there and then vs. here and now 1-31-22
We began June 2020. Now it’s been happening seven consecutive seasons. Dancing in fertile farmland adjacent to the Sacramento River. Nearly every Sunday. We’ve danced through sprinklers in the heat. Watched dogwood turn green to red...twice. Layer-bundled circulating like the fog, dance floor muddier by the week. Now spring approaches again. We’ll watch the land bud and blossom into aliveness. Just like last year. Through every season sky serves as ceiling, trees as wall, earth as floor.
And me? Apparently a very slow learner. An embarrassing bastion of the status quo. Instead of accepting this situation, looking around with gratitude and wonder and deep appreciation, instead of being right here, right now…you guessed it. I’ve been waiting for there and then, wondering where and when. Biding my time until we can at long last return to the great indoors. Well, not entirely. But I have had my moments of literally not seeing the forest for the trees.
A couple Sundays ago it swept over me like some kind of epiphany. Hey! This is where we are. Now. This is what we are doing. Here. This is what we are offering. Now. What am I waiting for? Because look, there is a ton of info on nature deficit disorder. Which is not a medical diagnosis, but a very apt metaphor. And it’s not just about our children. Can you feel that title ring in your house-weary bones?
There is a human cost to spending more time in doors than ever before in human history. And some brave new world research bears it out. It turns out this divorce, this weird cultural reality actually results in senses dulled and challenges with focus and attention. Lack of outdoor time correlates with physical and emotional illness, a rising rate in myopia, obesity and vitamin D deficiency.
I know this. Five years ago I vowed to get out of Dodge three consecutive days at least once a month. And I’ve held myself to this promise. Recently I added going outside first thing in the morning BEFORE looking at a screen. But it’s taken me this long to wake up to how medicinal a two hour mini-dose of moving with Mother Nature is. And two Sundays ago when I bone felt it and then looked up and saw each person present feeling it too….well, I decided to give up on there and then and where and when and just sign on for here and now.
Sweat Your Prayers Sun February 6 10-noon
So that’s where you’ll find us on Sunday mornings. An email communication comes each Saturday to inform participants in case we have to weather cancel. So rare! Reply to this newsletter if you want to be included in that. All that being said, some day we would still like to be indoors some of the time. And we are curious about what you think about that. Can you take a moment for this survey? https://forms.gle/hZ1M8p7u5BFZifW28 Thank you so much.
For me, dance just does not translate to Zoom. And for many it’s just the ticket. To each his own. So my enjoyment with teaching Essentials on line is a considerable source of wonder and joy and fascination. I hear you love it, too. Last Saturday’s one hour foam rolling intro, was the first of four classes to introduce all practices Essential. So fulfilling. Missed it? Want to be guided through the basics of foam rolling in the privacy of your home? It’s now available in the Video Library.
Essential Tennis Ball Release Sat Feb 5 9:30-10:30
I’ve had a hot and heavy transformative relationship with this handy release tool since 1984. So it cracks me up that it took me so long to discover the pleasure of using two sets at once. Relationships can be like that. Please have your roller and TWO sets of double-wrapped tennis balls. Wondering how to wrap? And here’s a quick view of what we’ll be moving through really slowly:
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What else you may ask? This week in Friday morning Essentials we explore the distinct place neck meets rib cage. Geek-ily known as the cervico-thoracic junction. If the thought of how not to develop a dowagers hump intrigues you, join us on line Friday.
I've been seeing one physical therapy patient a day in my studio or on Zoom the past few months. It's been a total source of delight to be your guide on this very unique healing pathway. Want to explore how that might be for you? A few minutes on the phone is the best (916) 267-5478.
Since there and then may or may not happen, let's take a breath together. Right here. Right now. It's all we've got...grateful to share even one breath moment with you. ❤️Bella