Warmth

An ironic topic on the day of the first snow, I know. But it’s something that I’ve really thought about lately, been drawn to for comfort and has inspired a lot of my teaching in recent weeks.

A feeling of warmth can encapsulate many emotions. To be physically warm, cosy even, feels like a luxury when the temperature drops. To feel the warmth of your home, having a home to be warm in even, is a luxury. To feel safe, secure, comfortable is a luxury.

Warmth during colder months is such an exprerience we delight in. Warming baths after long runs, warm socks and jumpers, blankets and bedding. There is nothing so soothing than feeling warmth in the body, which is why many indulge in saunas, steam rooms, heated treatments and hot yoga. Being warm is like our primal need that we seek out no matter where we’re from, how we earn a living or spend our down-time. It’s common ground we never even acknowldge.

When I teach, I’m considering the space, its warmth and sense of welcome, by creating a setting that envelopes in warmth both physically and emotionally. Holding space for an energy exchange, I see many students that rush into class cursing the cold, visibly tense and jaw clenched, only to leave class with noticably dropped shoulders, softer expressions and perhaps a rosy glow in the cheeks.

This warmth is always the goal. A physical marker of a shift within our inner selves, having shrugged off discomfort, tension and frustrations, I see people meander through classes only to emerge lighter, brighter and warmer. If a conscious hour of movement, breath, stillness and connection generates warmth, imagine on a more regular basis how this builds in the body, how bright you can shine and share that warmth with others.

See you on the mat soon.