"TEAM NIA" Supporting Habitat for Humanity Halton
Posted: Jul 23, 07:35 AM
We are very excited to inform you about our involvement with Habitat for Humanity Halton. On Tuesday, August 26th and Saturday, September 27th two wonderful groups of Nia dancers, spouses, friends and family will come together to create “Team Nia”. On these days, we’ll be put to work helping to build 3 homes on John Street, right in Georgetown. We will be building real homes on a real construction site, with duties that coincide with the build schedule. These will be single detached homes for those in need of ‘a hand up’ not a ‘hand out’.
HfHH believes that it can best achieve its mission through its core Homeownership Program in which;
- they identify eligible homeowners and prepare them for homeownership
- they help them build their homes with donated funds, materials and labor
- they sell the home with no interest, no profit and no down payment through a mortgage held by HfHH
- they reinvest all mortgage payments back into the Homeownership Program
- the eligible family must be willing to partner with HfHH; donating 500 hours of “Sweat Equity”
As certified Nia teachers, we immediately saw the parallels based in the philosophy and values set out by Nia headquarters and HfHH. Nia stands for Neuromuscular Integrative Action and is simply a movement class that is core focused and integrates the whole body. The expressive, grounded movements in Nia are a blend of Martial Arts, Dance Arts and Healing Arts. It is a unique holistic workout done in bare feet carefully designed to embrace and create wholeness, synergy and well-being. The root of both Nia and HfHH is in ‘action’. Nia’s actions help integrate and build one’s body physically, yet somehow something much deeper and more profound takes place. The physical action of volunteering on an Adopt-A-Day will result in building affordable housing, yet it is impossible to measure what happens within each volunteer builder and then how that transcends into the community. On August 26th and September 27th “Team Nia” will warm up with some Nia, of course in our work boots. Then we will take on the challenge of the construction work, building with dynamic ease, awareness and joy… dancing ‘our body’s way’ through life. This will be a REAL Nia class. Building within ourselves and spreading the benefits throughout our community.
HfHH and Nia make a great team and we look forward to sharing our energy with the three families that will be supported with this build. The cost and funding required to build the 3 homes is $600,000.00. Please support our Adopt-A-Day. “Team Nia” plans to raise as much money as possible and your support is needed. We are still looking for volunteer builders to join ‘Team Nia’. It’s always the right time to ‘Pay FORWARD’ and find the rewards of this type of energy exchange.
To join “Team Nia” as a volunteer on Tuesday, August 26th;
Click HERE to contact Denis Karda by email.
Donation cheques payable to:
Habitat for Humanity Halton
Mail donations to:
Denis Karda
13937 Tenth Line RR#5
Halton Hills, ON L7G 4S8
VISA donations can be arranged by first Contacting Denis Karda .
Receipts will be issued for any donation over $10.00.
Nia - The Body's Way Principle 3
Posted: Jul 22, 04:49 AM
The Body is Balanced in Yin and Yang.
Therefore, you must respect this balance, and reflect it in the movement choices you make.
We can tell that the body is comprised of both yin and yang energies simply by observing the body itself. Yin – soft, “female,” inward-directed energy – is constantly being manifested by the body’s smooth, almost melodic movements. Yang – harder, “male,” outward-directed energy – is reflected by more explosive, rhythmic movements.
Inhaling is yin, while exhaling is yang. Intense activity is yang, while rest is yin. Warming up is yang, while cooling down is yin. All of these aspects of living and moving are indispensable and equally important. For example, how could you possibly inhale without exhaling?
Yoga is, in theory, a beautiful healing system that balances yin and yang energies within the body. In actuality, however, many Americans who practice yoga become overly yang in their movements, due to a highly physical, do-more atmosphere. Often, when people begin to practice Nia after they’ve received training in Americanized yoga, we need to remind them to balance their yin and yang, and to take what they’ve learned from their Yoga out onto the street. These people have trained their bodies to function in only one style, focusing on specific asanas. When our bodies become entrained to only one system we lose the ability to adapt to the variety of rhythms and movements in real life. That’s why Nia is such a wonderful complement to Yoga.
From the mailbag at Nia Headquarters
Posted: Jul 22, 04:21 AMNia Aids in Healing Bipolar Disorder, Brings Joy
My name is Nicole. I’ve been doing Nia by video for quite a while now. I get your weekly tips and I really, really enjoy them. So I am writing to say thanks.
Nia has been an interesting part of my journey for many years. I know who I am and what I think, but I have always had trouble finding the ways to express. It is not that words are so tedious. It is instead that the core postulates that we humans use to filter knowledge are so flawed. If I say I am plus size and like my body, they will hear something totally different than what I mean. They hear I take pride in giving up on myself or have some emotional investment in underachieving, or have some strange delusional worldview that embraces lack of health. No, no. None of that. But, if I just go into a room and dance around with them.… soon… they will know what I mean.
I am having fun now. Because I get to be a teacher and that has always been my nature. I am not a teacher of Nia (yet :-) ). But for now, I get to teach physics. (Which is not so different than doing Nia as you may imagine.) I personally have begun to believe that the universe is one thing. One word. Many languages. Many representations.
Nia is, in a way, a little chapter in my life that makes me sad, because I left it unwritten. I started to get involved in the Nia community and met many nice people. But at that time, I had an undiagnosed illness called bipolar (It used to be called manic depression. It is a mood disorder, a chemical imbalance in the brain.) And so I got very sick. And had to leave the Nia community to put my energies into healing and staying alive. Well, I did that. But Nia Global Unity was there, through and through. Kind of like a trusty friend. I do not know how to describe what it is… but there were days where to choose to get up, to get dressed, and to choose to stay alive that day were all I could manage. And somedays I did it with a Global Unity tune playing in my head. But, I knew I had to stick around. Because if I didn’t I would never get back to my communities. I would lose physics. I would lose Nia. I would lose my chance to express all I was put here to do.
Things are much better these days. My brain is mostly healed. (Good enough for me!) I have trained and trained (…training regimens… sheesh!) And am rehabilitated in terms of my physics developement. I will be going to start my PhD in the fall. I really love teaching. They let me help teach the first year courses. I am still a newbie. :-) But I LOVE it!!! I love students!!!! Of all kinds!!! They rock!!!!
… So I as I continue to heal (these pesky life threatening illnesses take a few years to overcome. ;-) ) I think I will start to say “Hi” to Nia more. I miss my body terribly. It is time to “train” (…heh heh. Yeah right. PLAY!!) a bit and rehabilitate in this arena as well.
Are there ways I might contribute? I do not have large sums of money right now. But if I did, I would certainly be happy to pay for an official certification because that is what your life’s work is worth. I understand these things. But since that option is one I must save up for, are there other ways to contribute? I am not quite at my old strength. I will have to start small. (I don’t suppose anybody wants help with their Quantum Mechanics homework. ;-) ).
Well, hope you all have a lovely weekend. I am going to ponder how I can help Nia, who has been a trusty friend to me while I healed.
Nic
Nia Headquarter’s is always looking for writing submissions from the Nia community. If you have an article, commentary, poem, or any other piece of writing you would like to submit, please send it. They want to know how Nia is working in your life, and they want to share your thoughts with all of the world.
Please send all submissions to niaeditor@nianow.com or Contact Denis Karda and she can post it on her website too!
Nia's Five Stages of Self Healing
Posted: Jul 22, 04:19 AM
Begin your Journey through Nia’s Five Stages of Self Healing
The Body’s Way education is designed around the five stages of development – Embryonic, Creeping, Crawling, Standing, Walking – what we call the Five Stages of Self-Healing. Within each stage are different Voices of The Body – the inner voices of the parts and aspects of the body. The Voices describe the functioning of the body in a poetic, scientific way for guided meditation.
In this blog we will take you through all five stages – Each Voice of The Body is made up of these aspects: Cognitive, Symbology, and Sensory Awareness. Each aspect is made up of specific elements that help you develop an intimate, interactive, and creative relationship with the body, and your body in and out of Nia class. ENJOY!
1. The Embryonic Stage
“Now I Am Receiving The Body’s Way”
The beginning, the stage where you are nurtured and fed. This is the stage where you let the beginner’s mind be your guide. This is where you remind yourself to turn everything into a sensation. Allow the learning process to develop organically from the body and the mind. Remain embryonic in order to keep your fascination up and frustration down. You are beginning an amazing journey. Each time you revisit this information, more wisdom will emerge through you.
Voices: The Body’s Way, Atoms, Molecules, Cells, Neurons, Nerves, Central Nervous System, Autonomic Nervous System, Peripheral Nervous System, Sensory Nervous System, and the Brain.
The Body’s Way Principle 1: The body thrives on Dynamic Ease.
2. Creeping Stage
“Now I Am Activating The Body’s Way”
We now take you into the Creeping stage and through the second Principle of The Body’s Way, The Body Demands Balance. This principle provides the groundwork of the Creeping stage and is a focus for your development. Creeping is the stage where you become conscious and explore moving. You guide your changes by connecting the parts of the body that help you to move, and you use this knowledge to develop new skills.
Voices: Connective Tissue, Muscles, Ligaments, Tendons, Bones, and Joints.
The Crawling Stage
“Now I Am Moving The Body’s Way”
Now, it is time to begin Crawling, where you expand your conscious awareness and guide your changes by connecting to the systems of the body that keep you alive – all the unseen internal processes, such as your cardiovascular system, that function without your conscious intention.
Begin to explore Crawling from the foundation of the Embryonic and Creeping stages. Use the principle of The Body is Balanced in Yin and Yang in the Crawling stage to create balance in every part of your life.
The stage where you expand conscious awareness and guide your changes by connecting to the systems of the body that keep you alive. You use this knowledge to self-heal and take safe risks.
Voices: The Lymphatic System, The organs and systems of Lymph, Cardiovascular/Circulatory, Digestive, Repiratory, Urinary, Reproductive, Endocrine, and Integumentary.
The Body’s Way Principle3: The body is balanced in Yin and Yang.
Nia - Voices of the Body
Posted: Jul 22, 04:19 AM
Structure
Each Voice of The Body is made up of the Cognitive, Symbology, and Sensory Awareness aspects. Each aspect is defined by particular elements that impart the scientific components and deeper meanings of the Voice of The Body. Review the information below to get clear on the definition of each aspect and the elements that make it up.
Cognitive
Definition
Left-brain and right-brain function that teaches you about the design and function of the body.
Elements
Who Am I: Shares the name of the body part with a brief description of its function. Use this language to set your focus on the part of the body you are studying. A design and map all people can follow to explore living life in a body.
The Voice Of: Offers the science of The Body’s Way in a poetic, first-person style. Use this language as a guided meditation.
I am the voice of The Body’s Way, a design and map that gives you a path to follow and explore living life in a body—in your body. My living structures – atoms, molecules, cells, tissue, organs, organ systems, and organism – create the grand scheme you know as the human body. My set points and positive and negative feedback systems keep you and I balanced, centered, and healthy.
If you look closely and listen to my parts, a grand pyramid will reveal my intricate inner workings and design. I help you function and give you life. A microcosm of the macrocosm, our living and never-ending universes are one. My functions are to sustain life and give rise to personal and soul expression, and to provide a platform for achieving personal mastery, which are dependent upon you following my path – the path of least resistance. I thrive on Dynamic Ease and on the sensation of love and joy. My survival depends on you keeping your anatomy and physiology healthy and fit.
It is essential that you get to know me in order to understand the human body, the temple and home of your spirit. Magical, scientific, and mystical, I am designed to produce sex cells that give the next generation life so that they can emerge to transform humanity into something more conscious and respectful.
Touch me, love me, and you will feel the outer skin coat I provide that protects you and keeps you warm and safe. Stand tall, change shape, move quickly and slowly, and you will get to know my bones, cartilage, ligaments, and skeletal, smooth, and cardiac muscles – all parts of me that make it possible for you to move and be still. Feel excited and you tap into my grand communication center. Feel and consciously recognize when your mood shifts and you will know me as an emotional being.
I make it possible for you to taste the sweetness of apples, then empty and make space for even more tasteful pleasures. My design, chemically and physically perfect, allows us to live in a constant state of equilibrium: homeostasis. I am born out of love and light. Together, we can self-heal, change, transform, and strengthen our connections to the sacred wonders of life that make living in a body profound.
My Gift to You: Offers you language to motivate and educate yourself. Use this language as part of your focus. I make it possible to work with the design of the body so that the way you move and function is at your optimal and most comfortable.
Symbology
Definition
Right-brain function, the artistic adaptation of cognitive information that turns anatomy into art and creatively “tricks” you into relating to a body part more intimately and artistically.
Elements
Imagine Me As: Gives you a visual tool to stimulate whole-body sensation and a relationship between the body part’s design and function and Your Body’s Way. Use this language to guide your experience. Visualize Pavarotti, Picasso, Einstein, and Madam Curie – sensory and cognitive intelligence that speaks through you. Use my wisdom to make living in a body and moving in a body a pleasurable and healing sensation.
Sensory
Definition
Cognitive information blended with Nia craft and techniques and The Body’s Way to create fitness, health, personal growth, and lifestyle transformation.
Elements
In Nia: The craft and techniques you can use to keep you connected to The Body’s Way are: The Joy of Movement, Natural Time and The Movement Forms, FreeDance, Awareness, The Base, Three Planes, The Core, Creative Arm & Hand Expressions, X-Ray Anatomy, Dancing What you Sense, The Five Sensations, The Seven Cycles, Conscious Personal Training, and The 13-Joint Exercise.
When Dancing Through Life: Offers daily tips for integrating The Body’s Way into everyday living. Every morning, as a way to consciously set the intent for your day, close your eyes and repeat, “My body is a part of my life. The Body’s Way is my guide. The sensation of pleasure is the path I choose to experience living my life in Dynamic Ease.”
Nia - Voice of the Connective Tissue
Posted: Jul 22, 04:19 AM
Each Voice of The Body is defined within a Structure made up of the Cognitive, Symbology, and Sensory Awareness aspects. Each aspect is defined by particular elements that impart the scientific components and deeper meanings of the Voice of The Body. Review the Structure to better understand this issue’s invloving Voices of the Body.
Cognitive
Who Am I: I am a system that connects and supports, a highly structured directional orientation information system whose tissue is responsible for mediating responsiveness. I help bind together other tissues, and I provide support areas through which blood vessels and nerves pass, and where nutrients, gases and waste products can be exchanged between the cells and capillaries.
Voice of the Connective Tissue: My job is to connect and support in adaptive ways. I am a fibrous fabric sheet that assists you in moving elegantly. Elastic in nature, I control the multi-directional wave of energy flowing along your bones and through your muscles.
I transmit movement through the whole body. I support your entire skeleton and make it possible for your bones to float and rest.
I vary in design based on the number and density of my fibers. I can be hard, soft, elastic, and rigid. When I embrace and enfold muscle tissue you know me as myofascia. You can find me anywhere in the body. In bone, I am hard. On the surface of muscle, I am heavy. I’m even under your skin. Your structure could not function without me.
I lose my flexibility when you become sedentary or when your alignment causes one part of your body to do more than it is designed to do, over and over. Keep me healthy by moving in dynamic, functional ways that improve whole body integration.
A reflection of my health can be seen in your body as your shape and contour changes. Tension in your body too long causes me to stiffen, limiting your ability to lengthen and move freely. I become thick and bind parts of your body if you don’t move me. This limits the whole body’s interaction and mobility. Moving connective tissue with Dynamic Ease and systemic sensation, keeps my support elastic. I change in response to movement.
My Gift to You: Through me you discover the path of least resistance. I providing optimal conditions to support, unifying the whole body.
Symbology
Imagine Me As: Visualize me as an organized, but irregular spider web, the score upon which the musical notes of your movement are written to create a symphony of moving bone, muscle, and organ system sounds whose tones all resonate fluidity, balance and harmony.
Sensory
In Nia: Keep your connective tissue healthy through Awareness*, X-Ray Anatomy, Three planes, Three levels, the Joy of Movement, Natural Time and the Movement forms. These techniques help you to witness the alignment of your bones and joints by sensing your muscles moving with Dynamic Ease.
Sense connective tissue guiding and directing bone and muscle pathways. Adapt your body to fit the movement while seeking the sensation of mobility, flexibility, or strength. Listen and respond to your connective tissue’s voice. It is your body’s internal web support.
(See the glossary for more information. Also, see the Nia book, The Nia Technique, for details on each technique.)
When Dancing Through Life: Seek the sensation of adaptable mobility, flexibility, and strength. Anticipate moments when more strength will be needed. Slip into the sensation of adaptable strength, moving with ease to discover hidden power. This is the path of least resistance.
Listen to the voice of your connective tissues as they direct fiber and energy flow. Move with the desire to release stress and agitation. This means that if what you do feels stressful, and your body is resisting, change how and what you do. Stay connected to the web of life and movement!
- Reference Book: The Endless Web; Fascial Anatomy and Physical Reality by RR. Louis Schultz, PhD and Rosemary Feitis
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