Dreamwalker and Sensation

Join me for class tonight: 5pm at NW Community Yoga (701 NW 70th St Seattle, WA 98117) in Ballard/Phinney as we play with the dreamy routine "Dreamwalker." The focus: Sensation!

Hear the music of the Dreamwalker routine.

Hidden Mysteries of Autumn

Tonight is the last night I will be teaching at the Crown Hill School. In honor of my time here, the focus of class will be gratitude with the intention to celebrate! I thank the Crown Hill School for being such a wonderful and playful space for me as I took my first steps as a Nia teacher. I guess it makes sense that I began this journey at what was once an elementary school. Next week, starting October 1st, I begin teaching on Friday evenings at Open Flight Studio in the University District. I hope my time there is fruitful and adventurous.

Please join me tonight at 6:45pm at the Crown Hill School, room 4 (9250 14th NW, Seattle, WA 98117), in the Spirit of gratitude and celebration as I close one chapter and begin another.

For your reading pleasure, I have provided an excerpt on the hidden mysteries of Autumn:

"Fall is the time of harvesting, and also the time to take stock of what you harvest. If your returns this season are not what you hoped, now is the time to reflect, find your balance and look for what within you must change to assure greater success in the coming year.

Now is a time to reflect between your past and your future. See it as standing on a threshold between what was, and what will be. Look back at all you've accomplished, and look forward at the new adventures to come. If nothing WITHIN you CHANGES, then your past will be your future.

Fall Equinox is a traditional time of gratitude and thanksgiving around the world. Join in the flow of the times and add your appreciation for all you've experienced and received this past year - and your Joyful expectations for the coming year. You are setting your own future in motion now with a potent surge of energy during the transition point."

From: Fall Equinox Hidden Mysteries

Playfulness and Fluidity

Last night, as I practiced the routine I am planning on sharing tonight, the two words that kept coming to mind were “playfulness” and “fluidity.” The routine was speaking to me. I was smiling, there was a bounce to each step I took and I felt like I could melt into each movement. Afterwards I felt flexible, relaxed and light-hearted. I had so much fun putting together the songs and moves for this routine. I hope you will join me tonight as we experience the joy of playfulness and fluidity.

This is my second to last class at the Crown Hill School. The last class will be next week, Friday September 24th. Starting on Friday, October 1st I will be teaching at Open Flight Studio in the University District. More fun news to come about my first class at Open Flight Studio…stay tuned!

I look forward to dancing with you tonight: 6:45pm at the Crown Hill School, room 4. Address: 9250 14th NW, Seattle, WA 98117.

Nia 5 Stages Teacher Training

A reminder that there is no class on Friday, September 10th or Sunday, September 12th. My next class is scheduled for Friday, September 17th at the Crown Hill School.

I am in Portland at Nia headquarters participating in the Nia 5 Stages teacher training. I learned the Nia 5 Stages practice at my white belt training. The work immediately resonated with me and I knew I wanted to delve into it both for self-growth and for teaching purposes. For the past four months I have spent 7-10 minutes each day doing this practice and after each session I experience a new sensation of healing in my body. I feel stronger, taller (that's a big one for me!), more stable, aligned, balanced, flexible, agile, mobile, graceful and more keenly aware of my body sensations. I call the 5 stages my "magic" practice and I hope to better explain the science behind it after this training.

What is the Nia 5 Stages?
The Nia 5 Stages is an integrative movement practice based on the five stages of human development: Embryonic, Creeping, Crawling, Standing, and Walking.

The object of practicing the five simple movements that comprise the Nia 5 Stages is to prepare the body to become more functional, energetic, and comfortable while moving, dancing Nia, running, doing yoga, etc. This practice allows you to sense the natural ability your body has to realign itself and self-heal through movement. Practiced with awareness, these stages have the power to facilitate optimal alignment, improved function and comfort in the body.

A Nia’s 5 Stages class guides you through these 5 movements; first in your body’s own way, then with a particular focus (e.g., shoulder blades, spine, hips, etc.). Let me know if you are interested in experiencing the 5 Stages. I am happy to facilitate a group or private session and will hold a class series within the next couple of months.

Until next week...

Movement and Healing

The focus of tonight’s class is healing. Each of us has an area of our bodies and/or lives that can use healing. Movement can be powerful medicine for the body, mind, heart and soul. Nia is the physical, spiritual and philosophical practice I turn to when I need healing. I invite you to join me tonight in focusing our Nia practice on something in our lives or even in our world that could use collective healing energy.

A reminder that there is no class on Sunday, September 5th or next week Friday, September 10th and Sunday, September 12th. Next weekend I will be at Nia headquarters in Portland, OR doing the Nia 5 Stages training. I will write more about that later this week. I will also share more about the upcoming changes to my teaching schedule that will take effect October 1, 2010.

In the meantime, I leave you with a poem I found earlier today:

We dance in kindness.
We dance and live to revive the wilderness
around us and within us.
We dance to wake.
We dance to remember.
We dance to find that one solid truth within
that we can stand behind
as we make our love offerings
to this glorious and raging world.
We are made for these times.
Let us help each other in staying well,
wildly sane and outrageously creative.

Poem by - Rebecca Strong, M.A., C.H.T.

I look forward to dancing with you tonight: 6:45pm at the Crown Hill School, room 4. Address: 9250 14th NW, Seattle, WA 98117.