[August 16th, 2015]
Mid-month; we've arrived, already. We have 44 days left on Wooster St.
This morning a lightbulb lit up...in my mind! I was reminded of another daily routine that sprouted from living in this place. It's one that I've also convinced Aviv to adopt as a daily practice in his own way, no matter where we find ourselves.
And that practice is "cleaning house"...AKA a nice, morning yoga stretch.
Ironic? To relate this routine to "house-keeping"? Maybe not so much...
Each day of this Leaving Wooster experience I realize more and more that all of these things around us—all this that we've called "home"—will leave just about as quickly as it came. The body, however—the true "house+home"—is something worth the upkeep, forever. A possession that takes a lifetime to give back, as it should.
In New York City, most of us fight the daily or weekly battle to stay fit and healthy. Like most urban-centers blowing up with energy, and millions of people working so quickly--all the time--all day--it's part of our culture here to join a gym, or a Soul, or a Barry's, or some form of Bar Method. As you can probably tell, the options are aplenty and the list only goes on.
These "fit+healthy" concepts in the City sprung from the depths of our culture—when we all looked around and realized that we needed to find some sort of balance for our fast-paced lives. Ideally, it would be something that brings our attention back to the body, at least 3-5 hours a week. And to accompany the concept of work-life 'balance' I will argue something more: the body is the house that isn't going anywhere any time soon; give it what it needs.
At the end of the day, we make time for what's important to us here, and everywhere. One of those important routines, for us, is a fifteen minute (or more, if we're lucky) yoga sequence and self-guided stretch first thing in the morning, everyday, on the floor of this loft.
Only after moving to a space with enough, well...space, were we able to see that this routine was something we needed to adopt on the daily. Somehow having enough space to do yoga at home made us realize that we actually could do yoga from anywhere at anytime. Even in these NYC days that are packed full with little time to even drink your morning coffee—we have managed to always find the minutes for a morning yoga sequence. And man, does it feel good to stretch and breathe. To think about and touch all those nooks + crannies of the body through movement. A daily-dusting, if I may equate it again to actually living in a home.
And so, in LIVING Wooster, this incredible routine popped into our lives; a space that was large enough to inspire morning movement; one that also got us to see that we could plant our hands on the floor, and do some sun salutations and warrior poses everyday, from anywhere. And just like the lemons I was talking about, this routine is coming with us. In LEAVING this place, I feel how important it is to maintain our "true" house+home, no matter where we find ourselves. All we need is a ground to stand on.
Hopefully this idea inspires everyone to take a moment and connect with that real home whose contents aren't going anywhere.
For those of you that are looking to give your body+mind a nice dusting in the comfort of your own living space (or looking for a new yoga studio to experience in NYC), I highly recommend checking out IAMYOUSTUDIO.COM. Here, you can sign up for a class OR purchase + download some of the most incredible yoga sessions for streaming in the comfort of your home. And yes, there is a "Quickie" one too, for those often pressed for time. :)
If you've made it this far, I congratulate you. You win!!
Now, wishing you a very happy Sunday. Get outta here and go brunch!
Until tomorrow,
-P