Amber Lane of Lucid Hooping at the Spin Summit 2014 – Photo Credit: Rachel Coughlin
Ideas and concepts are constantly introduced to us and expanded upon by our surroundings and experiences throughout our lives. Whether it comes easily or not, these understandings are continually changing, evolving, and being understood on more profound levels, and sometimes even being debunked and replaced with new ones. During my time at The Spin Summit earlier this May, quite a few of these deeper understandings and changes within myself took place, of which I would like to share a few.
1. Flow is universal
While I’ve been thinking about this subject frequently since I started hooping, I was absolutely blown away by some of the flow I witnessed at The Spin Summit. It was the first time I saw upwards of five poi spun by one person. It was the first time I saw clubs being used in such unique ways through balance and other manipulation techniques aside from juggling (although the juggling was amazing itself). This wasn’t, however, the first time I witnessed seemingly impossible things happen with a prop. So why was I taken to such a new high within this personal understanding of mine? It was because I realized that flow (in other words, energy) already runs through literally everything (well, duh… wait for it), it’s just that it’s up to us to tap into it.
I have observed so many spinners disappointedly claim they don’t have any flow (a thought which should be chucked out the door as soon as possible, by the way) in a manner that indicates it is nonexistent. All energy is borrowed, which consequently means that flow isn’t something that can be created out of nothing. We simply need to tap into the abundance of flow that already exists everywhere around us. Every single person has the ability to do so in some shape or form whether it’s through prop manipulation, writing, the use of one’s mind, etc… and that is Absolutely. Freaking. Beautiful.
2. Listen to your body
A little over five years ago I was unwillingly immersed in the art of listening deeply to my body because of severe disc herniations in my lumbar spine. Although I am now pain-free a majority of the time, it is only because I continually listen to my body telling me what feels good and what doesn’t. The Spin Summit brought with it at points a little physical pain. However, I was able to deepen my ability to stop, listen, and focus on freeing myself from its grasp. It was a good reminder for me, and ALL of us, not to overwork the body and set some healthy boundaries, especially when we are immersed in a weekend-long, physically intensive series of workshops.
3. It’s okay to mess up
This one is pretty self-explanatory, but every time I see amazing performances like the ones at The Spin Summit, one of the factors that make them amazing is the ability to gracefully mess up in front of hundreds of people. This means that making mistakes in our personal practice is perfectly okay, too, and in fact, they are necessary. They help us grow, learn, and develop our techniques. We should be thanking them, really.
4. Don’t be afraid to try new things
New tricks, new dance moves, new props. Try it all! Trying new things allows us to become more well-rounded in our overall practice, and experimenting with new props can especially help us develop deeper understandings of our first love. I was finally able to get a staff at The Spin Summit, and I must say, the highs of nailing moves with it are as wonderful as they were when I first started hooping. It is also helping me understand balance on such a greater level, which is spilling over into my hooping practice.
5. Bigger is better…. for some
Hoopers have begun using smaller and smaller and smaller and, you guessed it, smaller hoops in their everyday practice. I started to follow this trend for a bit because I like trying new sizes and different widths of tubing (and I still do!), but Baxter’s workshop at The Spin Summit made me realize I feel more in-tune with my flow when I use a larger hoop and move at a slightly slower pace. I went straight back home and made myself some new 35” hoops, and I couldn’t feel better about where my practice is going. Use what size feels right for YOU, whether it is 28” or 48”, only you know what is best for the majority of your practice.
I’m so grateful for the experiences I had at The Spin Summit this year. They will undoubtedly influence me and my practice for the rest of my life, and as flow festival season kicks into high gear, I encourage each and every one of you to stay open-minded and flexible. Allow your inner child to shine through, and stay interested in subtleties. Our lives could always use a little more play and exploration.
***Amber Lane of Lucid Hooping is a general lover-of-life and hoop enthusiast. After being diagnosed with degenerative disc disease and two herniated discs at the age of 17, she entered the world of medicine. She discovered the hoop and meditation in 2010 when she was 19 and instantly fell in love, not only because they boosted her self-confidence to new highs, but also because these modalities magically healed her chronic pain. Life since then has been a whirlwind of learning and sharing self-healing techniques and manifesting the life of her dreams. Through Lucid Hooping she hopes to help others in their journeys to health and true happiness through self-healing and transformation.