Juggling

My introduction to juggling was in 1980. Scott and Patti taught me. On a summer road trip in the Kombi van, I saw on the roadside two tall, long-haired people juggling magnificently. What a way to hitch a ride! This ride lasted about four weeks.

We hit it off so well we couldn’t imagine separating. I was an eager student of the juggling art, but they were professionals so the training was tough.

My first week was spent juggling one ball. It may sound easy but it pays to practice this one throw of the beanie as it is the one and only movement you need to master. From right to left in a rainbow shape, then from left to right in the same rainbow shape. Most beginners start with a better throw from their dominant hand than the other. I was to imagine I was holding a tray of glassware in order to manage where my hands should be to juggle successfully. Due to the imbalance described, there is generally a forward moving action involved during a juggling volley because the non dominant hand is not too good at the return throw. Practicing over the bed both stops this forward creep and the fallen beanies are that much closer to pick up.

Back in the day there was no way I could look up the instructions on how to juggle so I did my time and rejoiced when “Ball2” day arrived. Okay so remembering that rainbow - we now expand our brain by rainbowing two balls - one from each hand. Throw the right handed ball and when it is at the peak of the rainbow, throw the left handed ball into the rainbow shape and immediately prepare to catch Ball1. Catch ball 2 with the right hand. Don’t just randomly throw rainbows at the same time. The delay is crucial to allow room for Ball 3. This was another week of practice for me. Throw throw catch catch - there is a wee rythym there.

Ball3 week and it all fell into place. We started the introduction of the third ball by standing together so that I was only using my right hand. Scott or Patti would be my left. This is such a memorable A-HA moment*. * By now the household was busy with new jugglers keen to practice together. Juggling opposite each other, standing on the other’s shoulders, fun! I had sewn up the beanies in a tennis ball pattern out of some old corduroy trousers. I use a different pattern now, more soft square style, but still stuff them with wheat.

Time flew by and our visitors moved on. They were returning home to their tree house in Hawaii. I have never reconnected with Scott and Patti but have never forgotten them either. I went onwards in circus mode and taught myself to unicycle but that’s another story.

Juggling is so good for so many things that your heart desires and your body needs. It can bring calm, it can invigorate, it can find you in the chaos of your thoughts and ground you. I keep my beanies in my yoga space and have a favourite wall to juggle to. It’s a great precursor to a session in the yoga silk as it steadies my intention. I have made different sizes and textures: larger loose ones from a second hand Thai silk blouse, tight canvas and cotton ones from scraps. I like to change it up as the mood takes. By making matching sacks to hold the beanie bags in, the sacks can then in turn, be heated in the microwave to become therapeutic wheat bags.