Posted by terrepruitt on January 20, 2017
I saw this on a chair at the community center in San Jose where I teach Nia. I thought it was cute. I figured I would post it later to Facebook and never got around to it. I saved it on my phone and whenever I saw it, it made me smile. So I thought I could post it and it would make you smile.
A random heart for a Friday Photo.
Posted in Friday Photo | Tagged: Facebook, Friday Photo, heart, joy, love, Nia, randome heart found, seeing love all around | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on November 24, 2011
Since my posting schedule is Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, I am always going to end up posting on Thanksgiving. My hubby and I don’t have kids and we are both the youngest of the children. I have always figured that I don’t get to do the Holiday dinners because I don’t have kids and I am the baby. That is fine with me. As I have shared with you before, I am not a fan of all the traditional Thanksgiving Day food. I usually just eat the turkey sans gravy, the bread, the potatoes, and the salad. If there is another vegetable I will eat that. But I don’t like the sweet potato casserole, the stuffing/dressing, the cranberries, or the gravy. So to me the meal is not one of those meals that I look forward to all year long. But I do like to give thanks. I am very blessed so I give thanks all year round, but on Thanksgiving people are more apt to accept the compliment and the gratitude.
This year there are some sad things surrounding our holidays. This is the first year we will be without the matriarch of husband’s family. This is a source of great sadness, of course. I am sure there will be many tears shed as we gather without the light that brightened every family gathering. I am sure it will be a bit surreal. Also my hubby’s best friend will be experiencing his first holiday without his mom. And another loss that I am feeling – although less drastic – one of my best friend’s is moving away. She is moving far enough away that there will be no day trip visits. This will be the first Christmas in 25 years that we will not have “Christmas with the Girls.” Yes, I know this is a post about Thanksgiving, but she will be gone right after, so I mention it. So much loss, so much sadness.
But even though moments of sorrow might have me bowing my head for tears to fall, life is still a blessing. There is so much to be thankful for. I cannot deny the blessings that I have. I can’t walk around in a constant state of gloom. I have to go on being joyful. I have to go on with the dance. As we say in Nia, Dance Through Life. Yeah, right in the middle I might stop stricken by the realization, stopped by a thought or a memory, but it’s not right to dwell on the sadness and the injustice of it all. Not only will dwelling on the negative effect me, it is an affront to all that is good.
So while this Holiday season will have a large shadow hanging about, I will shine bright enough in my thankfulness that I will not allow the darkness to prevail. Of the things I will be expressing gratitude for is the blessing of these people having been in my life. So I like thanksgiving, because it is a time to gather and give thanks. It is a time for gratitude.
I hope this finds you and yours well. I hope there are things in your life you can be thankful for. Even if this is not the time of yerr for your Thanksgiving (Canada does it in October) or if you don’t celebrate it at all, maybe you can give thanks just because your are grateful.
Posted in Misc | Tagged: blessings, cranberries, Dancing Through Life, death of a family member, dressing, gratitude, gravy, Holiday dinners, joy, joyful, Life is a Dance, Nia, stuffing, Thanksgiving, traditional Thanksgiving, turkey | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 2, 2010
A month or so ago I received a call and was told that there is a woman who is going to make a movie about making a difference in the world and that I had been picked to be a collaborator. I was intrigued. I was told it would be a two hour meeting in San Jose at which I would be told about the project and then I would have the opportunity to decide if I wanted to be involved. (This clued me into the fact that there was a price tag.)
Well, I went to this meeting. First of all, I hadn’t seen the information that might have been out there that it would be a small meeting. I also had not seen the website so I had no idea what The Difference was about. I was surprised that it was a small meeting. But for the small amount of people the energy from the women there was amazing. There were all types of different women who do different things to make a difference; there was massage therapist, psychotherapist, feng shui designers, personal assistants, energy workers, Nia teachers (ok, that was me!), etc. Jacqueline Bignell was leading the meeting and she spoke to us in a very conversational manner. She was amazing at presenting her passion. She was great at getting the group excited and yearning for more.
She is going to make a movie, a two-hour docu-drama that she believes will change the world, by providing answers to questions like the following:
–Why are you here?
–What do you think your life’s purpose is?
–What do you do in your life to be truly filled with love and joy?
Her vision is to get 6000 people to collaborate on this, answering these questions. Their ideas, opinions, stories, etc. will be filtered up to a National Group who will filter it up to the World Group and they will filter it up to the script writer. The idea is to have four main characters in the movie. But the idea of the script is not quite formed yet.
Her mission is to touch the lives of 6 Billion people. The idea is that 6000 people can touch 60,000, 60,000 can touch 600,000, 600,000 can touch 6,000,000, and so on, multiplying by 10.
It was an amazing meeting. Her idea incredible, change the world with a movie. A movie collaboration of 6000 people, never been done . . . . .all amazing stuff. And the real idea is to have the 6000 people fund the movie, or at least pay to be collaborators.
In addition to being a collaborator you receive a lot of other things for your part in funding of the movie. Some incredible things . . . .to me what I think of it as is purchasing a self-improvement package where the end result is personal growth, a 6 minute interview on an internet TV show, inclusion in The Difference Website and The Difference Network, and bragging rights that you were a collaborator on this historic project.
But one of the big “sells” is that one’s self, one’s uniqueness would touch 6 Billion people. Now that is a great “sell” and sounds so very appealing, but with the filtering process I am not sure that it is an accurate selling point. I am not confident that my uniqueness, would actually get through the filters. My story could be the one that was filtered out. In addition, I am not confident that all 6 BILLION people will be “touched”. See what I am saying?
If you desire to become a collaborator and you are able, I have no doubt that if you actually participate in all that they are offering it will be an incredible experience. I believe that the training and mentoring that they say they are going to provide would be amazing . . .but you have to commit to do it. This is about a two year commitment.
I admire her for attempting this. I believe that it is an amazing idea.
I look forward to hearing more about this. I look forward to watching the end product. I look forward to seeing the difference The Difference makes.
Posted in Just stuff | Tagged: change the world, collaborator, docu-drama, feng shui, Jacqueline Bignell, joy, love, Nia energy, Nia joy, Nia love, Nia San Jose, psychotherapist, purpose of life, San Jose Nia, self improvement, The Difference | 38 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on February 23, 2010
When we do a Nia routine we set a focus and an intent. In my classes I set a class focus and intent but participants are always welcome to set their own. To focus on whatever they need at that moment. I am not sure if I have mentioned it before on my blog, but a focus and an intent can greatly alter the Nia routine. Recently I subbed a Nia class for another Nia teacher, in a different part of San Jose. I had planned and practiced the routine I wanted to teach. I had a feeling that the teacher had taught it because it is a new routine and a lot of teachers tend to start teaching those right away. When I arrived I announced to the class that I would be teaching Sexi. A few of the women, voiced some concerns. They mentioned that their shoulders hurt. They said that it was the routine that made their shoulders hurt.
Well, there is so much to be said about that. Nia is designed specifically NOT to hurt. So it could be that their shoulders had been pushed too hard, but not by the routine. 🙂 It could be that their shoulders weren’t injured but were just sore. Sometimes soreness, because it is a form of “pain”, is perceived as pain that one needs to be concerned about because there is an injury instead of just the “pain” that comes with moving a body part that has not been moved in a long time or has been moved in a way it is not accustomed to. And that is just a FEW things that can be said. At the beginning of a class where there is other classes that follow and a group of people to be attended it is not always possible to give each individual personal attention required—as they would get from a personal training session. So what I suggested was for them to NOT move so vigorously.
Before we started, I gave them the option of changing the routine. I would have gladly done a different Nia routine in order for them to have a good time in their workout and to not be doing a routine they were tired of or a routine they felt injured them. But they said that it was ok, I could do Sexi. And I was so happy, because I knew it would be different. I advised them that even though we were going to do the same routine, we were going to use a different focus.
The original focus of Sexi is the spine. When the spine is mentioned one thing people might think of is the back. Even though this routine employs many movements to move the spine, with the focus being the spine one might be thinking “back”.
Well, I changed the focus to the front. The focus I set forth was actually the Fourth Chakra, the Heart Chakra. And I read out of the Nia Technique Book, as Debbie Rosas is always encouraging us to do. The book states that this energy center is affected most by the motions of your rib cage and chest. With that information it moved the physical focus to the front.
So we danced Sexi. We danced Sexi sexy. Oh yeah. With our focus being the heart chakra and the intention being to allow a connection with love, compassion, joy, and sorrow–we danced.
While we danced I reminded the group to be aware of their shoulders and to try NOT to move them in the way that caused the pain. Afterwards, the ones that had voiced concerns said they were glad that we did it. They were able to do the same routine, but change the focus and therefore changing the routine. I love that about Nia. Because the focus is different the same routine is different. Because I am different the routine is different. Because the moves are basically the same, but the focus is different they were able to get an entirely different workout. Just another wonderful aspect of Nia.
Posted in Nia | Tagged: dance, Dance Workout, Debbie Rosas, focus and intent, fourth chakra, heart chakra, joy, Nia, Nia class, Nia Dance, Nia routine, Nia San Jose, Nia Technique, Nia Technique Book, Nia workout, personal training, San Jose Nia, San Jose Nia class, San Jose Nia Workout, San Jose Personal training, San Jose Workout, Sexi, Sexy, workout classes | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on January 12, 2010
I went to San Carlos today to teach my first Nia class for the City of San Carlos Park and Recreation Department. I wanted to get there at least 30 minutes early. I was late, not for the class but for my getting there 30 minutes early. The man at the desk was on the phone when I arrived and there was a woman in front of me needing assistance.
He was kind enough to get off the phone since he wasn’t able to help the person. Sounded like a co-worker he said he would call back. And he asked us if we needed help. The woman that was before me asked where the Nia class was and he asked her if she was the instructor at which time I pointed to myself.
So he took us to the room, helped with the music and the people started coming in. (Thanks, Nick!)
There is always “business” to handle in a class. Either signing in, or making sure everyone is signed up, or checking passes, or something. So we handled that as people were coming in.
This class room was different as it has no mirror. I have talked to a lot of people who prefer the teacher to face away from the students as we do in Nia, but I was not certain about that without a mirror to look at my participants in. So I started off facing them. Then when we got to a point when we would be moving right and left, I turned.
January 2010
Nia is so fun and amazing because even though I could not see the people in the mirror I could sense they were there and moving as I was. When I turned around to look they were doing it just beautifully. Was every doing it exactly the same? No. Was everyone perfectly on step? No. But it is so beautiful because when I turned to make sure everyone was ok, they would smile. They would laugh. They were ok, they were doing Nia.
Most of them were new to Nia. We had a good time. When we did some moving around the room using the space people were smiling and sounding. It was good. I felt as if even though I didn’t have a mirror in which to see my own face and my own body, I was still seeing my reflection. I was seeing joy in movement. Fun in exercise. Happiness in the workout. Nia.
Will all nineteen people come back? Well, some of them will because they had registered. Will the all thirteen that came for the “Try It”? No, probably not all of them. I know for a fact that one won’t because she has signed up for school with a class on that same night and she just came to try it. And other people will not have the time, but at least we danced together. We had fun. I shared Nia with some people who didn’t know about it. I am sure that even though they might not be able to make my class, they will be at others in the future. I think that is good.
Next week I will leave San Jose a few minutes earlier and get there 30 minutes early!
Posted in Nia | Tagged: City of San Carlos, City of San Carlos Park and Recreation Department, joy, Nia, Nia class, Nia exercise, Nia fun, Nia instructor, Nia participants, Nia San Carlos, Nia San Jose, Nia students, Nia workout, Park and Rec. Department, San Carlos, San Carlos Nia, San Carlos Nia class, San Jose exercise, San Jose Nia, San Jose Nia class, San Jose Workout | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on December 19, 2009
Nia White Belt Principle #1 is The Joy of Movement. Debbie Rosas and Carlos Rosas were in the fitness industry back in the 1980’s when they felt the pull to do something different. From what I understand they didn’t know exactly what they were going to do. They just were seeing a lot of injuries in the aerobic industry and decided that working out in a way that injured one’s body was not the right way to be working out. They decided they wanted to workout in a way that allowed for honoring the body and for appreciating the body.
Debbie and Carlos did not just meet one day and decided to put a bunch of things together and “Voila! There is Nia!” . . . . it grew out of years of learning. As you look through information regarding Nia you can see some of the transformations it has gone through. Nothing big enough to make you think that it is not what it was when it start, but there are some changes. But one think that they found constant from the beginning was an incredible feeling of Joy.
They recognized that as a special element of Nia. They also recognized that as more of a sensation than a feeling. They determined that it was something that the body actually sensed when it was allowed to move as it was designed to do. Joy could be used as an energy to fuel the workout. Joy, as a body sensation can be called upon no matter what one is FEELING.
The Nia White Belt Manual explains how Joy is more of an attitude toward the body, and attitude toward life. When you sense this Universal Joy you work to stay connected to it.
In a workout or a dance you can actually choose to have Joy be your energy. Then you sense Joy as a sensation. While you are moving thoughts and feelings might come into your workout / dance, but ideally you are just noticing them but not dwelling on anyone in particular. And you are retaining the Joy.
You are encouraged to sustain the Joy and the way of moving that allows you to sense Joy. If you feel Joy slipping or that you are no longer sensing the Joy of Movement you can tweak what you are doing, the way you are doing it, to increase that sense of Joy.
During a Nia workout the teacher guides you through the moves of the routine, but it is up to you—the participant—to move in a way that brings you Joy.
If you remember anything about Nia, remember this: that the soul of Nia is the Joy of Movement. It is the physical celebration of the body.**
**Direct quote from The Nia Technique – White Belt Manual by Debbie Rosas and Carlos Rosas March 2001, V3
Posted in Nia, Nia White Belt Principles | Tagged: Carlos Rosas, celebration, dance, Debbie Rosas, element of Nia, exercise, fitness, fitness industry, joy, Joy of Movement, Nia, Nia Dance, Nia exercise, Nia White Belt, Nia White Belt Manual, Nia workout, Principle #1, sensation, sustain, tweak, Universal Joy, White Belt, workout | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on September 26, 2009
A Nia workout includes elements from three disciplines from three different arts.
From the martial arts, we use moves from T’ai chi. Actually it is not just “moves” from Tai Chi but also some of the “ideals” from Tai Chi. Nia calls Tai Chi “The Slow Dance”.* Tai Chi allows for the elements of grace, ease, precision, power, and lightness to be accessed and brought in to our dance that is our workout.
So while we do not do the sequences of postures that form a Tai Chi routine or exercise we might have some of the Tai Chi moves incorporated into a routine. And/or we might take a portion of the routine and execute it “Tai Chi like”, moving slow and graceful. Being mindful of our movements and moving from the feet with relaxed joints establishing that fluid Tai Chi like flow. We might also incorporate circular movements and shift our weight to assist in balance, all the while sensing the gentle flow of chi.
Some things we do in class to assist us in moving “Tai Chi like” is leading with our heels when we step, using our eyes to allow for our head to be included in our movement, keeping our joints open and soft, focusing on moving from our energy center, using our breath to generate power and support for movement, and moving systemically.**
Hopefully this post will serve to address some of the inquires about the aspect of Tai Chi in Nia. This will give you an idea of how Tai Chi is brought into Nia.
I love to watch the people in the parks of San Jose doing Tai Chi. I actually see them all over the Bay Area. In Nia we don’t “DO” Tai Chi, we glean from it and allow what we’ve gleaned to mix with aspects of Tae Kwon Do, Aikido, Jazz Dance, Modern Dance, Duncan Dance, Yoga, the Alexander Technique and the teachings from Feldenkrais. It is all combined to be Nia.
*Both the Nia Technique Book and The Nia Technique – White Belt Manual state this. Both books are by Debbie Rosas and Carlos Rosas.
**V3 of The Nia Technique – White Belt Manual
Posted in Movement Forms of Nia, Nia | Tagged: Aikido, Bay Area Nia, Bay Area Yoga, Carlos Rosas, Debbie Rosas, Duncan Dance, exercise classes, Feldenkrais, flow, Jazz Dance, joy, joyful, martial arts, Martial Arts Disciplines, mind, modern dance, movement, Nia, Nia classes in San Jose, Nia classes in the Bay Area, Nia San Jose, Nia White Belt, Nia workout, San Jose Dance classes, San Jose exercise, San Jose Nia, San Jose parks, San Jose workout classes, Tae kwon do, Tae kwon do San Jose, T’ai chi, T’ai chi San Jose, the Alexander Technique, The Nia Technique, White Belt, Yoga, Yoga San Jose | 12 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on May 30, 2009
In Nia (TM) our movement is for Joy. “Joy is not a technique or a choreographic method. It is an attitude toward the body and toward life. Joy is not just for when things in like are going well. It is an open accepting energy that accepts whatever comes its way.” (1) This is Universal Joy.
So we choose during our workouts to sense Joy and to seek the Joy of Movement. Throughout our routine we seek to sustain that Universal Joy. If we are able, we actually increase it. When we lose it or if we are doing a move that causes it to faulter, we tweak.
I think these can be applied to life. That is what I love about Nia. We have all these thoughts and ideas that we apply to our workouts, but they aren’t necessarily new and they can applied to life.
When you are doing something that gives you joy don’t you want to keep doing it? When you have joy don’t you want to increase it? When you start to lose it don’t you do something to tweak it and bring it back?
That is what we do throughout our work out. We are using our bodies to seek the sensation of Joy and if we find it and we can increase it, we do. If we start to lose it we can tweak it. Our workouts are about one’s own body and how it feels. So while you are following the teacher you are also paying close attention to yourself and making sure that you are sensing the Joy of Movement.
This is one of the things that makes Nia such a different workout. We are actually “sustaining, increasing, and tweaking” the entire time. Universal Joy. Allowing our bodies to move for pure pleasure. Doesn’t that sound like something you want to do?
(I have added an Evening class to my schedule. Teaching in San Jose (Willow Glen) three times a week; two AM classes and one evening class. Teaching at a member only club in Los Gatos in the evening once a week. Check out my Nia Class schedule on my site, HelpYouWell.com)
(1) From The Nia Technique – White Belt Manual March 2001, V3 page 2-4
Posted in Nia | Tagged: joy, Joy of Movement, Los Gatos Club, Los Gatos Nia, Nia, Nia Los Gatos, Nia San Jose, Nia Technique, pleasure, San Jose Nia, San Jose Workout, Universal Joy, White Belt, Willow Glen Nia, Willow Glen Workout, workout | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on April 16, 2009
All of these mugs warm my heart and make me smile.
This mug has another side, but I am only showing you one.
I love cats and dancing. Ha, what do you know dancing cats!
My dad gave me this when I moved out. Cute, huh?
Sooo pretty! You get to see both sides of this one.
Of course, she would be here!
My FAVORITEST mug!
Posted in Just stuff | Tagged: Cats, cats dancing, coffee mugs, Dancing, dancing cats, God, heart warming, husband, joy, lefty, love, Mugs, Nia, pleasure, praise | 2 Comments »
Terre Pruitt's Blog 