December 2012 Newsletter

As the year closes out I found myself returning to the blog post I wrote in January 2012 about the seeds I wanted to plant in the year ahead. I am happy to share that many of the seeds I planted sprouted including: reaching greater integrity in my Nia practice as both a teacher and student which includes both a deeper relationship with the Nia principles and mastery (a process!) of the 52 plus moves and nine movement forms, bringing the healing arts aspect of Nia to the forefront, collaboration with colleagues (most notably Liziah Woodruff for Nia-Yoga and Stretch and Fly Yoga Dance), exploring the alchemy of my voice and creating more space in my life to explore my creative side!

I am excited to announce that exploring my creative side birthed two long-awaited creations. The first, Stretch and Fly Yoga Dance, is a unique healing arts movement practice that combines the soft fluidity of dance with accessible asanas in the Viniyoga tradition.Liziah Woodruff and I have had the vision for Stretch and Fly Yoga Dance for years. Our desire is to provide you with a meditative practice to soulful music that invites your body, mind, heart and spirit to stretch, fly, unwind and relax. This co-creation and collaboration is dear to both of our hearts and we are thrilled that we will be sharing this passion and vision with you on 2nd and 4th Fridays from 6:15pm - 7:30pm at Balance Studio in Fremont!

The second creation is one that I have been nurturing for over a decade, The Embodied Tarot is truly my lovechild. I have been working with the tarot as a path for self-understanding, growth, transformation and guidance for nearly three decades. Yes, I started quite early. I was exposed to tarot in my family as a small child and received my first deck when I was ten years old. The Embodied Tarot is my creation - a unique approach to the tarot that blends counseling and embodiment practices such as movement, affirmations, meditations, guided imagery, art, writing and more. The Embodied Tarot process is a path to awakening our inherent wisdom. We already know the answers to the questions we ask and if we listen intently, we can be ease-fully guided by our thinking mind, emotions, spirit and physical sensations. I'd love to serve as your midwife to awakening!

In 2013 Everybody, Love Your Body will become the umbrella (or mothership) for all of my somatic offerings: Nia, Nia-Yoga, Nia 5 Stages, Stretch and Fly Yoga Dance and The Embodied Tarot. I hope you will explore each of these with me over the year ahead. My vision for the year is to lovingly tend to these creations (honing my craft) and offer my best self to each of you as a teacher, guide, facilitator and educator.

I'd love to hear from you what your one or more of your goals are for the year ahead.

With warmth and heartfelt wishes for a holiday season of dancing feet, love in your heart, a smile on your face, gratitude and the presence of your loved ones,
Jennifer

p.s. A huge thanks to those of you that came to dance withGretchen and I on Thanksgiving morning. With your support we raised over $400 for Noel House! See the beautiful video Gretchen put together of the class: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=hTwHAmSv6Xk

Coming Up!

- Sat Dec 8, 4pm-5:30pm Dance Space Teachers Nia Benefit Jam for Occupy Sandy, $20

- Fri Dec 14, 6:15pm-7:30pmStretch and Fly Yoga Danceat Balance Studio, $15 

- Tues Dec 25, 9:15am - 10:30am Christmas Morning Nia-Yoga at The Dance Space with Jennifer and Liziah, $13

- Fri Dec 28, 6:15pm-7:30pm Stretch and Fly Yoga Dance at Balance Studio, $15 

- Four Saturdays starting Jan 5, 2013 Manifesting a Personal Vision in 2013 with The Embodied Tarot

Class Schedule:

- Tues Nia-Yoga: 9:15am at The Dance Space

- Wed Nia: 5:30pm at Community Fitness 65th St. ($12 drop-in) 
- Thurs Nia: 9:30am at The Dance Space 

- 2nd and 4th Fridays Stretch and Fly Yoga Dance: 6:15pm at Balance Studio ($15 drop-in)
- Sun Nia: 10:30am at Balance Studio