A student came back to my class today. She had taken one class with me about two or more months ago. She wasn't able to continue because of her schedule. Well, now her schedule has changed, so she can resume. She told me of something I had said during that one class that stayed with her and affected her life! I had suggested the principle of Dancing Through Life by infusing our ordinary movements with consciousness and grace. Wow. Today was about the heart chakra and my heart is filled with joy and gratitude that I am able to bring something like this to humanity.
So maybe I'm not always keeping the rhythm or phrasing exactly perfect. So maybe I can't do a split or a back bend anymore. So maybe I don't look like a fashion model or movie star any more. Big DEAL! I can still say and do things that help people raise their consciousness, awareness and joy level YAY!!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Monday, March 8, 2010
Is Anybody Reading This?
I won't go the Facebook Route. It's just TOO time consuming. Anyhow, this blog is read by me, and maybe that's enough. I've filled books and books of journals with my musings, and I don't share them with anyone. So maybe this is the same and I'm saving paper.
Had another vivid dream. In that one I was lost in a city that had HUGE building structuring going on - almost otherworldly. Even though I had foolishly not taken the phone number and/or address of the place I had departed from, I wasn't all that panic stricken. Somehow I knew I was dreaming.
Busy Busy Busy. We're starting a qigong/tai chi practice with some other people. I arranged a space. Steve is feeling a wee bit better. This should be really good for him to do. Me too.
Learned a new Nia routine with a group. I haven't learned it well enough to teach, but it's a start and it was good to be with the group; a gift. I was surprised that my body was able to spend all those hours without falling apart.
The caterpillar can still transform into a butterfly - perhaps not as big and bright as some others, but still a butterfly who flies.
Had another vivid dream. In that one I was lost in a city that had HUGE building structuring going on - almost otherworldly. Even though I had foolishly not taken the phone number and/or address of the place I had departed from, I wasn't all that panic stricken. Somehow I knew I was dreaming.
Busy Busy Busy. We're starting a qigong/tai chi practice with some other people. I arranged a space. Steve is feeling a wee bit better. This should be really good for him to do. Me too.
Learned a new Nia routine with a group. I haven't learned it well enough to teach, but it's a start and it was good to be with the group; a gift. I was surprised that my body was able to spend all those hours without falling apart.
The caterpillar can still transform into a butterfly - perhaps not as big and bright as some others, but still a butterfly who flies.
Friday, March 5, 2010
More dreaming
So here's a bit from another dream. I was introduced to someone who could tell you about yourself by the foods you liked and chose to eat. He looked at what I'd put on my plate from a buffet and told me I was someone who loved adventure, loved to try new things.
When I woke up I wondered about that, i.e. what can you tell about someone's choice of food? I know I like to see what others are buying when I stand in line at a supermarket. Who's a parent, who's giving a party, who's on a diet, who's a gourmet and who's a gourmond.
Busy busy busy these days. Life.
When I woke up I wondered about that, i.e. what can you tell about someone's choice of food? I know I like to see what others are buying when I stand in line at a supermarket. Who's a parent, who's giving a party, who's on a diet, who's a gourmet and who's a gourmond.
Busy busy busy these days. Life.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Taking Care of MySelf
It's been challenging. My husband has lots of things going on with his body, and I am basically his only caretaker - driving him to the emergency room, picking up medication, doing my best to ease his pain. I don't want to go into any more detail.
What I am learning here is that I am in the mindset of my generation of women, i.e. it's our "job" to take care of husband, children, the whole darn world. That's me, super mom. And we're supposed to do it all cheerfully, lovingly and with compassion while putting ourselves second - or even fourth. If we have murderous thoughts, we are supposed to feel guilty.
I'm learning that thoughts of, "I want OUT." are natural, that I won't act on them, but feeling guilty about those thoughts only drains the energy more, and the resentment pops out at inappropriate and destructive times.
I was advised to come clean with my husband, whom I love DEARLY. He totally understood, which is one of the reasons I love him DEARLY. He encouraged me to take care of nurturing myself; promised that if I did, he would survive.
My dear friend and teacher, Debbie, asked me, "What do you love to do just for yourself?"
Well, today I asked myself that question and this is what I did.
I got in the car and drove aimlessly, knowing the gps would get me home when it was time. That simple activity with no purpose, no concrete result, was amazing. I so enjoyed seeing the beautiful hills, sheep, trees, homes I found myself driving through! I so enjoyed being alone. I remembered the times when I did that - just wandered, explored. I listened to the radio as I was driving - Prairie Home Companion, one of my favorite programs; then a program about polar bears. I stopped to use a restroom. When I came home, Steve was asleep. I did some work.
Maybe he'll get well. Maybe he won't. Maybe I'll learn to be less "attached" to his process. In the meantime, I can take an hour here or there to be selfish, to do something just for me and no one else. What a concept.
What I am learning here is that I am in the mindset of my generation of women, i.e. it's our "job" to take care of husband, children, the whole darn world. That's me, super mom. And we're supposed to do it all cheerfully, lovingly and with compassion while putting ourselves second - or even fourth. If we have murderous thoughts, we are supposed to feel guilty.
I'm learning that thoughts of, "I want OUT." are natural, that I won't act on them, but feeling guilty about those thoughts only drains the energy more, and the resentment pops out at inappropriate and destructive times.
I was advised to come clean with my husband, whom I love DEARLY. He totally understood, which is one of the reasons I love him DEARLY. He encouraged me to take care of nurturing myself; promised that if I did, he would survive.
My dear friend and teacher, Debbie, asked me, "What do you love to do just for yourself?"
Well, today I asked myself that question and this is what I did.
I got in the car and drove aimlessly, knowing the gps would get me home when it was time. That simple activity with no purpose, no concrete result, was amazing. I so enjoyed seeing the beautiful hills, sheep, trees, homes I found myself driving through! I so enjoyed being alone. I remembered the times when I did that - just wandered, explored. I listened to the radio as I was driving - Prairie Home Companion, one of my favorite programs; then a program about polar bears. I stopped to use a restroom. When I came home, Steve was asleep. I did some work.
Maybe he'll get well. Maybe he won't. Maybe I'll learn to be less "attached" to his process. In the meantime, I can take an hour here or there to be selfish, to do something just for me and no one else. What a concept.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Dream about Carlos ( co-founder and teacher of Nia)
Dream – 2-19-2010
We were in a studio – quite plain – light and clean – no mirrors.
There were several students there – me and about 12 others. They were young men and women, maybe in their 20’s. I was as I am now. We were dressed in soft, light moss-green pants and tops.
Carlos was our teacher. He was wearing simple pants and top – soft, light tan. He stood in front of us. No music. No explanation. No ego-personality. He led us in qigong type movements, repeating the same sequence of movements several times in silence. I was standing in front of the other students. We were all facing Carlos. I followed Carlos closely, aware of detail of form. He didn’t do everything exactly the same each time. At one point, two or three students were whispering and giggling. Carlos continued the movements. He went and stood in front of them. They quieted.
The session ended when one of the students walked over to the wall, faced it and went into the yoga pose of the child. We followed one by one until we were all lined up that way.
We were in a studio – quite plain – light and clean – no mirrors.
There were several students there – me and about 12 others. They were young men and women, maybe in their 20’s. I was as I am now. We were dressed in soft, light moss-green pants and tops.
Carlos was our teacher. He was wearing simple pants and top – soft, light tan. He stood in front of us. No music. No explanation. No ego-personality. He led us in qigong type movements, repeating the same sequence of movements several times in silence. I was standing in front of the other students. We were all facing Carlos. I followed Carlos closely, aware of detail of form. He didn’t do everything exactly the same each time. At one point, two or three students were whispering and giggling. Carlos continued the movements. He went and stood in front of them. They quieted.
The session ended when one of the students walked over to the wall, faced it and went into the yoga pose of the child. We followed one by one until we were all lined up that way.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Teaching Nia and the Chakras
I'm going through the Chakras in my Nia class. Today was Second Chakra (Sacral). Last week I invited them to look up info on the chakra. Today we went around the circle (12 counting me), said our names, gave one piece of info if we wanted to and told of ONE creative thing we did this morning. My creative input was how I put on make-up. When I do, I use my face as a palette and play with lots of different eyeshadow colors etc. Others spoke of what they had differently for breakfast, things they did in their gardens, how she helped a friend decorate her room and so on. Point is that daily life is just as creative as writing a masterpiece novel or painting a magnificent oil. Using the music from TransVision, we did a bit of the routine as is, and did a lot of our own thing. I have a way of having people move and stop and notice the picture they have created when they stop. At the end of each class, we go around and do "Body Gratitude" saying, "Thank you Body I feel...." I find doing this on a regular basis is excellent for awareness and for recognizing that Nia is something they want to continue having in their lives! I LOVE being a Nia Teacher!!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Back from India
...trying to remember how to get the message that I'm out of town off my emails!
Everyone is asking me to tell them all about India.
For me, it was an experience of extremes. Extremely hot and buggy bitey. Extremely magnificent in so many ways. Time was totally altered. I met the most wonderful people in the world. The Nia was all I could have hoped for and then some. Unbelievable celebration of my birthday. The love and generosity showered upon me brings tears.
Since I'm back:
Arrived at 11:00 PM Monday night. My honey was there to meet me. We stood in an embrace for several minutes. My little apartment looks so HUGE. Everything is relevant.
I have some pictures and videos I took with my little camera. I'll have to find out how to download them onto this blog and/or Facebook.
All I will say at this time is that the journey was transformative in several ways. We were staying at the Auroville community which has its own basic concepts. Other parts of India were more what one might expect from that area of the world. I may write more later.
Tuesday, I did an emergency run in the morning (we work for a company called STOPS - picking people up, taking them to the doctors or therapists). In the afternoon I taught my class. It was the first in a series at the Elsie Stuhr Senior Center. I was amazed how beautifully it went. Somehow I've embodied some of the teaching vibes I experienced from the three masters - Danielle, Sabine and Phillipe.
Namaste,
Shalom,
In Lakesh,
Kaycheri
Everyone is asking me to tell them all about India.
For me, it was an experience of extremes. Extremely hot and buggy bitey. Extremely magnificent in so many ways. Time was totally altered. I met the most wonderful people in the world. The Nia was all I could have hoped for and then some. Unbelievable celebration of my birthday. The love and generosity showered upon me brings tears.
Since I'm back:
Arrived at 11:00 PM Monday night. My honey was there to meet me. We stood in an embrace for several minutes. My little apartment looks so HUGE. Everything is relevant.
I have some pictures and videos I took with my little camera. I'll have to find out how to download them onto this blog and/or Facebook.
All I will say at this time is that the journey was transformative in several ways. We were staying at the Auroville community which has its own basic concepts. Other parts of India were more what one might expect from that area of the world. I may write more later.
Tuesday, I did an emergency run in the morning (we work for a company called STOPS - picking people up, taking them to the doctors or therapists). In the afternoon I taught my class. It was the first in a series at the Elsie Stuhr Senior Center. I was amazed how beautifully it went. Somehow I've embodied some of the teaching vibes I experienced from the three masters - Danielle, Sabine and Phillipe.
Namaste,
Shalom,
In Lakesh,
Kaycheri
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