the science of White Belt principle 10Embody and Share
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© 2010 Nia Technique, Inc. | NiaNow.com Principle 10 Lesson Plan | 1
The White Belt Continuing Education Course is an integral part of your Nia Livelihood Package. This course supports
you in deepening your Nia education at home, helping you physically embody the White Belt Principles in and out of
Nia class. Your Embody and Share book is chaptered by principle, with each chapter supported by these Lesson Plan
downloads you can work with at your own pace.
science - craft - Art
Exploring the Science, Craft and Art of Nia naturally reveals
the magic of nature and the human form—the patterns,
beauty and expressions of life sensed and lived in a body.
Science explores the “why” of what we do. Craft explains
the “how” of what we do. Art expresses “what” we do to
make Nia a unique expression of ourselves.
All Nia practice is supported by The Body’s Way, an applied
science of using the body in accord with its specific
structure and design. The more you understand the design
of the body, the more you can make conscious choices to
improve your overall comfort, functioning and health.
Science: Why
X-Ray Anatomy is a principle, a methodology and a tool for
helping your body maintain alignment and homeostasis.
Like everything in Nia, the science of X-Ray Anatomy
is based on The Body’s Way—specifically on the body’s
need and ability to maintain physiological balance. Your
body is always regulating its inner environment, always
seeking balance and stability amidst internal and external
fluctuations. Every bone is designed and arranged to
support free movement, allowing you to explore and adapt
to the ever-changing variables of life in a human body.
The body wants to survive—and this is what it is coded to do. My body loves serving
me, so I had better learn to serve it by paying attention to its needs.
—Debbie Rosas
To practice X-Ray Anatomy is to consciously move in
ways that help your body establish balance and alignment.
We use awareness to observe the current health of our
bones, joints, ligaments, connective tissues, muscles and
organs; gathering information through our eyes (vision)
and through sensation—the voice of the body. Once we
have a picture of what is happening beneath the skin, we
respond by making changes that create more comfort, ease
and pleasure. By looking and listening for the sensations
of health in all of our body parts—including our internal
organs—we are able to recognize balances and imbalances
inside and out.
Your amazing body has many parts specifically designed
to maintain homeostasis, including your liver, kidneys,
hypothalamus, autonomic nervous system (ANS) and
endocrine system. Like the rest of your body, these parts are
always communicating to you about their current state of
health. Your liver, for example, is designed to metabolize
toxic substances and regulate carbohydrate metabolism.
Imbalances in your liver are often sensed as fatigue,
irritability and lack of mental clarity. Kidneys are designed
to regulate salt, water and iron levels in the blood, as well
as the excretion of wastes. Kidney imbalances are often
expressed as abdominal bloating and discomfort in the
joints. Your ability to recognize signs of imbalance in any
body part, as well as signs of health, is key to developing a
communicative relationship with your body that supports it
in maintaining optimum functioning and well-being.
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© 2010 Nia Technique, Inc. | NiaNow.com Principle 10 Lesson Plan | 2
Craft: How
To apply X-Ray Anatomy is to observe what is happening
beneath your skin, and then use movement to establish
ideal vertical and horizontal alignment. This may involve
either tightening or loosening certain muscles or joints,
or a combination of the both tightening and loosening.
The methods of X-Ray Anatomy integrate anatomical
knowledge with sensing, witnessing and adapting.
• Anatomical knowledge refers to your ongoing study
of the body’s form and function, including how each
part is designed to function both independently
and together. In X-Ray Anatomy, applying your
anatomical knowledge to bones, joints, muscles and
connective tissues means sensing for harmonious
vertical, horizontal and rotational tension.
•Sensing means to become aware—to notice
and tune into sensation, the voice of the body.
Specifically, it means tracking the sensations of pain
and pleasure; and recognizing pleasure as the voice
that signals, “This is a healthy choice—keep doing
what you’re doing.” If you sense any degree of pain,
stop! This is your body telling you that something
you are doing is causing an imbalance, which may
lead to poor functioning and/or damage.
• Witnessing means to consciously observe what is
happening in your body, paying attention to slight,
moderate and acute sensations of “good” and “bad.”
• Adapting means altering what you are doing
(moving either more or less; tightening or loosening)
to establish your ideal vertical and horizontal
alignment. The sensation of too tight is an indication
that your body needs to contract less in certain
area(s), so it can return to optimum vertical-
horizontal alignment. The sensation of too loose
is an indication your body needs to contract more
in some way, in order return to a stable vertical-
horizontal alignment.
Art: What
Mastering the art of X-Ray Anatomy means learning to
evaluate your posture and movement by sensing for
what is good for your body. At the heart of this practice is
awareness—your ability to notice sensation. Awareness
provides you with the information you need to cultivate
pleasure by consciously realigning your bones and joints.
”Zorro” is the tool we use to witness, to objectively gain
knowledge about a body, which helps us improve our
own alignment and the alignment of others. As teachers,
we also use specific language to help people stay
aware of their bone and joint alignment as they move.
Words and phrases that support the practice of X-Ray
Anatomy include: vertical, horizontal, rotational,
intrinsic, extrinsic, tighten, loosen, directions, stability,
dynamic, tension; over 200 bones; over 700 muscles;
200/700 movement variety; dynamic postural
alignment, and range of motion.
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© 2010 Nia Technique, Inc. | NiaNow.com Principle 10 Lesson Plan | 3
Read
For this part of the lesson plan, you will read sections from
your Embody and Share book and answer questions about
what you learned.
Move
These lessons help you embody Principle 10,
X-Ray Anatomy, transmitting cognitive information
into physical sensations.
Self-Assess
These lessons gauge your growth and competency in
Principle 10, X-Ray Anatomy.
Exploring The Body’s Way
This section includes quotes and reflections to help you
explore the White Belt Principles.
Watch
For this section, log into NiaNow.com and go to the
Continuing Education section to watch the Principle 10
Teacher Training video with Debbie Rosas.
Lesson Plan Format
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© 2010 Nia Technique, Inc. | NiaNow.com Principle 10 Lesson Plan | 4
X-rAy AnAtomy
Principle 10
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© 2010 Nia Technique, Inc. | NiaNow.com Principle 10 Lesson Plan | 5
Read1. Read Chapter 10, X-Ray Anatomy, in your White Belt
Embody and Share book.
2. In your journal, answer the questions below.
introduction
1. Describe two ways in which consciously working
with Principle 10, X-Ray Anatomy, has changed your
body and life.
2. How has a deeper understanding of X-Ray Anatomy
enriched the health and well-being of your body
and life?
3. What is the most dramatic shift in your movement
that has taken place since consciously working with
Principle 10?
principle 10: X-ray Anatomy and your Body
•How often do you acknowledge the amazing
healing and conditioning powers X-Ray Anatomy
provides your body?
•What can you do to make X-Ray Anatomy a part of
your daily life?
•When you are not living in pleasure and comfort,
how do you recognize this disconnection and what
do you do to consciously reconnect?
•What main techniques does Nia provide to help
you stay connected to X-Ray Anatomy?
Voice of X-ray Anatomy
•Describe what this voice has inspired, motivated
and educated you to do.
•What self-healing wisdom from X-Ray Anatomy has
revealed itself to you?
science
1. Describe how and why Nia’s approach to X-Ray
Anatomy is The Body’s Way.
2. How does X-Ray Anatomy affect your nervous
system?
3. How does X-Ray Anatomy promote self-healing
in your whole body? In your mind, emotions and
spirit?
craft
1. Teach one person who is fit and one person who
is unfit how to move and rearrange their bones in
ways that create more comfort and pleasure in their
muscles, joints and connective tissues.
2. Using the triad for Principle 10, create an
affirmation that helps you notice the alignment of
your bones and joints through the sensations of
comfort, pleasure and ease. Make this self-healing
act a part of your Nia classes and lifestyle practice.
Example: Before you get out of bed in the morning, say:
“Today, I will listen to the healing voice of the body—to
the sensation of pleasure. I will consciously move my
bones and joints in ways that make every movement
a pleasurable sensation. Today, I commit to making
pleasure the environment for healing, the platform of
evolution for my body, mind, emotions and spirit.
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© 2010 Nia Technique, Inc. | NiaNow.com Principle 10 Lesson Plan | 6
Art
Write your personal story about discovering and
exploring X-Ray Anatomy (3 - 5 paragraphs). Share
how you are able to increase pleasure, comfort and self-
healing in your life by consciously changing your bone
and joint alignment. We invite you to share your story
on the Nia Forum!
recall
Celebrate what you know! Use Recall to strengthen your
competency in this principle. For any questions you
cannot answer, enjoy the process of learning something
new—go onto the Nia Forum and discuss Principle 10,
X-Ray Anatomy, with your Nia community.
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© 2010 Nia Technique, Inc. | NiaNow.com Principle 10 Lesson Plan | 7
embodiment
•Practice Principle 10 movement exercises 1 - 5
from your Embody and Share book.
• Journal about your experience and answer the
questions below.
how did principle 10 help you...
•Physically change the way you move?
•Mentally affect how you make movement choices?
•Emotionally connect to yourself and the world
around you?
•Spiritually increase self-love?
the nia 52 moves
•Practice each of the 52 Moves with Nia’s Learn
the Move and Move the Move DVD, focusing on
X-Ray Anatomy, name recognition and the specific
language used to model and master the moves. (See
“Art” section of this lesson plan.)
•Once you can physically respond to the name
of each move and model it with dynamic ease,
dance to the 52 Moves voice-prompted CD. Self-
assess and observe what you learned from your
practice with Learn the Move and Move the Move.
Pay attention to how easily you can respond to the
moves’ names and verbally share the language of
X-Ray Anatomy.
•Using the process of “Show” (moving without
speaking) and “Tell” (saying the name of the move
with the phrase “I sense my...”), dance to the 52
Moves Energize the Move workout DVD. Focus on
conditioning your muscles and connective tissues
by altering your bone and joint alignment, using
the Five Sensations (Flexibility, Agility, Mobility,
Strength and Stability—FAMSS) to track harmonious
alignment and dynamic function.
•To support your learning process, consciously
personally train yourself (CPT) using the catch
phrase, the language of this principle’s triad and the
language of the Five Sensations, as described in the
Nia Technique book.
create your Kata
“Kata” is a Japanese word for choreographed patterns of
movements, used in theater, tea ceremonies and martial
arts. In Nia, “kata” refers to a move or a series of moves
in a pattern, used to strengthen your skill and technique.
1. Choose any song from the NiaSounds library or
follow the suggested song list below.
2. Create your own kata, including one move from
the base, one move from the core, and one move
from the upper extremities, or follow the movement
suggestions below. (Refer to the 52 Moves list in
the Nia Technique book and to the Learn the Move
and Move the Move DVD.)
3. Listen to a variety of music and put the same Nia
moves to the sounds you hear.
For this lesson, pay close attention to the choices you
make to guide your bones and joints. Stay aware and
consciously observe the sensations of pain and pleasure,
recognizing these as the voices that guide you in
making healthy changes. Listen and respond to these
voices to find more comfort, alignment and ease.
Kata Examples
For this lesson, Debbie recommends working with the
routine Alive. As you explore this routine with Principle
10, X-Ray Anatomy, pay attention to your body’s way of
moving your bones and joints and focus on sensing for
positive tension, dynamic ease, pleasure and sustainable
comfort.
Move
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© 2010 Nia Technique, Inc. | NiaNow.com Principle 10 Lesson Plan | 8
Music: Alive— Snake Root 7:59
•Lesson: Warm Up the Base of the Body using the
set choreography of this song, moving the bones
and joints to activate the body’s 13 main joints
/ Engage the Core by moving your spine and
Sounding to vibrate the bones / Web Spaces and
Creepy Crawlers to create your kata.
Music: Alive — Always Waiting 7:07
• Lesson: Get Moving the Base of the Body using the
set choreography of this song and practice stepping
to stimulate bone and muscle awareness / Engage
the Core with Shimmy to awaken to sensation in the
bones and muscles / Touching to move your bones in
space and in your body to create your kata.
Music: Alive — Moon and Sun 6:01
•Lesson: Get Moving the Base of the Body using the
set choreography of this song, moving the feet to
establish comfort in your bones and muscles from
the ground up / Engage the Core by using the eyes
to move your head / Clapping to create your kata.
Music: Alive — Deeper Into Places 6:24
•Lesson: Get Moving the Base of the Body with the
set choreography of this song, using your skeletal
structure to direct vertical, horizontal and rotational
sensations / Create Core Mobility and Stability
using Zorro and Finger Extensions (poking into
space with the bones of all ten fingers) to create
your kata.
Music: Alive — City Knows Your Name 4:58
•Lesson: Cool Down the Base of the Body using
the set choreography of this song and freedancing
your thighbones to sense Flexibility / Engage the
Core with the sensation of flexibility, by moving
your spine and the three body weights / Pumps—
squeezing, opening and closing your bones of the
fingers and hands—to create your kata.
Music: Alive — Hymn 5:26
•Lesson: Create your own FloorPlay with the Base
of the Body, consciously “placing” the front, back
and sides of bones into gravity / Engage the Core
by opening and closing the bones of the front, side
and back of your body, activating flexibility and
strength in your muscles / Add “Eyes” to effortlessly
open and close the joints from the top of the body
down to create your kata.
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© 2010 Nia Technique, Inc. | NiaNow.com Principle 10 Lesson Plan | 9
Using the chart below, assess your skill in modeling the 52
Moves while focusing on Principle 10, X-Ray Anatomy. Pay
close attention to which moves help you sense power and
grace in your bones, joints, muscles and connective tissue.
Seek the sensations of mobility, stability and dynamic
ease as you play with your bones and joints, exploring
new movements and alignments to develop freedom and
fluidity throughout your whole body. Always seek the
sensations of comfort and pleasure, the voices that confirm
you are moving The Body’s Way while respecting your
body’s way.
This month, repeat two moves each day, paying close
attention to your body’s need for more vertical or
horizontal bone alignment, joint mobility, or joint stability.
When you sense effort or tension, stop! Slow down and
direct more attention to the bones of your base, core
and spine. Place your feet underneath you and step at a
speed and in a range of motion that allows your bones,
joints, and muscles the time they need to interact and
simultaneously respond. Practice each move in all three
intensity levels until you can maintain correct form and
technique in any speed or range of motion.
Self-Assess
Observe which moves ask you to slow down or reduce your range of motion to establish balance and alignment in
your bones and joints. A sense of effort or imbalance may mean:
•Your feet are not directly underneath you, causing a lack of bone and/or joint stability, sensed as either “too
tight” or “too loose”; or a “whiplash” feeling in your body.
•Your stance and/or range of motion is too broad, causing your bones and joints to become restricted. Moving
from too broad a stance or range of motion is often sensed as tension in your feet, which prevents you from
moving freely and efficiently from the ground up.
•You are holding your breath, rather than blending movement with breath. Focus on the exhale as you move, to
integrate your body with your breath. Remember: When you focus on the exhale, the inhale will naturally take
care of itself.
•You are “holding” one or more of your three body weights (pelvis, chest or head). Consciously release your
pelvis, chest and head to free your spine and circulate energy throughout your body.
•You are emotionally and energetically “flat.” Consciously shift your emotions and movement form periodically,
to bring a sense of “aliveness” and expression to each move.
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© 2010 Nia Technique, Inc. | NiaNow.com Principle 10 Lesson Plan | 10
BASE
feet - 8 moves
Heel Lead
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Whole Foot
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Ball of the Foot
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Relevé
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Rock Around the Clock
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Squish Walk
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Duck Walk
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Toes In, Out and Parallel
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
The 52 Moves: Exploring X-Ray Anatomy As you practice the 52 Moves for this lesson plan, refer to the following downloads from NiaNow.com:
•Nia White Belt 52 Moves Movement Analysis—FAMSS
•Nia White Belt 52 Moves Anatomical Analysis—Muscle and Joints
Practice all 52 Moves, paying close attention to your bone and joint alignment. Listen for any sensation that asks you
to either tighten or loosen an area of your body to gain freedom in your movement. Continue altering the position of
your bones and joints to find harmonious vertical and horizontal alignment, which is sensed as comfort, efficiency and
dynamic ease. When you sense poor alignment coming from tightness in an area, add more joint mobility. When you
sense poor alignment coming from an area being too loose, use movement to create more joint stability. Keep “moving
the move,” tightening and loosening until you sense balanced, comfortable alignment in every bone and joint.
*To improve my alignment, dynamic ease and comfort in this move, I need...
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© 2010 Nia Technique, Inc. | NiaNow.com Principle 10 Lesson Plan | 11
stances - 6 stances
Closed Stance
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Open Stance
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
A-Stance
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Riding or Sumo Stance
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Bow Stance
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Cat Stance
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
steps - 9 moves
Sink and Pivot Table Wipe
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Stepping Back Onto the Ball of Your Foot
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Cross Front
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Cross Behind
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Traveling in Directions
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Lateral Traveling
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Cha Cha Cha
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Slow Clock
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Fast Clock
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
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© 2010 Nia Technique, Inc. | NiaNow.com Principle 10 Lesson Plan | 12
Kicks - 4 moves
Front Kick
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Side Kick
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Back Kick
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Knee Sweep
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
CORE
pelvis - 2 moves
Pelvic Circles
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Hip Bumps
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
chest - 4 moves
Chest Isolations
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Shimmy
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Undulations
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Spinal Roll
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
head - 1 move
Head and Eye Movement
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
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UPPER EXTREMITIES
Blocks - 4 moves
Upward Block
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Outward Block
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Inward Block
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Downward Block
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
punches - 4 moves
Upward Punches
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Outward Punches
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Across Punches
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Downward Punches
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
elbow strikes - 3 moves
Elbow Strikes Down
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Elbow Strikes Back
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Elbow Strikes Out
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
hands - 7 moves
Touching
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Fist
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
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Pumps
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Strikes
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Chop-Cut
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Web Spaces
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Palm Directions
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
fingers - 8 moves
Finger Extensions
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Finger Flicks
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Creepy Crawlers
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Spear Fingers
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Catching Flies
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Claw Hand
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Power Finger Crossover
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
Balance Finger
◻More vertical and horizontal bone alignment
◻More joint mobility (loosening)
◻More joint stability (tightening)
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Exploring The Body’s WayExplore all Nia principles with awareness. Awareness is the
body’s ability to pay attention to detail and respond without
intellectual judgment or reasoning. Physical awareness
helps you develop flexibility, agility, mobility, strength,
stability, comfort and alignment. Mental awareness helps
you craft the life you desire. Emotional awareness guides
you to internal peace. Spiritual awareness connects you to
your higher self, keeping you aligned with your purpose.
Activate Awareness
• As you receive information, consciously notice the
physical, sensory relationship between your body and
the internal experience you are having.
• Slow down, sense and observe your body’s responses.
establish Awareness
• Pay attention to what you sense in your body.
Notice if the information you are receiving
increases joy and pleasure.
• Seek sensations in your body that either clarify or
challenge what your mind believes to be true.
• Confirm what you believe to be true through
sensation. Use the triad Listen, Think, Test to validate
and embody the Nia White Belt Principles for yourself.
research triad
Listen Think
Test
listen
Proactively seek information from resources you find
motivating and inspiring.
think
Apply a Nia principle or concept to your new information.
test
Pay attention to what you sense in your body, mind,
emotions and spirit to confirm what you believe to be true.
“The triad is the form of the completion of all things.”
- Nichomachus of Gerasa (c. 100 A.D., Greek noe-Pythagorean philosopher and mathematician)
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Body
“Human movement can be viewed from a number of
different standpoints. Anatomical: describing the structure
of the body, the relationship between the various parts
and the body’s potential for movement. Mechanical:
involving the force, time and distance relationships
in movement. Incorrect alignment or disruption of
anatomical structures will clearly affect movement.”
— Marion Trew and Tony Everett,
Human Movement: an Introductory Text
Debbie says: With so many parts to focus on and sense,
it’s no wonder many people stop listening. What I find
so intelligent about the practice of X-Ray Anatomy is the
way I am able to stop listening to all the voices of the
body, and just pay attention to my bones and joints. Once
I commit to listening to my bones and joints—and to
responding to my body’s need to stop doing things
that are unhealthy and painful—it becomes rather
easy to correct my alignment. When I stop disrupting
my body’s natural ability to give me pleasure and give
it pleasure back, the beauty of moving becomes a
reflection of me loving my body.
“Forces from many other sources such as wind, water,
animate and inanimate objects all have their effect on
the way movement is carried out. It is important that the
physical laws of the external environment are understood
so that the prediction of, and compensation for, these
forces can be implemented by the controlling systems.”
— Marion Trew and Tony Everett,
Human Movement: an Introductory Text
Debbie says: I find it interesting to consider that the wind
might be affecting my posture. While I can easily sense
pressure from the outside causing me to move, to create
space inside, I never thought to say, “Today my body feels
compressed by the wind. My bones and joints feel less
free to move as they fight against this external force and
pressure.” Next time it’s windy, I just might go outside to
dance with the force of nature, using wind rather than a
five-pound weight as resistance to become stronger!
“When chi is blocked by problems such as poor posture,
nervous tension, or sedentary existence, illness results.
That’s why millions of Chinese greet the dawn by
performing ancient self-healing exercises designed to
direct the body’s chi, such as T’ai Chi and Chi Gong.”
— Carol Krucoff and Mitchell Krucoff M.D.,
Healing Moves
Debbie says: While I don’t wake up and do T’ai Chi or
Chi Gong, I do wake up and sense the alignment of my
bones and joints. I look for places of comfort and places of
discomfort. I use movement as medicine—as stimulation
to feel better, move better, look better and live better. I can
always count on my body to respond when I move my
bones and joints in pleasing ways, in ways that make me
feel good. It’s important to remember that poor posture
can result in illness, and it is my job to love my body and
consciously support it as much as it supports me. It’s
important to teach people how to sense good posture,
and to track and cultivate the sensation of pleasure in their
bodies, as pleasure cultivates health and well-being.
“In our view, all change is the first step in new
possibilities. This what we mean by developmental
anatomy. A bone can be remodeled throughout life as the
relative stresses on it change.”
— R. Louis Schultz, PhD and Rosemary Feitis, DO,
The Endless Web: Fascial Anatomy and Physical Reality
Debbie says: If bones can change shape, it’s up to me to
maintain the health, shape and function of my bones.
X-Ray Anatomy gives me a method for keeping my bones
and joints healthy. As I live in my body and adapt to daily
stresses, sensing becomes a way for me to acknowledge
what my bones and joints need. If I listen, my body
will last and serve me well. If I ignore even the slightest
message of discomfort, calling me to stop and alter what
I’m doing, I’m putting my body and my self at risk. This is
not what I want nor is it what the body wants. The body
wants to survive — this is what it is coded to do. It loves
serving me, so I better learn to serve it by paying attention
to its needs.
P10 Quotes and Resources
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mind
“Human movement can be viewed from a number
of different standpoints. Psychological: examining the
sensations, perceptions and motivations that stimulate
movement and the neurological and chemical/hormonal
mechanisms which control them.”
— Marion Trew and Tony Everett,
Human Movement: an Introductory Text
Debbie says: I often forget that “X-Raying” myself includes
looking inside to notice my thoughts. As with my physical
body, any incorrect alignment or disruption of structures
within my thoughts also affects my movement. If I
allow even slightly painful thoughts to live in my mind,
these thoughts create poor mental posturing. There is a
sensation I can track, which lets me know the structures—
the “bones and joints”—of my thoughts are in alignment.
It is a sensation that, if I listen, helps me feel better
physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
“To develop the skills of human movement analysis, it
is first important to become more self-aware and this,
combined with a knowledge of relevant research, will
lead gradually to a first-hand understanding of many
of the factors of ‘normal’ movement. This needs to be
combined with the ability to observe, in a structured and
purposeful manner, the way other people perform
everyday activities. In a professional setting, it is
possible to use the senses of hearing, sight and touch
to collect information about individuals and their
problems. The skills of interviewing, listening with
understanding, looking and seeing, palpating and
testing, all contribute towards a pool of knowledge
and modern measurement techniques that will enable
some quantifiable data to be collected.”
— Marion Trew and Tony Everett,
Human Movement: an Introductory Text
Debbie says: I’m struck by how much is done to observe
people and yet so little time is put into teaching people
how to look, see and observe themselves—to listen and
understand more about what they do without the aid of
someone else. How great it is to have Nia as my personal
counselor, movement physician, massage therapist,
and yes: a great dance partner and lover. Imagine what
would happen if we as a society decided to focus on
empowering people to become responsible for aligning
themselves in the world—for collecting their own
quantifiable data using the measurement techniques of
comfort and pleasure?
“Focusing on fun helps enhance compliance, but it’s also
a way to gain the most benefit from activity. To achieve
the wide array of physical, mental, and spiritual healing
that movement can provide, strive to approach this
powerful therapy with a playful mindset.”
— Carol Krucoff and Mitchell Krucoff M.D.,
Healing Moves
Debbie says: The sensation of pleasure isn’t always fun.
So what is “fun”? I believe fun is associated with personal
power—with the act of self-initiating anything that makes
us smile. Fun doesn’t have to be “ha-ha.” Fun can result
from acquiring the skills to feel better and move better.
For me, it’s fun to learn about myself, about the body and
about life. X-Ray Anatomy is fun because I get to play with
my bones and joints, making different shapes to feel better.
I like the challenge of observing all the many ways in
which I and my body have fun. It’s a good game to play:
“Feeling Better”!
“Excessive demand on a body part always brings out
whatever compensations or restrictions already exist
in the part. Unless there is modification of the exercise
to accommodate individual idiosyncrasies, there will
eventually be problems. In addition, challenging workouts
are generally associated with exercising past the point of
efficiency. This is where most of the mischief occurs. It
iis virtually impossible not to create chronic and/or acute
injury when repeatedly exercising in an exhausted state.”
— R. Louis Schultz, PhD and Rosemary Feitis, DO,
The Endless Web: Fascial Anatomy and Physical Reality
Debbie says: To challenge oneself in ways that take care
of the body requires listening, movement variety and
sensitivity to the moment of “this is enough.” “Enough” is
a personal boundary, the point where the body is telling
us, “If I do more, ‘we’ will get hurt.” It’s “we” that we need
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to be reminded of. When I’m moving my bones and joints,
I’m moving the bones and joints of a body—my body.
When I create pleasure and comfort in my body, my body
feels the same. When I “X-Ray” my bones, sense ease in
my joints, and “Zorro” my posture, we both benefit. It’s all
about relationship—about building one that is healthy and
beneficial to me and my body. When it comes to “we,”
there is no day off or time out.
emotions
“Human movement can be viewed from a number of
different standpoints. Social: considering the meanings
given to various movements in different human settings
and the influence of social setting on the movements
produced.”
— Marion Trew and Tony Everett,
Human Movement: an Introductory Text
Debbie says: Like my thoughts, there is an alignment to
my emotions that makes me feel alive and good. Incorrect
alignment, or disruption of my emotional structures that
affects my movement, are often triggered by my giving
power up to some notion, to some idea that someone else
knows what’s best for me, or right for me. I sense painful
emotions when I am not being the spiritual “me,” the
one who owns all of her emotions and can stand for and
behind them. When I honor social influences and don’t
lose my own voice, I sense the “bones and joints” of my
emotions are aligned and in tact.
“It is a sad commentary of our ‘couch potato’ society that
people today must be taught how to move or be coerced
into becoming physically active. The good news is that
when people do become active, it appears to trigger a
cascade of other positive habits.”
— Carol Krucoff and Mitchell Krucoff M.D.,
Healing Moves
Debbie says: Helping people feel better is an honorable
job. I love the fact that I have tools to add pleasure—to
add emotional and physical comfort to people’s lives. I
take the job of teaching people to choose pleasure very
seriously. Something as simple as getting people to shift
their bones and joints can be the thing that awakens them
to the sensation of pleasure. I know that pleasure lives
within the body, in each and every person—and I know
it needs to come out. Pleasure expressed is healing to the
person, to me, and to the whole world.
“But there is one motivator that can pry even the most
confirmed ‘spud’ off the sofa. Freud called it the pleasure
principle: People do things that feel good and avoid things
that feel bad.”
— Carol Krucoff and Mitchell Krucoff M.D.,
Healing Moves
Debbie says: If ever there was a reason for making
everything you do pleasurable, this is it: the pleasure
principle. Simply put, “If it feels good keep doing it; and if
it hurts, stop.” It sounds easy, but without awareness, pain
may not always be a choice. Often people have nothing
to compare it to. Once given the opportunity to sense
pleasure, then yes, pain can be a choice. Pain can be
lessened and dealt with by choosing pleasure, by doing
something as simple as moving our bones and joints until
we feel better than we did before.
“Movement patterns express personality patterns as well
as vice versa. Fear manifests as a general characteristic in
all aspects of the individual’s identity—in body, emotions,
energy, mind. The true nature of fear (lack of trust) is that it
is a signal to pay attention.”
— R. Louis Schultz, PhD and Rosemary Feitis, DO,
The Endless Web: Fascial Anatomy and Physical Reality
Debbie says: The fact that I can track tension in my body
and note that it is a sensation of my body in fear—that
my body is lacking trust—tells me I have to trust my body
more and my body has to trust me. I realize there are
some things I trust my body with and some things I don’t.
As I age, I notice my trust in my body decreasing, which
tells me I’d better start listening more and responding to
what my body needs. If my listening skills improve with
age, my body and I can improve with age, rather than
decline. I notice when I practice X-Ray Anatomy diligently,
I begin trusting my body more—and through sensation, I
believe my body trusts me more.
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spirit
“Human movement can be viewed from a number
of different standpoints. Environmental: considering
the influence of the environment on the way in which
movement occurs.”
— Marion Trew and Tony Everett,
Human Movement: an Introductory Text
Debbie says: When I’m aligned with the world around me,
when I am one with the laws of nature, I feel what I
call “Sacred Alignment.” This is when my bones and
the bones of the universe are aligned; and when I
feel my heart and the heart of my spirit beating as
one. When I lose the sense of “oneness,” I know my
bones and joints are out of alignment with the world
I live in and am supported by. When this happens, I
close my eyes and “X-Ray” the universe. I see myself
as its skeleton, recognizing my responsibility to keep
the posture of the universe upright, to keep the spirit
of the world in pleasure—through me, in sacred
harmony with all that is. As I alter my bones and joints
to sense greater pleasure, I believe the universe smiles
and says, “Thank you Debbie, for choosing comfort
and healing!”
“Since ancient times, healers have recognized the
curative power of physical activity. Yet only recently has
scientific evidence confirmed the widespread belief that
movement heals. Today, virtually every form of medicine
recognizes these basic truths: 1. Simple exercise can
have profound healing effects. 2. Specific ‘healing
moves’ can help fight illness and enhance health.
These concepts are embraced by traditional healers and
modern scientists, eastern practitioners and western
physicians, alternative and conventional medicine
advocates alike.”
— Carol Krucoff and Mitchell Krucoff M.D.,
Healing Moves
Debbie says: As Nia practitioners—movement medicine
physicians—we understand the power of moving to
heal. The word ‘’simple” strikes me as an important word
for us all to remember—simple ways are the best ways.
Simplicity leads to complexity. X-Ray Anatomy is a simple
concept: move your bones and joints to feel comfort.
Movement that heals always feels good to the person
doing it. Training ourselves and others to cultivate “good”
movement—to use movement as healing—is the job of
a Nia teacher. We get to listen to music; we dance to the
music to change people’s bodies and lives. It’s a great
job—moving bones and joints to better the world.
“Only about 30 percent of physicians effectively counsel
patients about regular physical activity, estimates the
Centers for Disease Control Prevention in Atlanta, which
has embarked on programs to increase that proportion
to at least 50 percent. Despite the well documented
health benefits of exercise, the surgeon general’s report
noted that ‘many (health care) providers do not believe
that physical activity is an important topic to discuss with
their patients and many lack effective counseling skills.’”
— Carol Krucoff and Mitchell Krucoff M.D.,
Healing Moves
Debbie says: It’s hard to believe that any healthy person
would not shout the praises of exercise as one of the
most important things we can do to prevent illness and
feel better in our bodies. While not everyone will be
motivated to start moving, I have found most people
want to feel better. Once they start feeling better,
moving becomes easier—it becomes a real possibility
for creating health and well-being. I get people to move
their bones and joints, recognizing the sensation of, “this
feels better.” From there, they become curious, which
is key to motivating people to create change. Without
personal desire or the curiosity to learn more, good ideas
can fall on deaf ears. We can wake people to moving by
connecting them to the sensation of pleasure. Pleasure
is available to every body, no matter the age or level of
health. Somewhere in every body lurks the sensation
of pleasure just waiting to be unleashed. Unleash the
sensation of pleasure, and a person is sure to come back
for more!
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“Exercise is a very natural intervention because it is
something our bodies are designed to do. The engineering
of the human body is complex, having evolved over
thousands of years in a way that would suggest the survival
advantage of a natural cycle of regular activity necessary
to gather food, provide shelter, seek safety, and socialize.
But it’s also important to recognize that our ancestors used
movement for much more than daily subsistence. Physical
activity also played a key role in the uniquely human
“wellness” profiles that includes enhanced spirituality and
joy in and from moving—in play, in prayer, in dramatic
expression, and in community ritual.”
— Carol Krucoff and Mitchell Krucoff M.D.,
Healing Moves
Debbie says: I often wonder if movement connects people
more deeply to the divine—to their spirit. I believe moving is
critical to maintaining a home for the spirit to excel, express
itself and flower into greatness. Moving bones and joints
can become a symphony for the spirit to dance to. When I
dance Nia, I feel the spirit of my bones and joints dancing; I
feel myself moving in play; my self and my body in prayer, in
dramatic expression, in a community ritual with all the other
bones and joints in my body—and in the world.
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resources
Foster, Mary Ann. Somatic Patterning: How to Improve
Posture and Movement and Ease Pain. Longmont, CO:
EMS, 2004. Print.
Krucoff, Carol and Mitchell M.D., Healing Moves. New
York N.Y., IThree Rivers Press, 2000. Print.
Schultz, R. Louis, and Rosemary Feitis. The Endless
Web: Fascial Anatomy and Physical Reality. Berkeley,
Calif.: North Atlantic, 1996. Print.
Trew, Marion, and Tony Everett. Human Movement:
an Introductory Text. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone,
2001. Print.
Debbie’s recommended reading list:
Calais-Germain, Blandine, and Stephen Anderson.
Anatomy of Movement. Seattle: Eastland, 1993. Print.
Hogarth, Burne. Dynamic Anatomy. New York: Watson-
Guptill Publications, 2003. Print.
Todd, Mabel E. Thinking Body. Hightstown, N.J.:
Princeton Book Company, 1991. Print.
Rolf, Ida P. Rolfing: the Integration of Human Structures.
Santa Monica, CA: Dennis-Landman, 1977. Print.
Myers, Thomas W. Anatomy Trains: Myofascial
Meridians for Manual and Movement Therapists.
Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, 2001. Print.
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