Soul Awakenings
Soul Awakenings is a celebration of the 12 years I spent living and working in Asia - my second home! Many of the materials used in the interior decor are imported from the Indonesian island of Bali. Bali is a special place - a Hindu oasis in the midst of a Muslim nation that graciously hosts a continuous stream of international visitors. That same part of me that was compelled to study comparative religions in university found itself falling in love with the culture, colour and diversity that is Bali. I have tried to capture some of the Asian spirit within the walls of Soul Awakenings.
I am thrilled that I was able to find a space in Waterloo that already carried a rich history. Our building @ 46 Princess Street East has seen a lot of the past! From the old fire maps I have located with the help of a dear friend at the University of Waterloo (thanks, Richard!), we have managed to deduce that the building was constructed in the late 1800s; and thus, it has provided shelter to souls throughout the years of the depression and the two world wars, as was evidenced by some of the old newspaper clippings we found when we endeavoured to remove the lathe and plaster from the old walls!
More recently, the building was home to Mavis Theatrical Supplies - a costume and make-up shop, and the entreprenuerial endeavour of local theatrical make-up artist, Mavis Boorman. It is said of Mavis that she 'transformed people from shrinking violets to on-stage forces'! Certainly sounds like a 'soul awakening' of sorts to me, and I am delighted to carry on the spirit of such work within the walls of our newly-transformed building.
The work of many craftsman very dear to my heart has gone into creating our space. My father has visited to help redirect duct work so that heat might move more efficiently through the building - plumbing and electrical has all been updated; my mother has visited to tend to the gardens and plant bulbs gifted to me by Ellie, our neighbour; my uncle has visited to drop off shrubbery from his greenhouses in Maryhill to update the flowerbeds; my aunt has visited to lend her artistic talents to the backroom where she has painted tropical foliage to create the rainforest atmosphere of Indonesia; and my brother, my best friend, has spent countless hours lovingly laying down stone to trim the walls with tropical flare and lay compliment to the combination of new bamboo and old oak that gives character to our space.
The focal point at Soul Awakenings is the handcrafted antique Balinesian gamelon (a big gong!) placed in our yoga space; the energy and atmosphere created by our gamelon elicits a sense of relaxation, permitting our visitors to forget the hassles of the outside life - the perfect way to start ~ and end ~ your yoga experience.
It is my greatest hope that all who visit Soul Awakenings taste the spa spirit that is Bali and leave motivated to pursue a spiritual practice in either yoga or meditation.