Spine, Spiral, Space - Dancing With our DNA!

"The whole universe is based on rhythms. Everything happens in circles, in spirals."
John Hartford

Good morning my Friends!!
Spine, Spirals, Space!!  What a wonderful weekend I spent with fellow Nia teachers and students learning and sharing a new Nia routine called AWAKE.  The focus of AWAKE is a triad - Spine, Spiral and Space, with the intent to awaken your spine through spiral movement, and connecting to the space within and outside our body.  Did you know the spiral is one of nature's most common building blocks and the architecture of our body is based on spirals - spirals are present in our body?!!  Your blood spirals through your body like waves, your muscles spiral around your bones, and you actually have spiraling fibers inside your bones.  One amazing human body spiral is our inner ear - your cochlea.  This amazing spiral shape helps us to detect different ranges of sound. 
Spirals are a natural and yummy way for us to keep our spine healthy and alive, and through this spiral movement we develop more space inside our body, and our body loves space!! Created by Nia Trainers Philippe Beaufour and Sabine Zweig, Awake is inspired by the image of a dolphin moving in water and the spiral of the DNA double helix. Set to the soundscape of Indian and world music, Awake is an invitation to sense, explore, and manifest the natural flow of energy moving through the body by connecting to the spine, spiraling energy, and space.  Join me in a dance of spirals this week as we play in space with each other!!

My classes this week:

Monday (today) and Thursday at 5:30 pm
and Saturday at 9:30 am

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

Considering taking the Nia White belt intensive?  Whether you want to teach Nia or take Nia for personal growth, it is an amazing experience!!!   Check out my trainings at: www.nianow.com/joanie and click on "My Trainings". Adelle and I have one October 4th and a split weekend December 5th here in San Antonio.  Join us!

Love & Light,
Joanie Brooks,
http://www.joaniebrooks.me/
Nia Training Faculty, Nia White Belt Trainer

Nia 5 Stages of Healing Facilitator, Journey Dance Guide, Mindful Change Coach and Yoga Laughter 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."   

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

Put Ease Into Your Nia Dance...and Life...Become Seduced

“It is your work in life that is the ultimate seduction.”
― Picasso

“Beauty and seduction are nature’s tools for survival, because we protect what we fall in love with. It opens our hearts and reminds us that we are part of nature; we are not separate from it.” – Louie Schwartzberg

Being seduced is a natural and effortless way to draw us into life.  It can also be used in our dance in a Nia class.  How can we do this?  AHHH....many ways!!!  We have a practice in Nia called "Being Seduced By the Music" that trains us to engage fully into the Art of Listening to the music...the silence and the sounds.  Through this practice we become intimate with the music, which in return, when we dance, brings a newness and uniqueness to our dance. The music literally seduces our body to move in new and unique ways, and open to the potential of our dance!
You can expand this sensation physically as you are dancing, by sensing the energy that seduces you from every direction.  Allow this energy to give your every move the sensation of effortless surrendering, and making ease a part of your Nia dance.   Mentally, let go and become seduced by space and non-thinking.  Allow this freed up energy to seduce you to deeply feel life, making mental ease a part of your Nia dance.  Emotionally become aware of what you are drawn to, feeling the sensation of emotional seduction.  Become intimate with your desires and allow emotional seduction to be a part of your Nia dane.  And Spiritually, be seduced to your true spirit and awaken your body!  Regain your personal power by opening up to the authentic you, the one that can lighten your load and takes you into the personal growth that extends into all the realms of fitness and healing.  So come play with this sensation in class on Monday (today) and Thursday at 5:30 pm.

Then get ready for a weekend full of newness as we introduce a new Nia routine called Awake.  Awake's focus is Spine,Spiral and Space.  This is a yummy routine and you can dance with us all weekend, and take an Awake Playshop on Sunday at 2:30 where you learn the katas of the routine.  The Playshop includes the music and the 4:00 class.  Sign up here!  If you are a Nia teacher, there is still space to learn the routine with other Nia teachers on Saturday.  Email me for more information.

Awake Immersion Classes...Team teaching with Adelle!

Friday at 5:30 pm
Saturday at 9:30 am

and Sunday at 4:00 pm

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

Considering taking the Nia White belt intensive?  Whether you want to teach Nia or take Nia for personal growth, it is an amazing experience!!!   Check out my trainings at: www.nianow.com/joanie and click on "My Trainings". Adelle and I have one October 4th here in San Antonio.  Join us!

Love & Light,
Joanie Brooks,
http://www.joaniebrooks.me/
Nia Training Faculty, Nia White Belt Trainer

Nia 5 Stages of Healing Facilitator, Journey Dance Guide, Mindful Change Coach and Yoga Laughter 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."   

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

Smell the Moment...Conditioning Our Lungs!!!

Ahh....Smell the moment.  I remember the first time I heard Debbie Rosas, co-founder of Nia, say this incredible phrase.  It immediately brought me to the present moment and I had a sensation of relaxation throughout my whole body. Our breath, the high of life, is the life force energy within each of us.  We announce ourselves to the world, "I am Here", with our breath and sound, and it is the last thing we do before leaving this world.  Breathing supports our digestion, nourishes and cleanses our body, and eliminates carbon dioxide, toxins and metabolic waste from our cells. Every cell in our body and all of our body’s systems rely on efficient breathing. Breathing is the workout for your body’s respiratory system - CONDITIONING OUR LUNGS!!!

Bringing awareness to your breath can help you stay calm and steady, give clarity to your thoughts,  give you energy and get you excited about life. In addition, focused attention to your breath while moving and dancing can strengthen your body.  We do this in Nia by incorporating sound, emotions and laughter, in order to move our body and breath together organically.  Do this:  Sit in a comfortable position or lie on your back.  Place your hands on your solar plexus, the soft tissue area below your ribcage.  Now laugh for 15 seconds.  Pause and smell the moment.  We call this a sit up in Nia.  Ha Ha Ha!!!

When we sound Yes, No, WOW, AAA, EEE, IIII, OOOO, UUUU...we are actually changing the personality of our breathing and inviting our respiratory system to move and function in different ways.  When I say Nia conditions your whole body, I mean your WHOLE body including everything inside!! 

So come dance with me and condition your lungs.  And when you are not in class, make sure you stop and smell the moment, and take in all the beauty around you!

I have a wonderful full week of dancing...Note I am holding a special JourneyDance class this Saturday, June 15 at 4:00 - 5:30...Living Through Your Heart.  Join me!

Monday and Thursday at 5:30 pm,
Saturday at 9:30 am

Saturday at 4:00 pm special JourneyDance class

and Sunday at 4:00 pm (Happy Father's day!)

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

Considering taking the Nia White belt intensive?  Whether you want to teach Nia or take Nia for personal growth, it is an amazing experience!!!   Check out my trainings at: www.nianow.com/joanie and click on "My Trainings". Adelle and I have one starting on June 21st here in San Antonio.  Join us!

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 Coach and Yoga Laughter Leaderhttp://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!

Movement as Medicine..Empowered to Heal!

Nia has the power of bringing people together, and through the power of dance and movement, bring healing light to the world. Nia's philosophy is very simple...Through Movement We Find Health.  Movement heals and is our medicine for more than our body; it also heals our mental, emotional and spirit bodies..  Each movement, each dance, is an opportunity to ask how this dance can help me/my body to feel better?   How can I find the healing aspect of this movement?  How can I transcend to the next level of health?  How can I find healing with my cross front, cha cha cha, in my FreeDance, in my closed stance, in my breathing, when laughing?  All forms of movement medicine; all opportunities to heal.    

Nia White Belt principle #5 Awareness, invites us to pay attention to our body sensations, and through this attention and clarity, find movements that help us feel better...in class and out of class.  That is why we call it Dancing Through Life:  every movement feels like I'm dancing.  Empower yourself to heal while you are making dinner (pelvic circles are great! ), while shopping at the grocery store (sensing flexibility as you reach for what you want off the top shelf), and when you pick something off the floor (doing a spinal roll as you come up is Yummy!).  You have the power within you to heal and maintain health, and Nia invites you make choices to support you!! 

My life purpose is to awaken the human healing potential, and my wish for you is to always move, no matter how small; to always dance.

I have a wonderful full week of dancing, join me...My Nia classes this week:
Monday andThursday at 5:30 pm,
Friday at 5:30 (subbing for Adelle)
Saturday at 9:30 am

and Sunday at 4:00

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

Considering taking the Nia White belt intensive?  Whether you want to teach Nia or take Nia for personal growth, it is an amazing experience!!!   Check out my trainings at: www.nianow.com/joanie and click on "My Trainings". Adelle and I have one starting on June 21st here in San Antonio.  Join us!

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 Coach and Laughter Yoga Leaderhttp://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!

EXPANSION!

Expansion... Today I step into my 57th birthday and I am very excited with the year in front of me.  This morning as I danced in my Blue Storm Studio, the word EXPANSION appeared as my dance partner.  I didn't know why the word came; however, I allowed it to dance with me.  As I danced, desires and visions of expansion made brief appearances with their unique shapes and sounds.  I'd like to share some of these with you.  I desire to expand my body's ability to self heal by diving deeper into body literacy and self exploration; to expand the space inside and outside of my body. I desire the expansion of love; love for myself and love for others.  I just finished reading a book called Dying to be Me by Anita Moorjani.  One of the principles in her book that sang to me is the art of unconditional love for myself.  I desire to expand unconditional love for me, for it is ONLY through this expansion can I expand my unconditional love for others.
I desire to expand my touch, my outreach to others; to touch and be touched.  I desire to touch others through my healing actions, words, and thoughts, and to share my unique teachings and gifts.  I desire to expand beyond my comfort, to expand beyond my current thinking, and to expand my happiness. 

And a big desire I have is the expansion of the human healing potential, for we all have the ability to self heal through body awareness and intention.  This is my purpose and I am grateful each day Nia has created her pathway for me to share my purpose.

Thank you for listening and allowing me to share.  The desires and visions are still unfolding, and I have more dancing to do with this precious partner.   Join me and let's dance this week with the word and inspiration of Expansion and see what manifests.   Get your desire finger ready!!!

     
 Life finds its purpose and fulfillment in the expansion of happiness.        Maharishi Mahesh, Yogi.

My Nia classes this week:
Monday at 5:30 pm (birthday celebration!)Thursday at 5:30 pm
and Saturday at 9:30 am
all at http://www.thesynergystudio.com.

Considering taking the Nia White belt intensive?  Whether you want to teach Nia or take Nia for personal growth, it is an amazing experience!!!   Check out my trainings at: www.nianow.com/joanie and click on "My Trainings". Adelle and I have one starting on June 21st here in San Antonio.  Join us!

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 Coach and Laughter Yoga Leaderhttp://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!

Come FLY With Me!!

Are you ready to FLY?!  Yesterday Adelle and I held a Nia routine immersion for the new Nia routine FLY!  We had great fun as 8 teachers came together to dance, share, laugh and learn!!  Today everyBody can learn the basic moves of this FUNtastic routine in a Learn the Move Playshop at 2:30. The Playshop also includes the fabulous music CD and the 4:00 pm Nia class. Click on this link and pre-register under workshops:   The Synergy Studio.  Let's FLY!!

The focus of FLY is the 5 Fitness Sensations of Nia:  Flexibility, Agility, Mobility, Strength and Stability (FAMSS).  Yummy!!  There are many benefits in developing body awareness of the 5 sensations of flexibility, agility, mobility, strength, and stability in your workout and in your life.  Each unique sensation is necessary for keeping your body physically fit and energetically balanced.  Integrating all 5 sensations in your dance keeps muscles relaxed, highly charged and ready for action over longer periods of time.  Your muscles can work with greater efficiency when they are allowed to move and rest as they go from one sensation to another.  

FLEXIBILITY is sensed as energy moving out.  It is a feeling of releasing power. Flexibility feels like a warm lengthening along the bone that stretches the belly of the muscle. Flexibility relaxes and never tenses the body.  Sense this…Stretch your arms out and reach for the stars.   The sensation that you feel is the sensation of flexibility!

AGILITY is sensed as energy starting and stopping.  It is a feeling of pulling and pushing. Agility feels like a playful tug-of-war action, changing; stop-now GO.  Sense this...Act as if you are reaching out and catching a fire fly, then another and another.  The sensation you feel is the sensation of agility!

MOBILITY is sensed as energy in constant movement, a continuous energy flow in a wide range of motion – a constant and varying excitation of the nerves around the joints, engaging the muscles, bones and joints.
Sense this… Move all 10 fingers simultaneously and act as if you are tickling someone.  The sensation you feel is the sensation of mobility!

STRENGTH is sensed as energy moving inward, like squeezing or packing energy against the bone.  It feels like a warm power moving along and into the bones.  Sense this… Clench your fist softly and draw power into your body through your fists and arms.   The sensation you feel is the sensation of strength!  YES!!

STABILITY is sensed as energy moving from the center out in all directions.  It is the feeling of harmony and peace, combined with readiness for action.   Sense this… Balance on one leg, and in slow motion, move your free leg and both arms. Stability is what keeps you from falling, even as you move and dance through life. And as with everything we do in a Nia class, the benefits extend to our daily life.  A Flexible mind that allows us to be open to all the possibilities the world has for us...take us out of our norm of doing things.  Agility gifts us with the ability to move through the starts and stops of life, changes that come to us, with grace and ease.  Mobility allows us to flow and blend with our day and feel excited about life.  Strength gifts us with personal power to say YES and NO, and to believe in who we are.  And Stability keeps us connected to heaven above and earth below, giving us the sensation we are Universally supported in our own unique Dance of Life.  FAMSS!!!
So let's train our body's to activate all 5 sensations and see what happens!  See you on the dance floor!  I will be teaching FLY all week.
 
My Nia classes this week:
Sunday (Today) at 4:00 pm,
Monday and Thursday at 5:30 pm
and Saturday at 9:30 am
all at http://www.thesynergystudio.com.

Considering taking the Nia White belt intensive?  Whether you want to teach Nia or take Nia for personal growth, it is an amazing experience!!!   Check out my trainings at: www.nianow.com/joanie and click on "My Trainings".

--
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 Coach and Laughter Yoga Leaderhttp://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!

Heart's On Fire - A week of dancing to the Rhythm of your Heart!

 

"Never extinguish the fire in your heart that sparks your desire for success and rekindles your hopes and dreams, no matter how small the flame gets or how hard the wind blows."  Vince Lo

Good Beautiful Morning EveryBody!

I am so excited to be back in my community with all you lovely dancers.  Adelle and I just returned from Ventura, California where we graduated 6 new Nia White Belts!  I love this work, and every time I share the Nia white belt my heart lets me know this is what I am meant to do in this world.  My life purpose is to Awaken the Human Healing Potential, and I am blessed to witness my purpose in action during this transformational week.  My Heart is on Fire!! 

My heart, your heart, our heart is about love - unconditional love.  Your heart has its own unique rhythm and it is through your heart you open and connect to harmony and peace.  Your heart wants to dance and be free...dancing blood!  Your heart speaks to you...can you hear the gentle whisper?  It speaks to your about desires and dreams, about joy, passion, compassion and bliss.  Place your hands on your heart and close your eyes.  Breathe and sense your heart beat, sense the flow inside, and open to the voice inside. 

This week we will open and connect with our heart, dance our heart, and ignite the fire inside - Heart's on Fire!!  See you on the dance floor!!!    

Join me in Nia and JourneyDance classes this week:
Sunday (today) at 4:00 pm,Monday, Thursday and Friday (subbing for Adelle) Nia at 5:30 pm,
Saturday Nia at 9:30 am,
and Saturday Special JourneyDance class at 4:00 pm with Jan Jarboe Russell.

Get ready for Mother's Day and join me at 10:00 am for JourneyDance and 4:00 pm for Nia class.  A special day of love!!!
All classes at The Synergy Studio. 

Considering taking the Nia White belt intensive?  Whether you want to teach Nia or take Nia for personal growth, it is an amazing experience!!!   Check out my trainings at: www.nianow.com/joanie and click on "My Trainings".

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!