adult hooping

My brother visited from up North with his children the other day.

As with most kid visits, the hoops soon found their way into the playspace, and my brother decided it was time to give it a shot.
K is a very accomplished athlete, a triathlete, golfer and competitive basketball player. So he was adequately frustrated when he couldn't keep even my adult-sized hoop up for more than a few revolutions. He asked me what the motion was and I made several attempts at explaining both a side/forward rocking and a basic front/back... he still couldn't get it.

Finally, I said "Karl, just pretend you're fucking. Pump, back, pump, back, always pushing against the hoop." The next time he picked up the hoop, he went for over a minute, with a look of pure glee on his face.

So now, grown-ups, you know the secret of good hooping. :)

More Yogic Guidance

The intensity and longing in romantic love creates a powerful fire in the heart.

When that fire is turned inward and directed toward God or toward the Inner Self, then it can transform our character, open our inner heart, and move us into great depths of surrender and adoration.

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Depths, eh?

I have had several dreams so far about my NYC experience that lead me to believe that this is, in actuality, a trip deep down into the wells of my unconscious being. Multiple dreams about being deep deep deep underwater, swimming, light filtering in from high above.
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And more:

There are two paths to dealing with wild and potentially reckless romantic love.

The first is discipline and renunciation, a detachment from the feelings. (Ugh.)

The second originates from the ancient Yogic philosophy known as Tantra. Tantra asks you to focus on the feelings behind the fantasies -- the pure feeling of longing for love that we all possess. This longing is activated by our connection to another person, yet it is much larger than that individual. When we find the inner feeling and follow it, the longing can lead us towards Essence itself.

This second path moves us into and through the fantasy to the longing at its core. By attending to the call of your deepest desire, you can transform your fantasies into pointers rather than ends in themselves.

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I sure hope the second path works. I'm betting my life on it.

Steve Harvey's Big Time Challenge

Prolly not a Burner, but a Hooper true to heart:

encouragement

This morning I opened my door to find a note that I had a package from FedEx waiting. Yay! So this afternoon after I picked up the kids from school, I sent Alyson into the office to pick up the package. To my surprise and delight, it was from New Zealand!!! Yes, mere days after my order, Home of Poi has shipped me videos and my first pair of LED sock poi, from all the way other side of the planet. Wow!

Alyson and Max were fascinated by what might be in the package, and when i told them "playtoys", they were giddy with anticipation... so of course what did we do after dinner but turn out all the lights and play play play!

We each took turns performing, and when I was in the middle of my set, Alyson cheered "Daddy you are so good with those you should be up on a stage in front of lots of people!" It melted my heart and gave me such a boost of confidence! I'd only performed once in public before in the middle of That Thing in the Desert, and that had been a mildly embarassing set with many "bonks".

So look out world! I have one fan club member already! :)