Cross-Training Body Mind Emotions Spirit | Rachael R. Resch

Stage 4:  Standing.  Monkey-like. In the practice of the Five Stages of Self-Healing, what we call standing is actually squatting.  For the first time your spine is vertical.  The soles of your feet connect your body to the Earth. Your spine lengthens up.  Your hands are free. The front body is revealed.  The chakras are […]

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Here are some benefits that the practice of Crawling brings.  (For more about the practice of Crawling, please see my post The Five Stages of Self-Healing: Crawling.) Body: Freedom of movement coupled with physical stability. Co-contraction of the rotator cuff and stabilization of the shoulder joint. Stability for spine and neck.  Activation of deep abdominals. […]

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  Stage 3:  Crawling.  Bear-like. Crawling.  Now you are on all fours.  Look out to see more of the world around you.  You can easily move in any direction.  You look out into the world and explore.  Your belly hangs.  The nails of your front paws drag on the ground.  Your toes are long and […]

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We continue our look at the benefits we can receive by practicing the Five Stages of Self-Healing.  The Five Stages of Self-Healing are the body’s natural workout because they underlie all of our everyday movements.  They condition the physical body, the nervous system and the human energy field. Here are some of the benefits that the practice […]

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Stage 2:  Creeping.  Lizard-like. You are belly to belly with the Earth.  You are moving on solid ground.   Hands feel the Earth.   Pull with hands and forearms.  One arm pulls, the the other.  Drag your pelvis.  Push with feet.  One foot pushes, then the other. With the support of the Earth, you are learning how to […]

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The practice of the Five Stages of Self-Healing brings many benefits to the human system.  The movements have a  direct relationship to our everyday activities and how the body is biologically designed to function. They organically condition muscle, bones, nervous system and brain, emotional body and energy body.  The Five Stages of Self-Healing are the body’s natural […]

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The Five Stages of Self-Healing is a Nia movement practice based on the developmental stages we went through as babies: Embryonic, Creeping, Crawling, Standing and Walking. (See my Blue Belt post, Developmental Anatomy.) By calling on The Body’s Way, The Five Stages of Self-Healing organically realign your body, helping you reclaim flexibility, agility, mobility, strength […]

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In Nia the Five Sensations help us develop the art of sensing.  Sensing how your body feels at any given moment — during a Nia class, another movement practice, or in life — is a great way to become your own best teacher.  I teach myself with my senses.  My senses tell me how to […]

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Today’s class focus was on Nia Blue Belt Principle #1, The Joy of Being in Relationship.  The practice is to cultivate relationships with the movements we are doing.  We do this by saying "Hello," either silently or out loud to each movement.  This establishes a relationship so that dialogue can happen.  Then we can notice […]

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The focus chosen for class from the basket today was diligence. A thoughtful discussion ensued.  We spoke of the sensation of a startle response; the sensation of “should” or “have to” or “need to;” the sensation of love, passion, desire; of devotion, dedication; of courage and strength; of being like a seed, willing to sprout […]

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