Orientation & Class Guidelines - self-care & getting along
When we come to class, our sense of comfort, security, freedom, empowerment, and responsibility can be enhanced, and it can also be degraded. It's up to us to create spaces that support goodness. Nobody else is going to do that for us. Let's do it for ourselves.
Practical self-care measures:
Bring a water bottle. (Also take it back home with you...) Water is available onsite.
Please wear comfy, un-restricting layers that make it easy for you to cool down or warm up at need.
If you have tender joints or injuries, it's a great idea to wear cushioned indoor shoes.
If you are prone to blood-sugar dives, it's a great idea to have an easy-access snack on hand.
5Rhythms Teacher Joanne Winstanley offers wonderful "Points for Practice", a very helpful orientation
Our group agreements:
Yoga and 5RHYTHMS:
1. Power off and stow away all electronic devices. Our need for real-world, non-distracted time is reaching a critical state.
Understand: when someone's device is on, in our shared space, it has direct negative impacts on the group. If it were otherwise, we wouldn't be asking this.
Of course, make an exception if either:
- you must be able to check on a baby sitter or dependent loved one, or
- you're a medic on call.
Please ensure device is silent. Thank you so much.
2. Please minimize strong, especially artificial, scents. Allergies to PERFUMES, SCENTED LAUNDRY DETERGENTS and SOFTENERS and other scented grooming products are very common, and often compromise breathing and trigger headaches.
3. Please wear either bare feet or clean indoor shoes for support or warmth. Socks are slippery; falls do happen. Dirty shoes make grit for others' tootsies.
4. No intoxicants, please. If you take CBD-THC for medical reasons, non fresh-smoke medication would benefit the group. Thank you!
5RHYTHMS:
5. If you want to greet each other verbally beyond "hi there" or have a chat, simply take it outside the dance space. In class we take a much needed break from conversation. Talking on the floor does interrupt others' process. We never know when someone may be in a tender, delicate, or otherwise important meditation that's vulnerable to being derailed by conversation. I know that I have disrupted others, when not mindful of this fact.
If you need to communicate with another on a matter of the dance, such as space sharing, partnering, or safety, often you can do so with movement. And sometimes, dancers find themselves in urgent situations that require immediate, explicit messaging. If this happens to you, it's perfectly okay! Do speak up. Use direct words, e.g., "I need first aid." "Do you need first aid?" "Sorry I bumped into you. Are you okay?" "Can I help?" "I need the teacher." "I'm not available to partner." "No." "Stop."
Practical self-care measures:
Bring a water bottle. (Also take it back home with you...) Water is available onsite.
Please wear comfy, un-restricting layers that make it easy for you to cool down or warm up at need.
If you have tender joints or injuries, it's a great idea to wear cushioned indoor shoes.
If you are prone to blood-sugar dives, it's a great idea to have an easy-access snack on hand.
5Rhythms Teacher Joanne Winstanley offers wonderful "Points for Practice", a very helpful orientation
Our group agreements:
Yoga and 5RHYTHMS:
1. Power off and stow away all electronic devices. Our need for real-world, non-distracted time is reaching a critical state.
Understand: when someone's device is on, in our shared space, it has direct negative impacts on the group. If it were otherwise, we wouldn't be asking this.
Of course, make an exception if either:
- you must be able to check on a baby sitter or dependent loved one, or
- you're a medic on call.
Please ensure device is silent. Thank you so much.
2. Please minimize strong, especially artificial, scents. Allergies to PERFUMES, SCENTED LAUNDRY DETERGENTS and SOFTENERS and other scented grooming products are very common, and often compromise breathing and trigger headaches.
3. Please wear either bare feet or clean indoor shoes for support or warmth. Socks are slippery; falls do happen. Dirty shoes make grit for others' tootsies.
4. No intoxicants, please. If you take CBD-THC for medical reasons, non fresh-smoke medication would benefit the group. Thank you!
5RHYTHMS:
5. If you want to greet each other verbally beyond "hi there" or have a chat, simply take it outside the dance space. In class we take a much needed break from conversation. Talking on the floor does interrupt others' process. We never know when someone may be in a tender, delicate, or otherwise important meditation that's vulnerable to being derailed by conversation. I know that I have disrupted others, when not mindful of this fact.
If you need to communicate with another on a matter of the dance, such as space sharing, partnering, or safety, often you can do so with movement. And sometimes, dancers find themselves in urgent situations that require immediate, explicit messaging. If this happens to you, it's perfectly okay! Do speak up. Use direct words, e.g., "I need first aid." "Do you need first aid?" "Sorry I bumped into you. Are you okay?" "Can I help?" "I need the teacher." "I'm not available to partner." "No." "Stop."