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The Dervish At the Center of Your Whirl
Part Two: Exercises (Click here to read Part One)
Part Two: Exercises (Click here to read Part One)
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| Hooposophy articles are written by Superhooper.org's Lara Eastburn All Rights Reserved |
Comments are updated regularly.
"Fantastic! I was a spinner with the Grateful Dead family for many, many years, after training in college in mysticism and the art of
the whirling in the Dervish tradition. Frankly, I just have an observation: when the spinners on Dead tour were displaced by the
loss of foot space to gather in (when Garcia died and dance halls became very very small for a while), a year or two passed with
almost no orbit to find anywhere. It was kinda scary. Small pockets of activity popped up here and there but it was as-if it were
being snuffed out of existence! Suddenly, the tour gained a head of steam and the venue size grew again. And the spin returned --
in the form of hooping! I'm glad to hear you talk of the relationship between the two forms of movement. To spin, to hoop: I saw
them utterly intertwined, right there in modern day, too :) " It is Love that holds everything together, and it is the everything also."
(Rumi). Peace, Sandy Stahlman http://sandra.stahlman.com
"This post created an intense reaction that I was unaware of- I [used] your tools on one of my blog postings and found out what
truly sparks me to hoop... thank you for this, it is amazing what one can find out about themselves when the dig deep enough..."
http://happyhoopin.wordpress.com/2010/09/16/one-for-the-mind-what-gets-you-spining/, 9/16/10
"Fantastic! I was a spinner with the Grateful Dead family for many, many years, after training in college in mysticism and the art of
the whirling in the Dervish tradition. Frankly, I just have an observation: when the spinners on Dead tour were displaced by the
loss of foot space to gather in (when Garcia died and dance halls became very very small for a while), a year or two passed with
almost no orbit to find anywhere. It was kinda scary. Small pockets of activity popped up here and there but it was as-if it were
being snuffed out of existence! Suddenly, the tour gained a head of steam and the venue size grew again. And the spin returned --
in the form of hooping! I'm glad to hear you talk of the relationship between the two forms of movement. To spin, to hoop: I saw
them utterly intertwined, right there in modern day, too :) " It is Love that holds everything together, and it is the everything also."
(Rumi). Peace, Sandy Stahlman http://sandra.stahlman.com
"This post created an intense reaction that I was unaware of- I [used] your tools on one of my blog postings and found out what
truly sparks me to hoop... thank you for this, it is amazing what one can find out about themselves when the dig deep enough..."
http://happyhoopin.wordpress.com/2010/09/16/one-for-the-mind-what-gets-you-spining/, 9/16/10
hooping
hoopdance
hula hoop| . |
| Recent Articles |
One for the Body: How To Whirl Like a Dervish
Mevlevi Whirling Dervishes begin their training in early childhood, slowly building their amazing ability to whirl
continuously for extended periods of time without experiencing dizziness. If you already practice sustained
spinning in your hooping whirling may feel somewhat familiar, but you should still start very slowly and increase
your twirling times in small increments each time. You'll want to practice extensively without your hoop at first,
and when and if you desire, add it in later. Ready to give it a try? Here's how!
Mevlevi Whirling Dervishes begin their training in early childhood, slowly building their amazing ability to whirl
continuously for extended periods of time without experiencing dizziness. If you already practice sustained
spinning in your hooping whirling may feel somewhat familiar, but you should still start very slowly and increase
your twirling times in small increments each time. You'll want to practice extensively without your hoop at first,
and when and if you desire, add it in later. Ready to give it a try? Here's how!
- Determine in which direction you'll be turning. You will likely prefer your dominant (or more natural)
direction at first. As you progress, try the other direction - it will have a distinctly different feeling. - Raise your directional hand toward the sky, palm upward. This will be your left hand if you are spinning
counter-clockwise, your right hand if you are spinning clockwise. - Raise your other hand, palm down, outward in front of you at heart level. You will fix and keep your gaze
on this hand as you spin. After substantial practice, you may later choose to alternate your gaze on the
directional hand or close your eyes. - As you begin to turn (very slowly!), move your heels around your toes, imagining that your toes are
rooted to the ground. - Don't forget to breathe! Breathe slowly deeply into your back.
- Increase your speed only if you feel balanced and comfortable doing so.
- To come out of the whirl, slow down while gradually lowering your hands. Take a few moments to stand
still, sit quietly, or lay on the floor.
Whirling can be physically demanding - your thigh muscles will quickly tell you when you've had enough ... if
you don't get out of breath or dizzy first! Just take your time and be patient. Music can be extremely helpful for
focusing you -- just stick to the instrumental variety (I've been enjoying Rodrigo y Gabriella myself!).
I recommend adding a few seconds or minutes of whirling to your hooping practice as a warm-up or cool-down.
Not only will it provide an opportunity to gradually increase your "flight time," it will help frame the sensations
you experience while in this state in reference to your hoopdance. Over time, whirling can direct your
understanding of what you feel in the hoop, what connects you to it, and what it is that you celebrate there!
you don't get out of breath or dizzy first! Just take your time and be patient. Music can be extremely helpful for
focusing you -- just stick to the instrumental variety (I've been enjoying Rodrigo y Gabriella myself!).
I recommend adding a few seconds or minutes of whirling to your hooping practice as a warm-up or cool-down.
Not only will it provide an opportunity to gradually increase your "flight time," it will help frame the sensations
you experience while in this state in reference to your hoopdance. Over time, whirling can direct your
understanding of what you feel in the hoop, what connects you to it, and what it is that you celebrate there!
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One for the Mind: 25, 50, and 100 Lines
In Part One of this series, I expressed a desire to know what "sparks" my hooping. Longing to peel back the
layers of what I "feel" when I hoop, I sought an understanding of what call my heart was responding to there.
In addition to engaging my body in this journey (see above), I thought it fitting to call upon the vast reserves of
my unconscious knowledge as well. To do so, I took a cue from my journaling classes and sat myself down to
this exercise.
In Part One of this series, I expressed a desire to know what "sparks" my hooping. Longing to peel back the
layers of what I "feel" when I hoop, I sought an understanding of what call my heart was responding to there.
In addition to engaging my body in this journey (see above), I thought it fitting to call upon the vast reserves of
my unconscious knowledge as well. To do so, I took a cue from my journaling classes and sat myself down to
this exercise.
- Close your eyes and for a few moments think about the last several times you hooped, the most
memorable hooping sessions you've had, or both. Give some thought to what prompted you to get up and
grab a hoop - was it a sunny day, a great song, a terrible mood? Try to recall how you felt at the time and
any other circumstances surrounding those moments. - Formulate a title or question that best suits your inquiry - I chose, simply, "When I hoop" - and write it at
the top of a piece of paper. - Now number each line of the page, 1-25. Fill each line with the first things that come to your mind, taking
care not to censor your thoughts. Repetition is OK! Just keep going -- try not to stop until you come to the
last numbered line. - The more lines there are, the more likely you are to push past your more surface and conscious feelings
to arrive at something about which you were not aware before. If you have the time and the inclination,
number your page to any amount, up to 100. It is common to get annoyed, frustrated, and even bored
with this exercise, but push through - there are gems to be found. - When you have completed filling each line, you may have already arrived at some revelation about what
sparks your hooping. If not, or you just want clarification, group each of the lines by similar content using
a symbol or initial. You should quickly see themes appear - and a clearer picture emerging of what
funnels and fuels your hoop-joy.
Please do leave your comments and experiences with these exercises to share with others.
Happy Whirling and, as always, Happy Hooping!
Happy Whirling and, as always, Happy Hooping!
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