At 8am Sat we’re playing with the classic Nia routine Mantra, one of the first routines I ever learned, designed by Carlos Aya Rosas.
Focus: movement as mantra and a metaphor for self, community, life.
Beginning with sensing the belly (our core) notice how this “moma cell” can contract/extend, bend/lean, figure 8. The Belly is a substance with strength (resilience), elasticity (the ability to bounce back), and fluidity (go with the flow). After embodying the focus in the Belly we expand awareness to the belly of the 700 muscles in our body, then to each piece of connective tissue, the 7000+ cells. All the same mantra of movement.
We sense inward (Body, Belly, Muscles, Connective Tissue, Cell)
We can also sense outwards (Body, Self, Others, Class, Community, Global)
and realize it (and we) are one.
The Mantra, our lives, the community continues. We are strong, we bounce back, we go with the flow, we celebrate, there is much love.
I’m inspired by the words of David Foster Wallace, This Is Water
There are these two young fish swimming along and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says, “Morning, boys. How’s the water?”
And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes, “What the hell is water?”….
….the immediate point of the fish story is merely that the most obvious, ubiquitous, important realities are often the ones that are hardest to see and talk about.
this first track is super for before and after class…
Glass Mantra 21:24 Silvia Nakkach Ah The Healing Voice
here’s the playlist for Nia Routine Mantra ~ it’s a classic :-)
Mantra (Organics) 4:43 Michael StearnsPower of Love 5:42 Celine Dion Father Figure 5:37 George Michael Turn The Page 6:07 Terrence Trent D’Arby SkinThieves 6:08 Moodswings Conga Te 3:35 CoublePlusGood Tied Up 6:11 Yello Fractal Zoom 6:24 Brian Eno When I Fall in love 4:20 Nat King Cole With This Love 3:39 Peter GabrialWith this Love - Choir 3:18 ChoirWall of Breath 2:29 Peter Gabriel