Five Rituals for Transitioning Spaces.
I know I have one week until I leave Guatemala. There is so much to do and so many people to see, how am I ever going to carve out enough time to clean, organize and pack up my things, my life? On top of that, I am on mission impossible trying to get my passport delivered to me at the lake so I don’t have to take an entire day to go to the Embassy. Have you ever felt like no matter how much time you give yourself for packing, at the end of the day, you’re still rushed. These last precious days in Guatemala for me were no different.
Change is the only constant we know in life. It is the one thing we can depend on. When it comes up for us, how do we face it? Most people resist change because it’s uncomfortable and new. As humans we are conditioned to fear the unknown. But, the death or transformation of one experience to another simply clears space and creates the opportunity for the birth of a new one. Do you have a feeling of anxiety or excitement? How are you moving through space? What energies are you carrying forward from one space to another? It’s interesting to contemplate these questions for self inquiry.
The 5 Rituals for transitioning spaces came to me based on a deep desire to honor the spaces I have spent time in without feeling like I’m rushing until the very last second of my departure so that I am not anticipating the predictable chaos that comes along with leaving a space I once called home. It means slowing down, setting intention and tapping into a feeling of grace, ease and fluidity.
How are you in times of change? Wouldn’t it be the ideal to move from one space to another with grace, ease, and fluidity; without resistance and with excitement rather than anxiety? We can start to pay attention during our yoga practice and how we flow from one posture to another; reflecting how we transition from one experience to another. Paying attention to the space between moments can be just as relevant and powerful than the moments themselves. Creating space for the transition allows you to tap into the natural rhythm of movement and breath; stillness in movement.
I write this to remind myself and to remind all of you out there to slow down and take some time as you transition from space to space; place to place. Here are 5 ways to honor your space.
1. Reflective Gratitude.
Taking some time to reflect upon the experiences shared in that space will surely fill you up with all sorts of emotions. Choose gratitude. No matter what happened there; good and bad, dark and light, finding gratitude for all the moments will leave you feeling excited rather than anxious about moving forward.
2. Plant/Flower Bath.
A shamanic ritual done with local plants and flowers from the land. A plant/flower bath is meant to wash away any energies that don’t belong. A death and a rebirth if you will, clearing and cleansing the way for new seeds to be planted and fertilized.
3. Smudge.
Sage is used specifically to open and close spaces. You want to make sure to smudge all corners of the house, inside, outside and yourself. This sacred smoke will leave you feeling clear, spacious and reenergized.
4. Offering.
Dedicate your last yoga practice or meditation to the space and use the practice as an offering. Some other types of offerings to leave could be crystals, cacao, tobacco, flowers, or something else in nature to show a part of you remains in that space. This offering can leave you feeling grounded before movement and leave with the feeling that “home” is inside of you.
5. Traveling Mesa.
Carry a mesa with some of your favorite crystals and sacred objects that are close to your heart. It can come with you everywhere! It’s the last thing I put out when I arrive and the last thing I put away when I leave to initiate the “opening” and “closing” of the space. I get the feeling of connection to spirituality and the contents of your mesa can be used for healing. It brings old experiences into new spaces and sends positive vibrations into the space.
As yoga teachers and practitioners, we get to practice transitioning on the mat and notice how it reflects how we transition off the mat and into our own worlds. I encourage you to notice more spaciousness and attention placed on the journey from asana A to asana B, or perhaps the pause at the top and the bottom of the breath rather than the breath itself. Create awareness and gratitude for where you have been and where you will be going and make the transition a series of rituals rather than a rush out the door.
See this as an opportunity to play with time. Go from anxiety and resistance of leaving a space to excitement and joy to enter into a new one. Use these rituals to help slow yourself down and pay attention to the details of the journey as you let go of the destination. The path will reveal itself as you are walking it. Find presence, because with presence, the time is NOW. How do you want to be moving through space? For me, it is ease, grace and fluidity. This becomes my daily practice as I enter a time with lots of travel and potential anxiety I get to shift into excitement!
Randi’s open heart, affectionate manner and infectious laugh create an instant environment of friendship and authenticity. A true pollinator of people, her direct communication, sense of humor and energizing, activating manner allow for deep work to be done with a sense of playful acceptance for what is.
Randi ERYT 500 has taught over 50 yoga teacher trainings since 2010. Her expertise is in sharing Holistic Yoga, a well rounded practice including meditation, pranayama, mudra, bandha, mantra, theme weaving and intelligent sequencing. A certified Thai Massage Therapist, she is especially known for her firm and intuitive based hands on assists. She facilitates with a strong energy and passion for the practice which supports her compassionate, graceful and empathic nature. She has an innate ability to take in knowledge, experience it, and share wisdom in an authentic way.