Okay, feel free to laugh at me but this morning as I was driving into Portland and then rolling around on the floor to warm up, I was really feeling homesick for my Sunday Nia community. “Man,” I thought to myself, “I bet Laurie is teaching them ‘Passion’ right now without me while I am stuck here in Portland about to learn the Joy of Movement from Carlos. Hey wait a minute!” Yeah, that statement pretty much takes away the pity party right there doesn’t it. Still, it really is telling to me just how much each of us brings to the class and how much of my journey has been filled with this wonderful committed energy. Includeing energy that the forty plus of us created the space this morning as Carlos guided us to remove distractions through stillness.
I have to confess that I did not realize when Laurie was talking about the joy of movement, how much I was intertwining the emotion of joy instead of the sensation of joy from with in the body. This was my little ‘A-ha!’ moment if you will. Now I feel better armed to recognize when it happens and when I lose it. When I was sick two weeks ago and pulled it back to level one, I had found the joy of movement in my body more so then classes when I was well because I was forced to listen and be present in my body but it makes sense now. It really came home when he had us move with the sensation of joy and then had us invite emotion to visit our movements. The difference in the quality was amazing to sense and pretty incredible. Fun too.
Speaking of checking in with my body and energy levels, it has been interesting to assess where I am at during breaks and during lunch. First break I had been monitoring my energy levels pretty well, at least up until we had the Nia class before lunch. It was a blast but darn irresistible to throw yourself into the music and movement with abandon. I must confess to squeeing on the inside when the song ‘Kissing’ came on. Fred that one was for you! Yet we still have seven to go. Yikes. Next up is natural time and the movement forms, Music and the 8bc system. Thank you so much to Laurie for teaching us RAW. I cannot tell you how many times I have used that today!
Before lunch break ends I just want to share what was an incredible sense of community. Carlos had the class experience the joy of movement while doing a Nia move to one of the Sanjana songs (The ‘oh I’m in heaven baby, whoa whoa whoah!). As we did the move through the song with an 8 count there was a moment when the music was about to change and the entire group waited just a single count longer to hit the count on the emphasis beat all by instinct. It felt amazing.
So now I am finally home, with out losing my way this time but there is just so much information. Debbie spoke to us about natural time and the movement forms the Carlos followed up with the music and the 8bc system and we ended with the first two elements of FreeDance. Of course I had a ton of oh that is what is going on moments from shifting from one movement form to the other, to the healing forms actually restoring my energy levels when I was absolutely depleted by that point to exploring the idea of moving creatively in a freedance while listening to the music in why that maintains the focus of both without conflict. I am not sure I am making sense right now and perhaps it would be better to sleep on it and explore it more tomorrow. I do want to point out that while I always knew Laurie and Fred were amazing teachers, my respect for what they do and what they put into their practice to create a Nia class for us has gone up 1000 fold. Wow. Thank you guys. Off to get some sleep as we are scheduled to do the base, more music stuff and I believe the levels of intensity.
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