Music - Movement - Magic...MMM!!

The sound of music is one of the most powerful underlying creative forces in our universe. It is a powerful resonance that lies deep within the very heart of creation and existence. It is considered to be one of the oldest healing forms used by the Greeks, Chinese, East Indians, Tibetans, Egyptians, American Indians, Mayas, Incas and Aztecs. Music is tangible!  Sound vibrates your nervous system and creates sensation in your body. The physical resonance in your body creates energy and triggers chemical responses that have effects on your body, mind, emotions and spirit.  Music touches souls and awakens spirits.

In Nia, we have a triad called Music, Movement and Magic. Music is the canvas upon which your body Moves.  Magic is what happens inside you. Imagine every cell in your body is an ear. As you use your body to listen to music, sound impacts you on a kinesthetic level. Your body instinctively responds to the music it hears, and if left to its natural impulses, will move effortlessly to it.  When you connect Music and your Movement, Magic is created.   MMM...our focus in class this week.

Beyond class and throughout your day, allow yourself to become fascinated with the sounds and silences of life. Practice the
Art of Listening while waiting in line at the grocery store, waiting for the pizza to cook, or waiting for a lecture or movie to
begin.  Listen to the sounds of your family, your friends, your co-workers.  Life is magical!!!  See you in class!

My classes this week:
Thursday at 5:30 pm
Saturday at 9:30 am and
Sunday at 4:00 pm all at  http://www.thesynergystudio.com/. 

Dancing Through Life with Your Fingers, Hands and Arms...Expressing the Real You!!

As most of you know, last week Adelle Brewer and I held our first Nia White Belt Intensive.  We have 3 wonderful and enthusiastic trainees, and together we dove deep into the 1st 8 principles of the Nia White Belt.  I have been practicing and teaching Nia for over 17 years and I am still learning and discovering.  The Nia practice is rich and I love this work!! We continue with the intensive on Friday morning with Principle # 9, The Upper Extremities, our arms, hands and fingers...Creative Arm and Hand Expression. 

Expressing ourselves with our upper extremities is a natural part of living in a human body—we do it all the time! Our arms, hands and fingers express joy, pain and pleasure; intimacy, protection and excitement. When we are hurt, our hands reach for our injuries. When we are deeply moved, our hands reach toward our hearts. When we are excited by our achievements, our arms burst up to the sky, toward unlimited possibility. Whether we are aware of it or not, we are always communicating our thoughts, feelings and emotions through the movement of our upper extremities. Tuning into your upper extremities—your arms, hands and fingers—allows you to tap into your full range movement and expression, naturally healing and conditioning your body by simply interacting with the world. This is the Body’s Way, and That is why 18 of Nia's 52 moves are dedicated to our these lovely body parts.  They add so much to our dance!!!  All of a sudden a bow stance is your dance in flight as you imagine your arms as beautiful white wings of light; a heal lead is an opportunity to paint the space around you with your fingers; and stepping onto the ball of your foot is a determined reach toward your dreams with your hands!

So this week as we prepare and step back into the Nia White Belt intensive we will focus on Principle #9 of the Nia White Belt - Creative Arm and Hand Expressions.  As as you Dance Through Life pay attention pay attention to the movements and sensations
of your upper extremities throughout your day.
- Notice how you use your arms, hands to express your thoughts and feelings in every environment.
- As you walk, allow your arms to swing freely to relaxed shoulder joints.
- As you work at the computer, set reminders throughout the day to notice the sensations in your neck and shoulders. Then, consciously relax the muscles of your neck, shoulders and upper back as you type.  Use Creepy Crawlers to stimulate movement of your joints in your hands.
- When you finish working for the day, practice Palm Directions to release your shoulder joints and stretch the front of your chest.
- To release tension and stretch your hands, integrate Webbed Spaces into various activities in your day, such as when walking from your car to the store, as you wait in line, etc. 

I love this work...see you in class!
My classes this week:
Monday at 5:30 pm
Thursday at 8:00 am
Friday at 5:30 pm team teaching with Adelle
Saturday at 9:30 am team teaching with Adelle
Sunday at 4:00 pm team teaching with Adelle
all at  http://www.thesynergystudio.com/. 

Body Gratitude..."Thank You Body, I Sense...."!!!!!!

Hello EveryBody!!
"Thank You Body, I Sense....".  This is a practice we do in Nia and I love it!!  What better way to give gratitude to our body than to shout out loud Thank You Body!  Our body is incredible AND it functions most of the time w/out our awareness.  Nia invites us to be in awareness of our body by paying attention to our body sensations.  If we sense any discomfort, all we need to do is affirm and then move to create self healing.  For example: "Body I sense tightness in my lower back."  Now move up and down from the floor 7 times, taking advantage of the floor by rolling around (embryonic/fish-like) before coming up.  Then walk around and sense your body and say:  "Thank You Body, I Sense relaxation in my shoulders...Thank You Body, I sense relaxation in my lower back."  It is that simple!  You will be amazed at the relationship you will create with your body and the healing that can happen. 

So as we enter into Thanksgiving week and we reflect on all we are thankful for, don't forget about your body.  Nia's philosophy is "Through Movement We Find Health" and our body loves to move, dance and play.  Such a wonderful way to stay youthful and no better way to thank your body!  See you in class!

And my Nia Friends, Thank You for all of your love and support, and your passion for Nia.  You fill my heart with love and joy every time I dance with you.  I am very grateful!!  See you in class!  Please note the change with Thursday's class!

My classes this week:
Sunday (Today!!) at 4:00 pm
Monday at 5:30 pm
Thursday at 8:00 am team teaching with Sarita
Saturday at 9:30 am
all at  http://www.thesynergystudio.com/.   

My first Nia White Belt intensive with Adelle is almost upon us, starting at 5:30 pm on Dec. 1st.  There is still time to sign up if you are interested.  Go to:  http://nianow.com/joanie and click on My Trainings. 

Great Nia holiday gifts!!!  Go to my link & get 40% off of Nia clothing, music & much more!!  Look for the 40% off purple button:  http://nianow.com/joanie

Love & Light,
Joanie BrooksNia Black Belt/Trainer, Nia 5 Stages of Healing Facilitator, Mindful Change Coachhttp://www.joaniebrooks.me/

Step Into Your Greatness!

 

 

Hello All!

    Last month I became a certified Mindful Change Coach.  This certification, along with becoming a Nia Trainer, are steps on my journey to fulfill my life purpose to bring love and healing light to everyBody.  The training process was transformational...both personally and professionally.  What is so wonderful about this training is I was a coach AND I was also coached.  I applied the tools and processes to bring about change withing myself, AND I partnered with others to bring change within their lives.

I love how this practice and profession synergizes with my Nia practice and profession.  In fact, this was one of the key reasons I chose this profession and in particular the Guiding Mindful Change certification.  At the heart of mindful coaching is awareness...sound familiar?  Through awareness, the coaching process naturally and powerfully reveals wholeness, balance, order, choices and action.  As a Mindful Change Coach I partner with individuals who want to take action towards greater fulfillment, to embrace their passions and desires so they can reach their potential and achieve their personal and professional goals.  I call this "Step Into Your Greatness".

 

I believe Greatness is unique to each of us and comes in endless shapes, sizes and outcomes.  I believe that doing what you desire, what you intend to do, no matter what it is or how others perceive it, is a Step Into Your Greatness.  This step can lead to other steps and ultimately lead each of us to our potential. 

Please check out my website:  http://www.joaniebrooks.me/Guiding_Mindful_Change.html to find out more about my coaching practice and if interested, sign up for a free coaching session.  Please forward this email to anyBody you think would be interested. 

Vision Board Event:

One of the fun things I did during my training was a vision board.  It was a Dance of Life as I shaped my vision with pictures, symbols and words.  This has inspired me to hold a facilitated Vision Board sessions.  It’s simple, fun and very inspirational, and surrounds you with images that you want to become, to do, or to obtain.  Please join me!!! 
For more information and to sign up go to:  http://joaniebrooks.me/Special_Events.html

Love & Light,
Joanie BrooksNia Black Belt/Trainer, Nia 5 Stages of Healing Facilitator, Mindful Change Coach
http://www.joaniebrooks.me/

Dancing Through Life with Your Pelvis, Chest and Head!

Hello everyBody!!
Principle 8 of the Nia White Belt invites you to move your three body weights (pelvis, chest and head) as you dance. Your pelvis, chest and head together form your core, the powerful center of your body where you contain, exchange and direct the flow of energy.  When correctly aligned, these weights allow us to move energy along and through our vertical axis, so we can move with intrinsic balance, core power, spinal flexibility and greater relaxation.  This then transcends to our breathing, improves our self-confidence and provides a foundation for physical, mental, and emotional health.  In class this week we will explore isolating each of the body weights and discover how to integrate them into your dance...your steps, your stances, your kicks...all movement.  Through isolation we will discover the voices of the pelvis, chest and head and how to move with dynamic ease.  When moved as a whole they become integrated with the spine, which affects the flow of energy into and out of the body. 

As Nia and The Body's Way both reveal, one of the most beautiful things about living in a body is our ability to find healing and realignment through movement.  By paying attention to your 3 body weights, you become intimate with your Dance of Life, and can discover ways to make "tweaks" throughout your day to gain power, grace, balance and PLEASURE!!!!  Here are a few ways to integrate your Core in with your daily life and create healing:

• As you stand in the shower, pay attention to the alignment of your pelvis, chest and head.
• As you at stove cooking dinner, practice pelvic circles to relax your lower back.
• As you walk, allow your tail to gently wag from side to side to integrate your base with your core.  Say "NOW I am healing my lower back."
  
• As you sit at the dinner table or at the office, pay attention to how your three body weights are aligned.
• As you read or work at your computer, notice whether your head is aligned over your chest and spine.
• Give yourself at least one 60-second “shimmy break” midday to release tension in your spine, shoulders and neck. your head. I want to hear from you on this one!
• Walk with a halo of light around the crown of your head and sense lightness in your being.

Consider the Nia White Belt intensive to go deeper into this principle and 12 more!! You can sign up now for intensives I will be holding, to include this December. Go to:  http://nianow.com/joanie and click on My Trainings. 

See you in class!

My classes this week:
Monday at 5:30 pm
Thursday at 5:30 pm
Fun Friday at 5:30 pm (subbing for Adelle) and
Saturday at 9:30 am
all at  http://www.thesynergystudio.com/. 

Love & Light,
Joanie BrooksNia Black Belt/Trainer, Nia 5 Stages of Healing Facilitator, Mindful Change Coachhttp://www.joaniebrooks.me/

Dancing Your Bones!!!

BOO!!  Hello My Nia Friends!
What better way to bring in the spirit of Halloween then focusing on our bones.  Each of us has a skeleton made up of 206 bones. These bones give our body form, protect our internal organs, and allow us to be mobile in our world.  Nia White Belt principle number 10, X-Ray Anatomy, asks us to pay attention to our bones and sense the lines, directions and rotations we are creating, and then consciously re-arrange our bones in order to seek more comfort.  Our bones are alive and it is so important to keep them healthy and happy, and in a Nia class that is just what we do!!  We create shapes with our bones; we fold and unfold our bones; we spiral our bones; we punch, block, and kick; we vibrate, snap, crackle and pop our bones; we walk, skip and play on the floor with our bones; and we create healing in our bones with the 5 Fitness Sensations of Nia...Flexibility, Agility, Mobility, Strength and Stability... Our bones..our posture...dynamic!!  Making adjustments in the NOW so we can stay youthful,  develop bone density and create peace in our body. 

Here are some fun facts about your bones I want to share:
- We all had more than 300 bones at birth, which transforms to 206 bones as an adult. Over time, many small bones making up the skull and the spine fuse together as the body grows and becomes older.

- Every second, our bone marrow produces two million red blood cells.

- Over a period of about seven years, each bone in our body is slowly replaced until it is a new bone.

- Human thigh bones are stronger than concrete, the Femur bone is the biggest and strongest bone in our body. It is easily capable of lifting or supporting 30 times its own volume and weight!

- Our ribs move about 5 million times a year, every time we breathe!

WOW!!! Dancing Through Life - Dancing Your Bones.  Feel free to express and dress up your bones if the spirit of the week moves you. See you in class!

My classes this week are Monday (Halloween) and Thursday at 5:30 pm, Saturday at 9:30 am and Sunday at 4:00 all at http://www.thesynergystudio.com.

As with all we do in a Nia class, so is life.  Here is a link to a newsletter from Nia HQ which gives great everyday tips on moving our bones to stimulate health for our body, mind, emotions, and spirit.  http://nianow.com/ntn/love-your-body-tip-move-your-bones-wellness.  EnJOY!
Considering the Nia White Belt intensive?  You can sign up now for intensives that Adelle and I will be holding, to include this December. Go to:  http://nianow.com/joanie and click on My Trainings. 

Create, Express, Heal - Our Hand and Fingers!!!

Hello Nia Friends!!

My Nia class focus for this week is on our hands, and we will be dancing & playing to the inspirational music of Songs of the Sanctuary by Adiemus.  Our hands....right now rub your 2 hands together for about 15 seconds, release and sense the space around you with your hands.  WOW...what do you sense?  Whenever I do this I get a sensation of aliveness all around me!  Now do the same thing and then touch any part of your body and sense the warmth and healing energy your hands provide that part of your body.  It is amazing!! 

Our hands create, express and heal.  All throughout our day, our hands are creating...I'm creating this moment as I write this focus.  Our hands express...love, joy, friendship, intimacy, protection and excitement. A simple wave of our hand to another expresses how we are feeling and creates a Universal connection to that person.  Our hands heal...a simple hug can make someone feel better and brighten their day.  When we are deeply moved, our hands reach toward our hearts.  When we are excited by our achievements (or others), our arms burst up to the sky, toward unlimited possibility. Whether we are aware of it or not, we are always creating, expressing and healing with our hands.  And in Nia we celebrate our hands and fingers with 15 unique movements that conditions our whole body and allows us to be the martial artist, the dance artist and the healing artist!! Touching, Fist, Pumps, Strikes, Chop Cut, Webbed Spaces, Palm Directions, Finger Extensions, Finger Flicks, Creepy Crawlers, Spear Fingers, Catching Flies, Claw Hand, Power Finger Crossover and Balance Finger.  

So, as you Dance Through Life this week, notice what you are creating with your hands, notice how you use your hands to express yourself, and then notice how you use your hands to heal..yourself and others.  I would love to hear from you on what you discovered!! 

My classes this week are:  Thursday at 5:30 pm, Saturday at 9:30 am and Sunday at 4:00 pm all at  http://www.thesynergystudio.com/.

Sunday is a free class!!!  I will be team teaching with Adelle and after class, we will discuss Nia and the upcoming Nia White Belt in December, (a split weekend), as well as the five we have scheduled in 2012 .  Come learn of the many benefits for becoming a White Belt to enhance your on-going Nia practice! Bring  family, friends, and those who might have some quandary around the question, WHAT IS NIA???

See you on the dance floor!
--
Love & Light,
Joanie BrooksNia Black Belt/Trainer, Nia 5 Stages of Healing Facilitator, Mindful Change Coachhttp://www.joaniebrooks.me/

Dynamic Ease...Sensation of effortless Power, Grace, Peace, Joy, Success!!!

What a fantastic weekend of dancing the new Nia routine Cadence.  Dancing bodies came together yesterday in a Playshop where we all learned the moves of the routine and then Eased into a Dynamic 4:00 class!!  Ease...the absence of all effort. Dynamic....the action of infusing what you do with energy.  Our body thrives on Dynamic Ease...the ability to sense  Power, Grace, Peace, and Joy in all of our movements no matter if we are standing in a Closed Stance or executing a Front Kick.  When our movements are infused with relaxation our body organically becomes strong and flexible, and energetically harmonious and balanced. By combining Dynamic actions with Ease, our hearts, lungs, nervous system, and breath, become more efficient in natural and organic ways that increase the sustainability of fitness and well being. 

When I choose Dynamic Ease as my dance partner, my dance is more creative, expressive, alive, AND I have a sensation of SUCCESS!!  The invitation is there for all of us!!!

So step into Dynamic Ease with me this week...in class and in life.  If you have danced Cadence already, I invite you to creatively play with the dynamics of the routine...Mobility/Agility, Circular/Linear, Fluid/Percussive, Form/Freedom, Fast/Slow, Small/Big, Grounded/Off-Balance, Heavy/Light.  Sense how these dynamic energies feel in your body AND at the same time, be aware if Ease is present.  Such fun and excitement!!   Our body, mind and spirit thrives on this! 

Dance, Smile, Laugh....When You're Smiling, The Whole World Smiles With You!

Whenever I think of Louis Armstrong, the vision that comes to me is his BIG smile!!   His smile lights up his whole body!!  It's true when we smile, the whole world smiles with us.  It is small facial gesture yet it is BIG in its potential to shift the sensation of the moment...of NOW!  When I'm smiling my spine lengthens, my chest opens and I have a sensation of lightness throughout my whole body.  Just with a simple upward curving of my mouth, my body naturally lifts which in turn lifts my mind and my spirit.  Take a moment right now to smile.  What do you sense in your body?  Now do the opposite, allow your smile to curve downward.  What do you sense in your body? 

Smiling has the opportunity to relieve tension, bring relaxation into our body and can bring ease and pleasure into any and all life situations.  Even if I'm doing a task that I do not particularly enjoy, when I take the opportunity to smile, it changes my experience.  And it requires very little physical effort on my part.  Smiling connects us to each other and is a gift that keeps giving even after the smile has faded.  It is Universal...requires no words, and has the power to connect us to everyBody. 

I believe when I smile all my cells inside of me are smiling with me, and supporting me throughout my day.   Dancing, smiling, laughing...expressing, and being fully engaged in the moment.  Join me in a week of SMILEs...in class and in life.  I'd love to hear how it changes your day!  See you in class this week!!
***My classes this week: Monday and Thursday at 5:30.  Then get ready for a new Nia routine!!!  On Friday at 5:30, Saturday at 9:30 and Sunday at 4:00 pm Adelle and I will be co-teaching  the brand new Nia routine Cadence!  I'm SMILING just thinking about it!!!   We will also have a learning opportunity on Sunday at 3:00 before the 4:00 class. Join us to learn the moves, and get a Cadance CD to take home with you! $30 for the Playshop, CD and class! You can sign up online under 'workshops' on the schedule page... www.thesynergystudio.com.

AND....considering the Nia White Belt intensive?  You can sign up now for 2012 intensives that Adelle and I will be holding. Go to:  http://nianow.com/joanie and click on My Trainings. 

Personalize Your Nia Workout...Personalize Your Life!!

This week we will explore Nia White Belt Principle #7, 3 Planes of Movement & Intensity Levels.  I love this principle - it liberates me and allows me to personalize my Nia workout for MY needs, MY goals, MY desires.  This principle gives me the freedom to choose how I can move, and in return has given birth to my body new places and spaces to explore and heal.  It also invites me to craft my 'workout' and be my own Conscious Personal Trainer (CPT).  Through sensation I can determine how much, how far, how high, how low and how deep I want to take my movements.   This principles also provides a path for me to reach my full potential and to open to all possibilities.  And I love that!  Sensing comfort, harmony and balance as I sink and rise through my High, Middle and Low planes of movement.  Playing with the intensity Levels 1, 2 and 3 as I choose what is best for me moment by moment by monitoring my comfort, breath and sensation of ease.  All of this making my body feel yummy, conditioned, and wanting more. 

And as with every principle of Nia, I can carry it with me into my daily life to monitor and adjust how I am performing in life.  What intensity level am I at as I walk across the street, conduct a meeting, brush my teeth, shop, speak to my husband, respond to emails, complete my projects?  Sensing and making adjustments. 
Sensing my high plane as I reach for a cup in my cupboard, my low plane as I bend down to pet my dog Rocket, and my middle plane as I load clothes in my dryer.  Dancing through my day as I fold and unfold my bones, and lubricate my joints.  This is the art of Nia!  Personalizing your life....How fun is that!
Join me in class this week at The Synergy Studio:

Monday and Thursday at 5:30 pm

​Saturday at 9:30 am

Start your day with me on Monday morning at 8 am for Hatha Flow with essential oils.  We will use Eucalyptus oil - the Oil of Wellness.  Encourages responsibility for our own health and how to claim wholeness.

Learn more about Nia and go deeper into the connection with you body and your life by taking a Nia White Belt Intensive.   Our next intensive is February 2015. Sign up and receive pre-training gifts!

http://www.nianow.com/joanie#trainings

​

Love & Light,
Joanie Brooks,
http://www.joaniebrooks.com
Nia Training Faculty, Nia White Belt Trainer, Nia 1st Degree Black Belt
MELT Certified Hand & Foot Instructor
Yoga Teacher (certified in the YogaFit Warrior Program)
Journey Dance Facilitator Nia 5 Stages of Healing Facilitator
Mindful Change Coach
Laughter Yoga Leader


Nia - Somatic Education for EveryBody.  Nia is an expressive movement form & lifestyle practice that uses The Body's Way to achieve physical, mental, emotional & spiritual fitness & well-being."   
 

Earth, Wind, Fire & Water!!!

Hello Friends!

This week in my Nia classes we will dance with the elements of earth, wind, fire and water as a way to tap into our movement creativity and connect to the 4 elements of nature that are the basis of life itself.  I have been drawn to this focus..(I actually started the focus yesterday in class)....with my transition from the mountains back to San Antonio.  Our city is hot and needs our prays, intentions and hope for rain and renewal.  As I was dancing yesterday I offered these intentions, as I also tapped into the richness the 4 elements brought to my body, mind and spirit.  As you go through your week, connect to these elements and what their potential can represent for all of us.

Earth:  Representing the grounding connection to our source, being here, NOW, in the moment, supported, yet moving.
Wind:  Representing the swirling power that moves and changes all things.
Water:  Representing that which gives us the power to move forward and remain receptive to all that is around us.
Fire:  Representing the passion to ignite self discovery, fueled by curiosity and change.

You can tap into these elements by sensing them in your body...which we will do in class.  Think of:

Earth:  Sensation of stability, fullness, weight, weightlessness, core, support, balance, rooting, connection with self, feeling outside/inside edges, breath
Wind:   Sensation of flexibility, bending, off balance, on balance, controlling, out of control, lifting, swirling, openness, lightness, being, being effected, blowing, filling spaces
Fire:  Sensation of agility, strength, heat, precision, flames, smoldering, intent, intense, sharp, confidence
Water:  Sensation of mobility, fluid, flowing, circular, no edges, no beginning, no ending, coolness, sensation of dripping, floating, creation, rejuvenation
 The music will take you on a journey through various speeds and levels, and has the space for you to personalize as you move. So let's connect to our creativity, nature and just maybe with our intentions we can contribute to the renewal and coolness of our city!!
My Nia classes this week.  Note on Saturday and Sunday my Nia sisters Charlotte and Sarita will be teaching for me as I go to Colorado Springs to do Mindful Coaching Certification.  This is another step on my journey to fulfill my purpose to bring love and healing light to everyBody.  Email me if this interests you!

Monday at 5:30 pm
Tuesday at 5:30 pm (teaching for Jan)
Thursday at 5:30 pmSaturday at 9:30 am  (Charlotte Jorgensen will be teaching)
and Sunday at 4:00 pm (Sarita will be teaching)

all at http://www.thesynergystudio.com.

Natural Time....Our Organic State!!!

On the 13 Moon/28-day calendar, tomorrow, July 25th, is called "The Day out of Time"; that is to say tomorrow is no day of the month, and no day of the week. It is in between the closing of the previous year (July 24th) and the dawning of the new year (July 26th).  On July 25th, Sirius (the dog star) rises with the sun, and the day is observed as a day free of time.  It is a day of reverence and cultural appreciation for the concept 'Time is Art, a respect for all life, a dedication to the beauty of eternal time, and an education relative to the concept of Natural Time.  In short, it is a day to recognize unity and encourage awareness of the importance of our eternal time.....our Natural Time. 

In Nia, the second principle of the White Belt is called Natural Time and the Movement Forms.  Natural Time (NT) is the conscious awareness of movement and measure via the 13 joints and 20 digits (10 fingers and 10 toes) of our body.  NT invites us to move in our own time, at our own pace and discover our own unique way of moving so we can make choices intuitively as we sense our body.  NT is a way for us to be in touch with the Universe, and have a deep and rich relationship with our body. 

I love this principle...it simply allows me to be me.  To move in the NOW based on my sensations and how my body is feeling...sensations unique to me.  I do not need to move like anyone else.  I have my speed, my depth, my height, my range of motion!!!  So, how do we do we practice this principle?  We have 13 main joints in our body that we move and explore via sensation.  Our joints are meant to open and close so we can move our body systemically with grace, ease and power.  The 13 joints start with our left ankle, then travel up to our left knee, left hip, left wrist, left elbow, left shoulder, and then our spine...as one BIG joint.  Then we travel down the right side of our body, our right shoulder, right elbow, right wrist, right hip, right knee and right ankle.   Right NOW, explore the sensations of these joints!!  Just move them, rotate, extend/contract....what do you sense?  Do you feel a balance flow of energy? Any joints that feel stiff? Do you sense mobility, stability, pleasure? 

Now connect to your digits...your toes and fingers..and walk around.  This is how our body naturally measures.  Measure through sensation the length of your stride, sense your distance from the wall, from the ceiling, etc.  Now bring your palms together and then clap without touching your hands, stopping about 6 inches apart.  WOW!  Notice how your body naturally measures.  This instinct is in all of us...it guides us throughout our day and helps us to make choices in the NOW, to avoid collisions and to safely cross the street.  You may have wondered how we don't collide in a Nia class even though we are moving throughout the room.  This is why!! Through our digits we enhance our whole-body sensory awareness helping us pay attention to our body sensations and move in safe ways.

Natural Time....Magical...natural...personal...Our Organic State!!!

So on this Day out of Time and through the week, celebrate your uniqueness, Your Body's Way, and disengage from mechanical time, and slip into the Natural Time of your body and your dance.  See you in class!!!

My Nia classes this week:
Monday at 5:30 pm
Thursday at 5:30 pm
and Saturday at 9:30 am all at http://www.thesynergystudio.com.
I will also be teaching the DIVA Program class on Tuesday at 6:00 pm at TriPoint YMCA.  

Nia...Tasting The Sensations of Your Body!!!

AHHHH!!!!  That is how I feel after a wonderful meal that engaged all my taste buds...it is also the sound that comes after tasting dark chocolate.  Oh YES!  AND it is the sensation and sound of my body after I have taken a Nia class.  Nia just tastes darn wonderful to my body and brings me pleasure!!!   Nia offers all of us a fulfilling experience of taste through movement, music, and a sensory connection to our body, mind, emotions and spirit.   Just like we crave certain foods, our body craves sensations of wellness and pleasure. And when we are sensing our movements, we are "Tasting" with our whole body in the NOW that allows us to make choices that are safe and pleasurable. 

Right now...taste the temperate of your foot on the earth.  Taste the relationship of your feet and ankles.  Taste the sensation of your spine  AHHH!!!. 

So this week we are going to focus on tasting the 5 fitness sensations of Nia.  Serving up FAMSS!! The taste of Flexibility, energy moving out along our bones in all directions.  The taste of Agility, starting and stopping of our movements...our taste buds love this!!  The taste of Mobility, energy in constant motion.  The taste of Strength, energy packing in against the bones...OH it tastes wonderful!!  And then the taste our body loves the best, Stability, where all energies connect and become one, giving us the taste of peace and harmony.  Our body craves these sensations.  Nia is like chocolate for the whole body, wouldn't you agree....come dance and taste it!!

My Nia classes this week:
Thursday at 5:30 pm
Friday at 5:30 pm
Saturday at 9:30 am and
Sunday at 4:00 pm all at http://www.thesynergystudio.com.

Nia Technique...Conditioning for the Game of Life!

“Have you ever noticed how flexible and agile a child is?  How a child moves to and from the earth with grace and ease.  Reclaim your body’s natural ability to move like a child by bringing resiliency back into your body with Nia, an anti-aging fitness formula.”  Shortly after I became a certified Nia Black in 2000, I offered this workshop and I received numerous calls from people who had never heard of Nia asking for this formula.  How much did it cost, was it a liquid or a pill, and how often do they need to take it?  Imagine my surprise!!!  I called my fellow Nia teacher and friend, and we played with the visualization of men and women lining up on the day of the workshop to receive their liquid gold of Nia that would be their fountain of youth.  We laughed for days about this!!

In this day and age of technology, pills, formulas, and limited time, everyBody is looking for a “quick fix” to feel and look younger, move faster, live longer.  The fountain of youth!!  I know when it comes to my body and my life, there is no “quick fix”.  It is about the business of my body and life, and through Nia I have found how to live into my potential and I am in the best physical condition I have ever been.  So what is Nia.and what makes Nia so special?

I discovered Nia in 1994 when I was 38 years.  All of my adult life I was very HARD on myself, I did not like my body and did all sorts of activities that were jarring and harmful on my body...running, high impact aerobics, jump rope, steps...if it claimed to make me fit, I did it.  Why?  To stay fit, look good, look younger, move faster.  I consistently saw myself as being overweight and unattractive.  I was “fit” but only on the outside.  Inside I was struggling to maintain happiness and pleasure in my body.   As a result I had chronic pain in my knees and was losing my ability to continue my fitness regime.   Then entered Nia.  One of my best friends invited me to do a Nia white belt certification.  I had no idea what Nia was, yet something about her enthusiasm of the discovery of Nia and my inner voice told me to do it.  I did and since then I have not turned back.  With Nia I have found self love and awareness.  Am I fit?  You better believe it!!!

Nia is a sensory-based movement practice that leads to health, wellness and fitness. It empowers people of all shapes and sizes by connecting the body, mind, emotions and spirit.  The practice incorporates the movement modalities from 9 different art forms.  It’s co-founders, Debbie and Carlos Rosas, created Nia in 1983 out of their desire to find a  better way to condition and honor their body and bring joy back into their movements.  They took off their shoes and found through moving in their bare feet they could monitor, strengthen, align, and receive messages throughout their whole body.  Nia has evolved into a mind/body fitness and life style practice that is designed for people to live more pleasurably in their bodies.  Nia Technique is based on The Body’s Way, with 13 principles that guide students of the practice to be in relationship with their body and promote personal growth and self healing. Nia teaches students the art of living in a body and to listen to the voices of their body through movement and the art of sensing through the 5 fitness sensations of Flexibility, Agility, Mobility, Strength and Stability. 

The secret of Nia for me though, is what happens beyond the hour long Nia class.  Nia permeates the other 23 hours of my life, conditions me for the game of life, and has made me a better person in this world.  Through my practice of Nia and all her tools I am prepared for all that life offers me, which has expanded my possibilities and potential.  

Flexibility has made me more yielding and open to new ways of how things can be accomplished at work, at home and social settings.  I have created more space for others and my connection and trust has expanded.  I am yawning and extending outward into the world. 

Agility has trained me to respond with speed and grace instead of reacting to the many starts and stops of my life: getting laid off from work, my nephew's near drowning experience, and challenges in my marriage. 

Mobility has opened me up to the “play of life” and to move freely through areas of my life where before I felt stuck or trapped.  Ideas and creativity flow continuously through me now.

Strength has given me the voice of my own personal power and to believe in who I am and what I have to offer in this world.  I can say YES, NO, and trust this voice. 

Stability has trained me to hold myself in place, remain centered and balanced, and to slow down my life that is full of schedules, commitments and things I “think I must do”.  I am now more relaxed, grounded and connected to the dance of my life in a pleasurable way. 

Nia has helped me love my body and my life.

In a Nia class I am taught movement skills, listening skills, how to express emotions, to move in my own way, to be in awareness, to break habits in my dance, to notice my alignment and to make choices that bring me pleasure....conditioning my body, mind, emotions and spirit.  Skills that have flowed into my life like magical liquid gold and has conditioned me for my game of  life.. all the successes, challenges, and excitement life has to offer.   And YES, I am flexible and agile, and move like a child on this earth.  Nia has awakened my inner child, and has made me feel timeless, ageless and weightless. I now stay fit by dancing, laughing, skipping and playing on the floor.  Nia Technique....the anti-aging  formula that works!!!!  You can take Nia everyday. 

Find out more on Nia Technique at www.nianow.com.

I am a symbol of beauty, soft power, grace and love.

I see my upper extremities as an symbol of eagle wings, opening and closing as I heal and condition my rhomboids. Tighten and loosen. Soaring and moving me to my potential. I see my feet as many feet of my ancestors before me as I walk across this earth conditioning and self healing, paying attention to my body sensations and dancing through life. I see my ribcage as an golden accordion, expanding and contracting as I condition the core of my body. Through desire, imagination and expectation I create the vision of healing and conditioning for my body.

Through sensation and a desire to walk the path of a Sacred Athlete I am expanding my body literacy via sensation. Sensation are the voices of my body, and X-Ray anatomy is one of my tools for applying my anatomical knowledge, as I observe, witness, and guide my body to healing. Nia has taught me to trust what I feel and to have an ongoing conversation with my body so I can constantly make conscious choices to keep my body in the best condition I have ever been in. The sensations of FAMSS...where do I need flexibility, agility, mobility, strength and stability, is a song that is deep within my cells....a song that has transformed my body from within and energetically made me more feminine. When I first started my Nia practice, I was not attuned to my body underneath. Everything was external, masculine, power driven, including how I moved and transmitted my Nia dance. Sensation brought me inside, brought me close to the bones where I can sense my intrinsic muscles, molding and unfolding the real me. Now I am softer, now I own my feminine... Now I Am.

Nia has made me more aware of the form and structure of my body... my skeleton, my muscular system, connective tissues, digestive system, nervous system... through sensation, movement, exploration, reading and fascination, I am acquiring knowledge and understanding of my body inside me. When I broke my foot, my anatomical knowledge and desire for healing brought me to anatomy books, visualization and awareness, that directed my attention to the part of my foot that needed healing. The Nia foot techniques, steps and stances were my medicine to bring my foot back to healed state. Dancing Through Life...Living Mediation of my feet. Understanding of my digestive system and the role Love Fear and Peace played in my life brought me into a state of remission with my crohn's disease. The process of knowledge is continuous and as a Sacred Athlete I am committed to reach my potential through the discovery of my body...to become more body literate.

I am a Sensation Scientist. I am a symbol of beauty, soft power, grace and love.

55 and Feeling So Alive!!! 200/700 Potential!!!

YES May 27th is my birthday!!  55 and feeling so Alive!!!  I love this quote from one of my first yoga books I ever bought:  "You are as young as your spine is flexible..so how young are you?"  To me age is just a number - it does not define who I am or what my potential is!  I discovered Nia when I was 38 and the practice has made me feel ageless and timeless.  My body actually feels SO much better than it did when Nia entered my life.  We all have this potential...endless possibilities to feel good.  And it is through sensation and choosing pleasure and love as our path for transformation of our body and life.  So let's celebrate!!! 

As part of my process to become a Nia White Belt trainer, I have just completed the Nia white belt at a wonderful ranch called http://www.ranchonia.com/ outside of Houston, Texas.  I love the Nia White belt.  The White Belt is the foundation of Nia and is 7 fantastic days where I can place attention on myself, my body, and on physical sensation.   Returning to my roots so to speak (I've been teaching Nia for almost 17 years!!), has inspired me to focus this week on what we call in Nia 200/700.  We have 200+ bones in our body and 700+ muscles in our body that provide the potential for endless possibilities to move.  WOW!! So that is what we will do!!  Bring you bones and muscles to class and come celebrate with me this week!   My classes when I return are:
Saturday, May 28th at 9:30 am (Birthday celebration!!!)
Sunday, May 29th at 4:00 pm
Monday, May 30th at 5:30 pm
Thursday, June 2nd at 5:30 pm and
Saturday June 4th at 9:30 am
all at  http://www.thesynergystudio.com/. 

Manifesting the High Magic of Form and Freedom!!!

As part of the process to become a Nia White Belt Trainer, I have the opportunity to develop a Nia body of work by adapting a Nia routine to new music.  This has been a fascinating process, and this month I have been invited to reflect on what I learned and how the music has created my focus and conditioning benefits.  I have adapted the Nia routine Alive into a new routine called El Momento.  The focus of this routine is Form and Freedom, with the Intent to uniquely & creatively express the spirit of your Nia dance (Freedom) in every movement (Form).   I will be filming the routine in June at The Synergy Studio. and I'd love for you to be in the film with me!!
 
My journey with El Momento, my Nia routine adaptation, has been a joyful ride that has enriched my relationship to music, creativity, sensation and the uniqueness of my spirit. I learned the routine Alive in May of 2010, shortly after the routine was released. I loved the simplicity of the base movements and the space it created for me to fully express my Nia dance.

I had the honor of teaching the 2nd song of Alive at the Courting Your Destiny in August 2011, at Nia headquarters in Portland, and it was on my journey home where I received the mandate to chose Alive as my routine to adapt. I felt the sensation of excitement through my entire body and knew this was it! That sensation has stayed with me throughout the many months of creation of the new body of work and is with me now as I write this blog! With a stopwatch in my hand, I was on my quest for music and that proved to be a joyous and pleasurable experience. This quest unveiled a treasure chest of songs on my laptop that I forgot I had, an exploration of new songs in Itunes and gifts of music from friends. Through the practice of RAW and FreeDance I developed a deep relationship to the music and sensed the “Click” in my body that told me a song was the right fit. As I danced and allowed the choreography of Alive to take on a new shape within the resonance of the new music, the focus of Form and Freedom was birthed. The sounds and silence of the music were the container for Form and Freedom to enter into a sacred playground where form found my freedom, and freedom transcended my form.

The soothing female voice in “Relax”, allowed the freedom of my arms and core to rise up through the stability and form of my base stances.

The tribal and earth sounds in "Raindance" infused the form of the clock steps giving me freedom of play with child like enchantment.

The rhythm of the music of "Staying Alive (Radio Version)" and it’s play with fractions connected me intimately with my body and the endless possibilities (200/700) to uniquely reach my potential within the form of the music.

The “bubble” and “zipper‘ sounds within "The Player" were the inspiration for me to create freedom within the form of the lateral travel that excited my bones.

The tempo of the music of "Drippy" allowed the spirit of my dance to be powerful, yet graceful as I moved within smaller range of motions.

The sounds of the percussion, bass, french horn, trombone, violins and voices in the musical form of "When The Rain Comes", seduced my spirit to manifest the magic of my dance.

The electric guitar and the seductive female voice in" El Momento" brought me to the awareness of my body as Art and what I create in this world.

And, the peaceful vibrations of "Bliss" made me appreciate the expression of my freedom, my uniqueness, my spirit, and the spirit of my Nia dance!

My awareness of the conditioning benefits of El Momento continues to unfold each time I dance the routine. I have noticed the music holds the container to invite my dance to be more athletic and a motivation to play more freely with the planes and intensity levels than I did with Alive. With a focus on the form and precision of the base moves of the routine, I have experienced increased conditioning in my feet. The practice of this routine has been a source to self heal my foot from my break in November. The quality and richness of the music has conditioned my listening skills and nervous system. I have increased agility and mobility in my joints, particularly my cervical spine by allowing the music to move my spine in more agile and fun ways. Other conditioning & educational benefits I have experienced:

"Relax" conditions my nervous system to slow down, while stimulating external and internal awareness through the activation of touch.

"Raindance" energetically blends left and right, up and down, front and back, conditioning my brain.

"Staying Alive (Radio Version)", with the fractions and the form of the tap, creates explosive power bringing agility to my feet.

"The Player"  invites the contrast of intrinsic and extrinsic moves to bring strength and flexibility to the core of my body.

"Drippy" uses smaller movements with speed to help me create sustainability (ICU).

"When The Rain Comes" uses the room and community to increase the sensation of measurement of space, and create a relationship through eyes and space to others in the room.

"El Momento" conditions my Conscious Personal Trainer to calm and harmonize my entire body through the expression and dance of my legs.

"Bliss" deepens my relationship with the sensation of gravity to create pleasurable movements on the floor to condition my body.

And the benefits will continue to evolve and expand.  Adapting Alive into the body of work of El Momento has brought a deeper gratitude to the work and play of Nia. My long coat is more present, my awareness is expanded, and I have manifested the High Magic of Form and Freedom through this creative process. I am blessed!

El Momento Routine:

Song                                                          Artist                                    
Relax (Blank & Jones Vocal Remix)           Vargo                                  
Rain Dance                                                Maneesh DeMoor                        
Staying Alive (Radio Version)                     N-Trance feat. Ricardo Da Force              
The Player                                                  Chris Coco & Pete Gooding         
Drippy                                                        Banco De Gaia                                 
When The Rain Comes                              Bob Holroyd                                  
El Momento                                               Jens Gad                                       
Bliss                                                           Soulfood         

My Music…There Goes Joanie!!!

“The human voice conveys who you are through a unique combination of rhythm, melody, timbre and dynamics. It not only reveals who you are, but it also reveals from what sphere or plane you draw your greatest energy. Our voice is the personal vehicle for spiritual and creative expression…..Each voice represents a unique personality that defines an individual’s character….Our voice is our most creative and musical instrument. It has great power to touch our lives and the lives of others.” Excerpts from “Sacred Sounds: Magic & Healing Through Words & Music” by Ted Andrews.

I love the thought and the awareness of every time I speak I am creating my music. This awareness brings with it a responsibility of what I am saying, the tone I am using and the intent of my words. My music changes constantly and I use my tone to sing my love, to calm, to excite, to express my anger, to state my desires, to exude my enthusiasm….so many sounds, so many instruments. As a Sacred Athlete I use my music to teach and heal, guided by my awareness that every action in my life, including my sounds, are sacred. With love as my healing energy, I use the full potential of my music to manifest my greatness and the greatness of the world.

As a Sensation Scientist, I am devoted to continually explore my voice, my sound, my music. I have recently been exploring my voice in relationship with the 7 cycles of my Nia classes and the power my music (my sound and silence) has on my students and the class experience. Setting my Focus and Intent, my voice is sparked with confidence and enthusiasm as I to create the space for students to feel safe, excited about the possibilities and relaxed. When we Step In to the class and the Warm Up cycles, my tone is relaxed and reassuring, that invites students to connect to their body, their MUSIC, so they can be in the NOW. In the Get Moving cycle my music creates excitement and motivation to enhance their experience and provide the environment for everyBody to reach their potential. As we cool down and move into Floorplay, my music inspires playful exploration and self healing. And then as we Transition Out, my music creates the space for harmony and peace as we all prepare to Dance Through Life. All my music/sounds infused with love and joy. My exploration continues and will never stop. There is so much to discover.

 

I believe the most important skill to develop for receiving the healing benefits and the power of sound is 2 fold: The art of listening to sound along with the awareness that our whole body...organs, bones, muscles, cells, connective tissue...everything, is listening and responding. Listening is one thing; however if we have the awareness of the affect music has on our body, our mind, our emotions and spirit, and understand that music stays with us long after the sound is gone, we raise the consciousness of the healing aspects of music and sound. We can listen to a song from long ago, and if we had a past emotional experience in life with that song, the memories come flooding back as if we are back in time. With this our physical body may take on a different shape. Our mental realm is flooded with the images of that moment and our spirit becomes alive and transformed by the experience as if it is real and now. “Every cell within our body is a sound resonator. It has the capability of responding to any other sound outside of the body. Every organ, in which cells of like vibration have gathered to form that organ, will respond as a group to particular sound vibrations, as will various emotional, mental and spiritual states of consciousness. The human body is a bio-electrical system.....strengthened or balanced through the use of sacred sound."  Sacred Sounds, p. 9 by Ted Andrews.

Music has the power to inspire, to relax, to excite, to make you sad, happy, chaotic .......allows us to transcend our imaginations and our dance. Music heals the body and the soul. I have used Chinese gongs, Tibetan bowls, my sound and silence, and music that is healing to me in my recovery from surgery and from my broken foot. And music is my entry into each new day. Oh the bliss!! As a Nia teacher, soon to be trainer and a healer, I am conscious of the power of music and the ability it has to transform people’s lives. I am aware every time I choose my playlist for every class, every workshop. The power of music to create magic within everyBody’s dance!

I personally experience the vibration and resonance of music throughout my entire body! I am a receiver of sounds, vibrations, rhythm and melodies and it stays within the fabric of my body for years. I’m thinking it will for my entire lifetime. Nia gave me this gift, and through the practice of RAW, I have developed the skill of listening to music...the art of listening. Nia has opened me up to all types of music, sounds and silence, and it continues to inspire and excite me, and flood my body. This is particularly evident with the Nia routines I learn. Through my listening practice and awareness, I can recall the movements of a Nia routine from my body, even if I have not danced the routine in several years. The resonance is present. The sound is a part of me. I love this!!! This body memory has been proven, and as Daniel Levitin states in “This is Your Brain on Music”, research at Keele University in the UK found that a year after a child is born, they can recognize music they were exposed to when they were in the womb. It’s in all of us - all the sounds we experience in our lifetime, and when we connect physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually to the music/sounds, the sound waves become part of our being.

I’ve been contemplating/meditating on what Debbie Rosas said in her April NGT call about the 8 BC system and how we may need to first focus on the music and then the beat/count/bars in our Nia white belt. Listening to the music, understanding the music has given me a greater appreciation for the 8 BC system.  When I started my Nia practie, I first listened to the music..constantly... and I discovered the sensation of music permeating into my cells. This was in 1994 and I still get high with this sensation!!

 
I am unique, I have my own tone, my own syncopation, my own tempo, with the tools to change my song moment to moment. Music, Movement, Magic. I make music everyday. There goes Joanie!! (Thanks Debbie for this phrase !)

Duncan Dance, Free Spirited Honest Movement

I'm currently reading Done Into Dance, Isadora Duncan In America by Ann Daly, a gift to me by one of my best friends, Robbie Hudson, who introduced me to Nia.  I am having a great time reading this lovely story and learning more about Isadora, and the gift her dance form brought to the world.  Isadora Duncan lived from 1877 - 1927, a time of great change, and brought into the world a "New Dance" that liberated the body and gave expression to the soul.   Her theory of dance and her core beliefs changed forever the face of dance.  She believed dancing creates beauty (our body expressed as art), the source of our dance is from nature (her teachers were the trees and the plants), and movement should be harmonious with our body.  I just love this!!  In Nia, just like Duncan Dance, we believe everyBody should experience their body, and use dance as an opportunity to explore and discover who we are - to connect to our body, mind, spirit and emotions.  Sensation Scientists in all forms.

Duncan Dance is a wonderful compliment to Nia and is one of Nia's 9 movement forms, with the catch phrase of  "free spirited, honest movement".  Pearls that evoke the spirit and essence of Duncan Dance are:  freedom, play, rhythm, awakening, skipping, effortless, imagination, unbound, exploring, healing, soulful, creative, authentic, Universal Joy...... 

The spirit of Duncan Dance takes me back to my childhood where I find myself running, skipping and laughing with no worries, totally uninhibited!  Do you remember those times?  My sisters, brother and I would dance outside with abandonment to the music of thunder roaring on a hot Texas afternoon, wind blowing through our hair, with the anticipation of the cool rain on its way.  I love this sensation and I can still feel it in my body!

I invite you to step into a Nia class and connect to the essence of Duncan Dance energy ....dance your dance, your passion, your excitement, your beauty, your grace.  "Our Dancing Body, Our Natural Body, Our Expressive Body"...all brought to light through our dance.  I love Nia!!!  Dance with me this week at The Synergy Studio:  http://www.thesynergystudio.com/. 



My Playlist this week...fun, fun!
1.  Water and Fire by Pangea
2.  A Canterbury Tale by Dreadzone
3.  Journeyman by Bob Holroyd
4.  Dancing is Important by Moodswings
5.  Tantrika by Makyo
6.  Booma Lena by Baka Beyond
7.  Out of Heaven by Dreadzone
8.  Pure Essence by Maneesh DeMoor

Here is a link to the book I am reading:
http://anndalyconsulting.com/author/books/duncan/index.html

I am a Sensation Scientist - Exploring all my Connections Inside!!

Connective tissue largely defines the shape of my body. Everything in our body is connected through a continuous network of connective tissue from our head to our toes. I love the sensation of this and knowing that through all of my movement I am continually conditioning my connective tissue and shaping my body for what she needs in the NOW. My NOW body. It is not static, it is dynamic and is internally supported by a connective system that is fluid, allowing my body to mold and fold, sending messages to my brain in the form of pain and pleasure. I like to visualize my connective tissue as this beautiful piece of fabric that weaves within my body, surrounding my organs, bones, muscles and cells with a protective covering that makes me feel loved and safe. As Linda Hartley in Wisdom of the Body Moving so eloquently states: “When we move in the spaces between the organs, bones, muscles, blood vessels, or cells, we are moving through the connective tissue sheaths. This movement is sensual, internal, flowing, and elastic, like the luxurious stretching of a cat. It flows on and on, rebounds and flows again. It gives vital support to the integrity of the whole in both movement and stillness.”(page 289).

I was brought into a heightened state of awareness of my connective tissue and her role in my body’s shape a year into my healing from a cervical spine surgery that was brought on by an accident. Focused on my healing of my neck and head, I didn’t notice the imbalance on the left side of my body, that was also a result of the accident, until the tension manifested as pain in my left knee. I went for months where I was not able to bend my left knee with out pain. At an Inner Idea conference, I told Debbie my story and asked her if she would observe my movement and give me feedback. After the session, she came up to me and said “It is your connective tissue. Focus there and you will heal.” So that is what I did. This simple message lead me on a path of discovery and learning, reading and exploring, movement and magic. Through Nia’s 5 stages of healing, conscious movement and directed therapy I was able to restore fluidity to my connective tissue and “unglued” my iIliotibial (IT) band (a thick connective tissue that runs from the outside of your hip to the outside of your knee). The pain in my knee vanished and I regained 90% range of motion in my knee. The exploration and healing continues!

Everything is connected. The structure and function of all parts and the body as a whole are supported by connective tissue. I see my connective tissue as my guardian angel within that is dedicated to giving me form and freedom of movement as I Dance Through Life. It is a dance of loosening and tightening, sound and silence, mobility and agility, strength and flexibility, opening and surrendering, volume up/down, fast and slow, sinking and rising, hard and soft, masculine and feminine, Martial Arts, Dance Arts and Healing Arts; and it is through awareness that I discover where there is pain and pleasure so I can play with theses dynamics to bring my body to homeostasis. Stability and Peace. I move on this earth with dynamic ease knowing the potential I have for unlimited ways to shape/reshape my body through my awareness of the connections inside. ...”balance of movement and awareness, it becomes both a vehicle of dynamic expression and a support for all the other systems and movement qualities.” Wisdom of the Body Moving, Page 291.

So when I found myself recently with plantar fasciitis after my boot was removed from my metatarsal break, I knew I would be able to heal myself. Yes I was scared having to deal with this at the same time I was still healing my broken foot. Nia gave me tools of sensation, self love, patience, movement, and touch. I Am Now self healing....I am a Sensation Scientist and I am becoming body literate. These are the gifts.

As I explore the connections inside, I am awakened to the rhythm of the connective tissue of my thoughts, emotions and spirit. Each of these voices connect to my body as a sensation, and I am connecting in loving ways that bring healing, pleasure, and connection to my purpose in life.  Shaping Consciousness!