Space and Place

Each week proceeds to get better and become more enjoyable as I continue my journey into the world of aerial yoga. I’m starting to figure out the “routine” that occurs in each class and although we try new poses each week, I have realized we essentially start and finish the same way. It makes me feel like I’m getting the hang of things! I have decided that each week I will choose a pose that I found to be most relaxing and one that I found to be most challenging during the class. We did the fig again, which I love, but a new pose that I found to be equally relaxing that also stretches the body is called baddhakonasana. Of course the one pose that has the most ridiculous name to remember (thanks for helping me remember and spell it Liz H)! The pose that I found most challenging was called the chandelier and although it was fun, it was kind of scary! I did it though, so I was pretty excited!

A place that I would consider to be a “container of my experiences” is my old gymnastics center. I spent a good amount of my time there growing up and working up to practice 4-5 days a week for 2 hours a day. When I first started at age 7, I had class once a week. As a gradually improved, the amount of practice increased to 4-5 days and I did that for about 5 years. It was definitely a gradual process but I know that it became a significant place in my life because every time I would go back I would get a happy feeling and all sorts of memories would come back to me. Because I did gymnastics from the age of  7 to 17, I experienced a lot of memories there both good and bad. Learning new tricks, acquiring lots of injuries, making new friends, and because I was around so much, I felt I sort of gained a second family! It was a place field with many wonderful experiences and was a big part of my childhood.

This chapter of space and place talked a lot about how a room can feel “right” and is one kind of “being in place.” This includes elements such as size, color, design, décor, location, source of light, and temperature. Because my new occupation is all about relaxation, you can assume that the room is meant to feel relaxing, and it does! The room is a perfect size as it is not too small or too large and makes it feel somewhat cozy. The walls are a calming green and the floor is a dark wood with pillars that go from the floor to the ceiling that are covered in small but colorful tiles. There is a wall of mirrors to allow you to see yourself as you work out and the light is bright enough to be able to see clearly, but dim enough that it’s calming and relaxing. The room is also kept a comfortable temperature since we are not actually breaking a sweat, it has to be kept somewhat warm to avoid getting cold! In occupation’s such as yoga, I think atmosphere is just as (if not more) important and influential as the yoga itself. If a person were to feel any sort of discomfort about their environment, it essentially defeats the purpose of doing yoga altogether. In order to further one’s relaxation, it’s crucial to feel a sense of comfort to begin with. I feel this yoga studio did an excellent job of providing that calming and comforting atmosphere!