NiaDivas - Inspirational Fitness for an Extraordinary You

Raffle for Red Cross- Donate, Purchase Tickets, Dance in Class

Jill Pagano — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:06:14 -0500

We are in the midst of our Raffle for Red Cross (to benefit Haiti). I am so happily surprised at the turnout of gifts from our NiaDivas community and NiaSeattle Community. I want to thank all of you for stepping up and donating your talents and your gifts.

We can purchase tickets ($10 or 3 for $20) right up till Feb. 13th when we have the drawing before, after or maybe during, the 10am class with Jill.

Here's just the beginning of wonderful prizes you can win. I'll continue to update the list as they come in.

NiaDivas 6-week NiaDarling membership( $75)
Nia Diva outfit--pick something from the online Nia HQ wear- top/bottom
Massages from Ann Nicolaysen ($85) and Stacy Taylor ($50)
2 hour gardening consultation and 5 native plants from Kimberly Leeper and Mariposa Naturescapes
Your choice of handmade beaded jewelry from Brandy Torrisi ($40)
4 pack of spritzers from Star Juice
special recipe massage oils from Nia Teacher Gayle Holeton
Nia classes packets from Blue Heron Ranch (Issaquah), Circle P Barn (Woodinville), Luna Studio (Laurelhurst)
1 hour reading with Sindy Todo (Todomojo) and Mojo bag ($150)

And more!!

Can't make it to class and want to participate in the raffle. Just email jill@niadivas.com your donation receipt from the American Red Cross ($10 or more) and we'll automatically put you in the drawing!

Thank you for opening your hearts and wallets and passing on the love that you have!

Jill

The Skill of Listening: to the music, to our body, to others--today at Allstar 10:45am (open to all)

Jill Pagano — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 10:39:43 -0500

Thinking of joining me today at Allstar Fitness (open to all!) for our Up Close and Personal Series? Here's my notes for what we will experience. Listening to music is one of my favorite exercises and it is so relaxing almost meditative in the way Nia teaches us to listen and receive sounds. And then to take the skill of listening to music and allow ourselves to connect to the music makes for a powerful movement experience. Once you have the skill of listening to music, you'll draw on it for all your class experiences and also be able to translate that "listening skill" into other areas of your life--like listening to others, listening to yourself, listening to your body. I'm looking forward to sharing it and practicing it with you today. XO , Jill

Nia Up Close and Personal Series: January 5th Tuesday @ 10:45-Noon, Allstar Fitness

Topic: Listen, Sense, Dance

Focus: experience more in depth listening

Intent: fuller experience of dancing b/c of increase listening skill

Nia: Listening is O, emptying out in order to receive

1) to receive music

2) communications from a person

3) information from our body

Important skill to listening is quieting the mind. We do this in Nia by:

1) experiencing RAW (relaxed, alert and waiting)

a. Relaxed body,

b. Alert mind

c. Waiting spirit

Use” listening to music” to fine tune our skill of listening.

“Music is the Festive Dress of Silence” Chamalu

1) Listen for the sound and the silence

2) Listen for melody, rhythm, harmony, changes in tempo, accent, mood

3) Listen to all the music

4) Listen to certain instrument (follow it)

Experience:

1) Practice RAW without music

2) Practice listening to all music

3) Practice listening to certain sounds

4) Practice dancing to certain parts of music (as a group)

Next week: Learn, Move , Energize Nia’s unique way of learning “the moves”. And week three: 7 cycles of a Nia class- Nia’s unique way of creating a complete workout.

Post White Belt- 1997

Jill Pagano — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 11:40:45 -0500

Just to wrap up my series of blogs on my White Belt Intensive 13-years ago, I'm including a short entry from right after I started teaching Nia. I remember the moment of putting my "old aerobic music " tape (yes, cassette tape) into the player and thinking "I can't move like this anymore". That was it. I was off to a new way and haven't stopped exploring my movement since. I find it so interesting now how seemingly concerned I was about my body changing with Nia. It did and it has...but not in the way I was scared of. Back in 1996, I was muscle-bound and rigid from years of linnear movement and weight training. I was also riddled with repetitive injuries, like shin splints and shoulder impingement. Those have gone by the way side. Thirteen years later, I believe most of my aches and pains are due to the years I abused my body and I use Nia and somatic movement to ease them, heal them and learn from them. The most amazing part of this 13 year journey to me is how change has happened and to the degree that it has, even when I didn't know it was taking place. It's sorta like when there is a building that sits on a corner for ever, and you pass it by, recalling it easily. Then a demolitian crew comes in and tears it down, puts up a new one and I catch myself saying "what use to be in that spot?"

The way I receive my changes is by reconnecting with my past through journals, old pictures, videos, or talking to colleagues from the fitness-industry. It is when they may talk about calories, workouts, their fitness goals, or body parts they feel dissatisfied with that I realize "I just don't have those thoughts anymore". Such a shift from the gal who KNEW I was getting FAT if I took one day off from working out.

We are all going through an evolution. Developing in our own ways. We are at choice to the direction of that development. Our choices along the way bring us to new choices, so we are never too late to redirect ourselves towards healing, self-appreciation and more joy. It has been a priveledge to dive into my history with you. Thank you for your listening.

With love,

Jill

January 16, 1997

The high of life is coming in again. And people keep telling me how happy I look. And I feel that way too. The biggest and most positive switch in my life is teaaching Nia. Though I am still scared about my body changes--I am having a ball teaching the classes. The time flies by and my body and soul feel great. It's been especially fun to have the studio space even though I often get wrapped up in the number of people in class, so far at least the room is not empty. I need a new marketing push here soon or so I seem to think. All in due time. The classes at the health club have been going well too, lots of people, 32 last Tuesday."

Day 7- The Start of My Nia Journey-13 years ago

Jill Pagano — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:58:01 -0500

Whew...it's been over a week (I took the weekends off) of recapitulating my Nia White Belt experience. Today is the final journal entry I wrote on the last 1/2 day of the intensive.

1/2 day today, then some time to play in Portland. I get to reunite with Mike tommorrow, wouldn't you know it I have a head cold. The Mayan Oracle said: "Befriend your mind. Give it a moments rest away from the analyzing and self-judging." I have consciously, the past two days, noticed my judging voice and tried to let it go versus "Jill stop trying to judge..that is SO wrong, your horrible for doing it". Pretty counter productive to tell myself that huh? Instead I have learned that I am insecure when I'm not the expert and that I have a lot of work to do to achive that piece of mind within myself first. It is because I judge myself so fiercely that I find it easy to judge others. I am consciously saying "I don't want THAT". I'm exhausted in both ways. All the time I spend judging myself I could spend educating or opening myself to new ideas and experiences. That is the divine way to go. This week I have spent a week witnessing life without judging. Both Debbie and Carlos work instead with just the facts. Exactly what is. Not what they judge. Even rarely expressing what they think. Only occasionally will they tread carefully on that limb. Mostly they stay in the present and work and discuss what they feel. Which comes across as fact because it is their truth. I have learned to replace "you" with "I" so that I better describe my feelings and ideas and interactions. Not assuming they are the person's I'm talking with. It is amazing to see the two of them (Debbie and Carlos) stand in the light seemingly effortlessly in this world of unenlightened junk, like traffic or being late or whatever daily task gets in my way, it doesn't seem to effect their vision or their brightness of their light. They both appear connected on a higher level floating above the "junk" that gets in my way of JOY each day. They are the "don't sweat the little stuff" statement before my eyes. I am amazed that four individuals can come to live with them and they stay on their path and I am at times lifted, resurrected to their enlightenment...maybe... actually I have no idea if I'm at their level but I am at a level different than I was so it feels elevated to me. What a wonderful job/purpose in life to effect how other's feel. I have not seen myself in that realm for a long time. Instead I have felt like a conduit for information---pumping out the right and wrongs, the do's and don'ts. From this moment forward I would like to drop the responsibility of all those people I think I owe to and instead start to enjoy them for who they are and what I can help them feel. What a relief! I feel like I will have to remind myself to suppport myself in that outlook. Too often I let myself get trapped into the mess of it instead of "finding the honey" in it.

I still don't think I want to continue my training business on the level it is. Actually I know I don't want it on the same weight training level but instead have the choice of taking it to a different level. Enough of the "I want to lift weights to get fit" only. Lifting weights is a vessel, a means to get into the body, but not the only one. It will be a challenge to quit my mind on the instruction part of training people and to work being quiet and letting them feel their way into it. Actually it's a bit of a struggle to have me even thinking of working with my clients right now. I am more apt to visualize an entirely different arena. The vision of changing my environment and changing exactly what I am expected to do is becoming clearer. Currently, I am expected to be a weight trainer. Some where else I may be able to do soemthing else. It is all about getting a clearer idea/feeling from what I want.

Do I feel a dream?

That's the last entry for the week. After that I get thrust back into my daily life and the holidays (as it is December). My next journal entry is after I have started teaching Nia at the health club I was teaching aerobics at. January 16, 1997, just a short 6-weeks after my intensive. I'll follow up with that tommorrow.

Till then--

Love,

Jill

Day 6- The Start of My Nia Journey 13 years ago

Jill Pagano — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:39:36 -0500

The last day full day, a brief entry.

(no date in journal)

On our final full day here I realize I desire to learn, explore, and teach this work from many and for more reasons. I feel excited with inspiration to begin and make my plan work and play well together. I'm looking brightly ahead at the future with people and movement. A brief moment without fear Ah!

Tommorrows entry sums up my experience, fully.

Thanks for checking in!

Jill

Day 5- The Start of My Nia Journey- 13 years ago

Jill Pagano — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 21:45:18 -0500

As I read through these journal entries I am so reminded of who I was at that time in my life and my career. I was single with no children, a very driven aerobic instructor teaching 8 classes a week and training 30 clients a week. I was taking Pilates before anyone could even pronounce it. I was diving deeper into my body awareness taking a "Becoming Embodied" class that incorporated Bartinieff Fundamentals (patterning). I was giving workshops on the core of our body, alignment, and stability, too. I had just returned from teaching at a fitness convention in Brazil. Kari Anderson-- my mentor and a leader in the fitness industry-- and I had just completed a sold-out workshop where I presented my "Torso Organization- A Unique Approach to Conditioning the Core". I was training clients with medicine balls, pilates rings and wobble boards and people thought I was nuts..in a good way. I'm not shy to say I was the "go-to-cutting-edge trainer". And I knew it. I share this with you as a backdrop for this next entry.

Thursday Dec. 4th, 1996

Am I ready to be a student again. Am I willing to open to the experience of learning this new technique? It is scary, uncharted territory. I recognize how reliant I am on being the expert. The person who knows. Can i find my self-esteem in saying "I don't know, I am learning". My world seems to be surrounded with me giving out advice and knowledge. Yet, I am moving into a new arena where I know enough to know I'm interested but not enough to feel secure. I'm struggling with this profession of being the consultant. It is time to give the power back to the individuals who seek it from me. I can help them realize their available choices but I can not make the choice. What a fine line in this business of being an educator to the human body.

I want to get back in to Pilates with the machines, and get out of being the expert and instead be a vessel for motivation, inspiration, emotion and yes some knowledge.

PLAN OF ACTION- scares me to death. My $ relies on my "expertise". What if I gave up being that, especially on a 1-1 level. I am more attracted to it in a group level. The idea of working within a corporation to help individuals learn to accept their bodies, learn to explore all the methods of healing and the power of movement for themselves. That is the message I feel I can convey versus "do this breathing exercise, do this posture, do this plank pose. I'm not sold on that being my only focus anymore. Tonight my plan and intention is to let go of my jaw. To relax and release it. That I am safe here tonight and have nothing to fear or defend myself against. It's wasted energy that I want to move out of my physical body versus having land in my jaw.

Two more entries to go.. thank you for reading and being a part of this healing process for me.

Love, Jill

Day 4- The Start of my Nia Journey- 13 years ago

Jill Pagano — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:24:30 -0500

"Day ? 4, I think, it's Wed. anyway" This is how I start my journal for the middle of the week at my first Nia White Belt Intensive in 1996. Over the course of many intensives (6 total) I've come to notice Wednesday as being the day when I really get hooked in. I begin to rest into the new routine and the new lessons. My mind begins to let go of what I thought and become more pliable. It seems to be the case, even in 1996! :)

Well after 3 class I woke up feeling pretty darn good. No part of me is extremely sore yet I do feel like I've moved and it's been good. The bottom of my feet are torn a bit. A little sore on the skin and the muscles in them. Ah, I took a deep breath and felt soreness in my abs and intercostals--a part I'm not too familiar with, also feels good. Today I'm going to open myself to non-judgement b/c I am truly exhausted by it. I will let myself notice it and ask myself "why am I feeling it and what am I aftraid of ?" I will do my best to not judge myself for judging others. Instead I will love myself that way and realize it is all about fear. I will try and support others versus compete against them. I think it will feel good.

The real fun starts in tommorrow's journal when I face down my fear of no longer being an expert. Thanks for reading. It's a pleasure for me to reminisce with you.

Love,

Jill

Day3-My Nia Journey- 13 years ago

Jill Pagano — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 13:21:14 -0500

It's day three of my journal entries describing my White Belt Intensive experience from back in 1996. As I read over the journal, memories creep back in and I get flashes of what I was wearing, how I was coping, and how new all "this Nia thing" felt. By Day 3, it appears I'm really getting the "intensive" part.

December 3, 1996 Day Three:

Intensive is the right word for this week and learning session. Yesterday we learned a lot and moved a lot. By the time class came (at night) I barely had it in me. I also needed to hold back because my feet were sore after all we have done. I was disappointed becaused I wanted to feel like I could get this great--replace aerobics- type of workout and it didn't happen. Yet others were sweating. I'm not sure if I was trying to not get a workout or just needed to respect my body's aches. One thing I do know, I was really trying to do things right which I know inhibits my sense of moving. So I'm still noticing my sense of judgement that seems to follow me everywhere. I have had some good moments of ah, no judgement..pure bliss. Those have felt good. I have enjoyed the art of listening to the music. Really listening and experiencing feelings from it. Yet is is possible that some music leaves you empty? That's what the music during class did for me. A lot of music I really didn't connect with.

Oh well, yesterday is gone and today is here. I have been able to claim more of the present. So I enjoy knowing that. Maybe Nia is like my trip to Brazil. While I'm in it I don't feel too shaken but when it is all done and weeks laters, I will reflect on it and what I've learned. I can see for some who are searching for spiritual enlightment that this is a great place to start. I want to say I have mine--except I fear that I'm just not as open to it yet. I feel a lock and I know I don't feel as enlightend as that time period duirng therapy when I was reading and learning alot and really feeling connected. I write this with a sense of sadness like I wish I was there. A sense of judgement for not being there. And then I have to remind myself, it is not about being or getting somewhere else. It is about enjoying and learning from this spot.

I still have that fear with my body and I am already formulating ways to "workout". I need to trust and listen and give my body what it asks for. Is is my head asking for harder workouts? I know I want to keep my cardiovascular up, my flexibility and suppleness up (yoga) and my stability and muscle strength (pilates and weights). How will I find time to do it all?

Day 4 is tommorrow (except in my journal I write "Day ? 4, I think Wed. anyway" so it appears time and space are shifting on me. Thank you again, for reading. And it would be divine to hear of your Nia journey too.

With love,

Jill

Day 2- The Start of my Nia Journey 13 years ago

Jill Pagano — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:15:09 -0500

Day Two of the Nia White Belt Intensive from 1996, I write a short entry (the entries get noticeable longer and more intense as the week goes):

Day 2- Learning about my feet today. And the rest of my lower body. I really want to use my feet more and especially work out the bunion in my right toe. I also love the idea of reeducating my walk and knowing that as I do that my body will begin to shift and follow. I am afraid without aerobics, what my body will turn in to.

Till tommorrow, Day three when I become aware of my mind chatter and have a very tired body.

Thanks for reading,

Jill

Day #1-The Start of My Nia Journey- 13 years ago today.

Jill Pagano — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:14:18 -0500

My journal reads December 1, 1996 and it is just the second page of what was a fresh new journal, ring-bound, medium size with a antique floral cover. I started my Nia journey 13 years ago today and I'm writing a series of blogs to share with you and myself what I privately wrote of this experience. I write it to share my journey and to reflect on the changes this powerful and yet subtle form of personal growth and self expression has done for me...and where it has led me. It would be a priviledge to hear your stories as well. The setting is the Nia House--Debbie and Carlos' house at the time. As for me in 1996, I am 10 years into being a hardcore aerobic instructor and I have my own very busy personal training business in Seattle. In the entry prior to December 1st, I write about how I feel something stirring in me. That I don't want to teach traditional fitness anymore and yet I don't know what else to do. I'm scared and also thrilled. The next day, Dec. 1st, I go to Portland, arrive at 6pm for the intensive to begin.

Dec. 1 Sunday

At Nia first session at the home studio. Lots of pleasure mixed with the uncomfortable sensation of blending, dancing and living with others. I have definitely benefited ofrm working with "Becoming Embodied (another body of work I studied). I'm using a lot of that here. Enjoying the people but finding myself uncomfortable connecting probably putting too much pressure on myself to connect. The environment here is unique, like no other. They have created a respectful space that you can do whatever you want/feel you need to. Of course, the other side of me is struggling with the "WOW, this is WAY out there" and the judging things that are said or actions. Judging has been too much a part of my lifestyle the past few weeks. I hope to help open up my mind and allow more freedom in. I know this is going to be a long week, exhaustive maybe. Oh, there I go judging the week before it has even started. Anyway, I fear this week will bring up stuff. Let's hope it's all good. How can learning not be good? And learning about myself that much better.

Thanks for reading...till tommorrow, Day 2!