· Noelani Kahale
Visitors are sometimes surprised when we ask them to remove their shoes. It is a local habit and a matter of respect for the space.
It also has a practical effect. A fitting should happen in the shoes you play in, and those are not the shoes you wore to the car. By changing at the bench, you arrive at the mat in the right footwear.
A small ritual
The ritual of changing is useful. It slows you down, and it tells your body that you have stopped hurrying.
We keep a small stool by the bench for anyone who needs one.