Nia and the Chakras

June 16, 2009

Fitness program helps stimulate your energy centres and open door to healing
By Wendy Roman

Nia is a pleasurable fitness program that goes beyond exercise for the health of the physical body. Nia encourageswhole body, systemic movement and this effectsus on far more than a physical level. You are so much more than just your body and taking care of all aspects of who you are is integral to your health and well-being. Beyond the physical, you also have the mental, emotional and spiritual realms to consider.

The chakras are energy centres that are located within your body. The development of the chakra system goes back to ancient India where they understood these energy centres to help nourish your body, as well as influence your emotions and thoughts. If each chakra is open and strong, energy moves freely throughout your body and you will be in a general state of well-being. If a chakra is blocked or unbalanced, the energy will stay stagnant, indicating that there may be some form of dis-ease. This may first manifest within your mental or emotional realms but if the energy does not start to flow through again, physical disease may result.

There are many ways of working with the chakras. Good options include meditation as well as various energy therapies. Physical movement is a very powerful tool we can use to clear the chakras and keep them vital and healthy. In Nia, as you move and dance with your entire body, you are stimulating all of these energy centres and opening the door to healing all aspects of yourselves. If you pay particular attention to the pelvis, chest and head in your movement, you will be moving all of the major chakras.

Sounding is another element of Nia, and another way that you can work with the chakras. In the Nia class there are times when you would enthusiastically shout out “yes!” or “stop!”, while at other times you may melt into the sound of “aww” or “ooo”. These sounds are used to strengthen your physical core and relax your body, but other benefits of sounding are that it moves your emotions and stimulates your chakras with the vibration of sound. As a student, you may or may not be aware of the reasons why you do what you do in Nia, but you certainly would know how great you feel when you leave at the end of a class!

Here are some of the ways you can move your body and the results you can expect when you use movement to balance the chakras.
* The root chakra, located at the base of the spine, is directly affected by moving the tailbone. Move this centre to develop a strong connection between your body and the earth as well as a sense of security and trust in life.
* The sacral chakra, located in the lumbar area of the spine, is stimulated by moving the pelvis. Movement of this centre stimulates your creative powers that birth new ideas and new forms.
* The solar plexus chakra, located in the mid-thoracic area, is affected by movement of the pelvis, chest and head. Move this centre to heighten your self confidence and personal power.
* The heart chakra, located at the first, second and third thoracic vertebrae, is affected predominantly by moving your rib cage. Moving this centre develops a connection with love, compassion, joy and sorrow.
* The throat chakra, located in the third cervical vertebra of the spine, is affected by head and neck movement. Move this centre to improve your ability for self-expression.
* The brow chakra, located at the first cervical vertebra, or bridge of the nose, is stimulated by moving the head. Moving this centre will help you to develop a connection to your intuition.
* The crown chakra, with no spinal contact at all, is located above the crown of your head and is affected by movement of the head. Moving this centre develops a connection between yourself and divine energy.

Wendy Roman is a blue belt Nia instructor from Lion’s Head, Ont. Now in her fifth year of teaching Nia, Wendy enjoys teaching classes and special focus workshops in Grey/Bruce and beyond. To learn more about Nia you can visit www.nianow.com and www.niac.ca. You can also visit Wendy’s website at www.rhythmwood.ca

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Reflexology: natural, non-invasive, relaxing

June 16, 2009

By Sharon Evans

Reflexology is a widely-known, healing approach. Most people think of the feet when they think of reflexology but actually there are reflexes in the feet, hands and ears that correspond to every organ, gland and part of your body through your nerve pathways and/or your meridians.

As reflexologists, we use our thumbs, fingers and hands to apply pressure and stimulate these reflexes. The technique is firm but not painful. We note that tenderness and tension could reflect congestion in the corresponding part of your body.

Sessions usually last 45 minutes to 1 hour, and generally cost $35 to $50. The number of sessions recommended will vary. For a health problem, expect to commit to a series of sessions before assessing results.

Reflexology has been around for a long time. The first record of Reflexology was found in an Egyptian physician’s tomb dating back to 2330 BC. ‘Foot work’ also appeared in other cultures such as China, Japan, India and Europe thousands of years ago. Currently, Reflexology has been adopted in Europe and Asia by the medical system and is standard in hospitals and clinics.

Reflexology is used as a response to physical or emotional distress or as preventative care.

Reflexology supports healing for a variety of complaints such as various skin problems, respiratory ailments, acute and chronic pain, sleep difficulties, circulation and elimination problems, digestive disorders and compromised immune system. When you experience illness, stress, injury or disease your body is in a state of “imbalance.” With trained, sensitive hands, we can detect these imbalances in the feet and can help restore balance and encourage healing.

Reflexology is not a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment. Once you are aware of the diagnosis, reflexology treats you as a whole person. Often reflexologists work together with other medical and complementary therapists to achieve the best results.

Through the reflexology sessions, your body is assisted to return to natural functioning. Your endorphins (natural painkillers) are released. Para-sympathetic relaxation of your nervous system takes place. Your blood and lymphatic circulation are increased resulting in increases in oxygen and immune levels. All of this helps to restore balance to all the systems of your body.

There are wellness benefits from reflexology too. The American Journal of Medicine reports that stress is known to cause over 80% of all illnesses. Reflexology reduces stress during a session. Chemical changes occur at the cellular level throughout your body. A reflexology session helps your body towards its own natural healing process. It’s a wonderful way to feel better and gain a sense of health and well-being. People usually feel a sense of inner calm and more energy as a result of their sessions.

Sharon Evans is a Certified Reflexologist offering Reflexology among a number of other services out of Kinexions Holistic Health Studio. There are several other certified Reflexologists in the area. Certification Requirements to become a Certified Reflexologist through Reflexology Association of Canada are: 35 Classroom Hours (anatomy and physiology for 9 major body systems), 15 Home Study Hours, 60 Practical Hours (documented case studies) for a total of 110 credit hours. There is a 2 hour written exam for which the minimum passing mark is 80% and a 1 hour practical exam with an examiner who is not your instructor again with a minimum passing grade of 80%.

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Nia – A soulful workout

June 16, 2009

By Wendy Roman

The biggest question around the area is “What is Nia?” Nia is an expressive practice using lively, spirited movement to strengthen the body, clear the mind and free the spirit. While it may sound intimidating, in Nia we encourage you to have fun, set your own pace and lose yourself in the moment. We guide you to take your awareness inside your body, to trust your body and to create mindful movement that brings you closer to selfhealing and well-being.

Nia is safe on the joints. Sinking and shifting of bodyweight completely eliminates any repetitive jumping or jogging. You can find relaxation infused into every movement. Your choice is always for comfort and ease over pain. When your body works with ease, it naturally refuels itself; when you force it, unnecessary tension may be created. We encourage you to work at your own level of intensity. Women and men of all ages and abilities can come together in one class creating a connection to the group and to themselves.

The form and freedom of the technique come from a unique blend of movement forms. From the martial arts, it draws upon tai chi, tae kwon do, and aikido. This brings with it power and focus. From the dance arts, jazz, modern dance and free-spirited Duncan dance are blended to bring spontaneity, grace and rhythm to the movement. From the healing arts, yoga, Feldenkrais, and the Alexander technique bring alignment and awareness to the body. The combination allows strength and power to be blended with graceful, fluid movement, conditioning the whole person — body, mind and spirit.

We begin each class with gentle warm up movements to stretch and open the body. You achieve cardiovascular fitness through continual motion, dancing to the warming rhythms of world music where everyone has so much fun they aren’t even aware of time passing. As the class ends we guide you to use the heat and pliability created in your body to stretch and relax, calming, and restoring energy to the body.

The many benefits of Nia include:
1. improved muscle tone and strength,
2. increased flexibility and balance,
3. improved posture,
4. increased energy,
5. improved blood circulation and lymphatic drainage,
6. weight loss and weight management, and
7. improved concentration and cognitive function.

Nia, established in 1983 by Debbie Rosas and Carlos Rosas, is now taught in 30 countries worldwide by over 1,700 trained Nia teachers. More and more people are coming out to enjoy the fullness of this vibrant movement practice. To find a teacher in your area you can visit www.niac.ca/on or www.nianow.com

Wendy Roman is a blue belt Nia instructor who lives near Lion’s Head, Ont. She enjoys sharing her passion for dance and movement through classes and workshops taught in Grey and Bruce counties.

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Introduction to Pilates

June 16, 2009

It’s a full body conditioning program that is used by everyone from Madonna to Tiger Woods
By Sharon Evans

Who Does Pilates? A very diverse group of men and women of all ages practice Pilates. They range from actors to musicians, models to athletes, ballerinas to men’s sports teams. Here are just a few of the names I would like to share with you: Madonna, Oprah, Joan Collins, Rod Stewart, Tina Turner, Cindy Crawford, Jamie Lee Curtis, Barbra Streisand, Kristi Yamaguchi (skater), Tiger Woods, Bill Clinton, Hugh Grant, and Patrick Swayze. Even prior to the recent Pilates craze Lauren Bacall and Gregory Peck used Pilates to keep their bodies flexible and strong.

What Is Pilates? Pilates is a unique full body conditioning program. It is comprised of a series of stretching and strengthening exercises. The method was developed by Joseph Pilates more than 75 years ago. It was used initially by dancers and athletes for rehabilitation purposes. Now it has become one of the most popular exercise programs of today.

The program unites body and mind through a blending of Eastern & Western philosophies of mental and physical conditioning (yoga/physiotherapy). Pilates is based on the quality of movement rather than the quantity. It is designed to strengthen and tone muscles, provide balance, increase flexibility, improve posture. In this way it enhances your physical and emotional well-being.

10 Ways Pilates Benefits you:

Improves your core strength (abdominals, buttocks, back and hip muscles)

Improves your flexibility, circulation and movement

Improves your posture & body alignment

Improves your use of breath

Improves your concentration or mental focus

Increases your energy

Increases your body awareness

Prevents and rehabilitates you after an injury (for example: Back, Joint & Muscular)

Boosts your self esteem

Requires no expensive equipment

Who Should Take Pilates? Everyone! Pilates classes aredesigned to accommodate any age and any activity level.

Participants range from the conditioned athlete to the person who has made a decision to change their lifestyle after years of inactivity. It is gentle on the joints, therefore it is used very effectively in the rehabilitation process. Likewise, with medical advice, it can be used for people who have special needs such as Pregnancy, Chronic Back Problems, Fibromyalgia/Chronic Fatigue, Arthritis, after surgery, Inner ear Disorders, Brain Injury, Diabetes, and Respiratory Concerns.

As with other forms of exercise and treatment modalities, make sure your instructor is properly certified and has experience in a variety of situations. Be well informed about the technique and the instructor. It is your body. Daytime and Evening Classes are starting in the fall at Kinexions, 970 3rd Ave. W. in Owen Sound. Please call 371-8314 or email kinexions@bellnet.ca for class times and availability.

Sharon Evans is the owner of Kinexions Holistic Health Studio, a Pilates Instructor at the Family Y and Stone Tree Golf & Fitness, and Kinexions. She is a certified Pilates Instructor, Certified Fitness Instructor, Certified Strength & Conditioning Leader, Registered Massage Practitioner, Certified Reflexologist and Certified Aroma-Spa Therapist.

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Integrated balance

June 10, 2009

Seeking balance in our lives does not necessarily mean we have to add things to an already busy schedule
By Marie Knapp

Marie I am sitting on the shore of Georgian Bay. The sun is low. The escarpment cliffs are visible north to Cabot Head and south to Cape Croker. It is a rich moment filled with awe. I feel grateful.

Having paddled 2 hours in the morning, I was glad to have had the opportunity to rest and eat on the sand beach of Lion’s Head. It had been a good physical work out for me and that left me feeling good about myself. Also this has been a time for my husband and I to have together, setting up our campsites and making our meals while preparing for rain. Relationship building is continually necessary in any marriage even after 40 years.

Paddling is strenuous. It also plays havoc with the arthritis in my wrist so I consciously work at easing the pain in a variety of ways. Since it can slow me down, I was working at ensuring my position was correct. How I move my arms and shoulders makes a difference in the efficiency of the stroke.

Visualizing helps me. I keep my thoughts focused on strength and position. It works.

Balance is how we live. It is not something we do by equalizing the amount of time we spend in the different aspects of our lives. Rather, it is how we engage in the different aspects of who we are no matter what we are doing.

Seeking balance in our lives does not necessarily mean we have to add things to an already busy schedule. It means we consciously bring different aspects of ourselves to what we are already doing.

You don’t have to go on a kayak trip to reach a place of balance, though I must admit it certainly is great when you can. Findopportunities to bring integrated balance to all that you do.

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Is your life balanced?

June 10, 2009

Try this simple activity to find out
By Sue Crutcher

Sue Crutcher One of the most important keys to self care is having a methodology in place by which we are able to track progress. How do we do this? One of the best ways I have found is an assessment tool which I refer to as “the wheel of life.” I suggest you try this exercise once a month. Don’t get all caught up in checking it constantly. As you change on an ongoing basis, it will change. You are looking for overall progress (or, perhaps, stagnation or reversal). Think of it like your weigh scale: you can check your weight several times a day and get all caught up in the emotion attached to the fluctuations, or you can check it once a week and get a good grasp on your progress.

The point of the ‘wheel of life’ exercise is to see change in a positive manner with an overall goal of balance in all sectors. It does not matter if that balance is acquired at 10% or 90% as long as all sectors are equal. When all sectors are relatively equal, your perception of life will be that of more contentment. Contentment, in the moment, is a wonderful and peaceful place to be.

EXERCISE
Draw a circle

Divide it into 4 equal sections

Label the sections:

Physical
Emotional
Spiritual
Intellectual

Before you start

Consider the centre of the circle to equal 0% and the outer most line to be 100%

First, look at the ‘physical’ sector

Draw a line across the sector (or a dot anywhere within) that will represent where you are right now physically as a percentage. This is a general perception including: strength, fitness levels, health, diet, stamina. Example: ‘I feel about 80% healthy physically.’

Next, move to ‘emotional’
Draw a line across the sector (or a dot anywhere within) that will represent your emotional level right now. The easiest way to choose this number is to ask yourself: ‘How happy or content am I right now?’ and chart it as a percent.

Now, move to ‘spiritual’
Using the same process, draw a line or dot to represent your perception of how spiritual you consider yourself to be right now. For some spirituality and religion are relatively inseparable, for others, there is a distinct difference between the two. Spirituality represents your personal connection to yourself and whoever or whatever you consider your creator to be, to the universal life force, chi, prana … whatever you choose to call it regardless of what religion you may or may not be.

Complete the ‘intellectual’ section
This is not your IQ, although it is included in the allotment. This section represents your perception of how close you are to your perceived potential at present. It could be relative to how intelligent you would like to be down the road; how intelligent you are relative to how you once were; in general ‘how well am I using my knowledge and experience?’

Finally, pull it all together
If you used lines across the sections, colour or fill in each section from the center out to the line that you drew. If you used a dot to represent where you are; join each dot to the next sector dot with a straight line.

Would your wheel roll smoothly?

Now, thinking of this completed exercise as if it actually were a ‘wheel’…
If you were to cut along the lines of either the filled in portions or the joined dots, stood the wheel upright, would it roll smoothly? If the answer is ‘yes’, you are very well balanced in life (from this viewpoint) and should congratulate yourself. If your answer is ‘no’ (and the majority are), you now have a ‘map’ of areas you need to be aware of … what to work on and what to let be for now. Perhaps you’re very strong at a physical level, but spiritually or emotionally noticeably weaker. At this point, we are simply getting a ‘feel’ for where you are currently.

That’s it (for now…)
Date the exercise and file the wheel away somewhere where you can look at it in the future. In about a month, do the exercise again – without looking at the previous wheel. After you have completed the exercise the second time, take out the original wheel and compare your progress. Do this on a regular basis and you will be surprised to see how much you grow and change over time. To your success!

Susan Crutcher, RRPr, CPTN-CPT, CRP, ICA-CIT, Life Empowerment Mentor, is a certified and insured practitioner of over a dozen modalities including: heated stone massage, aromatherapy, reiki, a registered reflexologist (RRCO) and personal trainer. Through her clinic, Sutopia Holistic Wellness, she offers all these as well as life empowerment mentoring. She is manager of Greystone Retreat, a luxury vacation rental; co-founder of Academy of Holistic Modalities inc; executive member of the Reflexology Registration Council of Ontario and a founding member of the Grey Bruce Spiritual Network. Contact her at 519-534-2569 or scrutcher@sutopia.com

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Hypnosis: It’s all in your mind

June 9, 2009

It can reduce illness and lead to greater calm and less stress
By JACKIE HOFMANN

Jackie Hofmann Life originates in YOUR mind! You have your own unique perception of the life you are living that is totally different from anyone else’s, because you are totally unique. Your dreams, your habits – good and bad; your desires and accomplishments; all originate within your own mind. Even the pain you might feel is your brain’s interpretation of a physical sensation.

You have basically two parts to your mind…your conscious mind and your subconscious mind. Your conscious mind can only retain 7 plus or minus 2 bits of information at one time, so it bores very easily and wanders quite readily! Your subconscious mind, however, is virtually limitless in the amount of information it holds. Just the facts! It is similar to the CPU of a computer and holds every bit of information about you from day one. As you read this, you are not consciously thinking breathe in breathe out…repeat if necessary! Your subconscious mind controls your autonomic system so you consciously don’t even have to worry about your heart beating or your blood flowing etc. It’s a good thing considering your conscious mind isn’t up to handling such a huge demand!

Your subconscious mind also holds your belief system. Those thoughts of right and wrong; good and evil etc., so if there is a negative belief (I’m too fat; I can’t quit smoking, or stop being afraid of snakes etc) that you wish to change; hypnosis is an effective way to go. Hypnosis is a state of heightened awareness. I describe myself as being like an usher in a theatre: I use hypnosis to guide you to your seat (reach your goal)…but I cannot make you sit (accomplish it)! That is totally up to you! Here are some interesting facts about Hypnosis:

Hypnosis induces deep breathing – leading to greater calm and stress relief

Hypnosis reduces illness – being in a state of deep mental and physical relaxation often, reduces stress and thus illness

Hypnosis promotes good sleep and strengthens the immune system…a few minutes of hypnosis is equal to a few hours of sleep

Hypnosis for surgery reduces the trauma and speeds healing by at least 1/3…just listen to my Pre-Operative Healing CD and follow it with my Post Operative CD to speed your healing.

Hypnosis can change your life! The mind and the body’s attitude to life change for the better, creating a feeling of calmness and makes the individual feel confident and in command of his life.

Jackie Hofmann is an EFT-ADV Practitioner and Hypnotherapist who offers personal, group and corporate workshops in EFT. She also records her own CDs. Visit www.jackiehofmann.com, email your questions to mail@jackiehofmann.com or call 519-372-1895.

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Change: Hypnosis is the key

June 9, 2009

It’s a way of bypassing your critical conscious mind
By JACKIE HOFMANN

Jackie Hofmann How often have you changed your hair style or colour, your style of dressing? Billions of dollars are spent each year on cosmetics because people change shampoo, toothpaste or make-up. Some external changes seem to be effortless. What holds you back from changing those nasty habits you acknowledge but simply can’t let go?

Nail biting or procrastination are annoying habits that seem trivial. Next level are fears and phobias (perhaps heights, spiders, flying etc.) Then there are the more life threatening habits such as smoking, obesity, stress, etc. Often the wall we hit is fear of change…fear of the unknown and the unfamiliar.

Changing some deep-seated habits forces you inward to reassess who you are, and to alter your perception of reality. SCARY!

Perhaps an overweight person might have suffered selfesteem erosion in their youth. Changing their outward appearance by losing weight could make them feel vulnerable. Might others consider them more appealing sexually and make unwanted advances?

Almost all of my clients are held back from their truest potential by low self-esteem. Life just wears you down. How can you make these internal/emotional changes, remove the fear AND build self-confidence?

Your belief system is held in your subconscious mind.

Hypnosis bypasses your critical conscious mind (the one that reinforces a bad self-image by telling you to look in the mirror … your hips are too big etc.). It goes directly to where you store those original beliefs. There you can replace a negative belief with a positive one. “I am curvaceous, and I love my body.”

Hypnosis and subliminal CDs have been very useful for my clients. They reinforce the positive and thus replace the negative programming that is present.

Negative beliefs are programmed into you in your childhood with the events and people in your life. Hypnosis is a safe, natural, easy and effective way to powerfully reprogram yourself to be the person you always knew you could be! It takes 21 days to cement a new belief into your subconscious mind, so change will not occur overnight…but then you didn’t just suddenly wake up addicted to cigarettes…or afraid of flying…or overweight, did you.

To address the internal changes in yourself that will give you the life you desire, listen to the applicable hypnosis or subliminal CDs as often as possible. Change on the inside will be positively reflected on the outside with enhanced confidence and a positive outlook.

Hypnosis is an important key to change and is available locally!

Jackie Hofmann is an EFT-ADV Practitioner and Hypnotherapist who offers personal, group and corporate workshops in EFT. She also records her own CDs. Visit
www.jackiehofmann.com, email your questions to mail@jackiehofmann.com or call 519-372-1895.

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