Fourteen

It’s been fourteen years this month since I started teaching Nia.

I still remember my first class back in August 2006. It was in a dirty little room in a run down community centre. One student came. I could have been disappointed, but I wasn’t.  I was over the moon with the fact that I was now teaching a practice that kick-started my own healing.

Nia has given me balance, a creative outlet, beautiful friendships and an opportunity to grow into my potential.

It’s been an incredible ride over these fourteen years – I’ve had countless opportunities to share Nia not only in classes, but locally and internationally at workshops, retreats, festivals and conferences; through the media, books & research; in education, health care and the community.  And now an opportunity to develop my leadership skills as I continue training to become a Nia teacher trainer.

When thinking about how to celebrate this beautiful anniversary, I thought about what significance the number fourteen has. Given that Nia is about community, I asked friends and followers on social media to share their connection to that number. So many beautiful stories were told! My grandmother was born in 1914; the significance of 14 in numerology; love; addresses with 14 in them; birthdays/anniversaries; an equation (that I don’t understand!), etc.

I used the words offered in those responses to create this poem.

Fourteen

 

At my lowest,

rocky connection.

No solution;

aching

for a touch point

 

Riding the double identity highway.

Infused with high-rise highs and grisly lows.

 

Yet piloted by self-determination.

 

Divine grace delivered the alchemical equation.

 

My spirit, my teacher knew.

And rescued me on even ground.

 

The art of sensation.

The art of awareness.

 

Nia birthed my true freedom.

Touched me with peaks of joy.

 

And love.

 

Everything is love.