I am one of those people who makes commitments only when I feel that there is great depth to something. Time is precious and I want to choose wisely. The fitness and lifestyle practice called Nia is one of those things that spoke to me immediately.
I believe physical fitness for the typical person needs to be about health first and foremost. Being healthy, we are capable of doing many things in life that we want. Without it, the choices shift dramatically. Interestingly enough though, many people choose their fitness method by how popular it is, with the mentality of “if so-and-so is doing it, it must be good.” What people forget is that there are fitness fads. Some things have a lot of money behind them and get out to the public faster. They make wild promises that people, who want to feel good and be healthy, believe without much investigation. If these lead to health – fantastic. However more often than not, they can lead to giving up, feeling bad about oneself, or pushing one’s body through unhealthy limits and considerations. Other people go to fitness to find that ‘perfect body’ and then put it through rather uncomfortable and inconsiderate ways to make it that way. This makes me sad. I believe our body needs to be respected first and with that respect, we can find ways that feel good, right, and physically honourable.
Nia is about loving the body. It is developed through science, craft, and art. So many people find themselves smiling through parts of the class and leave feeling great or noticing that something happened that they must return to. There are so many comments I’ve received through 9+ years of teaching, that I am humbled about what the Nia practice offers people. My students notice their bodies changing, their lives feeling freer, and their spirits becoming lighter. Nia movements follow the natural design of the body and provide room for greater challenge for those wanting to increase their physical fitness.
The movement is systemic, meaning inclusive of the whole body and seeing it as a whole, as one system that is interconnected. Science is constantly discussing this ‘new’ realization of interconnectedness. This wholeness adds a deeper dimension to the experience and the results and that’s why different levels of healing naturally begin to occur.
I admit focusing on the Joy of Movement in my classes, Nia’s first principle, more than I discuss the science. Guiding my students to Joy, the rest follows and the amazing thing is, they don’t even need to know why it happens, it simply does. Bringing together the learnings from martial arts, the healing arts, and the dance arts – Nia is a practice that develops inner power, heals and is healthy for the body’s natural design, and is incredibly fun and playful. Nia classes continue to grow organically around the world and more people are experiencing and realizing its magic. I believe in Nia’s power – through movement we find health.
