Nia Blue Belt Principle #5 is The Power of Three. Tagline: Relationship. The Nia Blue Belt manual says, “The Power of Three is the model that we use for awareness of what we bring and what the other brings to the Relationship”. Oh yeah, totally interesting. Remember in our setting “the other” is not always another. It is not always a PERSON. It is whatever you are in relationship with. Just as with the Power of Two, there is Power in Three. The three is “self”, “relationship”, and “the other”. So this really is everyday life stuff. We all have relationships with others.
The principle — to me, in my quick review/regurgitation and in a nutshell and just scratching the surface — helps us see the self, the relationship, and the other. It explains that there are things we bring into a relationship, and there are needs that need to be met, and that there are agreements that self and other reach in order to have a relationship. Makes sense, right? As I said, everyday life stuff. We all have “stuff” we bring to a relationship and we all make agreements to be in the relationship. Most often than not there is no paper or even a discussion on the agreement, they just happen over time. You might have a friend that you call when you would like some cheering up. Your friend always is there to do that for you. You brought a need, your friend brought a “skill” there is an agreement in your relationship.
With Nia the principles most often apply to everyday and every day life, but also to a Nia Class, the Nia Practice, and to the body. So we can apply The Power of Three to a Nia Class. There is all three elements there; self, relationship, and other. There are things that self brings and things other brings and the result in a relationship. Now the interesting part is “the other”. In the case of a Nia Class “the other” could be the student or it could be the space itself (or anything . . . these are just two examples). It might be somewhat obvious that as a Nia Teacher there would be a student and a relationship between the two, and agreements made. But what about the space? I am not saying that a space is like a live creature, but we can still have a relationship. It can be “the other”.
I can be in a space for teaching Nia that is dark and damp and not very inviting. Since it is a space IT cannot change itself. That is what it brings: dark, damp, uninviting, and unchanging. I, on the other hand, can bring a better attitude about the space. I, myself, can be extra excited to be there and allow my excitement to fill the space and making it more inviting. I can bring lights and either a fan or a heater (depending upon the season/weather and reason for damp). The Power of Three is just that — POWER. With another person there can be assistance with the relationship because there can be agreements made and met on both sides, but my relationship with an “object” what I BRING to that relationship is up to me. But there is still Power. Because the three of us, me (self), how the space is used (relationship), the space (other) create the energy and the place that people will be coming into and working out in, I need to bring more to meet agreements in the “relationship”.
Think about that example. Sometimes in order bring Nia to more people Nia teachers don’t get to teach in the ideal settings so we have to bring more. While we have a choice not to teach in a space that is not great, once we decide to do it we have to “bring” more. And for me that is ok sometimes. It is ok to have to bring more when talking about a space, but sometimes it is not ok when talking about a relationship with another. But again, that is where the agreements come in. Each agrees to accept what each brings. Self, relationship, other . . . . The Power of Three; Relationship.
Please remember that this is off the top of my head. I plan on reading and studying and writing more on all the Blue Belt Principles. But can you see how there is Power Of Three? There is self, relationship and other? And that each person (or thing) brings something, then there are agreements in order to form a relationship?
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