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the science of White Belt principle 10Embody and Share

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© 2010 Nia Technique, Inc. | NiaNow.com Principle 10 Lesson Plan | 1

The White Belt Continuing Education Course is an integral part of your Nia Livelihood Package. This course supports

you in deepening your Nia education at home, helping you physically embody the White Belt Principles in and out of

Nia class. Your Embody and Share book is chaptered by principle, with each chapter supported by these Lesson Plan

downloads you can work with at your own pace.

science - craft - Art

Exploring the Science, Craft and Art of Nia naturally reveals

the magic of nature and the human form—the patterns,

beauty and expressions of life sensed and lived in a body.

Science explores the “why” of what we do. Craft explains

the “how” of what we do. Art expresses “what” we do to

make Nia a unique expression of ourselves.

All Nia practice is supported by The Body’s Way, an applied

science of using the body in accord with its specific

structure and design. The more you understand the design

of the body, the more you can make conscious choices to

improve your overall comfort, functioning and health.

Science: Why

X-Ray Anatomy is a principle, a methodology and a tool for

helping your body maintain alignment and homeostasis.

Like everything in Nia, the science of X-Ray Anatomy

is based on The Body’s Way—specifically on the body’s

need and ability to maintain physiological balance. Your

body is always regulating its inner environment, always

seeking balance and stability amidst internal and external

fluctuations. Every bone is designed and arranged to

support free movement, allowing you to explore and adapt

to the ever-changing variables of life in a human body.

The body wants to survive—and this is what it is coded to do. My body loves serving

me, so I had better learn to serve it by paying attention to its needs.

—Debbie Rosas

To practice X-Ray Anatomy is to consciously move in

ways that help your body establish balance and alignment.

We use awareness to observe the current health of our

bones, joints, ligaments, connective tissues, muscles and

organs; gathering information through our eyes (vision)

and through sensation—the voice of the body. Once we

have a picture of what is happening beneath the skin, we

respond by making changes that create more comfort, ease

and pleasure. By looking and listening for the sensations

of health in all of our body parts—including our internal

organs—we are able to recognize balances and imbalances

inside and out.

Your amazing body has many parts specifically designed

to maintain homeostasis, including your liver, kidneys,

hypothalamus, autonomic nervous system (ANS) and

endocrine system. Like the rest of your body, these parts are

always communicating to you about their current state of

health. Your liver, for example, is designed to metabolize

toxic substances and regulate carbohydrate metabolism.

Imbalances in your liver are often sensed as fatigue,

irritability and lack of mental clarity. Kidneys are designed

to regulate salt, water and iron levels in the blood, as well

as the excretion of wastes. Kidney imbalances are often

expressed as abdominal bloating and discomfort in the

joints. Your ability to recognize signs of imbalance in any

body part, as well as signs of health, is key to developing a

communicative relationship with your body that supports it

in maintaining optimum functioning and well-being.

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Craft: How

To apply X-Ray Anatomy is to observe what is happening

beneath your skin, and then use movement to establish

ideal vertical and horizontal alignment. This may involve

either tightening or loosening certain muscles or joints,

or a combination of the both tightening and loosening.

The methods of X-Ray Anatomy integrate anatomical

knowledge with sensing, witnessing and adapting.

• Anatomical knowledge refers to your ongoing study

of the body’s form and function, including how each

part is designed to function both independently

and together. In X-Ray Anatomy, applying your

anatomical knowledge to bones, joints, muscles and

connective tissues means sensing for harmonious

vertical, horizontal and rotational tension.

•Sensing means to become aware—to notice

and tune into sensation, the voice of the body.

Specifically, it means tracking the sensations of pain

and pleasure; and recognizing pleasure as the voice

that signals, “This is a healthy choice—keep doing

what you’re doing.” If you sense any degree of pain,

stop! This is your body telling you that something

you are doing is causing an imbalance, which may

lead to poor functioning and/or damage.

• Witnessing means to consciously observe what is

happening in your body, paying attention to slight,

moderate and acute sensations of “good” and “bad.”

• Adapting means altering what you are doing

(moving either more or less; tightening or loosening)

to establish your ideal vertical and horizontal

alignment. The sensation of too tight is an indication

that your body needs to contract less in certain

area(s), so it can return to optimum vertical-

horizontal alignment. The sensation of too loose

is an indication your body needs to contract more

in some way, in order return to a stable vertical-

horizontal alignment.

Art: What

Mastering the art of X-Ray Anatomy means learning to

evaluate your posture and movement by sensing for

what is good for your body. At the heart of this practice is

awareness—your ability to notice sensation. Awareness

provides you with the information you need to cultivate

pleasure by consciously realigning your bones and joints.

”Zorro” is the tool we use to witness, to objectively gain

knowledge about a body, which helps us improve our

own alignment and the alignment of others. As teachers,

we also use specific language to help people stay

aware of their bone and joint alignment as they move.

Words and phrases that support the practice of X-Ray

Anatomy include: vertical, horizontal, rotational,

intrinsic, extrinsic, tighten, loosen, directions, stability,

dynamic, tension; over 200 bones; over 700 muscles;

200/700 movement variety; dynamic postural

alignment, and range of motion.

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Read

For this part of the lesson plan, you will read sections from

your Embody and Share book and answer questions about

what you learned.

Move

These lessons help you embody Principle 10,

X-Ray Anatomy, transmitting cognitive information

into physical sensations.

Self-Assess

These lessons gauge your growth and competency in

Principle 10, X-Ray Anatomy.

Exploring The Body’s Way

This section includes quotes and reflections to help you

explore the White Belt Principles.

Watch

For this section, log into NiaNow.com and go to the

Continuing Education section to watch the Principle 10

Teacher Training video with Debbie Rosas.

Lesson Plan Format

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X-rAy AnAtomy

Principle 10

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Read1. Read Chapter 10, X-Ray Anatomy, in your White Belt

Embody and Share book.

2. In your journal, answer the questions below.

introduction

1. Describe two ways in which consciously working

with Principle 10, X-Ray Anatomy, has changed your

body and life.

2. How has a deeper understanding of X-Ray Anatomy

enriched the health and well-being of your body

and life?

3. What is the most dramatic shift in your movement

that has taken place since consciously working with

Principle 10?

principle 10: X-ray Anatomy and your Body

•How often do you acknowledge the amazing

healing and conditioning powers X-Ray Anatomy

provides your body?

•What can you do to make X-Ray Anatomy a part of

your daily life?

•When you are not living in pleasure and comfort,

how do you recognize this disconnection and what

do you do to consciously reconnect?

•What main techniques does Nia provide to help

you stay connected to X-Ray Anatomy?

Voice of X-ray Anatomy

•Describe what this voice has inspired, motivated

and educated you to do.

•What self-healing wisdom from X-Ray Anatomy has

revealed itself to you?

science

1. Describe how and why Nia’s approach to X-Ray

Anatomy is The Body’s Way.

2. How does X-Ray Anatomy affect your nervous

system?

3. How does X-Ray Anatomy promote self-healing

in your whole body? In your mind, emotions and

spirit?

craft

1. Teach one person who is fit and one person who

is unfit how to move and rearrange their bones in

ways that create more comfort and pleasure in their

muscles, joints and connective tissues.

2. Using the triad for Principle 10, create an

affirmation that helps you notice the alignment of

your bones and joints through the sensations of

comfort, pleasure and ease. Make this self-healing

act a part of your Nia classes and lifestyle practice.

Example: Before you get out of bed in the morning, say:

“Today, I will listen to the healing voice of the body—to

the sensation of pleasure. I will consciously move my

bones and joints in ways that make every movement

a pleasurable sensation. Today, I commit to making

pleasure the environment for healing, the platform of

evolution for my body, mind, emotions and spirit.

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Art

Write your personal story about discovering and

exploring X-Ray Anatomy (3 - 5 paragraphs). Share

how you are able to increase pleasure, comfort and self-

healing in your life by consciously changing your bone

and joint alignment. We invite you to share your story

on the Nia Forum!

recall

Celebrate what you know! Use Recall to strengthen your

competency in this principle. For any questions you

cannot answer, enjoy the process of learning something

new—go onto the Nia Forum and discuss Principle 10,

X-Ray Anatomy, with your Nia community.

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embodiment

•Practice Principle 10 movement exercises 1 - 5

from your Embody and Share book.

• Journal about your experience and answer the

questions below.

how did principle 10 help you...

•Physically change the way you move?

•Mentally affect how you make movement choices?

•Emotionally connect to yourself and the world

around you?

•Spiritually increase self-love?

the nia 52 moves

•Practice each of the 52 Moves with Nia’s Learn

the Move and Move the Move DVD, focusing on

X-Ray Anatomy, name recognition and the specific

language used to model and master the moves. (See

“Art” section of this lesson plan.)

•Once you can physically respond to the name

of each move and model it with dynamic ease,

dance to the 52 Moves voice-prompted CD. Self-

assess and observe what you learned from your

practice with Learn the Move and Move the Move.

Pay attention to how easily you can respond to the

moves’ names and verbally share the language of

X-Ray Anatomy.

•Using the process of “Show” (moving without

speaking) and “Tell” (saying the name of the move

with the phrase “I sense my...”), dance to the 52

Moves Energize the Move workout DVD. Focus on

conditioning your muscles and connective tissues

by altering your bone and joint alignment, using

the Five Sensations (Flexibility, Agility, Mobility,

Strength and Stability—FAMSS) to track harmonious

alignment and dynamic function.

•To support your learning process, consciously

personally train yourself (CPT) using the catch

phrase, the language of this principle’s triad and the

language of the Five Sensations, as described in the

Nia Technique book.

create your Kata

“Kata” is a Japanese word for choreographed patterns of

movements, used in theater, tea ceremonies and martial

arts. In Nia, “kata” refers to a move or a series of moves

in a pattern, used to strengthen your skill and technique.

1. Choose any song from the NiaSounds library or

follow the suggested song list below.

2. Create your own kata, including one move from

the base, one move from the core, and one move

from the upper extremities, or follow the movement

suggestions below. (Refer to the 52 Moves list in

the Nia Technique book and to the Learn the Move

and Move the Move DVD.)

3. Listen to a variety of music and put the same Nia

moves to the sounds you hear.

For this lesson, pay close attention to the choices you

make to guide your bones and joints. Stay aware and

consciously observe the sensations of pain and pleasure,

recognizing these as the voices that guide you in

making healthy changes. Listen and respond to these

voices to find more comfort, alignment and ease.

Kata Examples

For this lesson, Debbie recommends working with the

routine Alive. As you explore this routine with Principle

10, X-Ray Anatomy, pay attention to your body’s way of

moving your bones and joints and focus on sensing for

positive tension, dynamic ease, pleasure and sustainable

comfort.

Move

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Music: Alive— Snake Root 7:59

•Lesson: Warm Up the Base of the Body using the

set choreography of this song, moving the bones

and joints to activate the body’s 13 main joints

/ Engage the Core by moving your spine and

Sounding to vibrate the bones / Web Spaces and

Creepy Crawlers to create your kata.

Music: Alive — Always Waiting 7:07

• Lesson: Get Moving the Base of the Body using the

set choreography of this song and practice stepping

to stimulate bone and muscle awareness / Engage

the Core with Shimmy to awaken to sensation in the

bones and muscles / Touching to move your bones in

space and in your body to create your kata.

Music: Alive — Moon and Sun 6:01

•Lesson: Get Moving the Base of the Body using the

set choreography of this song, moving the feet to

establish comfort in your bones and muscles from

the ground up / Engage the Core by using the eyes

to move your head / Clapping to create your kata.

Music: Alive — Deeper Into Places 6:24

•Lesson: Get Moving the Base of the Body with the

set choreography of this song, using your skeletal

structure to direct vertical, horizontal and rotational

sensations / Create Core Mobility and Stability

using Zorro and Finger Extensions (poking into

space with the bones of all ten fingers) to create

your kata.

Music: Alive — City Knows Your Name 4:58

•Lesson: Cool Down the Base of the Body using

the set choreography of this song and freedancing

your thighbones to sense Flexibility / Engage the

Core with the sensation of flexibility, by moving

your spine and the three body weights / Pumps—

squeezing, opening and closing your bones of the

fingers and hands—to create your kata.

Music: Alive — Hymn 5:26

•Lesson: Create your own FloorPlay with the Base

of the Body, consciously “placing” the front, back

and sides of bones into gravity / Engage the Core

by opening and closing the bones of the front, side

and back of your body, activating flexibility and

strength in your muscles / Add “Eyes” to effortlessly

open and close the joints from the top of the body

down to create your kata.

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Using the chart below, assess your skill in modeling the 52

Moves while focusing on Principle 10, X-Ray Anatomy. Pay

close attention to which moves help you sense power and

grace in your bones, joints, muscles and connective tissue.

Seek the sensations of mobility, stability and dynamic

ease as you play with your bones and joints, exploring

new movements and alignments to develop freedom and

fluidity throughout your whole body. Always seek the

sensations of comfort and pleasure, the voices that confirm

you are moving The Body’s Way while respecting your

body’s way.

This month, repeat two moves each day, paying close

attention to your body’s need for more vertical or

horizontal bone alignment, joint mobility, or joint stability.

When you sense effort or tension, stop! Slow down and

direct more attention to the bones of your base, core

and spine. Place your feet underneath you and step at a

speed and in a range of motion that allows your bones,

joints, and muscles the time they need to interact and

simultaneously respond. Practice each move in all three

intensity levels until you can maintain correct form and

technique in any speed or range of motion.

Self-Assess

Observe which moves ask you to slow down or reduce your range of motion to establish balance and alignment in

your bones and joints. A sense of effort or imbalance may mean:

•Your feet are not directly underneath you, causing a lack of bone and/or joint stability, sensed as either “too

tight” or “too loose”; or a “whiplash” feeling in your body.

•Your stance and/or range of motion is too broad, causing your bones and joints to become restricted. Moving

from too broad a stance or range of motion is often sensed as tension in your feet, which prevents you from

moving freely and efficiently from the ground up.

•You are holding your breath, rather than blending movement with breath. Focus on the exhale as you move, to

integrate your body with your breath. Remember: When you focus on the exhale, the inhale will naturally take

care of itself.

•You are “holding” one or more of your three body weights (pelvis, chest or head). Consciously release your

pelvis, chest and head to free your spine and circulate energy throughout your body.

•You are emotionally and energetically “flat.” Consciously shift your emotions and movement form periodically,

to bring a sense of “aliveness” and expression to each move.

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BASE

feet - 8 moves

Heel Lead

◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment

◻More joint mobility (loosening)

◻More joint stability (tightening)

Whole Foot




Ball of the Foot




Relevé




Rock Around the Clock




Squish Walk




Duck Walk




Toes In, Out and Parallel




The 52 Moves: Exploring X-Ray Anatomy As you practice the 52 Moves for this lesson plan, refer to the following downloads from NiaNow.com:

•Nia White Belt 52 Moves Movement Analysis—FAMSS

•Nia White Belt 52 Moves Anatomical Analysis—Muscle and Joints

Practice all 52 Moves, paying close attention to your bone and joint alignment. Listen for any sensation that asks you

to either tighten or loosen an area of your body to gain freedom in your movement. Continue altering the position of

your bones and joints to find harmonious vertical and horizontal alignment, which is sensed as comfort, efficiency and

dynamic ease. When you sense poor alignment coming from tightness in an area, add more joint mobility. When you

sense poor alignment coming from an area being too loose, use movement to create more joint stability. Keep “moving

the move,” tightening and loosening until you sense balanced, comfortable alignment in every bone and joint.

*To improve my alignment, dynamic ease and comfort in this move, I need...

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stances - 6 stances

Closed Stance




Open Stance




A-Stance




Riding or Sumo Stance




Bow Stance




Cat Stance




steps - 9 moves

Sink and Pivot Table Wipe




Stepping Back Onto the Ball of Your Foot




Cross Front




Cross Behind




Traveling in Directions




Lateral Traveling




Cha Cha Cha




Slow Clock




Fast Clock




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Kicks - 4 moves

Front Kick




Side Kick




Back Kick




Knee Sweep




CORE

pelvis - 2 moves

Pelvic Circles




Hip Bumps




chest - 4 moves

Chest Isolations




Shimmy




Undulations




Spinal Roll




head - 1 move

Head and Eye Movement




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UPPER EXTREMITIES

Blocks - 4 moves

Upward Block




Outward Block




Inward Block




Downward Block




punches - 4 moves

Upward Punches




Outward Punches




Across Punches




Downward Punches




elbow strikes - 3 moves

Elbow Strikes Down




Elbow Strikes Back




Elbow Strikes Out




hands - 7 moves

Touching




Fist




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Pumps




Strikes




Chop-Cut




Web Spaces




Palm Directions




fingers - 8 moves

Finger Extensions




Finger Flicks




Creepy Crawlers




Spear Fingers




Catching Flies




Claw Hand




Power Finger Crossover




Balance Finger




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Exploring The Body’s WayExplore all Nia principles with awareness. Awareness is the

body’s ability to pay attention to detail and respond without

intellectual judgment or reasoning. Physical awareness

helps you develop flexibility, agility, mobility, strength,

stability, comfort and alignment. Mental awareness helps

you craft the life you desire. Emotional awareness guides

you to internal peace. Spiritual awareness connects you to

your higher self, keeping you aligned with your purpose.

Activate Awareness

• As you receive information, consciously notice the

physical, sensory relationship between your body and

the internal experience you are having.

• Slow down, sense and observe your body’s responses.

establish Awareness

• Pay attention to what you sense in your body.

Notice if the information you are receiving

increases joy and pleasure.

• Seek sensations in your body that either clarify or

challenge what your mind believes to be true.

• Confirm what you believe to be true through

sensation. Use the triad Listen, Think, Test to validate

and embody the Nia White Belt Principles for yourself.

research triad

Listen Think

Test

listen

Proactively seek information from resources you find

motivating and inspiring.

think

Apply a Nia principle or concept to your new information.

test

Pay attention to what you sense in your body, mind,

emotions and spirit to confirm what you believe to be true.

“The triad is the form of the completion of all things.”

- Nichomachus of Gerasa (c. 100 A.D., Greek noe-Pythagorean philosopher and mathematician)

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Body

“Human movement can be viewed from a number of

different standpoints. Anatomical: describing the structure

of the body, the relationship between the various parts

and the body’s potential for movement. Mechanical:

involving the force, time and distance relationships

in movement. Incorrect alignment or disruption of

anatomical structures will clearly affect movement.”

— Marion Trew and Tony Everett,

Human Movement: an Introductory Text

Debbie says: With so many parts to focus on and sense,

it’s no wonder many people stop listening. What I find

so intelligent about the practice of X-Ray Anatomy is the

way I am able to stop listening to all the voices of the

body, and just pay attention to my bones and joints. Once

I commit to listening to my bones and joints—and to

responding to my body’s need to stop doing things

that are unhealthy and painful—it becomes rather

easy to correct my alignment. When I stop disrupting

my body’s natural ability to give me pleasure and give

it pleasure back, the beauty of moving becomes a

reflection of me loving my body.

“Forces from many other sources such as wind, water,

animate and inanimate objects all have their effect on

the way movement is carried out. It is important that the

physical laws of the external environment are understood

so that the prediction of, and compensation for, these

forces can be implemented by the controlling systems.”



Debbie says: I find it interesting to consider that the wind

might be affecting my posture. While I can easily sense

pressure from the outside causing me to move, to create

space inside, I never thought to say, “Today my body feels

compressed by the wind. My bones and joints feel less

free to move as they fight against this external force and

pressure.” Next time it’s windy, I just might go outside to

dance with the force of nature, using wind rather than a

five-pound weight as resistance to become stronger!

“When chi is blocked by problems such as poor posture,

nervous tension, or sedentary existence, illness results.

That’s why millions of Chinese greet the dawn by

performing ancient self-healing exercises designed to

direct the body’s chi, such as T’ai Chi and Chi Gong.”

— Carol Krucoff and Mitchell Krucoff M.D.,

Healing Moves

Debbie says: While I don’t wake up and do T’ai Chi or

Chi Gong, I do wake up and sense the alignment of my

bones and joints. I look for places of comfort and places of

discomfort. I use movement as medicine—as stimulation

to feel better, move better, look better and live better. I can

always count on my body to respond when I move my

bones and joints in pleasing ways, in ways that make me

feel good. It’s important to remember that poor posture

can result in illness, and it is my job to love my body and

consciously support it as much as it supports me. It’s

important to teach people how to sense good posture,

and to track and cultivate the sensation of pleasure in their

bodies, as pleasure cultivates health and well-being.

“In our view, all change is the first step in new

possibilities. This what we mean by developmental

anatomy. A bone can be remodeled throughout life as the

relative stresses on it change.”

— R. Louis Schultz, PhD and Rosemary Feitis, DO,

The Endless Web: Fascial Anatomy and Physical Reality

Debbie says: If bones can change shape, it’s up to me to

maintain the health, shape and function of my bones.

X-Ray Anatomy gives me a method for keeping my bones

and joints healthy. As I live in my body and adapt to daily

stresses, sensing becomes a way for me to acknowledge

what my bones and joints need. If I listen, my body

will last and serve me well. If I ignore even the slightest

message of discomfort, calling me to stop and alter what

I’m doing, I’m putting my body and my self at risk. This is

not what I want nor is it what the body wants. The body

wants to survive — this is what it is coded to do. It loves

serving me, so I better learn to serve it by paying attention

to its needs.

P10 Quotes and Resources

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mind

“Human movement can be viewed from a number

of different standpoints. Psychological: examining the

sensations, perceptions and motivations that stimulate

movement and the neurological and chemical/hormonal

mechanisms which control them.”



Debbie says: I often forget that “X-Raying” myself includes

looking inside to notice my thoughts. As with my physical

body, any incorrect alignment or disruption of structures

within my thoughts also affects my movement. If I

allow even slightly painful thoughts to live in my mind,

these thoughts create poor mental posturing. There is a

sensation I can track, which lets me know the structures—

the “bones and joints”—of my thoughts are in alignment.

It is a sensation that, if I listen, helps me feel better

physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

“To develop the skills of human movement analysis, it

is first important to become more self-aware and this,

combined with a knowledge of relevant research, will

lead gradually to a first-hand understanding of many

of the factors of ‘normal’ movement. This needs to be

combined with the ability to observe, in a structured and

purposeful manner, the way other people perform

everyday activities. In a professional setting, it is

possible to use the senses of hearing, sight and touch

to collect information about individuals and their

problems. The skills of interviewing, listening with

understanding, looking and seeing, palpating and

testing, all contribute towards a pool of knowledge

and modern measurement techniques that will enable

some quantifiable data to be collected.”



Debbie says: I’m struck by how much is done to observe

people and yet so little time is put into teaching people

how to look, see and observe themselves—to listen and

understand more about what they do without the aid of

someone else. How great it is to have Nia as my personal

counselor, movement physician, massage therapist,

and yes: a great dance partner and lover. Imagine what

would happen if we as a society decided to focus on

empowering people to become responsible for aligning

themselves in the world—for collecting their own

quantifiable data using the measurement techniques of

comfort and pleasure?

“Focusing on fun helps enhance compliance, but it’s also

a way to gain the most benefit from activity. To achieve

the wide array of physical, mental, and spiritual healing

that movement can provide, strive to approach this

powerful therapy with a playful mindset.”


Healing Moves

Debbie says: The sensation of pleasure isn’t always fun.

So what is “fun”? I believe fun is associated with personal

power—with the act of self-initiating anything that makes

us smile. Fun doesn’t have to be “ha-ha.” Fun can result

from acquiring the skills to feel better and move better.

For me, it’s fun to learn about myself, about the body and

about life. X-Ray Anatomy is fun because I get to play with

my bones and joints, making different shapes to feel better.

I like the challenge of observing all the many ways in

which I and my body have fun. It’s a good game to play:

“Feeling Better”!

“Excessive demand on a body part always brings out

whatever compensations or restrictions already exist

in the part. Unless there is modification of the exercise

to accommodate individual idiosyncrasies, there will

eventually be problems. In addition, challenging workouts

are generally associated with exercising past the point of

efficiency. This is where most of the mischief occurs. It

iis virtually impossible not to create chronic and/or acute

injury when repeatedly exercising in an exhausted state.”



Debbie says: To challenge oneself in ways that take care

of the body requires listening, movement variety and

sensitivity to the moment of “this is enough.” “Enough” is

a personal boundary, the point where the body is telling

us, “If I do more, ‘we’ will get hurt.” It’s “we” that we need

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to be reminded of. When I’m moving my bones and joints,

I’m moving the bones and joints of a body—my body.

When I create pleasure and comfort in my body, my body

feels the same. When I “X-Ray” my bones, sense ease in

my joints, and “Zorro” my posture, we both benefit. It’s all

about relationship—about building one that is healthy and

beneficial to me and my body. When it comes to “we,”

there is no day off or time out.

emotions

“Human movement can be viewed from a number of

different standpoints. Social: considering the meanings

given to various movements in different human settings

and the influence of social setting on the movements

produced.”



Debbie says: Like my thoughts, there is an alignment to

my emotions that makes me feel alive and good. Incorrect

alignment, or disruption of my emotional structures that

affects my movement, are often triggered by my giving

power up to some notion, to some idea that someone else

knows what’s best for me, or right for me. I sense painful

emotions when I am not being the spiritual “me,” the

one who owns all of her emotions and can stand for and

behind them. When I honor social influences and don’t

lose my own voice, I sense the “bones and joints” of my

emotions are aligned and in tact.

“It is a sad commentary of our ‘couch potato’ society that

people today must be taught how to move or be coerced

into becoming physically active. The good news is that

when people do become active, it appears to trigger a

cascade of other positive habits.”


Healing Moves

Debbie says: Helping people feel better is an honorable

job. I love the fact that I have tools to add pleasure—to

add emotional and physical comfort to people’s lives. I

take the job of teaching people to choose pleasure very

seriously. Something as simple as getting people to shift

their bones and joints can be the thing that awakens them

to the sensation of pleasure. I know that pleasure lives

within the body, in each and every person—and I know

it needs to come out. Pleasure expressed is healing to the

person, to me, and to the whole world.

“But there is one motivator that can pry even the most

confirmed ‘spud’ off the sofa. Freud called it the pleasure

principle: People do things that feel good and avoid things

that feel bad.”


Healing Moves

Debbie says: If ever there was a reason for making

everything you do pleasurable, this is it: the pleasure

principle. Simply put, “If it feels good keep doing it; and if

it hurts, stop.” It sounds easy, but without awareness, pain

may not always be a choice. Often people have nothing

to compare it to. Once given the opportunity to sense

pleasure, then yes, pain can be a choice. Pain can be

lessened and dealt with by choosing pleasure, by doing

something as simple as moving our bones and joints until

we feel better than we did before.

“Movement patterns express personality patterns as well

as vice versa. Fear manifests as a general characteristic in

all aspects of the individual’s identity—in body, emotions,

energy, mind. The true nature of fear (lack of trust) is that it

is a signal to pay attention.”



Debbie says: The fact that I can track tension in my body

and note that it is a sensation of my body in fear—that

my body is lacking trust—tells me I have to trust my body

more and my body has to trust me. I realize there are

some things I trust my body with and some things I don’t.

As I age, I notice my trust in my body decreasing, which

tells me I’d better start listening more and responding to

what my body needs. If my listening skills improve with

age, my body and I can improve with age, rather than

decline. I notice when I practice X-Ray Anatomy diligently,

I begin trusting my body more—and through sensation, I

believe my body trusts me more.

10lesson


spirit

“Human movement can be viewed from a number

of different standpoints. Environmental: considering

the influence of the environment on the way in which

movement occurs.”



Debbie says: When I’m aligned with the world around me,

when I am one with the laws of nature, I feel what I

call “Sacred Alignment.” This is when my bones and

the bones of the universe are aligned; and when I

feel my heart and the heart of my spirit beating as

one. When I lose the sense of “oneness,” I know my

bones and joints are out of alignment with the world

I live in and am supported by. When this happens, I

close my eyes and “X-Ray” the universe. I see myself

as its skeleton, recognizing my responsibility to keep

the posture of the universe upright, to keep the spirit

of the world in pleasure—through me, in sacred

harmony with all that is. As I alter my bones and joints

to sense greater pleasure, I believe the universe smiles

and says, “Thank you Debbie, for choosing comfort

and healing!”

“Since ancient times, healers have recognized the

curative power of physical activity. Yet only recently has

scientific evidence confirmed the widespread belief that

movement heals. Today, virtually every form of medicine

recognizes these basic truths: 1. Simple exercise can

have profound healing effects. 2. Specific ‘healing

moves’ can help fight illness and enhance health.

These concepts are embraced by traditional healers and

modern scientists, eastern practitioners and western

physicians, alternative and conventional medicine

advocates alike.”


Healing Moves

Debbie says: As Nia practitioners—movement medicine

physicians—we understand the power of moving to

heal. The word ‘’simple” strikes me as an important word

for us all to remember—simple ways are the best ways.

Simplicity leads to complexity. X-Ray Anatomy is a simple

concept: move your bones and joints to feel comfort.

Movement that heals always feels good to the person

doing it. Training ourselves and others to cultivate “good”

movement—to use movement as healing—is the job of

a Nia teacher. We get to listen to music; we dance to the

music to change people’s bodies and lives. It’s a great

job—moving bones and joints to better the world.

“Only about 30 percent of physicians effectively counsel

patients about regular physical activity, estimates the

Centers for Disease Control Prevention in Atlanta, which

has embarked on programs to increase that proportion

to at least 50 percent. Despite the well documented

health benefits of exercise, the surgeon general’s report

noted that ‘many (health care) providers do not believe

that physical activity is an important topic to discuss with

their patients and many lack effective counseling skills.’”


Healing Moves

Debbie says: It’s hard to believe that any healthy person

would not shout the praises of exercise as one of the

most important things we can do to prevent illness and

feel better in our bodies. While not everyone will be

motivated to start moving, I have found most people

want to feel better. Once they start feeling better,

moving becomes easier—it becomes a real possibility

for creating health and well-being. I get people to move

their bones and joints, recognizing the sensation of, “this

feels better.” From there, they become curious, which

is key to motivating people to create change. Without

personal desire or the curiosity to learn more, good ideas

can fall on deaf ears. We can wake people to moving by

connecting them to the sensation of pleasure. Pleasure

is available to every body, no matter the age or level of

health. Somewhere in every body lurks the sensation

of pleasure just waiting to be unleashed. Unleash the

sensation of pleasure, and a person is sure to come back

for more!

10lesson


“Exercise is a very natural intervention because it is

something our bodies are designed to do. The engineering

of the human body is complex, having evolved over

thousands of years in a way that would suggest the survival

advantage of a natural cycle of regular activity necessary

to gather food, provide shelter, seek safety, and socialize.

But it’s also important to recognize that our ancestors used

movement for much more than daily subsistence. Physical

activity also played a key role in the uniquely human

“wellness” profiles that includes enhanced spirituality and

joy in and from moving—in play, in prayer, in dramatic

expression, and in community ritual.”


Healing Moves

Debbie says: I often wonder if movement connects people

more deeply to the divine—to their spirit. I believe moving is

critical to maintaining a home for the spirit to excel, express

itself and flower into greatness. Moving bones and joints

can become a symphony for the spirit to dance to. When I

dance Nia, I feel the spirit of my bones and joints dancing; I

feel myself moving in play; my self and my body in prayer, in

dramatic expression, in a community ritual with all the other

bones and joints in my body—and in the world.

10lesson


resources

Foster, Mary Ann. Somatic Patterning: How to Improve

Posture and Movement and Ease Pain. Longmont, CO:

EMS, 2004. Print.

Krucoff, Carol and Mitchell M.D., Healing Moves. New

York N.Y., IThree Rivers Press, 2000. Print.

Schultz, R. Louis, and Rosemary Feitis. The Endless

Web: Fascial Anatomy and Physical Reality. Berkeley,

Calif.: North Atlantic, 1996. Print.

Trew, Marion, and Tony Everett. Human Movement:

an Introductory Text. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone,

2001. Print.

Debbie’s recommended reading list:

Calais-Germain, Blandine, and Stephen Anderson.

Anatomy of Movement. Seattle: Eastland, 1993. Print.

Hogarth, Burne. Dynamic Anatomy. New York: Watson-

Guptill Publications, 2003. Print.

Todd, Mabel E. Thinking Body. Hightstown, N.J.:

Princeton Book Company, 1991. Print.

Rolf, Ida P. Rolfing: the Integration of Human Structures.

Santa Monica, CA: Dennis-Landman, 1977. Print.

Myers, Thomas W. Anatomy Trains: Myofascial

Meridians for Manual and Movement Therapists.

Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, 2001. Print.

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