The Voice of Feet

At this past Sunday mornings class I read an excerpt on the Voice of the Feet from one of my Nia teaching training modules. Written by Debbie Rosas, I love using the voices of the body as a class focus, mainly because they are like reading the poetry of the body. I am convinced that every health professional-in-training should read these voices. They provide a glimpse into the body that goes beyond physical form and function. It confirms that our bodies inform not only physical but also our emotional, mental and spiritual well-being. These voices have allowed me to have a more loving relationship with my body.

I promised my Sunday class I’d share the excerpt but instead I have decided to share the full and complete voice of the feet. 

Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/igunther/5650678877/

The Voice of Feet

by Debbie Rosas, co-creator of the Nia Technique

I am

I am the voice of your feet. I have often dreamed of us walking together. Abandon your body weight into me, and feel yourself come to the earth, into the moment. Look at me. See me, and notice how you have used me. Observe how your choices may have restricted me, causing misalignment, atrophy of muscles, arthritis, bunions, pain, or weakness. I am here to remind you I can heal. I can become powerful. I am moldable and can be restructured.

Feel me and know from deep within your heart that I am always here with and for you. I will never abandon you, even when the support I offer becomes weak, when you have failed to listen and respond to my voice. When you laugh, your joy resonates through me. Wiggle me and stretch me into the spaces of life. I ask that you respect my size, shape and form by comforting me, touching me and surrounding me in natural fiber. My soft, pliable, resilient design allows me to express myself elegantly and gracefully.

Love & Learn

Know that if you demand of me what I cannot give, I will cry out in pain and discomfort. My voice, is not intended to frighten you, but it is a gift I give to you, alerting you to the need for an adjustment in how you use me. I do not desire to stop you on your path. I want to give you freedom and power. My voice can be a reminder that there is a more graceful, elegant and efficient way of being in your body, in your world through your feet. Because I am made of flesh and bone, I require patience, time and compassion for the process of change to occur. Love me and listen to me. I will teach you about standing your ground from a place of trust and internal power. I will teach you how to extend your energy roots deep into Mother Earth to stay grounded and protected. Mother Earth and I have been together for lifetimes. We have supported people from the beginning of life and time.

Choices & Dreams

I cannot lay idle, bound and repressed in spaces that are too small for me. The world is bigger. The choices are plentiful, and I must be there for you to reach your potential and dreams. Take me on your journey and re-connect to life through me. If you listen to me, I will be there for you and I can support your every step. I am of a unique design and structure that allows you to be flexible in life, and strong and agile in the world. I can be available to you at all times if you relate to me, talk to me and listen to me. Be soft with me, and I will help you feel and connect deeply and intimately to the flesh of your body. Be soft with me, so that I too might feel the world around you. Allow me the pleasure of teaching you how to walk softly, so you may give to Mother Earth and also receive from her.

My Design

By design, I am a creative organization of 26 tiny, imperfectly shaped yet perfect set of bones. I work in harmony with your ankle, muscles and ligaments. When you are relaxed, I can help you align. As a structured unit, I understand what it means to work together. I am the one responsible for balancing all parts of your body. I physically support you in your job, when you run, pump iron, sing, create art, make love, dance, and wander through the streets of a new city. My toes, long tentacles, are meant to be free and unrestricted. They love space in which to reach out and play. They take you into the future, pointed forward to direct you into the newness where life is recreated again and again.

I am designed to open and spread, rather than to close and hold. When I am open, I ground you in the present moment. Feel me below you, connected to the earth. Plant me firmly into the earth so you feel safe to explore and be yourself. My heels remind you of the past, an integral part of who you are and from where you have come. The entire history of your life is connected and rooted through my heels. They give you support. Their horseshoe shape dances with my arches and my toes. My arches, like bridges, suspend you elegantly above the earth. They connect you to space.

The ball of me is designed to help cushion your steps. It takes the edge off and reduces pressure. Be sensitive to it. Feel its softness and allow it to guide your step as you walk backward. Remember that all parts of me are simply hands that touch the earth.

Awaken

Within me reside 7,000 nerve endings, receptors to keep you sensually connected to life. They speak to your whole body, giving you information that tells you how you to step. They remind you to slow down, to connect more, to stand tall and to rest into the moment. They keep you physically and energetically attentive and responsive to your world. If you listen to their subtle messages and respond with trust and love, together we can, when necessary, step lightly, briskly, quickly, powerfully or gently.

Awaken now to my voice, so that you may begin to live in comfort and ease. Be with me so that you may walk with your soul in peace, in light and in love.

--

Nia, as a company, does an incredible job providing teachers with continuing education materials and they do an equally fantastic job of sharing education resources for Nia students to evolve into sensation scientists. The following link invites us to take a class focused on the feet with Debbie and also includes links to articles and a student handout on the feet:

http://www.nianow.com/story/2012/05/nia-class-video-awareness-of-feet

The Elixir of Nia and Yoga

In a recent (May 2012) article in Shape magazine Nia was listed as one of the top Stress-Relieving Workouts. Nia, listed as the first of the seven mind-body stress-busting modalities, was described as: "a blend of martial arts, dance, and healing arts. Done barefoot, this workout features a flowing blend of movement that combines deep breathing exercises with moves like kicks and turns to keep your heart rate elevated, your mind relaxed, and your body moving." Right on!

Restorative Yoga was listed as the fifth stress-relieving workout. Each Tuesday morning and second Friday evening, my dear friend Liziah Woodruff and I co-teach a 75-minute Nia-Yoga class with the intent of facilitating full body health, vibrancy and relaxation. Liziah is a certified Viniyoga instructor. She describes Viniyoga as a gentle, strengthening, meditative style of yoga that is supportive and invites each individual to find their bodies way of doing a posture. It is beautifully compatible with Nia and quite similar to restorative yoga. In addition, Viniyoga focuses on connecting movement and breath, finding a rhythm that supports harmony and integration of body and mind. This is a highly adaptable form of yoga and is suitable to people of all skill levels and those who have physical limitations and injuries - just like Nia.

Our class tomorrow morning will focus on cultivating a tension-free mind and body. In the book "Health Through Yoga" author Mira Mehta says that the mind "is an instrument of knowledge, and as an instrument it processes and acts on the information it receives from the senses." I don't know about you but I spend a huge portion of my day in my mind and it can be exhausting. She goes on to say that when the senses become tired we may experience "fatigue, discomfort or worse." The author believes that yoga practice "relaxes and refreshes the senses and and helps the mind to unwind." For me, a practice as simple as returning to my breath is enough to soothe sensory overload.

Liziah and I believe that our combination of Nia and Yoga supports cultivating a tension-free body, mind, heart and spirit and reinvigorates and strengthens all of our senses. Both of us believe that movement is a powerful healing elixir for the mind, body, heart and spirit. Our class structure consists of 40 minutes of Nia practice followed by 25 minutes of Viniyoga. I get to be a student in the latter part of the class and can say that I leave each class feeling centered, relaxed, with a quiet mind and supple body and above all, reinvigorated and ready for the day ahead.

Join us any Tuesday morning from 9:15am-10:30am and/or Second Friday evening (7:30pm - 8:45pm) at The Dance Space in Greenwood. No previous yoga or Nia experience required. Wear comfortable clothes to move in, bare feet, water and a yoga mat.

Namaste.

May 2012 Newsletter

“I embrace life in its absolute fullness.” – Unknown

Happy May! This is one of my favorite months of year. I can’t actually pinpoint why, it could be because it’s my mother’s birth month, the flowers are blooming, or because the end of the academic year is fast approaching (I work at UW)! A few years ago I looked up the meaning of the month and learned that May is derived from the latin name Maia - the Greek goddess of spring. Maia was a powerful ancient great Goddess of Earth, growth, fertility and heat. Let’s hope she brings us a warmer month ahead! I love this quote I found on a website about celebrating this goddess:

“As the year begins to blossom in every way, we celebrate the beauty and generosity of Our Mother's manifested universe - the garland of flowers she has given to her children.” 

For my first classes this month I taught the routines Birth and Earthsong – my tribute to the spirit of Maia. I hope that these initial celebratory dances are indicative of a joyous month ahead where we can each dance and embrace the season and life in all its fullness.
 
And on that note (fullness), below is my full schedule for the month of May :) -
 
Belly Dance as a Celebration of Feminine Freedom...just like Nia
Nia-Belly Workshops in Fremont with Jennifer and Delilah:
Sunday, May 13, 2012 or
Sunday, May 20, 2012 (Mother’s Day gift? :))
*This is not a series. This is the same workshop offered on two different dates.
Time: 12:00pm - 4:30pm 
Where: Delilah's Belly Dance Studio, 4128 Fremont Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98103
Cost per workshop is $89 or $79 with 7-day advance registration. Pay online anytime $89
 
In this extraordinary half-day workshop you will be introduced to the rudiments of the classical art of belly dance and Nia from a perspective of their natural properties of vibration, wave patterns, energy engagement and free dance. Nia and belly dance are both a marvelous mix of intentional body movement that complement each other. Combined, they offer an experience of rejuvenation and feminine feeling of life empowerment and self-expression that fully engages all the senses, the mind, body, heart and spirit. Both are done bare foot and can be adapted for all ages, levels and abilities. Men are also welcome.
 
Nia-Belly workshop schedule
12:00 Registration; talk and pass out belly dance gear.
12:30pm – 2pm Workshop begins with the beginning rudiments of Belly Dance
2:00-2:15 Break
2:15pm – 2:45 Nia Basics
3:00-3:50 Nia Class Experience
3:50-4:30  Nia-Belly Integration and Closing Ritual
 
Equipment will be provided to use in class; weight belts, hip scarves, veils and more. Wear comfortable clothing. Layers are good because we will move in and out of movement and conversation during the 4 hours.
 
Bring a snack.
 
Second Friday Nia: 75-minute Nia-Yoga class with Jennifer Lucero-Earle and Liziah Woodruff
Friday, May 11, 2012
Time: 7:30pm – 8:45pm
Where: The Dance Space in Greenwood, 124 N 103rd Street Seattle, WA 98133
Cost: $13 drop-in or use my class card.
Bring a yoga mat.

End your workweek with this invigorating and relaxing class co-taught by me and certified yoga instructor Liziah Woodruff. This class begins with 40 minutes of Nia and ends with 30 minutes of Viniyoga: a gentle, strengthening, meditative style of yoga. It is a supportive style of yoga that invites each individual to find their bodies way of doing a posture. It focuses on connecting movement and breath, finding a rhythm that supports harmony and integration of body and mind. This is a highly adaptable form of yoga and is suitable to people of all skill levels and those who have physical limitations and injuries.
This class will leave you with a healthy body, quiet mind, open heart and vibrant spirit. The perfect way to end your workweek and welcome your weekend!
 
Spring Nia Jam 
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Time: 1:00pm – 2:30pm
Where: Om Culture in Wallingford, 2210 N Pacific St, Seattle 98103
Cost: $20 at the door
Join Puget Sound Nia teachers and students for an energizing afternoon of dance revelry at this year’s Spring Nia Jam on May 27 from 1-2:30 pm at Om Culture in Wallingford. 
This year’s Jam honors the 135th birthday of Isadora Duncan, a modern dance pioneer and Nia influence. We will embody Duncan Dance – free-spirited, honest movement. 
The venue, Om Culture, is spacious with 3,000 square feet of wood dance floor. Located near Gas Works Park in Wallingford, Om Culture offers convenient street parking and even a view of the city. Nia Seattle hosts two annual Nia Jams – in the fall and spring. They draw an enthusiastic crowd that makes for synergy and joy on the dance floor. 
If you’re interested in trying Nia, attend this event. You will have a chance to sample a variety of teachers and meet the friendly, creative and talented Nia community! All are welcome!
Questions? Contact Gretchen Musgrove.

Help us spread the word and RSVP via Facebook!

Registration is open for the second annual Nia and Belly Dance 6-day Retreat "Nia-Belly" at Kalani Oceanside Retreat Center on the Big Island in Hawaii! Feb 10 - 15, 2013
 Join me, Delilah, and Mr. Erik Brown for our second annual Nia-Belly retreat. 6 days in paradise exploring Nia, Belly Dance, dancing in nature, and other movement activities to awaken our creative spirits. This retreat was divine last year and we anticipate this year being even more so! To register: http://www.delilahs-belly-dance-retreat.com/Nia-Belly/registration2013Nia-Belly.html 

My current class schedule:
Tuesdays, 75-minute Nia and Yoga, 9:15am – 10:30am at The Dance Space in Greenwood
Wednesdays, Nia, 5:30pm – 6:30pm at Community Fitness - 65th St
Thursdays, Nia, 9:30am – 10:30am at The Dance Space in Greenwood
Second Fridays, 75-minute Nia and Yoga, 7:30pm – 8:45pm (next 5/10/2012) at The Dance Space in Greenwood
Saturdays, Nia, 1:00pm – 2:00pm at Community Fitness - Roosevelt
Sundays, Nia, 10:30am – 11:30am at Delilah's Belly Dance Studio in Fremont
 
I hope that you are doing well, that you are dancing in your fullness, enjoying the season unfold and unfurl with colorful magical surprises and that you take time to enjoy the garland of flowers Spring brings to us in such abundance in our beautiful city.

With warmth and excitement to dance with you soon,
Jennifer

White Belt Training With Jill Pagano May 10 -16 Port Townsend, WA Learn more With Randee Fox July 14 - 20 Sammamish, WA Learn more

Nia Belly at Kalani Oceanside Retreat in Hawaii Feb 10-15 2013 6 days in paradise exploring Nia, Belly Dance, dancing in nature and other movement activities to awaken our senses and creative spirits. This retreat was divine last year and we anticipate this next retreat being even more so!

Spring Nia Jam  Sun, May 27, 2012 1:00pm – 2:30pm Om Culture in Wallingford 2210 N Pacific St, Seattle, WA 98103 $20 at the door Join Puget Sound Nia teachers and students for an energizing afternoon of dance revelry at this year’s Spring Nia Jam honoring the 135th birthday of Isadora Duncan, a modern dance pioneer and Nia influence. All are welcome!