A Fresh Atmosphere for Balancing Both Mind and Body

Source: Chicagoland TV

As our consciousness expands, modern man is more open to exploring ancient ways of living. Through increased awareness, we’re realizing that new is not necessarily better and that if something has persisted through thousands of years, then perhaps there’s some benefit in it. This is the natural shift of man, an endless pendulum that swings between light and darkness, between both progress and regressions in enlightenment.

Adorno and Horkheimer hit the nail on the head when they noted society fluctuating between two extremes. Here we begin to see the point. The point is a swelling “manipulative nature of culture” that creates and fosters a pseudo sense of self.

In no area is this manipulation greater than with what lies within us. The modern man is a master manipulator of himself. Through the ego, rarely ostracized but rather accepted as one’s own conscious self, we have tricked ourselves into believing that we are always in control

Corporations have also found a profitable niche here by catering to desperate dieting fads and overpriced cookie-cutter health clubs. And thus we have a culture that packages an identity that feeds into the modern ego.

The ego, desperately in need of structure and control, has sacrificed us to mass assembly line thinking. With little exception we all more or less think the same way, a theory evidenced in our shared attitudes. Perhaps in no other time in history have we been more disconnected from our authentic selves.

Enter Yoga.

Yoga, an ancient art form rooted in spirituality, has channeled to the forefront of culture through a resurging interest in esoteric new-age thinking. While most “new-age” trends are vacuous of any genuine philosophy, yoga is an exception.

Wrongly stereotyped as a woman’s fitness routine, yoga is comparable in mind and body benefits to martial art forms such as Tai Chi. Both require an immense amount of focus and discipline and are much harder than they seem. However, I noticed a new trend on the rise, something referred to as “Hot Yoga”.

Lance practicing Tai Chi

Though I recently traded in a useless gym membership for a few effective hours of boxing at a local dive gym, I’m always on the look out for new challenges. Having tried yoga at an Indian spirituality retreat years ago, I was interested to give it another go. I was more curious about what this “hot” factor was.

Guzzling bucket loads of water as suggested, I showed up for a “hot yoga” class only to find about a 900-1000 square foot room packed with both men and women and set to a scorching 105°F with 40% humidity. Ninety minutes and 26 poses later, I pooled together what was left of me and stumbled out of the room. It was total torture the first time around but it was fantastic.

The only downside to “hot yoga” is the ripe smell of sweat and the lack of ventilation in the facility. To avoid the yoga studio smells and encourage yoga studio sanitation, studios would do well to leave a gap between sessions and switch on a fan or air purifier between classes. Considering the level of extended deep breathing within moments of starting the session, it only makes sense to ensure filtered air through an air cleaner.

But going through the poses, you’re forced to let go of your need for control. It’s a much more personal experience putting you in touch with your self as you recognize your own limits and work to push beyond them. Void of meat-market attitudes, cacophonous music, and idle chatter usually found in large chain health clubs, hot yoga is without a doubt a complete meditation. With sweat dripping from brow to ankle, it takes the will of a saint to remain in pose and to resist the urge to leave. The ultimate result is a challenge of not just the body but also of the mind as you struggle to quiet it and master your own ego.

Small Living Makes Giant Strides

In a super-sized obsessed age, we’ve now fallen into the gap where we believe our home should also reflect a shift toward the grandiose. Yet this obsession with gigantism has completely dwarfed our sense of self.  Whereas even meals used to be an art form, the rising trend on bigger (and ultimately considerably ridiculous creations) is aimed at promoting a consumer culture that ironically strips us of culture.

Some would even argue that in addition to relinquishing culture, we rescinded our identity as we grow increasingly lost amidst a rising expanse of materialism. With consumer culture, it’s no longer about what we have, but about how much we can stuff into ourselves, pile on ourselves, and collect around ourselves.  An inflationary ideology that compromises quality for quantity, the idea that more is better and less is miserly can be traced back to Hollywood and celebrity, two groups that promote a culture of excess that majority of star gazers flock to emulate.

Yet an undercurrent movement referred to as “small living” is creating waves as a chic counter culture against wasteful consumption.  An increasing number of global citizens are realizing that bigger is not better, that more is not necessarily feasible, and that a continued practice of parasitism is not in our mutual interest.

This all began with a green movement, ironically enough kindled by the very same group that initially made it popular to be wasteful. It was Hollywood and celebrity that made it trendy to be environmentally aware, and while they were not the first group to practice earth-friendly habits, they are the group that got it mainstream attention.  Still, the green movement has taken off considerably since its infant days where recycling was the height of eco-culture.  The newest trend is in sustainable living, a striving effort to live a lifestyle with a minimal or reduced carbon foot print.

Thinking green has spread a new leaf.  While in the early stages of sustainable living, eco-friendly decisions centered on what could be different in the home, the trend now is to change your home itself.  Quickly gaining momentum, the small living movement is leading a greater number of people to realize the personal and communal benefits of conscientious consumption.

From small houses to yachts-turned-homes, people across the country are completely rethinking their approach to living.  And with the rise of do-it-yourself shows and home makeovers, we’re all realizing that we can have the comforts of a larger home, even the aesthetic appeal, without having to scrape out our wallets for that last little penny to fund it all. Whether it’s a boat, mobile, or studio living, the fact is a majority of Americans are downsizing their dwelling space.  This in light of the recent recession mixed with a rising awareness to cultivate positive eco-friendly living solutions, has left the market saturated with a number of alternatives to conventional living.

The emphasis here is not just on saving the environment, but also on saving a green resource of another variety.  Conscientious about carbon foot prints and wasteful spending, many global citizens are down scaling from a humble abode to perhaps an even more humble abode in an attempt to salvage hard-earned dollars.  With that, the trend these days is perhaps not even just to get a smaller apartment, but to get the most compact home possible for your lifestyle.  The idea of compact living has not only gotten many people to downgrade the number of services they use (i.e. cable, internet, dry cleaning, gourmet coffee), but it’s also raised a new crop of spatial economists that have traded in expansive lofts for more resource-friendly spaces.

Small living is simply much cheaper. It’s cheaper to furnish your place, utility costs are lower, and smaller spaces are generally much more affordable to rent or purchase.  It was Leonardo da Vinci who first said, “small rooms discipline the mind and large ones distract it,” – and perhaps he was right.  Surprisingly, there are a number of other benefits that go with smaller spaces, which anyone who’s walked the walk will quickly recognize.

Small living also undoes the idea that your home is your castle. While it remains true that your home is your sanctuary, those living in larger estates are less likely to explore their outside environment.  As such, what was once meant to be a castle becomes a cage that keep dwellers locked in, even if that condition is self-imposed.

On the other hand, a smaller home encourages you to get out, be more social, and explore your outside environment.  Smaller spaces allow for more creative design ideas, in which your home becomes an authentic reflection of you, as opposed to larger homes where the home somehow becomes a fixed museum that dwellers and visitors have difficulty engaging with.

Ultimately, the key is sustainability.  If small living isn’t your cup of tea then the next step is to look into how you create a sustainable environment in your home, no matter what its size.

Images:   by Alchemy Architect in Honesdale, Pennsylvania.

Weehouses are purchased by picking out a few modules and fitting them together like giant Legos.  The 2,200SF 3BR retreat home consists of a larger main unit accommodating most daily activities and a smaller sleeping tower. Both units are connected by an elevated patio bridge component. The main unit’s upper level is designed to allow for numerous vista points and provides an almost complete immersion into the spectacular setting of the heavily wooded site.A blend of smart design elements make this home comparable with any conventional designs.