I moved into the downtown Toronto Centre - Cabbagetown - at the end of June. I was leaving my province of birth after 58 years; I was leaving the small rural French farming area where I had spent the past thirty-five years - the place where I raised my three children on an organic farm along side vegetables, horses, cows, sheep, goats, chickens and other various animals. Being a Buddhist, I had no expectations. I was going to take the summer off after an intensive year at university to finish my degree. I was going to relax, read the pile of books accumulating, and work on my sun tanning skills. I was going to hang out with two of my children living in the area. I was looking forward to be able to celebrate their birthdays with them by cooking their favourite meal and cake, something I had not done since they left home. I was excited to be involved with and help my son and future daughter-in-law with their upcoming August wedding - meet the preacher, write a Mother of the Groom speech, have a pedicure and manicure with the female bridal party. I was also planning on spending quality time with my daughter before she left for a thirteen-month internship in Malawi in early September - shopping for supplies and clothes to bring and watch a few movies together. Then I would start on my curriculum vita and let Toronto know that I was ready for that perfect job. I wanted to be of service to others, I wanted to work for a non-profit organization, and I wanted to be able to take the public transport system to work. I would be living with my loving partner in his home that he was presently sharing with his son. His son knew I was moving in and was planning to make other living arrangements. It seemed simple enough - I could only foresee good things and happiness within and about my surroundings.
My bubble broke the first evening upon my arrival when the son refused to speak to me and acknowledge my presence. I was invisible and ignored. The tension mounted and lasted for three weeks. My back gave out from moving all the boxes out of sight to the third floor so that they would not be a constant reminder of my presence. I could hardly walk and remained mostly in bed on the third floor out of sight. I was adjusting to the melody of sirens - police cars, fire trucks and ambulances as they rushed through the vicinity. The serenading of helicopters hovering over head as they brought critically wounded to the nearby hospital now lulled me to sleep. Night also offered the usual sounds of dogs barking but the distinct noise of raccoons fighting still manages to jerk me from the deepest sleep. They also wake me when they try to jump through the screen on the roof skylight window. Raccoons cunningly manage to break through every contraption concealing kitchen compost and my mornings are spent cleaning up their mess. Black squirrels were a new animal for me and they have managed to dig up every flower I plant in the back garden. I am a peaceful person, a vegetarian, a passionate environmentalist, and guardian of all sentient beings but when these squirrels gnawed my Benjamin Fig houseplant to the ground, I was ready to kill. This was the most unfriendly environment I had ever encountered.
Weekly chiropractic adjustments and acupuncture those first few weeks helped to ease the pain in my back but I needed to do something with the stress. I came across a yoga centre, a few blocks away and I signed up for their Nia classes. I had no idea what Nia was but this was the only class being offered and I put my faith in the universe that this is what I needed. I was alone with the instructor for my first class and I was told it was a combination of dance, yoga and martial arts with individual creativity but mostly it was all about fun and feeling good. I explained how anything violent such as martial arts does not resonate with me and I was given the freedom to participate as I felt best.
So I was hooked after the first class and continue to attend twice a week. When there were any movements of punching, slicing, kicking, I surprisingly transformed into the warrior and was ready to take on the world - kicks and punches now fighting squirrels, raccoons and unfriendly children. I always leave sweaty, empowered, and smiling.
Nia always starts with a theme - a focus for the session. This focus sets the intention of the mind and body to interact with this thought. The repetitive movements allow my body to perform without my head / mind paying attention permitting my head / mind to move to a peaceful place. There is a sense of comfort and security with the same dance patterns. I am in a familiar place and my body and mind slowly relax naturally without conscious thought. Once I arrive at this place, I find myself feeling creative and adjusting my movement to the music. The movement is not directed by my mind and the thought of what should be done. The movement is now spontaneous coming from that place within my body that needs to be stretched or pulled or felt. There is no judgment in Nia only acceptance of who I arm and what I have to offer at this moment. This unconditional acceptance leads me to a place of joy - a feeling of well-being and happiness. The session ends with a quiet time doing movements on the floor, a gathering of the energy received and given to me by my own self as well as the other people present. I stand up taking this shared energy with me as I step out into the rest of my day. I smile and leave with a feeling of peace and contentment and know that all is well and I can survive in this urban jungle of raccoons, squirrels, garbage and noise. I am home.

I just wanted you to know that I really enjoy Nia classes.
I have only been doing them for about 2 months.
I had a liver transplant Sep. 18/05 and was looking for something 2 months ago that would help me slowly get back into a routine to make me strong and flexible and it is doing the trick nice and slow. Some days I am able to ajust to level two but mostly level one. I find myself looking forward to do more.
Thank you for inventing Nia...love
Lynda

(*) Message received through our Website.

Nia is where I go
To connect with my body
My spirit, my heart, my self
And with others past, present, and future
Who love to sway, to jump, to shout, to sigh,
To sing with their bodies
And to live fully in the moment.

We can all let it go, flow, grow and smile.
Picking up our shadow self and dancing with its gentle form
As we always should but often don't
Because the world with all its interruptions and demands
Splits our doing self from our being self.
Both selves fly here and there as we try to keep our lives together
And we do (keep it together) surprisingly so
In spite of our fragmented days.

But then, back to Nia
We no longer fly apart or solo.
But dance and move and smile with our best friend,
Our self.

"I haven't felt this alive in ages," is what I remember thinking after my first Nia class five years ago at a vacation retreat in the rainforest of CostaRica.
I returned home to Montreal determined to continue experiencing that delicious feeling of actually moving, and not just exercising my body. Much to my surprise, I discovered that Montreal was a Nia-free zone. In fact, there were no classes available in the entire province of Quebec. And so I waited and waited for a Nia teacher to magically appear.

In late 2003, I was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Seven months of treatment left me with debilitating joint pains and chronic insomnia. I could barely walk, sit or lie down for more than 5 minutes at a time.
I needed abody-loving, spiritually-nourishing, pleasure-driven fitness program to help me recover physically, mentally and emotionally from my illness.
I needed Nia.

A lifelong believer in taking the bull by the horns, I plunged into the Nia teacher training program despite my obvious physical limitations. Six months later when I became a Nia instructor, I felt as triumphant as anOlympic athlete standing on the podium about to receive her gold medal.

There is a song in Diva (one of the Nia routines) called "Love Can Move Mountains." I truly believe that if you love something or someone enough, then nothing is impossible. Let Nia show you the Joy of Movement and the way of love: love for yourself, for each other, for this magnificent planet that we live in and for the millions of cancer patients around the world.

In love and light,
Marilena

Nia class is really neat,
You dance around in your bare feet,
You imagine things while you move around,
And use your voice to emit flowing sounds.

The music gets you in the mood,
And the fluidity gets you in the groove,
It is better not to think too much,
Because then your arms and legs get stuck.

It makes you feel so creative and free,
Like a child of nature dancing happily,
Your problems almost melt away,
For an hour or so, on a "Nia" day.

Nia completes you and makes you feel whole,
While you strive towards your fitness goals,
With body movements that are easy and free,
You move to the beat purposefully.

Sometimes you feel a bit overexposed,
Swinging and crouching in Nia poses,
Trying to forget yourself is the key,
To enjoy a Nia class completely.

You finish the class with a sense of pride,
That you've kept up the pace and that you've survived,
Nia makes you feel so natural and alive,
And it helps to bring out your spiritual side.

I have such an amazing instructor,
The whole class really does love her,
Her movements are joyful and full of charm,
And she is very friendly, helpful, and warm.

She is also very inspiring,
We really do like and admire her,
She makes Nia look so effortless and fun,
Her talent and joy are second to none.

I am glad I discovered Nia at last,
I really enjoy each and every class,
I've never moved like this before,
It's left me hooked and yearning for more.

Nia makes me feel like I have worth,
And talent that is not yet unearthed,
It is a new way to express myself,
That is very unique and very heartfelt.

Our paths did cross on a night such as this
I had planned an encounter many times before
But had backed out in fear of an outcome unknown
Yet my curiosity was peaked, she was an exotic delight
A mystery to be found out in a gentle, patient style
I was drawn to her medley of sensation and pure grace
But felt a strange sense of madness in reaching out so like this
I was but an ugly duckling and she a grand swan
What could I offer that would pull me into her arms
Would my manhood be intact when it all came to an end?
She was beyond any vision I had dreamed of before
An orchestrated melding of both body and soul
The poise of her movement and the beauty of her flow
Made it hard to resist, no other choice could I make
I succumbed to her charms and remain hers to this day
Blossoming with her guidance and the learning of new ways
She challenges me endlessly to explore my whole being
To accept what is so and strive for what can still be
This affair with fine movement and its combinations so bold
Bring calmness to the mind and an energy to the soul
This body has come alive to so many stirring adventures
With a strength and endurance that will last but forever
This ugly duckling has grown in ways that are so vast
The swan still a mystery to unravel as we dance
May our paths continue to cross as they did on that night,
One fine autumn evening, on a night such as this.

Many things in our world conspire to separate the parts of our being that give us joy in our wholeness.
Through our genetic heredity and our life journey each of us is designed to be an integrated entity of talents, values, and experiences. However the wholeness of our individual lives is so often fractured and scattered.

Within the constraints of time, energy, and expectations (both internal and external) we scramble to connect to pieces of ourselves that have been let go "for the moment". But when we reach to hold that important piece, we can't find it because we've left it for so long! The "moment" has become hours, days, months, years. And this fracturing of the self is not just a mental, social or spiritual challenge. Our eyes, ears, arms, legs and all parts of our bodies are pulled in different directions to provide attention and service to others.

This compartmentalization is a challenge for all who live in our driven world. It becomes even more daunting when you or someone close to you experiences the impact of illness and loss. There is something about the fear, fatigue, uncertainty, and absence of control which characterize traumatic experiences that pulls even the most contained of us apart. Although glad to be surviving the trauma, the words and feelings keep welling up:

I feel lost
I don't know who I am anymore
I can't find any joy
I feel disconnected from myself and others

These thoughts and feelings are certainly not limited to those who are dealing with significant illness and loss. They are part of the pattern of most lives at some time. However, the impact on those who are diagnosed with cancer, living with some other extended physical or mental limitation or prognosis, or experiencing severe loss is particularly challenging. The illness, the limitation, the loss, and the long term reality, all conspire to pull the individual from their central moorings. And because of their experiences they are different or becoming different than they were before. So there is the additional challenge of finding/defining the new self in the new reality.

Where and how do we connect to and find the self that we know and love? How do we identify and embrace the new self we are becoming?
From my perspective as an individual living with cancer, I have involved myself in as many healing and centering activities as I can. I know intrinsically that continuing to flex and stretch the limits of my mind, heart, and body are essential. Activity at any level has a positive impact on my ability to cope with the physical, emotional and mental challenges of my situation. It also contributes to my best possible prognosis.

Familiar rituals with friends and family have been good in their own way. As have walking, yoga, meditation, and music.
However, when I am engaged with Nia, all else is surpassed.

The movements, the music, the flow of energy, the coming together of others in this shared experience, relaxes and energizes me in a way that is completely centering. I appreciate the expert, respectful way in which the instructors help me master the movements. And I observe others express genuine feelings of joy, peace, energy, and fun when each class is completed.

Is it because the design of Nia, and the focus on creating an atmosphere of comfort and challenge is unlike any other movement form? Or is it that Nia movements along with the music truly touch all parts of your being in a way that is universal, but still really "just for you"?
During a Nia class, regardless of the fatigue or concerns that I carry, I feel strong, free, at ease, and happy to just be. And those feeling flow on past the class into my life. I feel a sense of happiness and connection to myself and others that I do not get in other environments. I know that I am not alone. At the end of a recent class, a first time participant quietly breathed out the comment, "I have never smiled so much in an exercise class!"

Physical, emotional, psychological, mental…with Nia it's all good. But then there's even more…a quiet, exciting, and grounding feeling of spiritual connection to others who have moved this way and felt these feelings in other places and times...a strong, elemental sense that, as both children and adults in this world, we were meant to move and be like this…for ourselves and for each other.

The writer, who chooses to remain anonymous, lives with not one, but two types of cancer - one that may not be cured, but may give her a number of years of manageable illness through treatment and the other that has come back after five years, currently stable, but may yet return.

Wear cool, loose fitting clothing
Exercise or yoga clothing, leotard and footless tights, full skirt, shorts or anything that makes you feel comfortable and free to move.

Go barefooted
The bottoms of your feet sense the ground and send information back to your brain so your body can effectively compensate and adapt. For your safety, take off your shoes or wear soft-soled shoes, such as gymnastic shoes.

Start easy
Follow "level one" movements, or focus only on the leg motions, adding arm motions when you are ready. Build intensity gradually. Let your body slowly acclimate and adjust to Nia movement. Allow yourself the freedom to enjoy being a beginner. Nia is different; it is meant to teach you about you, physically and emotionally. Keep your interest and fascination up and your criticism and judgment down. Be gentle, be patient and allow yourself to move through levels and stay on plateaus. This is the way to master and enjoy anything!

Don't force a motion
Don't strain. Strive for a balance between control and relaxation as you listen to your body's signals. Move in a smooth, lightly relaxed way that doesn't make you breathless or fatigued. If your body does not relate well to a movement, adjust and move within your own challenge and comfort zone. This puts positive, loving information into the muscle memory.

Get in as much non-stop movement as possible
Find a rhythmic, easy pace, working slower and longer rather than faster and harder.

Make the movements an expression of you
This is your workout. Express your own unique rhythm and body language through the Nia Technique. Your emotional body will help to fine-tune your physical body, and vice versa. Be jazzy, luscious, lyrical, snappy, or sensually smooth. But most of all, passionately be yourself and have fun!

Use "belly breathing"
As your body opens, inhale. As your body closes, exhale. When you inhale, first feel your belly expand, then your ribs laterally expand, and then your chest and clavicle rise. Exhale to contract your abdominals and to round the spine. Let go freely with hearty "Hai" exhalations to tone your abdominals and protect your back during kicks and punches. Breathing is one of the most effective ways to strengthen and relax your body, mind, and spirit, so don't hold back!

Move the way you walk - by using your whole body
Lead with your heel when stepping forward or to the side, gently rolling onto the ball of your foot and then pushing off to change directions. Step back onto the ball of your foot, keeping your knees soft and your heel high as you lower your body weight to a point of comfort in the muscle and joint. Avoid stepping back with a locked and rigid leg.

Keep your spine lengthened
Stay upright, from the crown of your head, down through your spine into your tailbone. Imagine a tiny weight at the end of your tailbone and a ray of light streaming upward through the crown of your head. Always let your spine remain soft and flexible, like a willow tree. Eventually you'll learn to move from the energy centre of your body, which is two inches below your navel.

Use your arms to express your feelings, emotions, or mood
Using your arms can elevate heart rate, so be careful not to overdo it. To maintain comfort, work in a range of motion that allows you to feel balanced and in control. Generate arm movements from the core of your body and keep your joints relaxed and fluid to obtain definition. If you feel tension building in your shoulders, shake out your arms and hands to release the tension. Add your arms back into your movement when you feel ready.

Draw your knee up toward your chest before you kick out
Always kick at a level where you can lengthen your spine and maintain control, comfort, and balance. Feel for a stretch along the back of the leg and spine as you kick.

Protect your knees
On sinking motions, periodically lift your toes to keep your knees safely aligned over your feet and to keep your calves engaged. As you lower your body weight, feel your buttocks naturally move back behind you to avoid pressing your knees to the front.

Take at least four classes a week
To obtain cardiovascular benefits the American Council on Exercise recommends that you work within your recommended target heart-rate zone for at least 30 minutes, four to five times a week. If it is difficult for you to get to four classes a week on a regular basis, use the Nia companion videotape workouts at home.

Combine a good diet with internal and external exercise to balance your fitness program
With enough sleep, proper nutrition, and exercise, you will see and feel results far beyond changing the shape of your body. Reducing the amounts of salt, sugar, fats, red meats, and refined and processed foods will cleanse your body and strengthen your internal fitness. Having healthy organs and a system that functions optimally will give you more energy to do everything you want. Your skin will glow, you will sleep better, your cells will be nourished, and you will feel excited about living!