me to push and flex more powerfully, which feels yum. Talk about a whole other world of muscular activation! When my whole torso started aching, I would switch it up to something else for a bit, then come back.

Yea for hooping practice. Hooping is an art which is an end in and of itself. Functional fitness art, and such a blissful meditation. Having no agenda hooping time opens up my whole body and all my senses... brings back play!

Off to work... loads of stuff to do today at HoopGirl HQ!

xoxo

During this morning's hour long practice I hooped to Baba Maal. So much of his music is upbeat and celebrational, what a treat! Again, I did a lot of double hoop reversals, breaks, floats, bounce, spring, flip-offs, and lots of breaking while in limbo and booty bump. I just let the flow carry me this morning... not so much conscious thought or habitual drills... I love that I am naturally drawn to work with two hoops as opposed to just one now a days... new body sensations which are quite fun.

I realized while I flowed that breaks have become very important to me. I used to have so much resistance to breaks and going "the other way".

The Hoop Path teachings really helped me break through my resistance to these places, and now I find myself almost worshipping "the other way". I have been also teaching the value of hooping in the more challenging direction to students and find myself stumbling on how to express it. Many times I have said, "As they say in the Hoop Path, first current and second current" but I keep stumbling on this explanation. I feel the deep need to find my own languaging which can express my own truth about it.

I have been trying different approaches to find the words:
While hooping, I just opened my mind and tried to let something channel in. Nope. Nada.
I just closed my eyes and meditated, inviting emptiness and a message from my higher self. Nope. Nothing yet.
Then I tried the divination using a visual thesarus. I love words so I often let the thesarus bring new concepts in based on my initial ideas.

Again, what I was looking for was my own way to uniquely language "the easy way" of hooping and what people typically call "the hard way", aka first and second currents from Hoop Path. That languaging is nice because it already speaks to the movement of things (like water, air and hooping). However, I actually find that gaining mastery over the "other" direction unlocks certain feelings which are not comparable to the first direction... it is as if the first direction is the key and the second direction is the doorway.... or something to that effect... Finding another set of words with resonance feels like a fun challenge! I am open to any feedback anyone has by the way.

Here are some possibilities I am playing with for each. I have them written on a dry erase board and am having fun trying them in different combinations.

the "Easy Way" words:
Key
Elemental
Primal
Instinctual
Inflow

the "Hard Way" words:
Open
Entrance
Mystic
Natural
Outflow

I like that some of them have so much potential for metaphoric explanation of the experience of switching directions...

Anyways, I have a zillion things to do and I'm off...

Thank you!

Tonight I taught a practice class to prepare for my presentation at the upcoming IDEA conference in San Diego. WOW! What a wonderful breakthough. I have had a lot of new ideas from the fitness world lately, and tonight was the first time I could integrate them into a live hoopdance class. I had six wonderful volunteers show up and experience the highest pace/intensity class I have ever taught. Everyone was challenged, at every level, and was smiling and pouring with sweat afterwards. I feel so much more confident and aware of how I can make the material even better. It is so wonderful to be embarking on a fresh new teaching journey, learning new things and expanding. :)

One great things that I played with in this seminar was use of the words, "inflow" and "outflow' to describe hooping in the "primary" or direction an then the "opposite" direction. It flowed so beautifully! The words were short (only 2 syllables each) and there were lots of fun plays on words to use.

Ideas I explored during class relating to inflow and outflow:
Inflow is about moving in the direction which comes naturally from inside. We take our intuition and draw upon that for our our individual, inspired and instinctual movement flow. We relax into our dance, led by our inner guide. We feel the indestructible strength of our natural abilities and instinct and mine that for knowledge about how to move out ito the unknown.

Outflow ("opposte direction") is about pushing out through our boundaries. We push the hoop in "the other" direction and experience the pleasure of sensation outside our immediate comfort zone. We turn our inner knowledge inside-out and experience an outer-space experience -- re-learning our relationship with space between our bodies and the hoop. Outflow is when we can give back to ourself, pouring into movement all our insights from the inflow.

The ultimate goal is to merge the experience of inflow and outflow, so that we can simply move in flow, lost in the hipnotic undulations between both spectrum so that there is no distinction between in and out. Like the breathe, when deepened and used a tool to increase awareness and presence, the in becomes the out, the out becomes the in, and we merge with with a sense of connection and oneness.... so that is what I enjoyed this afternoon.

Finally, last thing to share was tonights' Conscious Bookeeping class which I took (after I taught my hoop class). My breakthrough realization was that bookeeping and Quickbooks is an actual language. It is a living language which is understood around the globe by people of all ethnicities, backgrounds, walks of life and religions. It is an actual language, just like any other which I was forced to learn as a youth (but never use now). Like any language, it takes time to learn. But fluency brings the kind of heightened senses awareness that understanding someone speaking to you in a foreign language brings. It is like an "a-ha". But the language being spoken reveals things to you about yourself which you never knew before. It is like this langauge is a tool for harnessing your own power and energy and focusing it towards your true visions. A language which is absoluetly invaluable to being an incarnated human being. Why resist? What am I resisting? Isn't it a waste of energy to resist reality? Reality is. Where is the logic in living in it and ignoring it at the same time?

It is not enough that my new bookeeper is maintaining meticulate records for the company on quikbooks. What has presented itself to me as a practice of awakening is doing my own personal books for a while as a way to gain awareness of how I am using my energy in this world to manifest with consciousness. Keeping every personal reciept. Writing down every penny spent as a way to "check in" at the "check out " (as Bari says). Money leaks are energy leaks. I am building up my inner strength to become fully aware.

Thank you!!!

This morning's hoop practice was very different than my typical hour. I did the entire thing with two hoops, but found myself going into a very deep trance-like state of serenity. I had lots of visualizations which made my entire body feel very light and joyful.

I imagined myself in an etheric place with all the hoop masters and hoop companies and performance troupes out in the world now and imagined us all as spirits before having human bodies... I saw us in convergence in a world of white light, making an agreement to work together as world changers. We all pulsed light together in a symphony of colors and sounds. We all shared a deep love for eachother and for the people of the earth and the earth itself and made a promise to commit to each doing our part on the planet to inspire eachother and others to heal and become beacons of light for humanity.

Wow! That was random, to happen in the middle of my hoop practice. It went on... then slowly I felt a surging tidal wave inside my hoop building up force with every push and pull. It was like a tall tornado of liquid energy started rushing around my entire body and spilling out all around me in waves. I percieved the imaginary liquid as love and my hands naturally came together and I closed my eyes and one by one I thought of all the people and groups who have in some way inspired my to step more fully onto my path... the people behind each of these groups came into my minds eye and I smiled... Hoop Path, Hoopnotica, Hoop Revolution, Body Hoops, Betty Hoops, Sass, the folks of Circus Wednesdays, Groove Hoops, Hoop Shine, Energy Hoops, Hoopguy, Elena Lev, BAH, Hoop A Revolution of Sorts, HoopRama, Heart FM, Fire Groove, Sharna Rose, Ruby Hoop ...and more faces and names... as each one came into my mind I send a burst of "thank you" and love to each. Wow! It felt so nice. Especially because, for me, sometimes it is easy to feel separate from others who live far away and who may be in so-called "competing" businesses. I get down on myself for not doing enough, or fast enough, or being the first in things. I compare myself. Not all the time, mind you, but it is a place I can go. Crazy huh? I forget that we all spirits having a human experience, trying to understand these bodies, emotions, etc for a common good. I forget that we are all here to wake eachother up, to assist eachother in shining more fully and being a source if light. We are all here on purpose with a major shared purpose. It doesn't matter how others percieve us.. as long as I focus on our connectedness and similarities instead of differences, I feel more at peace and happy. And happiness, self-generated without influence from outside situations, is my ultimate destination!

Then my mind cleared and I just felt so totally open. The two hoops naturally just kept moving around my torso, with breaks added naturally at arms, at waist, etc, but my mind was clear like a crystal and I said to the universe without words, "I am ready! Express through me. Don't hold back. I am open and willing to channel more light, love and purpose. Take this all to the next level! " I felt like all the dna of my body was a web or net that was open and ready to catch a new vibration. It was quite nice, actually, and completely unplanned. I think from now on I will go back to this serene place with more intention...

Thank you! I am so grateful for my personal hoop practice. So many unexpected gems are showered upon me! I am so grateful for peace and a sense of connection and love.

Last night HoopSexy was a total blast. We had 13 amazing dancers show up and shake their booties to a movement journey. We turned off all the lights and the room was dimly and festively lit by little red and yellow holiday lights. The partial darkness was liberating, and I watched hoopers let go even more. Our music ranged from psy-trance, to Brazillian, tribal house music, hip hop to ambient yoga style tunes. There was some fun vocal moments, and lots of creativity. Strawberries and organic chocolate flowed freely as did smiles and sweat. Wow! I'm never quite sure what will happen at these gatherings and the fact that so many people show up always feels like a blessing. Hoop Sexy feels like a party more than a class, and I so look forward to it.

It is an interesting balance... I want to provide some light facilitation.. but I also want dancers to have their own experiences... We began with names and one word which people thought of when they thought, "sexy". It was great because I could anchor the class in some of the words which people shared...

We started and I cleared my mind and just let phrases and ideas spontaneously move through me...

sometimes it was single words for people to focus on for a while.

open
focus
breathe
precision
balance
faith
attitude
up
down
further

sometimes it was short phrases.

accelerate your blood
try that move in a new way
do it down lower
open your dna to a new pattern
say yes in your movements
Try two hoops! Try three hoops!
take it to the floor

sometimes it was more detailed suggestions.

Imagine you are shooting rainbows through your hoop up into the universe!
Imagine that your hoop is covered with lips which are kisssing you all over your body while it whirls!
Bring the jungle into your hoop dance... feel leaves brushing your arms, breathe in the humid air...
imagine your hoop is blowing bubbles all around you!
Dance like a spirit having a blissful human experience....

Sometimes it was leading people through a specific move... silence... lots of beauty. I love holding space for Hoop Sexy!

This morning, I had to cut my hour hoop practice short to 45 minutes to make Nia class... but in the time I spent, I felt lots of inspiration to work in my outflow direction... I had a bit of a conversation with myself, inviting my body to cleanse, purify and become more healthy and radiant. And I grooved. I tried snake while doing a some complex footwork and found myself sweating from the exercise! Wow...

My fascination with footwork continued into Nia class in the Mission District. It was my first class with Danielle, a radiant, shining and talented teacher who really led a wonderfuly empowering experience. We did various moves like cha-cha-cha, box step, waltz, etc in thr routine that I am inspired to incorporate into my new more fitness oriented hoopdance classes. It is a huge challenge to hoop and do some of these moves repeatedly.. especially when trying it while hooping in both the inflow and outflow directions on various parts of the body like pump and snake.... I wonder if I could do it while hooping in spunk? I can't wait to try. Nia is so amazing.... it is like my dance prayer to restore my center, helping me walk the talk of my hoop in brand new ways...

I'm off... still lots of word to do to prepare for the upcoming IDEA World Fitness conference. I never imagined a trade show/conference would be so much work. Something inside of my tells me this is all part of my path and all worth every moment of effort. It is an interesting premonition similar to when I was doing Hulaerobics for Universal Pictures. At the time, I felt like it was a stretch for me, but I grew so much from the experience and so much positivity has been created in my life because of it. I am excited and inspired to become part of the the fitness industry and bring some bootie-rockin soulful dance art into the mix! Thank you!