orient. 10"x10" acrylic, ink, paper, pencil on wood.
i'm studying how to teach trauma-informed yoga and the material is rocking me to the core.
so many times here, i start to write that i can't wait to begin teaching yoga and art to teenage girls, but that is not true. i can wait. because the material is complex and important. the girls are complex and important. it's going to take some time to process and integrate and practice. i want to offer something authentic and meaningful.
for so many people, feeling safe in the body doesn't come naturally. it requires consciously becoming grounded, orienting to the space, and cultivating resources for emotional safety. one of the many cues i learned for orienting that really resonated with me is, "look around the room and find four blue things." i practice this myself when i am overwhelmed or frustrated or feel sad and to start my yoga practice. it's simple and effective.
i woke up this morning wanting to create a piece inspired by four blue things. because, you know, i process in color. i love that the abstract shape in the center unintentionally formed into a compass. it also resembles my favorite yoga posture, ardha chandrasana, balancing fear, strength, lightness and beauty.
these things are my grace today: learning, orienting, seeing the path more clearly, patience.
four things that just might be blue.
