Nia practioners stay fit in and out of the gym through a three-stage process called “Dancing through Life.” You can learn to stay connected to life through bodily sensations, reap the benefits of traditional meditation and find beauty and inspiration in every facet of your life by following these three dance steps.

Dance through Life ~ Turn everyday movements into a continuous dance of fitness. Get in touch with your body’s sensations and make small adjustments to feel more pleasure. Reaching up becomes your opportunity to stretch, swinging your arms releases tension in your back and trying a new way of moving brings awareness and breaks habits. Build body consciousness and activate greater self-healing as you learn to move with pleasure.

Practice Living Meditation ~ Stop the ceaseless inner dialogue in your mind and find moments to rest mind and body while moving through your day. At a traffic light or waiting for an elevator, let everything stop and move into meditative non-doing. Relax your shoulders and jaw, feel the sensations of a neutral mind and capture a moment of stillness while being in the world, but not of it.

Appreciate Life as Art ~ Slow down and view everything you see and experience with wonder and admiration. As you change your perception, ordinary life can become as inspiring as drinking in a masterpiece. Breathe in the good energy of the world and become the art and artist of your life.

Source: Adapted from The Nia Technique: The High-Powered Energizing Workout that Gives You a New Body and a New Life, by Debbie Rosas and Carlos Rosas.