When it comes to physical activity, or the incorporation of movement in your day, my patients know that one of my recommendations has always been to ?find what brings joy into your day.?? For many individuals that is some form of dance, even if it just means turning on irresistible music and moving as your body wills. I am one who experiences joy through dance. My introduction to Nia was through Meighan?s classes. I find it to be an exhilarating way to exercise, that even conditions my smile muscles. I am thrilled that Meighan agreed to guest blog for me this month, so we could introduce others to this creative experience. Be well.
Joy and the Nia techinique: creating a body that dances all day
by: Meighan Esmond
I was not someone who grew up getting regular exercise. For whatever reason, I spent my first 29 years with?the idea?that there was a difference between ?real exercise? and fun, physical activity. There were activities that I engaged in on occasion, sports and dancing, and there were?activities I would make myself do for?exercise in an attempt to change the look and feel of my body. Through these years?I adopted?a ?rule? convincing myself? that anything I enjoyed could not possibly create enough aerobic activity and body conditioning to help me make the physical changes I desired. The result of this rule, was that I rarely moved at all and felt frustrated with, and self conscious about, my figure and my perceived lack of options to change it. I did not believe the things I loved to do were doing any good, but the traditional exercise regimens were so boring and painful that they never lasted. The toughest part of all were the untrue conclusions that I had come to believe about myself. I?saw myself as a?lazy person who was never going to be fit and healthy because I did not have what it took to follow through. I believed I was spoiled and lacked the character it took to be responsible about my health. I became convinced I was not a good person because I was not a physically fit person.
Then, on Christmas Eve 2004,?I took my first Nia class and everything began to change.? I always knew I loved to dance, but what stood out?so boldly for me while doing Nia?was the invitation to move my body?s way; I did not need to keep up, or?hold myself back. I could be?an individual experiencing the?power of giving myself what?my body?was telling me it?needed. I had never seen this before?within the context of an exercise setting and it profoundly altered my perception of what physical activity could be.?In every additional class I took, I found myself surrounded by people who were using their body?s awareness?of pleasure as a guide on their own?path of physical health.??I began to question all of the preconceived ideas I once whole-heartedly believed in, and what I came to?understand and experience was truly amazing.?By the end of the first class I was sweaty and smiling!
Nia, the original and most advanced form of fitness fusion, is a combination of three types of dance (modern, jazz, and Duncan), three types of?martial arts (tae kwon do, tai chi, and aikido), and three types of healing arts (Feldenkrais, yoga, and The Alexander Technique). The?point?is to?reach typical fitness goals by using these varied movement forms while sensing each move as it arises. This allows the body (not the mind)?to guide the movement: moving the body?s way.?The body receives what it needs?because?Nia trains the mind to listen to sensation and choose intensity?according to?the physical cues. The body learns the language of each movement form one physical sensation at a time in a relaxed, passionate, and?supportive environment.
I quickly discovered that the goal of every Nia class is the pure joy of movement. When aerobic activity and body conditioning are reached through joy, the process?is totally different. I was not modifying moves because I was too weak to do it the ?right? way, I was modifying because when one area of?my body needed to relax, another area was waiting in the wings to be dynamically energized. Entire muscle groups?which were underdeveloped, started to strengthen because the variety of movement, along with the instructor?s reminders to feel the move,?took me out of my usual habits and into whole-body activity. And when I did not get the choreography right away, I was encouraged by Nia?s ?when in doubt make it up? message. In other words, whatever?internal judgment I?started to experience?could be?alleviated ?by choosing?joy instead.?Through the joy of movement,?I learned how to love my body for all it can do. I was transformed into someone who LOVES to exercise! I lost weight and?gained physical strength and stamina, but the benefits have gone far beyond the physical, as does anything when it touches the?heart.
I have come to understand that?the qualities in myself that I judged harshly were keeping me from settling for?forms of exercise that just weren?t a good fit for me. I needed something creative, mind engaging, and fun, and?something inside of me simply knew I could have it all. So now, as an instructor, I still ask myself, ?Am I doing my darndest to exhaust my body during this hour?of movement so I can get it over with? Or am I setting myself up to feel so good?in my body that I can?t help but dance through the rest of my day?? Sometimes fears will resurface:? Am I doing all I can for my body? Am I getting my money?s worth? Is this even exercise??But?relief comes from?knowing what?the truth feels like?more and more?strongly every time I practice Nia. It?s the truth of the physical sensation of joy. The joy of release, of power, of exertion, of grace. A joy?that?is deeper?then anything I could have imagined I would ever get from an?exercise?class, and I can hardly wait to do it again and again.
Meighan Esmond has an AS in vocal performance from Schenectady County Community College and a BS in Liberal Arts with concentrations in music and psychology from Excelsior College. She has been working in the Capital District as a certified Nia instructor for nearly 8 years, and as a professional musician and voice instructor for over 15 years. Meighan will also be graduating from The Rhys Thomas School of Energy Medicine in May 2013 as a certified Full Spectrum Healer. She enthusiastically offers Nia instruction in the Albany area in group settings and as a personal trainer. Meighan can be reached at mesmondarts@gmail.com, or COMING IN JUNE 2013 at powerofjoynow.com. More information about The Nia Technique can be found at www.nianow.com.
Ann Carey Tobin, M.D., FAAFP, is a board certified family physician. Her integrative medicine consultation practice, Partners in Healing, is located in Delmar. She can be reached at 518.506.6303, by e-mail at atobin.pih@gmail.com or visit www.partnersinhealing.byregion.net
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