Terre Pruitt's Blog

In the realm of health, wellness, fitness, and the like, or whatever inspires me.

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Posts Tagged ‘Nia focus and intent’

Broken Hearts And Blood Vessels

Posted by terrepruitt on August 12, 2014

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia at the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Zumba, PiYo, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex City of San Jose, San Jose Group Ex classesOur focus in Nia this morning was laughter, happiness, joy, comfort, and support our intent was to find it (from within) and share it with those in the world that need it (or even just want it). We danced in honor of Robin Williams(/Armand Goldman*). I know clinical depression is not fixed by someone just “snapping out of it” nor is it a matter of just “being happy”. We were sending laughter, happiness, and joy out. Along with comfort and support. So even though it can’t be fixed or healed simply with those things we were dancing our support of those that suffer. And even though many of us are not clinically depressed many are saddened by Mr. Williams death. From what I am reading on the internet he touched so many people with his down to earth comedy and crazy antics. While we were dancing . . . . in my enthusiasm, I clapped so hard I broke a blood vessel in my hand. At least that is what I thought I did. In order to be sure it was nothing more serious, I did what a lot of us do . . . I posted a picture on Facebook and asked my friends.

One friend said that she does it all the time in her fingers. I have done it in my fingers at least a couple of times that I remember. So her comment made me feel a little better. But I had never done it in my hand. When it happened, I had clapped and sometimes I do clap long enough that my hands itch. So this time I just thought . . . “Hmmm . . . that is weird, I wasn’t clapping that long.” And I scratched viciously at my hand. Then I looked at it and I was surprised to see this large purple spot on it. But I kept dancing because I was teaching. So I thought I would deal with it later. Then I forgot because right after my Tuesday morning Nia class I have a gentle yoga class. I rushed off to that and completely forgot about my hand.

I forgot about it until I had to fill out a survey. The questions were answered by filling in the “bubbles” or circles on a form. We used to call them Scantrons. There were 1400 of them. My hand started to bother me then I remembered my injuring clap.

So onto Facebook, one friend — the one who said she breaks blood vessels in her fingers all the time — suggested arnica gel. I have arnica oil. I just put that on. I also have my Trauma (that you know I love) and my Zheng Gu Shui. But I am using the oil. Another friend . . . a nurse said – “Your body has already healed the blood vessel, now time will reabsorb the blood in the tissue.” Good to know. I didn’t THINK it was anything serious, but I wanted to check. 🙂

Amazing that the body can begin to heal so quickly. If only the heart healed as fast. Yesterday, August 11, 2014, marked four months that my mom has been dead and the suicide of such a beloved celebrity made it that much more sad.

Not that this site should be used to treat or diagnosis ANYTHING, but if you find yourself with a spot on your hand looking like a bruise and nothing else appears to be wrong or damaged with your hand, it could be just a broken blood vessel.  For anything serious, please seek medical help.

I will look within to find laughter, happiness, joy, comfort, and support and I will share it with those in the world who need it or want it.

*Birdcage was one of my favorite movies I ended up with by some odd thing. Someone at work was giving away movies and I grabbed the tape . . . .yes, the VHS tape, that is how long ago it was. My husband and I watched it and we loved it . . . . who wouldn’t? What a cast! Since we love it and watched it often we bought the DVD. It is one of my favorite movies to watch over and over. It is one of those ones that I will stop to watch if I see it when I am flicking channels. It will make me sad now.

Have you ever had a broken blood vessel in your hand?  On your finger?  Do you have a favorite Robin Williams movie?

 

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Nia Classes Don’t Always Have To Be About The “Happy”

Posted by terrepruitt on September 11, 2012

I might have mentioned this about Nia before, but it came up again today so I am posting about it.  If I posted about it before, I can’t find it.  Nia is unique in many ways.  One way that Nia is unique is that we don’t shy away from issues or situations.  I have been instructed in other types of trainings to “always remain positive”.  As an instructor “to leave your problems at the door”.  I’ve been told it is the instructor’s job to create a positive atmosphere.  And while, I understand that, and I believe it to a certain extent, there are times when other feelings and life situations can be acknowledged.  Today is September 11th.  It is the anniversary of a very horrific attack that has affected the entire world.  Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia at the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, NiaEveryone has their own opinions and feelings about the attack, the results, the anniversaries, and all, but for many it can be a time of sorrow.  Whether you knew someone who died in the destruction of the World Trade Center Towers or you just know that many things were taken away when those planes crashed into the towers, it is sad day to remember.  With many exercise classes it would not be in keeping with the training to bring that memory into the class.  I was teaching a new class today.  It was only my second time at this new location and with these new students.  I thought that maybe bringing something so “heavy” into the class (the second class!!) might not be the right thing to do.  But it crossed my mind that this is Nia, and in keeping with what Nia is, I could do that, because dancing and moving to issues and life events is something that we do in Nia.  We can dance our emotions, whether they are happy or sad.  We can dance our sorrow or our joy.  We can dance for people who have died or are in need of positive thoughts.  We can dance for beloved pets that are no longer here.  We can dance whatever we want.  We can dance our hearts.  We are not confined to being the “happy-up-beat-don’t-let-any-emotions-but-happy-show” type of exercise.  And my heart, my heart really, really, really, wanted to remember.  I wanted to remember all the lives that were lost in connection with the event.  I wanted to remember what we all lost on that day.  I wanted to remember what we still have.  I wanted to remember, to honor, to grieve, to rejoice, to share, to sense, to feel . . . . . I wanted to do Nia.

So I took my concerns to my class and I asked them if it was ok with them that we dance a dance of remembrance.  I explained to them how this is something unique to Nia, that we can dance anything.  I suggested a focus of remembering with an intent of doing so in our own way with our own feelings, I suggested feelings of both sorrow and joy.  Because as we all know it was tragic to have lost so many lives and so much freedom, but many did survive and many freedoms are still ours to enjoy.  The students were free to dance their own version of remembering.

As I said, this is a new class with mostly new-to-Nia students, having such a vague and “non-physical” type of focus is something I usually do with people who are not new to Nia.  I have found that many participants especially people new to Nia, appreciate having a physical or body related type of focus.  By physical or body related type of focus I mean a body part/area (“Let’s focus on our feet with the intent of sensing our whole foot.”).  But I also believe that people can do what they can do.  So if a non-physical focus and intent works for the participant then they will be able to incorporate it into their workout.  With a focus on something that affected everyone, even though it was non-physical, I sensed the participants could tap into the remembering that was significant to each as an individual.

I love that Nia allows for us to not only dance what we SENSE, but also what we feel when we feel the need to do so.  Today, I felt the need to dance what I feel.  I feel the need to honor the victims of September 11, 2001 — ALL of them, even the ones that are alive — because everyone was affected in some way and for some of us dancing is a great way to express it.  Nia classes don’t always have to be about the “happy” we can dance what we need to dance at that moment.

Posted in Nia | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Color Me A Reminder

Posted by terrepruitt on November 5, 2009

Recently I posted a bit about Focus and Intent.  One comment on that post was from someone who sets a daily intent, but hadn’t thought to carry the focus she has during her workout into her day.  She brought up that during her morning Yoga she is able to focus on her shoulders but during the day she forgets.

Well, a lot of us might do that, not remember to carry our focus and intent into the day.  There is so much going on it is easy to forget.  So there is a little helpful reminder that Nia’s co-creator does.  I heard her share it on one of the monthly teleconferences that Nia offers.  She said when she wakes up she thinks of a color.  I believe she indicated that the color presented itself or just came to her, as a thought.  If that doesn’t necessarily happen for you, pick one.   (I am amending this because the co-creator of Nia, Debbie Rosas, did say that she used a color for something, but it was not to assist her with the focus and intent.  It was for something else . . . . I don’t want to bring up what it was for because that is a subject that requires another post entirely.  I was reminded about picking a color in a Nia teleconference.)  So . .  .  Here is a little something to help you remember, when you wake up . . . . .

Pick a color.  Now what you do with that color is:  throughout the day, when you see that color think of your focus and remember your intent.

So if your focus is to remember to keep your shoulders down and in their place (this is something I struggle with, that is why I bring it up) you can be reminded of it every time you see your chosen color.  Doesn’t mean you have to stop what you are doing and examine yourself or rearrange yourself, it is just a gentle nudge. Green (for example) whispering, “shoulders”.

Or let’s say you’ve decided to drink more water.  So every time you see the color that you decided upon for the day you take a sip of water (or drink a glass—whatever you set your intention to be).

Do you get the idea?  You can set your focus and intent on whatever you would like, by having chosen a color is a tool to help remind you of your focus and intent.  Choosing a color can assist you in taking your focus and intent from your workout and/or from your exercise class into your day.

Share with me your stories.

Posted in Nia | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments »