SPIN BLOG

For many of us, hooping practice affords us a chance to clear our minds and be with our breath, grounded & embodied. Whether actively spinning the circle around your core- constantly hugging your hips and heart space, stretching with the hoop as your body follows the curve of the ring, or simply & peacefully sitting inside of the hoop & breathing (like Elsie the cat pictured above), the hoop is a gift to be present.

Many folks new to meditation have a hard time practicing the sitting still part- fidgeting & restlessness being a common experience. A solitary hoop practice can help by focusing on keeping the ring up… and through this physical, rocking back and forth body motion bilaterally stimulating the brain, thoughts & feelings more easily synthesize, come & go- and eventually fade from focus making way for that quintessential feeling of flow.

One way to dramatically enhance your ability to go inward with your hoop practice is to use a blindfold while you hoop. Hooping without being able to use your sense of sight helps to increase the kinesthetic experience of the hoop encircling your body. ‘Kinesthesia’ is defined as the sense that detects bodily position, weight, or movement of the muscles, tendons, and joints, or the sense of moving in space. Particularly with a rapidly moving object like a hoop whipping around the core, one’s vision can serve as a real distraction from being able to fully feel the hoop’s motion & the body’s innate rhythmic connection to it. Oftentimes when someone begins to hoop blind, they immediately find it to be easier, more calming, and even a transcendental experience. Do you yet practice hoopitation inside your ring? Let us know how it goes and any useful tips you have for finding your flow~