Monday, December 15, 2014

Scapulae - Hands On the Back of Your Body!

"On your back
​ ​
you’ll find the scapulae, the two
​ ​
bones floating over your first seven ribs. These
​ ​
triangle-shaped bones are your shoulder blades,“bone wings” meant to be free, to slide and
​ ​
glide up and down over the back of your ribs.
​  ​
Extremely mobile, these “I’ve got your back
​ ​
bones are only connected at the breastbone
​ ​
via my clavicles. Meant to move freely, I am designed to drop down and swing out when you
​ ​
lift your arms, to move up and down, to come
​ ​
together, hug close, and move away from your
​ ​
spine."  


​From the Voices of the Shoulder Girdle ​
by
​​
​Debbie Rosas, co-founder of Nia​






Your shoulder blades (scapulae), are flat triangle shaped bones that lie on top of your upper back and float and glide over the first seven ribs.  With the help of our rhomboid muscles, our shoulder blades like to slide and glide along the back of our body as we dance through life using our hands
​ to lift and lower objects, to reach out and to express! One of the best Nia moves we can do for our scapulae is palm directions. Reaching for the sky with our palms open and then lowering as I rotate towards earth...Yummy!!
​ I am currently healing my right shoulder to include the muscles that surround my scapulae that have accumulated stuck stress from an accident several years ago. Utilizing body work, Yoga, Nia, and awareness of my shoulder blades as I am dancing on and off the dance floor is helping my healing process.   And I am learning so much about my body and ME!  Yes there are gifts to be found in injuries!  Like the gift of a hug as I place both hands on my shoulders and draw inward to open my upper back.  And the opening of my heart and smelling the moment as I draw my hands behind me, squeeze my shoulder blades and look up towards the sky.  Moments to be fully present, moments to be fully in the sensation of my scapulae.  Hands on the back of my body, touching and supporting. 
Dance with me this week as we focus on the "Hands On the Back of Your Body".  I have pulled out an "older" routine called Going Home.  It actually was the 2nd Nia routine for me to learn, and I am still learning from this magical routine!!!

My Nia classes this week:
Monday (today) and Thursday at 5:30 pm
Saturday at 9:30 am
all at The Synergy Studio

I am also teaching a Hatha Yoga Flow Class with Essential Oils at The Synergy Studio.  It is every Monday morning at 8:00 am.  Great way to start your week!

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." 

Monday, December 8, 2014

Beauty In The World!!

"When I look around I see blue skies.  I see butterflies for us.  Listen to the sound And lose it in sweet music, And dance with me! 'Cause there is beauty in the world, so much beauty in the world.  Always beauty in the world.  So much beauty in the world!  Shake your booty, boys and girls, for the beauty in the world.  Pick your diamond, pick your pearl.  There is beauty in the world.  All together now!!"  by Macy Gray...Beauty in the World

Yes!  I love this song and it always reminds me to stop, look and be in the beauty of life.  It starts first when I wake up and notice the beauty of the day and continues as I Dance Through Life with the world.  We have a principle in Nia called Awareness and one of the components of Awareness is Life As Art (LAA).  LAA invites us to stop, look and change our perception to bring pleasure into our life.  For example, looking in the mirror I can stop and change my perception of myself and be in gratitude for who I am and my unique beauty I bring to the world.   As I dance, I can be in a beautiful relationship with my body and appreciate her unique size and shape, and act as if I'm a living sculpture that enhances the world with my beauty and grace.  It is a wonderful practice and can be used in so many situations!
Beauty is limitless, holds no bounds and YES is everywhere.  All we need to do is open our eyes and receive, and be in Life As Art.  The world is a museum.  Join me as we express our beauty on the dance floor this week in Nia, creating our unique shapes of beauty. 

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!

Enjoy this song from Macy Gray:  http://slack-time.com/music-video-9023-macy-gray-beauty-in-the-world

My Nia classes this week:
Monday and Thursday at 5:30 pm
Saturday at 9:30 am
and Sunday at 4:00 pm all at The Synergy Studio

I am also teaching a Hatha Yoga Flow Class with Essential Oils at The Synergy Studio.  It is every Monday morning at 8:00 am.  Great way to start your week!
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."

Monday, December 1, 2014

Base - Our Foundation...YES!