There are some moments in our lives that truly resonate to our core, those precious seconds when your mind ticks over and you can feel your heart lift and your mind mimics what you’ve just heard.
Well, when I first heard about Kate Kendall’s Space Between yoga class I was curious. I wanted to know just what was meant by the space between and partly because I followed Kate on instagram for a while and knew her as a vinyasa flow teacher that inspires me as a teacher (as well as a very successful business owner: www.flowathletic.com).
So as we all sat there, eagerly waiting the beginning of the first class of the day, sitting amongst the colourful streamers in the Lululemon Dome, Kate introduced us to her thoughts, a bit of her background and her ups and downs and how at the end of the day we needed to remember to give ourselves that space, whatever it might be, to just be there in that moment, appreciating that we are alive, and healthy and well.
To me the space in between can mean a million different things, it is the breathing whilst holding an asana (yoga posture), the time between choosing to change careers or jobs or hobbies, the moment before you jump off a jetty into the cool ocean, that first time you gracefully move into a headstand and feel your focus adjust to your breath. That space where time stands still, you are there in that moment, before anything else happens or changes, before your thoughts switch to the next feeling or action or item.
And that was when it came to me, that ah-ha moment I am so fond of where things just click into place and an instant shift in your being happens.
With that knowledge and feeling we all began to move, to practice feeling the moments in between the postures, being present in that time and place allowing our bodies to flow together.
Here are a few of my take outs and ways that I am going to continue to focus on the from the space between each and every day…
Take a moment before you start the day to stop and take one deep breath, if you need to take a few and allow it to nourish your body and your mind. Create the space in your lungs and your body.
Don’t sweat the small stuff. We all have to start somewhere, that space that you are in right now where you feel like you are not quite in the place you want to be is exactly where you are meant to be. It takes time, commitment, perseverance to reach any goal you set, whether that be saving for something big (a house or overseas adventure), getting to the next level in your yoga practice or making a life changing decision, remember that it doesn’t happen overnight. Allow yourself to be where you are and learn from these moments. We often say during a guided meditation practice that if you fall asleep it was exactly where you are meant to be, and that it is important to acknowledge that and move forward in your practice. Because yoga, just like life is about learning, experience and implementing the changes that you want to see in yourself and in the world. But don’t forget where you came from and how you got there because it is this space between that we can learn so, so much from.
When you are practicing any form of movement, notice the feeling, the space in between the goal of that movement. Whether it’s the release of tension (putting a weight down), bringing your breath back to normal, the moments that you shift into another asana, notice how it feels, do you feel fear of falling? Does the tension in your jaw release? How long does it take to come back to a resting breath? Stay in this space and allow your mind to come back to your body.
Integrating these three things into every day of my life will not happen immediately, but I am starting to learn in general that I am where I am meant to be. I need to take my time to get to a place where I am comfortable and it doesn’t mean I can’t practice the art of gratitude or happiness every single day. I can be happy exactly where I am, in this space between.
