The Joy Of Play!

Hello My Dancing Friends!

Play energizes us and enlivens us. It eases our burdens. It renews our natural sense of optimism and opens us up to new possibilities.

Stuart Brown, MD...Contemporary American psychiatrist

PLAY is extremely important for all of us. It is a form of release and connection that can help you tap into creativity and allow you the chance to connect with your inner child and the inner child of others.  PLAY is a state of mind, but it is also a state of body, emotion, and spirit.  PLAY is a natural teacher and a great way to open your world to possibilities giving you the gift of to ask “What if,” and explore options. Allowing yourself the freedom to play in the midst of your obligations, resolutions and tasks may help relax you and be the motivation to help your through the day.  We all need to play.  I can get wrapped up in my day and forget to stop and look at my world through the eyes of a child.  When I do, everything changes and it takes the stress and worry out of what I'm doing.  Just using the word PLAY, shifts the energy.  "I'm going to PLAY" instead of "I'm going to work."  What about PLAYing with your resolutions?  HMMMM....the possibilities!! 

So let's use the word PLAY this week and see what happens.  In class this week we will PLAY with bones, PLAY with our joints and connective tissue, PLAY with our muscles, PLAY with our creative source, PLAY with emotions, PLAY with balance, PLAY with gravity.....it goes on.  Cycle 6 of a Nia class is called FloorPLAY, and uses the power of PLAY to give us conditioning throughout our whole body.  Sounds more fun to me than floor WORK!  

Enjoy reading about the benefits of play form Marianne St. Clair, Life Coach, and author of the Art of Play.  

1.     Play can inspire you to think differently

2.      Playing can bring greater joy into your life

3.      Play is known to reduce stress

4.      Playing on a regular basis can increase longevity

5.      Play can reduce struggle, conflict, and worry

6.      Play can increase your sense of lightness

7.      Play can stimulate the imagination, curiosity, and creativity

8.      Playing softens the heart — as the heart becomes malleable, the risk of hypertension and depression decrease

9.      Play can greatly enhance your energy levels

10.   Play can provide you with an opportunity to take risks

Come PLAY with me..see you in class.  My classes this week are:

Monday and Thursday Nia at 5:30 pm 

Friday JourneyDance at 6:45 pm

and Saturday Nia at 9:30 amall at  http://www.thesynergystudio.com/. 

Learn more and go deeper into the connection with you body and your life by taking a Nia White Belt Intensive.    Sign up at http://www.nianow.com/joanie.  

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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 Brooks,  Nia Training Faculty, Nia White Belt Trainer, Nia 5 Stages of Healing Facilitator, Journey Dance Guide, Mindful Change Coachhttp://www.joaniebrooks.me/


 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." 

75 trillion cells in your body…Play with them all with Nia!