Nia - Voice of the Connective Tissue
Posted: Jul 22, 12:19 PM
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
