Dear Students - Happy May! As I have grown from a White Belt to now preparing for my Black Belt over the past four years, you may notice changes in my Nia classes. I am now pushing my personal fitness and creative edges as a teacher, teaching you more detail in Nia's physical technical form and encouraging more creative and expressive freedom. These two dynamics represent the Yin-Yang of Nia movement and create a perfect blend of organic skill. Form gives you the opportunity to develop movement skill and to repeat each step with accuracy. As a contrast, Freedom invites your spirit to play and create within the form and without loosing the structure.I am also working with several more new routines.

This new material and my upward explorative change may be challenging or confusing to you - so feel free to ask questions and offer feedback. My intentions are to do my best as a Nia Educator to share the richness and depth of this beautiful practice with you all. I value my relationship with each of you so I welcome an open and honest exchange.

Through the years many of you have stayed after class, emailed me or called me for a 'reality check' on a variety of things. By the same token, if I have sensed something in you that seems concerning I check in with you too. Ultimately this positive exchange has built stronger relationships and a healthier creative and explorative learning atmosphere.

This dialogue and 'checking in', I have learned, also diffuses the tendency to assume, take personally, or 'create a story' about one-another, which could be damaging to our relationship and the learning atmosphere.

As Nia teachers we are taught to abide by The Four Agreements - The Principles of the Nagual. They are the foundation of our relationship with our selves, with others and with Nia, the practice. They have helped me as a teacher and in my life tremendously. So I'd like to share them with you. Here they are:

1. Be Impeccable With Your Word: Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

2. Don't Take Anything Personally: Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.

3. Don't Make Assumptions: Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

4. Always Do Your Best: Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.

They are pretty simple yet applying these principles daily has proven to be a lifetime transformational process for me. Please know that my 'door' and heart are always open for honest exchange.

Below are stories and quotes from two of my Nia students, both who have now become Nia teachers locally, Gayle Holeton and Barbara Krauss. I am enjoying our changing relationships as we become aligned as teachers. I hope the stories will inspire you to learn more about them and join them in their classes and as well, follow your own personal Nia paths.

Also in this May Newsletter is a special I have run every May for the past three years: "Bring a friend to Nia and receive a class pass for a future class". It's at the top and good through July 1st. Bring your friends and let's get ready for summer!