FINDING ALIVENESS + PEACE NOW

FINDING ALIVENESS + PEACE NOW

FINDING ALIVENESS + PEACE NOW

“Everything that I am stating is obvious. What is the obvious? That you are alive. This is obvious. That peace that you look for is inside of you. That is obvious. Everything else, in a moment’s notice, can change. The only thing that doesn’t change is your strength, your beauty, your joy. You, after all, are a human being.”
~Prem Rawat 

Bringing Your Awareness from outside yourself, into your body

To live in a human body is a precious gift. Our bodies are sacred vessels of aliveness and portals for peace. They carry the potential for self-knowledge, self-healing, love, and compassion if we are open to paying attention and learning. Coming home to the body with awareness can offer a refuge amidst the uncertainties of life.

In our disembodied society, we habitually seek safety and control by looking outside ourselves, avoiding our feelings, and living in our thoughts. We resist what is, and try and figure things out, all of which takes us away from being present in our body where our joy and inner peace reside.

Purposefully paying attention in the present moment, without judgment is the cornerstone of mindfulness. Nia as a mindful movement practice deepens our capacity to cope with anxiety and other difficult emotions by gently interrupting runaway thinking and feeling, and anchoring our awareness in our “Now Body”, where our deepest truths live.

BODY AWARENESS PRACTICE

Take your attention into a body part – your feet, arms, belly, heart, whatever you choose. Then hold your awareness there. Stay with it and notice what you feel, without judgment or commentary. With time  you might feel like there’s a space within this body part, or some warmth, tingling, or aliveness around it.

Keep your attention there and if you become distracted by thought, that’s ok. Just keep breathing and returning to body awareness. As you practise you might begin to feel a larger sense of spaciousness throughout your whole body. Be with the felt sense of your aliveness and peace now.

PUTTING MINDFULNESS IN MOTION

When practised with self-compassion and radical acceptance, mindfulness unites the body, mind and heart in remarkable ways. It creates a sense of spacious stillness that helps us feel more at choice than reactive in the moment. In Nia we practise choosing Joy in the face of fear (or any emotion). We invite possibilities alongside hopelessness. We seek connection instead of separating ourselves. We perceive more pleasure and peace, even when there’s pain. We cultivate calm in the chaos.

Mindfulness doesn’t mean sitting still. When we bring awareness to our body in motion, we can experience whatever we are currently doing as something we have never done before. The most ordinary activity – washing a cup, brushing our teeth, preparing a meal – can take on a magical, one-of-a-kind, never-to-be-repeated quality, that Nia calls Dancing Through Life.

By reawakening the skills of feeling, sensing, and intuiting, we can allow the wisdom of the body to emerge, to guide and inform us. Living through sensation we tap into our primal intelligence and access more physical vitality, heart tenderness, sensual power, mental wellness and spiritual presence.

WELCOMING 2022

As we find ourselves in another incredibly challenging time thanks to Omicron, many of us may be feeling pulled into a heady tailspin of anxiety, frustration, and resistance. We’ve certainly been thrown out of the nest! And I’m deeply grateful for the 4 pillars of Nia – Mindfulness, Movement, Connection, Joy – that support us returning to our body in the here and now, to find peace and freedom in the midst of this mess.

At a time when there is a plethora of changing and conflicting information, the ability to tune into our body and trust what we sense helps us take our power back, choose how we want to feel, and take our next steps. Here’s to being lifted by love and joy, and feeling alive with hope and lots of dancing in 2022.

“Peace is this moment without thinking
that it should be some other way,
that you should feel some other thing,
that your life should unfold according to your plans.

Peace is this moment without judgment,
this moment in the Heart-space where
everything that is is welcome.”
~ Dorothy Hunt

Sophie Marsh © 2022 • Web Design Seedhead

WHAT IS BODY NEUTRALITY + 5 WAYS TO PRACTISE IT

WHAT IS BODY NEUTRALITY + 5 WAYS TO PRACTISE IT

WHAT IS BODY NEUTRALITY + 5 WAYS TO PRACTISE IT

“My body is not yours to critique and discuss. My body is not yours for consumption. My body is my vessel. An archive of experiences. A weapon that has fought battles only I understand. A library of love, pain, struggle, victory, and mystery. Your eyes cannot define all it has endured. Do not place value upon my body, place it upon my being.” ~ Sophie Lewis 

“Body Neutrality” is a mindful practice of self-acceptance, where you focus on what your body can do, rather than what it looks like, separating self-worth from body image. Rather than being “body positive” it invites you to make peace with your body and respect the whole person that you are, just as you are.

We’ve probably all looked in the mirror at some point in our lives and judged a specific area of our body as not looking the way we’d like it to. While that may seem harmless enough, ruminating over our appearance or body shape adversely affects our mental health and overall sense of wellbeing.

A few weeks ago I was visiting my dad, who at 78 prides himself on his “fit, trim frame.” As I was leaving, his partner commented on how “scrawny” I looked.  “No, she’s not,” my dad defended. “Look how big her thighs are!”

I’m grateful to now be in a place to not let these kinds of comments land, as they did for the first half of my life.  But it prompted me to reflect that if I won’t allow others to speak this way about my body, why would I do it to myself?

The answer lies in mainstream politics, popular culture, and traditional and social media, which by-and-large still perpetuates an unattainable, objectifying view of women’s bodies (even more so in the ‘fitness industry’), and excludes people of colour, trans people, and people who are older or in larger bodies or living with a disability. While shift is happening, we’ve got a long way to go…

Until age 30 when I stepped into Nia, I didn’t even realise that my low self-worth and disrespect for my body came from systemic and family conditioning. The idea of loving my body when it was so far from what I perceived as ideal seemed impossible, just something else I was failing at.

No surprise, I instantly resonated with Nia’s feel good to look good, beauty from the inside out philosophy.  Through Nia’s body-centred education, the more I learned about the miraculous workings of the body, the more I let go of worrying about appearances and began to appreciate and be in awe of my own body. This is also the philosophy and psychology of body neutrality, a term that was coined in 2010. Nia began in 1983.

With mindful practices of body awareness and body gratitude, Nia teaches us to ask, “What is my body telling me right now?” Maybe it needs a glass of water, a shift in posture, some deep breaths, a hug, or a dance break. Learning to communicate neutrally with your body can make a big difference to your physical and mental health. Over time your body-mind will feel more at peace because you’re listening, responding to its messages, and saying thank you for what feels better.

Rather than giving energy to how our body looks, in Nia we tune in and choose to do what makes our body feel alive, a sensation and vibration that promotes health in every cell, organ and body system. Joy is not always being smiley, upbeat and positive. It’s about being real – acknowledging the often-heartbreaking truth of our human experience AND sensing the boundlessness of our spirit.

Through Nia I’ve learned a body neutrality mindset – to cherish and care for my body as a sacred temple of self-healing; as a vessel that has carried and birthed 3 children; as a life partner that keeps my heart pumping and my breath flowing, even with pain, illness or exhaustion; as a wise guide that only speaks truth about what I am thinking and feeling; as my soul’s home in this one precious life.

As I move through menopause, Nia’s body neutral approach is helping me embrace “The Change” even if I don’t always love it. Listening to my intuitive body, I’m tweaking my diet/nutrition, sleep, movement, play, and pleasure. Most of the time I feel fantastic! When I don’t, brain fog, bloating, restlessness, and moodiness lets me know I need to tweak again. Thank you, body.

It’s ok not to feel body positive all the time – we are all made of strength and struggle. Everybody is worthy of love, even in the moments when we do not love ourselves. Peace comes when we practise self-acceptance, authenticity and body gratitude. In Nia, you belong, just as you are.

5 WAYS TO PRACTISE BODY NEUTRALITY

  1. Prioritize and celebrate health, not weight loss/gain.
  2. Nurture and nourish your body – physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Practice intuitive eating.
  3. Find a movement practice (like Nia!) that is adaptable, intuitive and forgiving, rather than a “one size fits all” approach. When you feel low on energy, don’t give yourself a hard time for taking it easy.
  4. Do not comment on another’s body size, even if it’s meant as a compliment.
  5. When you notice yourself criticising your body, consider instead what it’s doing for you in the moment. Focus on its strength and ability to heal, to move, to adapt.

Sophie Marsh © 2022 • Web Design Seedhead

FROM ANXIETY TO AUTHENTICITY + A LITTLE BIT OF ANNIE’S STORY

FROM ANXIETY TO AUTHENTICITY + A LITTLE BIT OF ANNIE’S STORY

FROM ANXIETY TO AUTHENTICITY + A LITTLE BIT OF ANNIE’S STORY

“We are all born with a story, It is our choice whether we want to live the story we were born with or create one that nourishes all we want to be.” ~ Amy Sophia Marashinsky 

Authenticity is a daily practice, a practice that begins by dropping out of your head and into your body, into your heart. Your body is home for your spirit. It feels expansive when you are using your energy in the direction of truth and love for yourself.

Many of us learned from a very young age to morph into what was expected of us by our culture and our caregivers. We had good reasons to adapt – to feel safe or get the love, time, or attention that we needed and deserved. For many, those “good reasons” eventually developed into false beliefs that we are not enough, just as we are.

Survival instincts and brain wiring can keep us stuck in old patterns of wounding. It also stops us from knowing and being the fullest expression of our unique magnificence. As adults, we can consciously notice when we are disconnected from our authenticity and make another choice. This is where the practise comes in!

Nia’s body-centred awareness helps you recognise tightness or restrictions that often shows up when you are feeling anxiety, fear or unworthiness, or engaging in judgment, people pleasing, or perfectionism.

When you feel the body contracting, invite in kindness, compassion and curiosity, without judging what you are feeling. You’re just doing what you learned to do to stay safe. Chances are, you are safe now, but you’re stuck in this learned behaviour of worrying about what other people think of you or replaying negative messages.

Make some time to sit with yourself and enquire, “What beliefs about myself do I need to let go of so I can nurture and embrace who I am?”  “What new belief will serve my highest good?”  Notice what beliefs bring the most joy or energy in your body? Repeat those!

Your body is wired for self-healing, unwinding trauma, releasing thought patterns, accessing ecstatic states, expressing creativity and being in deep communion with the divine.

If you are struggling, it’s so important to reach out for help. There’s no shame in asking for support, making mistakes, falling down, or failing. We’re not meant to do it alone. In fact, failure means you are open to living life, taking risks, and is essential in developing compassion, humility, resilience and connection.

Nia’s somatic education teaches you how to shift your attention and intention,to tune into your body, quieten the mind chatter, connect with spirit and make choices from love. You learn to sense authenticity as inner peace and joyful aliveness, and to recognise when you’ve lost that connection.

The brain’s bias means we’re much more likely to remember and believe the bad stuff, which is why it takes daily practise to get out of the lower left brain of survival and access the right brain where we can connect with our highest guidance. Years of therapy, study, training and life experience have been powerful teachers for me on this path.  

a little bit of Annie’s Story

One of my greatest teachers has been my 19 year old daughter Annie who last week surprised me (and my students) by popping into the Bali Hut as a “back up dancer” for our online Nia class.

Annie has struggled for many years with complicated mental health issues including anxiety and addiction. It’s been a heartbreaking and challenging time for us, and I’m proud of her willingness to learn and heal (and how this has helped me learn and heal too.)

When she said yes to dancing alongside me, it felt deeply meaningful. Having taken maybe a handful of classes ever, and with no preparation, Annie agreed to step in and be on camera for the “live class” and replay. I was so excited (and a little nervous!) Thankfully, in Nia we have a mindful practise for leaving distractions behind!

Afterwards, she shared how much she enjoyed it and how good she felt. Without feeling like she needed to perform, she wore her “concentration face” for most of the class. My mumma heart is bursting with love for her courage to show up, have a go, and be seen in her authentic power.

Of course I let her know she’s welcome to dance beside me anytime and also that I had no expectations around that.  Her face lit up… “oh mum… I’m excited to do it again!”

Take a 5 minute dance break with me to the song “If I Were Brave” and feel into the lyrics, “What would I do if I knew I could not fail? Never lose faith even when losing my way… What step will I take, today? I am brave!”

Sophie Marsh © 2022 • Web Design Seedhead

5 SCIENCE-BACKED SELF-CARE STRATEGIES TO GIVE YOUR BODY, BRAIN + MOOD A BOOST

5 SCIENCE-BACKED SELF-CARE STRATEGIES TO GIVE YOUR BODY, BRAIN + MOOD A BOOST

5 SCIENCE-BACKED SELF-CARE STRATEGIES TO GIVE YOUR BODY, BRAIN + MOOD A BOOST

“Nourishing yourself in a way that helps you blossom in the direction you want to go is attainable, and you are worth the effort.” ~ Deborah Day 

Simple things can have profound effects on your physical health and mental wellness.

Have you ever felt out of sorts only to realise, you’ve been so focussed on caring for others, you’ve forgotten to tune in and ask yourself, “What do I need?”

Healing is not about being perfect. It’s being willing to take responsibility for all your feelings, staying curious and compassionate about how your thoughts and behaviour are affecting your health, and taking loving action to feel better.

Go gently on yourself… remember you’re doing the best you can!

5 SCIENCE-BACKED SELF-CARE STRATEGIES TO GIVE YOUR BODY, BRAIN + MOOD A BOOST! 

1. Dance for health

Exercise improves memory, learning and concentration. Moderate intensity movement, sustained over time, promotes the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which causes nerve cells to grow and make new connections. It also helps improve your mood, boost your energy, and reduce stress in your body and mind.Recent studies say that dance arts like Nia have physical and cognitive benefits that may exceed those of other forms of exercise (We could have told them that!!)
Get started: take a 6 minute dance break with me on YouTube U R The Answer

2. Actively relax

With 95% of all illness caused or worsened by stress, we need to give our mind something to do, that leads to a feeling of deep inner calm. Active relaxation is a choice and a practice that leads to stress relief in a way that lounging in front of the television can never do.Not so long ago, we sat around the dinner table or village square and chatted… or we played a board game… or listened to stories. Today we’re bombarded with constant stimuli that the brain has not evolved to handle.The brain craves novelty, and nowadays that means consciously engaging in slower, concentrated activities. Make time everyday to turn off your devices and give your whole attention to something that makes you feel centred and uplifted.
Get started: Play any song and devote 5 minutes to Nia’s mindful practice of RAW listening – Relaxed Body, Alert Mind and Waiting Spirit. Song for Olabi by Bliss is a favourite go-to.

3. Make social connections

Perhaps the most powerful thing you can do to keep your body-brain chemistry happier and healthier is to make time for meaningful connections and relationships. Belonging to a group reduces risk of death from all causes and increases longevity, despite health habits.This is another benefit of dancing Nia in community.Research shows that moving and grooving in rhythm with others lights up brain pathways that blur the barriers your mind may otherwise erect between yourself and another, and helps you feel a sense of connection and unity. Nia is a great way to make new friends!
Get started: commit to coming to a weekly Nia class, and if it works for you, join us for a coffee afterwards.

4. See the light

UVB radiation from the sun is the best source of Vitamin D which allows us to more effectively use calcium, improve our immune system, help prevent cancer, reduce depressive symptoms, and support brain function. Sunlight stimulates photosensitive cells in the retina of our eyes to play a vital role in our body brain health. These cells directly affect the brain’s hypothalamus region, which responds to stress and controls our daily bodily rhythms such as the night-time secretion of melatonin from the pineal gland and the changes in cortisol (the stress hormone) and body temperature over a 24-hour period.
Get started: Create a ritual for yourself to get outside in the sun for at least 10 minutes every day. Maybe a mindful walk around the block, or a barefoot boogie on the grass. Physical exercise also boosts Vitamin D (We recommend Vitamin D.ance!)

5. Take in the good

Often when we get busy or feel depressed, anxious or overwhelmed, we can get stuck in a rut of negative thinking, instead of noticing and opening to things that bring us pleasure. In Nia, our lifestyle awareness practice of “Life As Art” helps retrain our focus by reminding us to put our attention on what feels pleasing and inspirational. Using your mind in this way will change your body-brain over time.
Get started: Notice something around you now that brings an inner smile… maybe a flower, a cloud, an object of beauty, the moon, an animal, a child. Give it your full attention and savour this positive experience by feeling it in your body, making that feeling as intense as possible. Stay with it, and as you sink deeper into the sensation, add a visualisation, like perceiving every cell bathed in golden light or imagining a soothing balm circulating inside yourself. Breathe it in and say ‘thank you’ for the aliveness and pleasure you feel.

If you are struggling in any way… please remember our wounds are not meant to be tended alone, but in a relationship, in a community… As Ram Dass says, “we’re all just walking each other home.”

Every day I support loved ones facing depression, anxiety, addiction, and sensory processing difficulties. I am here for you too, without judgment. Through movement, mindfulness, courage, and connection we find health.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:  Joy as a Healing Energy

Sophie Marsh © 2022 • Web Design Seedhead

10 WAYS TO DANCE WITH YOUR INNER CRITIC

10 WAYS TO DANCE WITH YOUR INNER CRITIC

10 WAYS TO DANCE WITH YOUR INNER CRITIC

“Courage… is to tell the story of who you are with your whole heart.” ~Brene Brown 

Growing into a people pleasing perfectionist

As a child, I remember interpreting “you can be anything except mediocre” as an expectation that I needed to excel at whatever I did.  Internalised as a fear of rejection and failure, it soon developed into an unquenchable quest for achievement, accolades, and people-pleasing.

To be loveable, my inner critic translated ‘always do your best’ into ‘you have to be the best.’ This impossible standard meant constantly pushing myself, comparing, competing and judging – a wild ride between ‘not enough’ and ‘over the top’.

I lived with a shameful secret that I was acting how I thought I was supposed to be instead of just being myself. From studies to my corporate career, to marriage and motherhood the perfectionist voice only got louder.

Sometimes her voice stopped me from trying new things I feared I might not be good at or quitting before I could fail. Needing to get it right, I’d be anxious or overbearing, often without being sensitive to the needs or feelings of others.

I’ve walked away from relationships and situations where I couldn’t meet my own or another’s high expectations. Of course I kept attracting those people and experiences into my life to prove my inner critic right, just as I’ve judged others for not living up to my ideal. We are all mirrors after all.

By the time I stepped into my first Nia class in 1999 I felt like a fraud. My inner critic (who by then I’d named ‘Susie Homemaker’) was running the show. I wore a mask of happy-wife and super-Mum (or so I thought), while inside me raged a battle of postpartum blues, inadequacy and overwhelm.

“When the student is ready, the teacher appears.” ~ Tao Te Ching

How Nia helped me find my authentic self

In the welcoming, non-judgmental, ‘no wrong way’ vibe of Nia classes, Susie Homemaker was made redundant, and the ‘real me’ began to feel safe to come out and play. There were even bigger shifts after my first Nia White Belt – learning to choose and embody Joy, to trust the felt sense of my authentic YES, to step into my power, to tell my story with my whole heart, and to follow my sacred purpose. The rest they say… is a long slow path to recovery!!

“The time will come when, with elation you will greet yourself arriving at your own door, in your own mirror and each will smile at the other’s welcome…” ~ Love After Love Derek Walcott

My wisest teachers have been my 3 children. At  7 years old, Sam stopped me in my comparison dance by saying, “Mum, you’re looking in the wrong direction. You can always find people better or worse off than you.” (he’s now 24 and still calling me out!)  My daughters inspire me to continue learning about loving myself, to fully live the awkward, human, messy and sometimes scary dance of life without pretence, and to help women find their voice and feel safe to speak their truth even in the face of upsetting another… or a whole culture!

Nia co-creator Debbie Rosas and my colleagues in the International Training Faculty embody the spirit of Nia as a business and practice founded on Love, acceptance, and collaboration. And  I am grateful for you and our caring Nia Australia community – passionate people want to do their best, connect authentically, and make a positive difference in the world – together.

“By living your life out loud, unafraid of the opinions of others, you may inspire someone who was feeling lost and encourage them to join you on your campaign of uniqueness.” ~Walk On Your Wild Side Day, 12 April

Self-mastery is certainly not for the faint-hearted!  It takes courage to break down – processing pain, feeling to heal, learning a different way. And Susie Homemaker still likes to have her say! I recognise her in my body as bracing rather than embracing, breath-holding instead of space-holding. While she speaks the language of concern, comparison and blame, through Nia I have re-learned the language of my body, mind, heart and soul – love, divine guidance, uniqueness, choice, Joy.

Now I listen and dance with her, a sensuous dance of love and self-compassion… I ask her what she needs to feel safe and gently remind her that perfectly imperfect is right for us now.

10 WAYS TO DANCE WITH YOUR INNER CRITIC

  1. Soften and breathe. Invite her into a slow, sensuous dance of Tai Chi or harmonious Aikido.
  2. Lighten her up by connecting to the sensation of Joy. Recognise that dimming your light to please others is a form of lack.
  3. The more you think about it the bigger it gets, so focus on and give gratitude for what you want more of; recognise and thank yourself for what you did well today. Teach your daughters it’s ok to brag!
  4. FreeDance and let your your inner critic release and express herself or sing all out (aka car therapy). Give her a theme song like Love to Be Loved or Only Human OR amplify an empowered voice This Is Me or Remember
  5. Satisfy your senses and make time for pleasure. Fantasise and daydream… even thinking about it helps us feel better.
  6. Witness your beliefs and stories around comparison and lack, the ones that come with sensations of tightening or heaviness in the body. The brain has neuroplasticity and CAN be rewired; it’s never too late to create a new story of abunDance and possibility!
  7. Surround yourself with people who you respect and adore and who respect and adore you just as you are, and who will also call you on your ‘stuff’!
  8. Rejoice in the prosperity of others. Celebrating their successes brings a magic that expands your heart and juices your spirit.
  9. “I love life and life loves me!” Know it’s never too late to begin… anything!
  10. Laugh. Play. Have fun. Get out in nature. Give your inner critic the week off! Gift yourself the Nia White Belt training.

Sophie Marsh © 2022 • Web Design Seedhead

HEALING TRAUMA ON THE DANCE FLOOR

HEALING TRAUMA ON THE DANCE FLOOR

HEALING TRAUMA ON THE DANCE FLOOR

“I have met my self and I am going to care for her fiercely.” ~ Glennon Doyle

Think about how good you feel after a belly laugh with a friend, a relaxing bath, or a warm hug. When we feel satisfied and restored we are more efficient, vibrant, clear-thinking, energetic, loving, patient, and connected to others and the world.  Social connection, pleasure, and community are vital for our healing, wellbeing and immunity.

While most women may understand it’s important to “make time for self-care”… putting that knowledge into action is not always easy when we are juggling life’s many balls, especially if we’ve been taught to equate self-worth with putting others’ needs first.

Many of us (1 in 3 Australian women) also have a life experience of physical or emotional trauma, abuse, or violence, which may leave us hyper-vigilant to others’s needs, and disassociated from our own. As if this wasn’t enough… we now have endured prolonged exposure to unexpected emotional turmoil for the last 12 months.

Studies are confirming that the impacts of our global response to the pandemic:

  • is more likely to psychologically impact women due to their broader responsibilities – in addition to their professional role, they are usually at the heart of household chores, home schooling and childcare.
  • is impacting physical, mental and emotional health, with an increase in anxiety, depression, substance/alcohol abuse, vicarious trauma, PTSD, and other stress-related disorders.

If you tune into yourself, you might observe edginess in your nervous system that wasn’t there a year ago… maybe subtle shifts in how you relate socially, sense space, or perceive “crowds”. For the more sensitive, your brain may feel foggier, you may be more accident prone or feel uneasy in group situations.

You may even notice triggers from the past year like… sneezing is a symptom, hugs are harmful and dancing is dangerous. While your logical mind can process the facts now, your body may be holding onto the vicarious trauma of fear-inducing media reports, government warnings, social media bombardment, and compassion fatigue.

The good news is that when you consciously choose comfort, self-care, and community you can heal and grow from trauma, abuse, loss and enduring emotional stress.

What helps you heal?

  • Learning about your own needs. 
  • Reclaiming your inherent worth in having your needs met.
  • Practising self-compassion, forgiveness, positive affirmations and acts of kindness.
  • Reaching out for help and connection.
  • Moving your body with awareness.
  • Saying YES to pleasure and joy.

“There is no time limit on learning and healing, there is only the power of transforming our adversity into victory, one small step at a time.” ~ Shahida Arabi

My passion and purpose is helping women to heal through mindfulness and movement, to embody their sacred aliveness and sensuality. And personally and professionally, I am constantly open to learning. Since January I’ve been a student in 4 online trainings: Nia 5 Stages (for the 5th time); Mindful Leader: Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction; Nia as a Trauma Informed Practice; and Debbie Rosas’ Nia Evolution.

Each one of these profound bodies of work reaffirms the science and efficacy of Nia as a transformational, healing practice that helps people reconnect, recover and reclaim their sovereignty and felt sense of safety, Joy, meaning and purpose.

Nia offers a kind-hearted community space for you to feel welcome as you are, without judgment. We lift each other up, without needing to “fix”, helping people resource their own inner compassion, courage, wisdom and power.

Every Nia experience offers healing shifts and gifts – self-care, soul-purpose and sisterhood. I’m so grateful.

“When we gather and connect with others, we honor our own spirits and those of our community, building on each other’s knowledge and energy. We heal. We get stronger. We expand our understanding. We become more resilient and able to recover from setbacks!” ~ Starhawk

Join me for a 5 minute Gentle Nia dance break. Like a moving meditation from your feet to your finger tips, breathe deeply and let your whole body respond to Karen Drucker’s uplifting lyrics… “We are holy, holy, holy… We are whole.”

Sophie Marsh © 2022 • Web Design Seedhead