We have wellness & spiritual practices that are commonly understood as just that, a practice.

Meditation, yoga, playing music, any art form, or sports are some of the first examples to pop into my mind. What is the basic definition of practice? The Cambridge dictionary states that, practice is…

the act of doing something regularly or repeatedly to improve your skill at doing it

We find this with meditation techniques or yoga postures or learning an instrument or to paint or a new sport. We never know what we are doing with new beginnings, even though it seems we’ve been conditioned to think we should ‘be in the know.’

We return to the cushion, the mat, the musical notes, the canvas & playing field. We feel the awkwardness, the challenge of the new, but we return & each time we access a breakthrough & then experience those moments of YES! that is the Joy.

In Nia, we return to the dance/movement floor. For most of us, we experience those natural edges of learning something new. Each new endeavor may come with the experience of discomfort, maybe moments of self-doubt, finding what feels easy, what brings more challenge … but that is the point of practice. To develop new skills, techniques, cultivating success, whatever that is for each of us & stepping into a rebirth of who we are at each stage of growth.

One of the best ways to step into a Nia class, is to be open to each as new experience, be in beginners mind. When we treat each class as brand new, in this here-now moment, free of expectations, letting go of self judgement and connecting to what feels good in our body… for some, just leaning to be in the body is difficult, this too is a practice. Not of the physical, but of the mental & emotional parts of us.

And this is where the fun grows from snippets into full on smiles, from start to finish!

One of the things that students coming to class may not have in the forefront of their awareness, is that the teacher is always a beginner as well. Every new routine I learn, there’s awkwardness, there’s sometimes frustration, or self-doubt. It’s usually when I’m in a perfectionistic mind-set. And, just as there are some moves that for a while are challenging for a students body to learn, there are indeed some moves that continue to challenge me. Each of these perceived challenges are also the practice. For me. For all who continue to dance through life, mindfully.

However, my love & passion for Nia, for how Nia has grown me & continues to grow me as a person, consistent practice increases all areas of my physical health, strength, flexibility, etc, becomes my Joy & Freedom.

It is this passion & love that inspires me to share with all who feel aligned. It is those moments of being on the learning curve again & again myself, that encourage me to encourage you.

As we return to practice, as we grow & evolve who we are through whatever we practice that delivers us into our personal Joy & Freedom, we hopefully come more fully Home to ourselves.

Join #NiainTulsa at the Yoga Room and coming soon, on-line classes will be available!

InJoy your Dance through all of Life ~

Love, Lotus