Under The Same Sky
Since I’ve started my teacher training at Semperviva in January, I have been spending a lot of time at the Sky Studio. I had practised there before with Susan, one of my favourite teachers, and although it is smaller than the other studios, I like it for several reasons.
The main one being is that I truly miss practising outdoors. I was very lucky last year to have a lot of time off before coming here and to travel in Europe for two months in the summer. We hugged the Atlantic coast and while my boyfriend was surfing, I would find a quiet spot and go through my sun salutations slowly to the sound of the waves and summer breeze, enjoying every inhale and exhale.
The first time I practised on the beach, I had the most obvious revelation. I inhaled, arms up, my palms reached up the – real – sky and the sunlight dazzled me as I looked up: ‘this is what saluting the sun really is’. You don’t get that sense as literally as this when you are in a studio.
I still love practising indoors, we’re all creatures of habit, we like a flat steady floor, the absence of wind, flies, mosquitoes, or anything that distracts our senses. However to me, practising under the sky is unbeatable and that’s why I like the Sky Studio: it connects me again to this feeling of infinite space.
[source: chroniclesofdolliedaydream.blogspot.com]
At the same time, it offers all the comfort that modern yogis rely on: carpeted floors, yoga mats, props and a bathroom! Besides the skylight, there are many windows, covered in light white curtains, which makes the studio bright but not overwhelmingly so. You will find it just above the Greens and Gourmet Restaurant on Broadway and Trafalgar. You just need to cross the restaurant to find the reception.
I always find the atmosphere quite serene, studious and humble, which prepares the mind to go deeper into your practice. This maybe has to do with the nature of my studying there, but I feel also the opening to the sky creates that equanimity. It’s the closest to the sky one can be while practising indoors.
