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Best Friend in Welsh!

Continuing the thread of Mudita…

As Vietnamese Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh points out, even neutral experiences (the touch of the air on our skin, the fact that we have teeth to chew our food with and do not currently have a toothache) can be transformed into pleasant ones simply through the power of our attention.

To encourage this transformation, we can begin our mudita practice by formally “counting our blessings,” as my mother used to call it. In a silent inner litany, we can say “thank you” for the magnificent gifts of a healthy body: lungs that breathe the cool, foggy air; a nose that smells eucalyptus leaves and banana muffins; eyes that see hummingbirds swooping outside the window; a tongue that has just savored a golden, juicy peach. We can express gratitude for friends, family, the beautiful flowers in the garden, and the twitter of birds enjoying the morning sunshine. We can say thank you to the smallest of gifts… so many ways to take the practice of mudita into our daily life.

Fiona Winter and Adelle enJOYing a cup of… !

How about your body, your breath, your dance, your life?

A cup of mudita por favor!

Yes mame!

Loving you, Adelle

Good morning San Antonio! I’ve missed YOU!

Adelle, Antonella, Ananda, Joanie… the AHHH of deep friendship… Mudita!

Joanie and I have just returned from amazing Nia FreeDance trainings in Rome and Wales, and my heart is full of pure joy!  What an experience!!  I am in deep gratitude for our producers and dear friends Antonella Monini in Rome and Fiona Winters in Wales, who opened their hearts to us, and paved the way for 38 radiant beings from across the world to dance together, experiencing mudita!

I’ve very excited to teach my Nia FreeDance class this morning at 9:15 am, and hope you will be joining me. I will also teach tomorrow morning (Friday) at 9:15 am. I’m looking forward to continuing the mudita I am feeling!

Patrick and Fiona Winter, James Asher, Joanie and me, enJoying the mudita!

For me, mudita = pure joy fountain

This is a great excerpt from Yoga Journal about Mudita. Read on, and SEE you in class!

“In Buddhist philosophy, mudita is the third of the four brahmaviharas, the inner “divine abodes” of loving kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity that are every human being’s true nature. The term mudita is often narrowly translated as “sympathetic” or “altruistic” joy, the pleasure that comes when we delight in other people’s well-being rather than begrudge it.

Since in practice it’s all but impossible to experience happiness for others unless we first develop the capacity to taste it in our own lives, many Buddhist teachers interpret mudita more broadly as referring to the inner fountain of infinite joy that is available to each of us at all times, regardless of our circumstances. The more deeply we drink from this fountain, the more secure we become in our own abundant happiness, and the easier it then becomes for us to relish the joy of other people as well.

We’ve probably all had moments that have shown us that happiness has virtually nothing to do with the external circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the state of our minds and hearts. We can be drinking margaritas on a Caribbean beach, totally miserable; we can be late for work and stuck in freezing sleet in a traffic jam on the George Washington Bridge, overflowing with bliss.” from Yoga Journal

Insert Adelle 🙂 … I can be running from terminal to terminal at London’s Heathrow airport looking for my lost bag, waiting on the tarmac for hours in Houston for the rain to let up, or looking into the eyes of new European friends who are anticipating the excitement of a Nia FreeDance weekend experience! Mudita! 🙂

Join us in Lewisville, Tx. in July 15, 16, and at The Synergy Studio September 9, 10 for Nia FreeDance Mudita weekends!

Overflowing with mudita!  Adelle

Wales! We love you Nia FreeDance DJ’s!

Roma! You are in my heart fellow Nia FreeDance DJ’s!

Beautiful morning sunrise in Wimberley!

Happy Monday friends!

Ahhh! The beauty of Mother Nature herself.

I spent a rejuvenating weekend in Wimberley, enJoying the peace and quiet of the birds, the wind, the gurgling water, and the miracle present in each breath of beauty. There is nothing like the Great Mother to remind me of grace, support, and presence.

When I returned home, my hands immediately went into the dirt in my backyard, pulling up weeds, adjusting tomato plants and watering the new transplants. I LOVE the dance of life called gardening. Everyday appears miraculous and new, as growth, renewal and regeneration happen before my eyes.

Join me this week, as we celebrate the simple things in life… the miracles that are happening moment to moment when we dance. No matter what level we choose, how tiny or big, movement is a medicine miracle. Nia’s philosophy, “Through Movement We Find Health” is right on!

The routine this week? You guessed it! Miracle. 🙂

Speaking of medicine miracles, have you checked out The Synergy Studio, and the upcoming special workshops? Fred Bass, an AMAZING man who LOVES Nia is coming with his story in May. He will be teaching a workshop as well as the Sunday class. Sign up now and BRING the men in your life! A Nia White Belt is also on the horizon… and much more! CHECK IT ALL OUT HERE

See you soon! Adelle

My classes this week:

Nia: Tuesday 6:45am, Wednesday 9:15am, Friday 9:15am, Sunday 4:00pm

Fred Bass with me at Nia SantaFe, before he           taught a wonderful class!

Nia FreeDance: Thursday 9:15am

Yoga: Thursday 12:00pm, Sunday 8:45am

Check out this short video on grounding! Take off your shoes and get into the garden! 🙂 

A wonderful read from DailyOm today…

To co-create we must first begin with a foundation of mutual respect.

Gardens offer us a perfect opportunity to reconnect to our true selves and remember our place in the natural world. Rather than approach our gardens as mere investments of energy, we can look at the entire process of gardening, from planting seeds to harvesting food, as a way of deepening our conscious relationship with the creative force of the universe. If we are willing to shift our intention from dominating, or at least directing nature, to co-creating with nature instead, we may discover a deep peace and renewed sense of wonder.

To co-create we must first begin with a foundation of mutual respect. As you create your garden in partnership with nature, you can respect the earth, water, insects and animals by using organic seeds, soil and fertilizers. You can also communicate with the plants, insects and elements involved in your garden, and create a regular practice of stillness to listen for any messages they may have for you. When it comes time for harvesting fresh vegetables or picking beautiful blooms, you might even ask permission first. If you ask with an open heart, you will always receive an answer.

Imagine what it would be like to surrender certain aspects of your human world to the precision and surety of the natural environment. You might decide, for example, to forego your calendar and plant in rhythm with the cycles of the moon. Or, you might choose to ignore clock time and water your garden when the sun hits a certain position in the sky. By opening your garden experience to more of nature’s input, you can become available to witness a whole universe of miracles, while engendering a greater sense of honor between the two worlds.

When we recognize ourselves as allies, co-creators, with the earth and the natural world, our relationship to our environment begins to change. We no longer feel the need to control the circumstances around us and can relish in the perfection of all that is.

Beautiful Day My Friends!

In Nia, we talk about Your Body’s Way and The Body’s Way.

The body loves yin and yang energy, mobility and stability, and is balanced in its design. The body also thrives on dynamic ease. All of these principles of The Body’s Way can be applied to Your Body’s Way by listening with your intuitive voice and eye, asking your body what it needs and desires.
Does your body want to release a pent-up emotion, self-heal a pain, sing with joy, move with more flexibility and strength?
By listening to our body, we can feed it just the right medicine, the right BALANCE
for health and wellness. Our body knows… it is our oldest friend. Our wisest guide.
I was inspired by an email I received from DailyOm, about an exercise in ‘self.’  Read below and come dance with me this week!
Love in abunDance!
Adelle

When we are in a quandary we can ask our own selves for advice; our previous younger self and our future wise self.

Since we probably know ourselves better than anyone else does, then we may very well be the best person to ask for advice when we are in a quandary. One interesting exercise is to try asking for advice from your past and future selves. There is the younger self that you used to be and the older, more mature self that you will become. You can gain a different perspective when you view present situations through your younger self’s eyes or your mature self’s more experienced point of view. Perhaps, your younger self would view a current dilemma in a more innocent, less cynical way. Likewise, your older, hopefully wiser, self may offer advice from a more compassionate, experienced perspective.

Think back to how you viewed the world when you were younger. What were your thoughts on happiness, love, and injustice? Think about how you would have reacted to a dilemma you are currently facing. The perspective may shed a different light on relationships, money matters, or life decisions. Likewise, think about the person you will become. A more mature version of you might mull a problem or conflict over carefully before taking action right away… or perhaps not. Maybe your older self would be more willing to take risks, care less about what other people think, and want to enjoy life more.

You can even set up an advisory panel of your past, present, and future selves. You might even want to try to have a written dialogue with your selves to record the thoughts, feelings, and advice that your younger and older selves might have for your present self regarding a current situation. Your different selves can give you some invaluable answers. After all, no one can know you better than your selves. You are your wisest guide .

Good morning friends!

I hope you take the opportunity to ‘Dance Daily’ during this beautiful Spring season.

Movement with awareness brings us back to our bodies, and a grounded sensation that keeps us centered. The main signs that we need to center ourselves are scattered thoughts and a feeling of disconnection or numbness, as if we are no longer able to take anything in. In addition, we may feel unfocused and not present in our bodies. Centering ourselves is a way of coming to terms with all the different energies within us and drawing them back into ourselves.
‘Dance Daily’ is a wonderful mantra for centering! Joanie and I just returned from a FABulous 4 days in Santa Fe, where we danced daily, and multiple times a day! 16 Nia DJ’s received their certificate, and many more joined us for Nia FreeDance classes.  We ALL loved it!
Join me in my daily dance this week as we focus on centering.  The center of the body is the hara, located about 2 inches below the navel.  When feeling out of sync and scattered, dance and breathe into your hara…find your center… its all encoded in your body! 

OH! and be sure to go outside often, take off your shoes, and ground yourself. THIS is fascinating, and its science! Read more…
Love! Dancing Daily Dell

Read Dr. Mercola’s article on grounding, and WATCH THE 15 MINUTE DOCUMENTARY: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2017/02/25/grounding-recharge-immune-system-slow-aging.aspx

If you have Vimeo on your computer or
phone, you can go directly to the documentary… https://vimeo.com/205264910

Change truly is the elixir of life and the only constant that is available to us. The irony of the word and the energy! 🙂

Life is in constant flux, and our body is a beautiful metaphor for change. Every cell is twirling, vibrating energy all the time, and our cells are being replaced every 7 years, so some cells in the body are always changing. Pretty cool, right?!

I’ve been diving deeper into the constant of change this week. Jenn, our wonderful studio manager and dear friend, will be making her journey to Los Angeles at the end of the month, to live her dream. Katharine Frey, Terry Pozza, and Christi Meyers will be joining the studio as new Nia teachers, and I will be taking over a different Nia class.

The changes:  Wednesday 5:30pm: Nia with Katharine and Terry… Friday 9:15am: Nia with Moi!… Nia Fun Friday 5:30pm with Christi.

FUN with changes are in the house!

We also have another massage therapist joining the studio, a wonderful man named Todd Morgan. He is moving here from Los Angeles. Again, the irony and Joy of the Universe as one leaves for LA and one arrives! And a man to boot! 🙂 A first for the studio. CHA, CHA, CHANGE!

Join me, other teachers, and The Synergy Studio, as we embrace the only constant in life… Change. Please support our new teachers and come get an amazing massage… (Yes… I mean amazing) As we grow up at The Pearl, let’s all welcome Change with open minds and loving hearts!

SEE you in class!

Love Love Love is in the house of Change! Adelle 

PS. My last FUN Friday class will be a Nia FreeDance class. Join me Thursday 9:15am, and Friday 5:30pm for two different, very inspirational  journeys through the body, emotions, mind and spirit. I teach Yoga for Lunch on Thursday 12:00, and Slow Flow Yoga on Sunday 8:45am.

Top off your weekend with Nia CELL-ebrate on Sunday 4:00pm!

… with your body.

Good evening friends,

In this week of Valentine’s, we are reminded of the ever-abiding presence of love that surrounds us… from family, friends, and other special relationships in our life.

The presence of love is always there, whether during the week of Valentine’s, celebrating another holiday, or just any ordinary day. All we have to do is take a breath… one breath… to be reminded that our body loves us. Our breath reminds us that our body naturally takes in love when it needs it, through the inhale… and releases gratitude when its ready, through the exhale.

The most important relationship you will ever have is the one you have with your body. Getting to know your body better, through movement, exploration, and listening to its voice of sensation, is truly the most important ‘task’ we can do everyday.

Fall in love with your body. Tell your body how much you appreciate its constant presence, its steady companionship, no matter the circumstances. 

I’m having a love affair with my psoas muscle, a fascinating part of my body that holds me up, walks me through my day, and holds emotions for me. I’m continuing my love affair with my psoas this week.

I hope you will join me in class both Tuesday 6:45am, Wednesday 9:15am, for a regular Nia class, as well as Thursday 9:15am and Friday 5:30 pm, for Nia FreeDance.

I’m choosing to teach Nia FreeDance two times this week.

Why? Because I LOVE the practice sooo much, and I LOVE my body sooo much, that I want to give it extra special attention, feeding it with freedom in Body, Emotion, Mind and Spirit. Ahhhh! Perfect.

SEE you soon!

LOVE LOVE LOVE, Adelle

PS. Two more fantastic articles on the psoas are below…. I encourage you to read on and fall in love with your psoas!

http://www.wakingtimes.com/2015/06/02/the-muscle-of-the-soul-may-be-triggering-your-fear-and-anxiety/

Another great, informative article from Yoga Journal: http://www.yogajournal.com/article/practice-section/the-psoas-is/

Smiles that say it all! We love our community                                in CaliforNia!

Preparation for the Nia White Belt                graduation in Los Angeles!

Hi Friends!

I am coming off an amazing 3 1/2 weeks of learning, teaching, growing and connecting. Starting with hosting a Nia Blue Belt training, then teaching a Transformational Breath® Seminar, then training a Nia White Belt in CaliforNia, and finally being a host and student this last weekend, at a YogaFit for Warriors training designed for understanding PTSD and the impact it is having on our troops as well as our society.

My psoas has received a work-out! Sitting on airplanes has tightened it, and doing Nia and Yoga with awareness of lengthening this amazing muscle, has helped me remain healthy, flexible and strong.

This is a wonderful excerpt from an article I read about Liz Koch. She has an amazing weekend Psoas training… and I hope to bring her to The Synergy Studio!

“The Psoas muscle (pronounced so-as) is the deepest muscle of the human body affecting our structural balance, muscular integrity, flexibility, strength, range of motion, joint mobility, and organ functioning.

A relaxed psoas is the mark of play and creative expression.  Instead of the contracted psoas, ready to run or fight, the relaxed and released psoas is ready instead to lengthen and open, to dance.

Koch believes that by cultivating a healthy psoas, we can rekindle our body’s vital energies by learning to reconnect with the life force of the universe. Within the Taoist tradition the psoas is spoken of as the seat or muscle of the soul, and surrounds the lower “Dan tien” a major energy center of body.  A flexible and strong psoas grounds us and allows subtle energies to flow through the bones, muscles and joints.” ~~~From https://bodydivineyoga.wordpress.com/2011/03/23/the-psoas-muscle-of-the-soul/

How about it? Let’s rock, roll, spin, open, strengthen and lengthen the muscle of the soul this week! Psoas! Yes!

Love, Adelle

My classes this week:

Nia:  Tuesday 6:45am, Wednesday 9:15am, Thursday 9:15am, Friday 5:30pm, Sunday 4:00pm

Yoga: Thursday 12:00pm, Sunday 8:45am

Read more about the muscle of the soul from the amazing Dr. Christine Northrup… http://www.drnorthrup.com/psoas-muscle-vital-muscle-body/

Happy Friday my friends!

Spending a week, basking in the glow of teaching a Nia White Belt with 12 other souls in California, and many more enJoying classes, finds me more grounded and present in gratitude for every breath.

Sacred: Dedicated or devoted exclusively to a single use, purpose or person.

I make choices moment to moment. We all are making choices.

I choose to recognize the beauty, grace, and gift of my sacred breath. I’m choosing to live in gratitude for every moment, and every breath.

I hope you will join me tonight at 5:30. How about Sacred breath in CELL-ebration of choice?

Loving you deep, wide and tall, Adelle