Adelle Brownlee Brewer: A Seven-Minute Workout That Can Change the World
Imagine if everyBody in the world started their day with a seven-minute workout that realigned their bones, settled their mind, and prepared them for the tasks ahead? Imagine the possibilities…
Nia 5 Stages is a practice of retracing the body’s developmental process. The idea was inspired by Stanley Keleman, author of Emotional Anatomy and Your Body Speaks Its Mind. Years of practice and research by Debbie Rosas, co-founder of Nia Technique, led to the development of a program called “Nia 5 Stages,” which is today offered as a part of Classic Nia classes, in stand-alone Nia 5 Stages classes, and in-depth Nia 5 Stages trainings. It is a physical practice based on the five stages of human development: Embryonic, Creeping, Crawling, Standing, and Walking.
By moving through these stages daily, my body is allowed to re-align, explore its potential, and self-heal. Doing the Nia 5 Stages in a short seven-minute workout, my body, mind, and emotions re-pattern, energize and condition.
The first stage, Embryonic, is circular, fluid and dynamic. Rolling, I move as if I am in water, suspended and supported to move freely. Non-verbal, I allow my body to cook all four sides by moving from front to back, side to side, reaching out and drawing into center.
The second stage, Creeping, is linear, lizard-like, with my hips facing down resting on the earth. One leg is long and extended, and my other knee draws up, freeing my hips to facilitate forward movement. Using my hands and forearms to move forward, my spine is extended, my eyes look out and my feet are sunny side up.
The third stage, Crawling, is bear-like, with a tabletop architecture. One hand reaches as I crawl looking out in the world, belly soft and hanging down with gravity. My spine naturally curves developing agility, mobility and strength. As I crawl with feet sunny side up, I adapt my movement so my neck, shoulder blades and ankles remain relaxed.
Standing, the fourth stage is stable, vertical and squatting, monkey-like. I build strength and flexibility by resting into gravity. One foot is flat on the earth for stability, while the other foot rests on the ball. Shifting from side to side, finding comfort and ease, my ribcage, arms and hands are free to move and explore the space as I prepare to push down and rise into the fifth stage, Walking.
Walking is a vertical, mobile, flexible, and stable moving architecture. I push down in the earth to rise, first walking on the balls of my feet with heels up. When my body is ready, I drop my heels and allow them to lead my walk, rolling through onto my whole foot.
The Nia seven-minute workout begins with practicing a minute in each stage. The sixth minute is spent getting up and down off the floor, in my own organic way and time. The final minute is spent in laughter… fifteen seconds on my back, fifteen seconds on my belly, fifteen seconds sitting, and fifteen seconds standing.
Seven minutes of transformational movement. Movement that has increased my energy and vitality, improved my posture and alignment, and created a deep sense of relaxation comparable to meditation. A seven-minute practice that has helped me release tension and tightness, and over time regain flexibility, agility, mobility, strength and stability, and reclaim my joint pliability and muscle balance.
Imagine if everyBody in the world started their day with seven minutes that realigned and re-centered their body, mind and emotions?
Imagine the impact on health care, longevity, and world peace. Would we all get along better if we felt good?
Imagine the possibilities…
