Lift Those Toes, Love Those Knees

When I started my adventure into Nia I was so excited. The excitement had my adrenaline going and I was like, I’m going to learn these routines, start pounding the pavement and spread the news about this wonderful technique known as Nia. So, I got down to it and started to learn a routine known as, “Opal,” beautiful album and fun routine.

I learned the routine rather quickly, working on it whenever my son took a nap or at night after he went to bed. About a month later, I started noticing some problems; my knees were hurting! “Oh no!” This is not good, then I started getting depressed thinking I spent all this money and now I can’t do this. Well, being the determined person that I am I thought to myself, “Hey, there is got to be a way to solve this problem.”

First, I started to look into yoga, and I found an asana that helps the knees; Uktasana, the Chair pose. One of the articles said, when you are in this pose, lift your toes. Note: It was suggested to do this against a wall. So, I did and it helped a little bit. Then I started to research the Nia site, which I should of done in the first place! I found more articles about instructors having the same problem. One instructor suggested, when ever you are in “A” Stance or “Riding” Stance or even in the “Bow” Stance she suggested to lift your toes.

Give it a try, stand in “A” Stance and keep your toes down, notice where all the weight is. Then try lifting your toes, and notice where all the weight shifts too. It shifts to the back of the leg, which takes less pressure of your knees. Brilliant!

So, three weeks later, my knees feel great! I lift my toes all the time, I lift during Nia and I lift them outside of Nia as I am doing dishes or taking a shower.

So, remember the best cure is prevention! And since, 1 out of 4 people are getting their knees operated on and regretting it. My suggestion is a simple movement change, Lift Those Toes folks, Love Those Knees!

Music in the Soul

“Music in the soul can be heard by the universe.” ~Lao Tzu

The music in the soul can be seen in my Nia practice as I flow with the music. My motions are gentle, graceful yet strong. My intentions are pure, no thought just movement. Completely surrendering to spirit who has come out to play.

This is my soul, my soul claiming flesh that can be seen by the universe. Coming alive, feeling alive, becoming bliss.

Butterfly

Once Zhuangzi dreamt he was a butterfly, a butterfly flitting and fluttering around, happy with himself and doing as he pleased. He didn't know he was Zhuangzi. Suddenly he woke up and there he was, solid and unmistakable Zhuangzi. But he didn't know if he was Zhuangzi who had dreamt he was a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming he was Zhuangzi. Between Zhuangzi and a butterfly there must be some distinction! This is called the Transformation of Things. (2, tr. Burton Watson 1968:49)

I like to look at my life as if I was a butterfly. Starting out as a caterpillar, crawling through the dirt and the muck, which truly represent the trials and tribulations of life. Entering a cocoon like state, which represents the time of reflection, the transformational period and learning to let go. Then the final stage, becoming the butterfly, finally letting go of all aspects of life. My wings floating on the wind that blows. Free.

This outlook of course can apply to all stages of life, for instance, it can represent a project at work. First, you discover your companies needs or problems, then you develop a project management team, which could be consider the cocoon like state, the transformational period and then you become the butterfly and watch your business boom.

Or perhaps you can look at it as a self-healing process; say if you are working through anger issues. The anger could be the caterpillar stage where you go through the hardships that possibly caused your anger. Then there is the cocoon stage where you reflect on what has happened to cause you such discomfort that you lash out. Then finally, there is the butterfly stage where you learn to no longer have an attachment to your anger, calm down and be free of it. There are so many possibilities as to where you can apply the butterfly stages.

I am the butterfly, in love with the world, in love with its possibilities. I am filled with hope that we are in the cocoon like state right and soon about to enter the butterfly state. In love with the world.