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!