Through Movement We Find Health

Music, Movement and Magic

February 14th, 2008 · 3 Comments

The focus of Saturday’s class was Music, Movement and Magic.  

Music, Movement and Magic is part of White Belt Principle #3, Music and the 8BC System.  The focus arose out of my desire to bring to the class a deeper understanding both somatically and cognitively of sound in the Nia practice.  It also arose out of my desire to rest my voice as I recuperate from a cold.  

After a discussion of the Movement, Music and Magic triad, I led class without speaking.  This allowed us to put more attention on the sensation of music as we moved, and allowing me to teach my body’s way, without straining my throat.

Here’s the Music, Movement and Magic triad:

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Many of the Nia principles are based on triads   Every Nia triad is an equilateral triangle.  This tells us that each component of the triad is of equal value.  To be honest, I have often emphasized movement more than music, so I appreciate the opportunity to balance this triad of the Nia practice.

If we look at the triangle and travel from the lower left corner clockwise around to the top, the triad shows us that Music + Movement = Magic.  The art of listening plus the moving your body’s way creates magic we call Nia.  The art of listening is the practice of putting 100% attention on the music — attention both on the sounds of the music and on the silences between the sounds.  

I am finding the practice of teaching without talking and dancing without verbal language to be exquisite.  The sensation is spacious, luxurious and beautifully detailed, like being in a great cathedral.  And indeed, there is a very devotional quality to this practice.

When I am silent, my mental realm quiets and my system opens up in a different way.  In Saturday’s class, I felt like all my 75 trillion cells were resonating inside my body,  a chorus of 75 trillion ecstatically joining the music from within.  Interestingly, it was a very similar sensation to doing the routine, Sounding, where we are toning and singing with the music as we move.

 

 

 

 

Tags: 1) White Belt #2

3 responses so far ↓

  • 1 jahra // Mar 20, 2008 at 7:13 am

    Thank you for an excellent journal entry
    on dancing without verbal language. it is
    a joy to just dance freely to the music….

    Recently, I have been dancing to the Nia
    dvds/videos (Global Unity/Unplugged/
    Grooves) at home.

    I would like to start a Nia Journal and I am
    looking for suggestions on how to start one
    and what to include.

    Would love to hear from Rachael and the
    dancers here on the topic of keeping a
    journal.

    Happy Dancing,

    Jahra

  • 2 Rachael // Mar 24, 2008 at 6:56 am

    Hi Jahra,

    Good to hear from you.

    Journaling is a great way to deepen and integrate the practice of Nia.

    For keeping a Nia journal, I suggest focusing on sensation. Every experience has a sensation.

    One approach is to journal on your sensations in any of the realms: physical, mental, emotional and spirit realms.

    For example, you could focus on one realm per week in any given month. In the first week journal on the physical, the second week, the mental, the third week the emotional, and end the cycle with the spirit realm.

    Another possibility is to pick one of the 13 Nia Principles
    (http://synergy-pt.net/niablog/2008/02/01/the-13-nia-principles/). For example, you could choose The Base, and focus on your experience in your feet, ankles, legs, knees and thighs.

    Let us know how it’s going.

    Love,

    Rachael

  • 3 jahra // Mar 26, 2008 at 11:21 am

    Hi Racheal,

    Thank you for the reply! I appreciate the
    suggestions you have listed and will
    begin my journal in April.

    Love your blog, thank you for sharing
    your Nia journey with us!

    Best wishes,

    Jahra

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