This is supposed to be our last blog post. Even though I originally made this for my Nature and Society class, I would like to keep posting photos and videos that connect nature and hoop dancing. I would like to thank Dr. Lynne Heasley, my professor for the class. I have truly learned so much about our environment, and I now have a new respect for those who work with our nature. Before Lynne's class, I was uneducated about the real damage that man kind has done to our earth. My eyes have been opened and now my job is to pass on that knowledge to others. Also would like to thank all the awesome students in the class as well. I have met some great people with great minds, and its been a pleasure getting to know everyone.

One last photo before I go... for now :)

Hooping at Asylum Park in Kalamazoo MI. Photo credit to my friend Liberty Mehler

The Five Elements

Recently just read an article on hooping and the five elements. Fire, wind, water, earth, and space. I'm always surprised and inspired by the connections people make with hooping. This particular article was written by Casandra Tanenbaum. She talks about her journey as a hooper, which happens to be very similar to me. Some moves will be easier to learn than others, and everyone will learn those moves at a different pace. Casandra also talks about the meditative side of hooping. I have only been using the hoop for about six months, but I literally lose myself once I pick it up. I have never done serious meditation, but the natural high I get from dancing is one of the best feelings.

But how do these elements specifically relate to hooping...

"FIRE accentuates the passionate side of sensuality. Fire is playful, delightful and creative: moves and styles that evoke spontaneity and charm in the dance show FIRE energy. I find that jumping or stepping through the hoop, rolling the hoop along the body, playing with twins and using the floor or ground to incorporate gymnastic maneuvers in my dance are the ways I express Fire.

WIND: the energy of movement, determined action, and accomplishment. WIND energy feels electric, powerful and athletic: tosses are indicative of wind energy, as is breaking and reversing the hoop in quick patterns.

WATER: clear and precise, organized vision. This energy accentuates the visual stimulation of precise off-body maneuvers, and illusions of isolating the rotating hoop in space, and subtle tricks that require precise timing and placement.

EARTH: rich, abundant, resourceful, hospitable and warm. To me, earth energy hooping involves the core of the body, legs, hips, waist, chest and shoulder, and angles. In my hoop journey, core hooping has always been the foundation for all other moves: it is the ground from which my hooping grows.

SPACE: open, free, ecstatic, transcendent space, exemplified in hooping with sustained spins, and any flipping or folding moves that shift the hoop around an axis, clearly articulating and dancing with three-dimensional shapes made and dismantled in any given moment." - The words of Casandra Tanenbaum

Casandra is really spot on. Hooping is so much like nature, everything working together to make one beautiful earth, or hoop haha.

This article can be found at the link below:

http://www.hooping.org/2012/03/finding-my-element-five-energy-hooping/#more-20091

Spirals for days

I started hooping the beginning of this past summer, and it has been one of the best decisions of my life. I was blessed enough to live on a lake this summer, in a water front cottage. What I loved the most, was the beautiful sunset view I got to see every evening. Normally with a cup of coffee in hand, I would watch, and photograph the scenery. You would think that seeing the same view would get boring, but each night was stunningly more different than the last. Not once did I have a dull moment. Even when it rained, I would be out splashing in the puddles. I took advantage of every second I got to spend at the cottage. Sadly I will never go back, because our cottage was sold. However, the memories are the more valuable than the property itself.

Before picking up a hula hoop, I found it hard to express myself, which made be depressed and frustrated. Hooping has brought me out of my shell, and made me feel comfortable moving my body. I now feel connected with music, myself, and nature. My favorite place to hoop was by the seawall, looking out towards the lake. An inspiring sight, paired with some great music and we have a hoop session! Normally it takes about 10 to 15 minutes to warm up and find my “flow”, or to get in my “zone”. This is when everything is working as one, and I don’t think about what move I will do next, I just do. I lose myself in the music, transitioning between different moves and tricks. It’s like a natural high; constantly spinning and weaving my body through my circle of love. Practice is huge. I’ve learned that nothing amazing happens over night. It’s all about progress, getting a little better every day. Then setting realistic goals, and reaching them.

Recently I found an article about hooping and nature. Lara Eastburn is the author, and she talks about how circles are everywhere! From our finger prints to outer space galaxy’s, a never ending spiral is there. She has put up some great pictures of circles represented through nature, this is the link to her article.

http://www.hooping.org/2011/10/spiraling-out-of-nature-a-visual-essay-2/#more-15774

Carbon Gases

Gases that trap heat in our atmosphere, have the name of greenhouse gases. 

The main gases in our atmosphere:

-Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

-Methane (CH4)

-Nitrous Oxide (N2O)

-Flourinated Gases 

-Ozone- Depleting Substances

The sources of these gases:

-Electricity production - 34 % of 2010 greenhouse gases

-Transportation - 27% of 2010 greenhouse gases

-Industry - 21% of 2010 greenhouse gases

-Commercial and Residential - 11% of 2010 greenhouse gases

-Agriculture - 7% of 2010 greenhouse gases

The EPA website has a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Calculator, that takes in to account the daily activities we do and how it is affecting our environment. Emissions can come from the gasoline we burn in our cars, the gas we use to heat our homes, and how much we recycle. 

I compared two households

• House of four college girls: we calculated out at 26,589 pounds of CO2 per year

• Parents house (2 people + dog): 31,783 pounds of CO2 per year

I wasn’t very surprised my the results, my parents do a lot of driving and live a more luxurious lifestyle than my friends and me.