Terre Pruitt's Blog

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

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Posts Tagged ‘sounding’

Feel Good Sounds

Posted by terrepruitt on April 19, 2012

In a Nia class the participants are encouraged to make sounds.  There are many reasons to make sounds while you are working out.  One, is to ensure breathing.  As you are making a sound there is air going out, and in order to repeat it, there has to be air that was inhaled.  So making sounds during an exercise class is a great way to let the teacher know there is breathing going on.  There are also specific sounds related to specific things, but we don’t always have to be so particular.  Sometimes just any sound will do.  I did a post on Sounding in July of 2009.  That is when I was brand new to Nia and new to teaching.  I was still learning to be vocal.  I had no probably being vocal as I was teaching but as a student I didn’t always participate.  So I believe I understand some of the reasons a person might not want to sound and some of those reasons are the very reasons we SHOULD be making noise.  All of these points can easily lead to additional posts, and they just might (a sounding series?), but for this post I am going to share what I found a while ago about healing sounds.

There are sounds associated with the chakras so a while back I was thinking I could bring a list of them to my Nia classes and I could use them to encourage my Nia students to sound.  But I found a different list instead.  Before I share the information with you I want you to play along with me.  Pick one sound from the six below.  Just pick one that appeals to you right now as you are reading it.  Don’t think, just pick one.

SHOO, HAA, HOO, SSS, FOO, and SHEE.

Now keep playing along with me.  Inhale and then say the sound you picked out loud on the exhale.  Now do that six times.  How do you feel?

Well, according to Sales Creators, a business problem solving company, the above sounds are healing sounds related to specific problems or issues.  As I mentioned I had wanted to find some sounds that we could make in my Nia classes that would be fun and associated with chakras.  As I was looking I discovered this information.  At the time I didn’t know it was from a company that helped with business problems, I just discovered that now as I tried to locate the source of my information.  In glancing quickly at the website, it looks pretty interesting.  They actually speak to wellness of the entire person.  What?  REALLY?  On a sales and marketing consulting company’s website?  Yes.

Anyway here is what the information said in summary.

SHOO is a sound that helps alleviate problems associated with a sense of depression.  The information states that you will feel better after having repeated it six times.  The liver and the gall bladder is positively affected by the vibration of this sound.

HAA helps alleviate anger and helps calm the heart and regulate the small intestine.

HOO is a body temperature regulating sound.  It helps one to not become too cold and balances the spleen, pancreas, and stomach.

SSS is a balance sound.  SSS helps to regain equilibrium in the nervous system and the body.  The vibration of this sound cleanses the lungs and regulates the large intestine.

FOO is another body temperature regulating sound but this one helps with a high body temperature.  So to me is sounds as if you are typically hot making this sound will help cool you down.  This sound is said to stabilize the kidneys, bladder, and adrenal glands.

SHEE helps relieve stress, tension, and anxiety.  The instructions say that if you are under stress make this sound 36 times.  It helps with regulating the blood circulatory systems and the central nervous system.

I truly believe that vibrations affect us, so to me it makes sense that certain ones would affect us in certain ways.  I was hoping that without your knowledge, without you thinking about it you would gravitate to one of the sounds that would help you.

So, did the sound you randomly picked match up to what you were feeling?  And now that you know what is associated with each sound are they a few you might want to try out?  What do you think about vibrations and healing sounds?

Posted in Helpful Hints, Misc, Sounding | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments »

Nia and Tae Kwon Do

Posted by terrepruitt on November 28, 2009

As you might now be aware Nia includes elements from three disciplines from three different arts. From the martial arts, we borrow from Tae Kwon Do. Not just “moves” from Tae Kwon Do but also some of the other elements of it. With its kicks, punches, blocks, and stances it helps allow Nia to be a great leg workout and provide a stable base for some of our other moves.  Tae Kwon Do can also contribute to one’s confidence by providing exercises that allow one to become strong and stable.  These are the things Nia gains from Tae Kwon Do.

Nia calls Tae Kwon Do the Dance of Precision.*  So when delivering a punch, block, kick, etc. with the energy of Tae Kwon Do, it is done with precision and intent.  However, Nia likes to play so at times even though we might not be executing a punch or a kick, but we might choose to energize our movement with “Tae Kwon Do” like energy, and be forceful and aggressive even adding sound to our movement.

Adding the energy of one form to the moves of another is one of the things that make Nia fun and keeps is challenging.  It takes different muscles to skip with force and authority than to skip like a child without a care in the world.  That is an example of how Nia incorporates different moves with different energies.

In Nia we don’t “DO” Tae Kwon Do, things have been gleaned from it and brought into Nia and mixed in with aspects of  Tai Chi, Aikido, Jazz Dance, Modern Dance, Duncan Dance, Yoga, the Alexander Technique and the teachings from Feldenkrais, and the combination from each form is Nia.  A lot of Nia routines include moves and concepts from each discipline, but not always.  In an effort to keep each workout fresh, fun, and joyful teachers often mix things up.

If you are near San Jose, come to one of my Nia classes.  If not, I hope that you will find a Nia class near you and give Nia try.

*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: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Nia and Yoga

Posted by terrepruitt on October 3, 2009

A Nia workout includes elements from three disciplines from three different arts.

From the healing arts, we use moves and ideals from Yoga.  As with all the movement forms incorporated into Nia, Nia does not claim to be practicing Yoga.  It is understood that years of studying and practice can be involved in the practice of Yoga, and Nia respects that, that is why I say that we “use move and ideals”.  Nia recognizes the benefits that can result from Yoga and with that does its best to utilize some of its amazing power.  Nia calls Yoga “The Conscious Dance of Alignment”.*  It helps with the proper alignment of the bones. It also assists in increasing flexibility for all fitness levels.

We use the aspects of Yoga to help find balance in the body.  In Nia we can also call upon the focus that is evident in Yoga.

The White Belt Manual 3/2001 V3 states:

Witness the value this form provides to increasing and restoring the natural flow of energy throughout the entire body.  Recognize the specific principles that help to clear and calm the mind, bring balance to the nervous system, improve breath and posturing, and strengthen specific body parts.  Acknowledge the way Yoga unifies the body, mind, spirit, and emotional being, and how the internal, core body becomes soft and supple to provide real “energy” strength from the inside out.

So we might do some exercises of twists, bends, and poses in our workout, it is to help increase strength, flexibility, alignment and our conscious connection.

The breathing in Nia reminds me more of Pilates than to Yoga.  We inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth, often times sounding.  I have not participated in a Yoga class that does chanting or is vocal so that is why I am reminded more of Pilates than Yoga.

Many of Nia’s teachers are also Yoga instructors or they attend Yoga classes.  I sometimes attend a Yoga class in San Jose.  The two forms of movement are a great compliment to each other.

***V3 of The Nia Technique – White Belt Manual by Debbie Rosas and Carlos Rosas

Posted in Movement Forms of Nia, Nia | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Sound – In Nia: Sounding

Posted by terrepruitt on July 2, 2009

So, I could just fill my blog with Nia, but I want to post other stuff too because I am interested in other workouts and exercises and I like to share other stuff.  Today is supposed to be my “fun” post or “whatever” post, not necessary related to health, wellness, or Nia.  I thought that I would find some inspiration before the day was out, but . . . nothing.

So . . . here I am, back at Nia and the wonders of it.  I left an article from Nia Education in the studio where I teach (in Willow Glen) and it is about sounding.  This evening (when does “evening” start?  Anyway . . .) when I was explaining to my class in Los Gatos that Nia uses a focus it dawned on me that I didn’t have a focus for class.  Then it came to me in a flash “Sounding”.  Nia calls it sounding, I’ve heard some classes call it vocalization.  Whatever  . . .

We had a few songs that were great for sounding and that are normally done with us making noise, but tonight I added noise (sounding) into all of the songs.

I am going to be honest, when I am TAKING a Nia class I am not a big “sounder”, I am getting better, but I don’t always do it.  So I know how intimidating it can be.  And it frustrates me (that I don’t do it) because I know—-I have FELT the benefits.  When I first started doing Nia I didn’t make any sound.  Then I was in a class and I realized that I was the only one NOT making sound so I joined in—-HOLY MOLY!  What a difference that makes.  It is amazing and I can’t really describe it.  But because I have felt the benefits, I am getting better at doing it in other’s classes, and I do it when I am leading my class.

Tonight I was so loud I couldn’t hear if others were doing it.  I had to tone it down to make sure they were doing it.  The women who showed up first, the ones I had explained it to were participating, but the others weren’t.  But that is ok, they will come around in their own time, in natural time.  After class I felt awesome.  Sounding is amazing.  It is like a release and an energizer all at once.

Have you ever been frustrated and just shouted, yelled, or screamed, you know how you feel after that?  That sense of release, that feeling of “aaaaah, now I feel better.”  Well, just think of an entire workout like that?  It is exhilarating.

A Nia Education article says, “every cell in your body is a sound resonator that responds to sounds coming from the outside and the inside of your body, and that all of the systems in your body – your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual states of consciousness – respond to sound?”**   Yeah, I knew that . . . .

If you are interested in the article, let me know.  It is very short and I can send it to you.  I have posted the tips for helping you begin sounding on my site, in case you are interested.  So, can you do it?  Are you ready to make some noise?

 

**Nia Education ©2006 Nia Technique, Inc.

Posted in Nia, Sounding | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments »