I wrote this last week before the shootings at Sandy Hook – I mean no flippancy or disrespect, but it feels more like a fit this week than last… thanks for reading, j.

If you had one question…

What would it be?

I was walking my dog, Turk, last night and I saw these words as two separate bumper stickers on the same car.  It might have been one sticker, designed to look like two – it was dark.

As I walked past, I played with to whom to direct my question and what my question might be.

If I were talking to “God,” what would I want to ask?  Thoughts about war, kid hunger, and my own little dilemmas wandered through my mind.  But the question that stood out in seconds was “What’s the point?”  What surprised me the most was my tone – not so much fatalistic or depressed – but curiosity…  what IS the point of all human existence, experience, emotion…?

I guess this is sort of one of THE questions of all time – what’s the point?

I didn’t explore much past those thoughts on the rest of my walk – I simply enjoyed the way Turk was being incredibly cooperative, the beautiful 61 degree temperature & clear night sky (LOVE living in Houston in winter), and the festive holiday lights in the neighborhood.

This morning a cold front is passing through and it’s 40 degrees (brrrr), dreary and I don’t feel much like taking responsibility for my life today.  I’d like to go back to sleep, be taken care of, ignore the dog and pretend that “what’s the point” isn’t important to me.  Most days I don’t worry about “the point.”  I’m too consumed with what “needs” to get done on that day – food, dog, clients, etc.  Somehow, though, when I can take a moment to contemplate what I WANT “the point” to be,  I switch into “what I ‘get’ to do today.”  Nice shift.

I want “the point” to be

We are all one
We are all doing the best we can
We are spirits having a human experience
Love is all there is
Real Love heals everything

If this is the point (or if this is MY point) – I get to take care of the day to day with so much more richness, compassion, kindness, caring, curiosity, softness, excitement, eagerness and love.  Then the day to day takes on so much more elegance, yummy anticipation, and meaning.

I’ll have more of that, please.

What’s your question?  Or if you prefer, what’s your point?  Love to hear about it in the comments below.

Great love and big point filled hugs,
j

As much now as 9/11/01, love is the only answer we can count on.  I continue to send love, healing and compassion to the families affected by last week’s event.

I LOVE them!

Talk about FUN!  I did something last week that I have never done before and quite honestly didn’t think I would ever do.  It’s not something I dreamed about, or placed on a bucket list or even spent very much time contemplating.  But as the moment of truth edged closer and closer, I became more and more excited.  In fact, I still get super excited thinking about it over a week later, LOL.

I sat court-side at an NBA game – Rockets vs. Jazz – FOR FREE!

I live just outside Houston and the game was at home.  I’ve been an NBA basketball fan since I lived in Atlanta in the early 90s and watched Dominique Wilkins, Spud Webb, Doc Rivers and the rest of the guys.  When I first moved to Houston, the basketball bug subsided for a couple of years, but I started watching again in the Charles Barkley, Stevie Francis, Cuttino Mobley, coach Rudy T “era” and have been going to the games ever since.  I am fortuitously connected to a person who also loves basketball and somehow always manifests interesting viewing options: Red & White (swanky gourmet buffet and mid level tables from which to watch the game); Company Suite (big screen TVs, snacks and adult beverages); regular ‘ol great seats.  Saturday night was the Mamaseata of viewing options.

And while I didn’t get on Kiss Cam or Dance Cam, and while I didn’t catch t-shirts or caps, while no basketballs or basketball players landed on me (my.little.fantasy.) – I could read the tattoos on the players’ arms, I could hear the court chatter and squeak of sneakers and I was reminded (again) how the Universe provides what we need, what we desire AND a great many fun surprises along the way!

In the comments below I’m dying to hear about one of your favorite surprises; what was it, how did it feel, did it change you in some way?  Share, share, share.

Great surprising love and big hugs,
j

p.s. yes, Rockets WON! 🙂

Nia has been around since the early 80’s.  I’ve been teaching Nia since 1999.  I’ve done all the belts (white, green, blue, brown and black), some multiple times.  Someone asks me every day, what is nigh-uh? what does Nia stand for? what is N – I – A?  And to tell you the truth – even now I don’t have a great answer.  I can answer each question “technically,” but whenever anyone asks me about Nia I feel this need to champion the depth of Nia and simultaneously I feel frustrated about how to do that in our instant gratification culture.

The good news is Nia can provide instant gratification – if you put on music and dance around your living room, you are doing a version of Nia and you’ll likely have an enhanced positive mood afterward ;).  If you pop in a Nia video, you’ll have a slightly deeper, more conscious experience and you’ll likely feel better afterward.  If you go and take a class with a licensed Nia teacher – the chances are very high you’ll have one of the coolest experiences of your existence. All of this doesn’t mean I can tell you in a couple of words what Nia is.

Nia is DEEP.

Nia is FUN.

Nia is PROFOUND.

Nia is A WORKOUT.

Nia asks us to grow, to grow up, to be present, to be here now – in our body – no matter what’s going on in there.  And for those willing adventurers – it’s precisely that – being here now, in our body, sensing, feeling, seeing, touching – which allows us to begin healing – EVERYTHING.

So when somebody asks me “What is Nia” – what do I say, how do I tell them all of the above in a few words?

As the good girl I’m prone to being I always want to say the “right” thing.  The right thing according to Nia Headquarters, the right thing according to my mentor(s), the right thing to get people to come to class and playshops, the right thing so that THEY (whoever “they” are) don’t think I’m _______ {airy fairy, out there, a freak, a weirdo, that dancer chic, etc.}, the right thing so I don’t offend anyone at any venue where I teach, the right GD (gall dang) thing.  After 14 years I still don’t know what the right thing is.

I CAN tell you why I continue to teach class, take class, attend increasing levels of training and study this body of work called Nia:

• I do Nia because it let me move my way after I’d been beaten up and burned out through years and years as an aerobics instructor.
• I do Nia because I can do it ANY WAY I WANT TO – with people, on my own, with music, without music, in a park, on a beach, naked (haven’t tried it that way – too hard on my “girls” ;), barefoot, in shoes, to ANY kind of music, any where, any how.
• I do Nia because I LOVELOVELOVE to dance and Nia doesn’t need a partner or a dance club or any previous experience.
• I do Nia because I’m happier during and after.
• I do Nia because I have FUN when I do it!

I CAN also tell you why I continue my journey with Nia:

• Nia has been instrumental in my passage to becoming a profoundly intuitive and effective healer of myself and others.
• Nia taught me an exceptional meditation tool that fit my personality, my spirit and my INability to sit still for more than 3 minutes at a time.
• The Nia Belt Intensives continue to show me the potential of my body, mind and spirit in ways that inspire me to persevere even when the journey seems arduous or when I feel clueless about how to proceed. Not just in Nia but in all facets of my life.

What is this thing called Nia?  I still don’t have the succinct answer but I would love to continue the exploration with you.  In the comments below I invite you to play with at least one of these things:   if you are a Nia practitioner (someone who has taken at least one class live or on a video ;), please leave a comment about your Nia experience and what Nia is for you; if you have never taken Nia, please ask any question or questions you like.  In any case the best trick is to have the experience.  You can do that right here with Nia co creator Debbie Rosas Stewart (the class begins at mark 4:18).

Great love and big hugs,
j

Strong (maybe even FLAT) Abs and ZERO low back pain FREE and NOW!

The quickest way to strengthen your abs is exactly what “yo mama tole ya ta do – pull in your stomach.”  But I can help you make that even more effective right here, right now:

• exhale – normally, no gusto required, in fact it’s better if you are slightly relaxed.
• while exhaling gently pull your belly button to your spine (keep breathing)
• repeat often

You’ll receive a bonus if you can keep the top of your head reaching for the sky (posture), your shoulders surrendered (no wearing as earrings), and (this is a toughie) your collar bones open wide while your ribs are slightly pulled together. Oh – did I remember to tell you to RELAX while doing all of this?

PS – if you’ll laugh long and often, you’ll get similar results effortlessly (same for crying :))

If this is helpful for you and you’d like more, please feel free to sign up for our weekly update (we never let your precious info out of our sight) – it is fun and free!