We are a movement studio and so we speak about movement in all of it’s various forms. Movement as the obvious one, moving our physical bodies. But, what about all the other movements of life. For instance, the movement of breathing and our constant exchange with the environment surrounding us. Or, the movement of nature and all of her cycles and our relationship to these rhythms. Then, there are the movements that we need to do daily, all the little rituals we do in order to feel a sense of connection to ourselves, our loved ones and the space we inhabit.
Today, I find it fitting to speak to the latter. We are all spending more time at home and many of you are practicing with us online. (Yay! Thank you. We appreciate you. We miss you in the studio. But, are so grateful for the technology that gifts us this opportunity to stay connected) So, let’s consider our home environments and the movements we might consider doing in order to create a container for a home practice that feels just as supportive and nurturing as it does when you walk through the doors of ALTAR.
Although, you all are not physically walking through the doors of ALTAR, I open and close the space as if you were. I have may little rituals that I do before I teach. From lighting a candle, to choosing the specific oils I will diffuse, to energetically clearing the space with palo santo, singing bowls and/or intention. There are multiple little movements I do in order to create the space I wish for you all to walk into. These ways of opening and closing the space contribute to what you all feel as you walk through the doors.
Here are some ideas to inspire you to create an environment of peace, ease, receptivity and love for yourself and your home practice::
1) Find your nest. Where in your home can you create a space of inspiration and beauty. It does not have to be big. It can be a corner, a window sill, the bottom of a book shelf. Get creative. Find a place that is near where you would choose to do your movement/meditation practice.
2) Clean your nest. Spruce it up. Wipe it down. Give it some love and TLC.
3) Clear your nest. Space clearing is a thing. It works. It might seem a little hippy dippy. But, try it out with an open mind and notice the shift. Open the door or window while you are clearing the space with sage, palo santo, incense, or sound.
4) Gather your items. Bring all your yoga props into the space. Bring any items of significance. Items that bring you joy, that are beautiful in your eyes and the colors and scents that you love.
4) Fluff your nest. Rearrange and design the space to bring about a feeling of satisfaction, flow and joy. This is unique to you, have fun!
5) Notify your peeps. A part of creating a welcoming home space to practice in is asking for others help in the process. Ask for your families or friends support in this. For instance, here at ALTAR, our neighbors know when we have classes running throughout the day. We created some friendly agreements around noise levels during these times. Although it is not always perfect, it feels nice knowing that we are all doing are best to support each other in the ways we can.
6) Nest. Arrive to your practice as you would the studio, at least a few minutes before class begins. If you can give yourself more time, I encourage you to do so. Set your timer for 15 minutes before class begins and start the process of shifting away from what you were doing when the timer goes off.
7) Enjoy. Savor. Celebrate. Enjoy your home practice. Savor your experience. Celebrate all the different ways that you can move today.
We hope to see you this Thursday and Friday, two opportunities to connect LIVE with us for free. If you have friends that you think would be interested, please forward this email to them. Thank you!
Heather 💜
