Energy Follows Intention

This time of year is always a bit awkward as the holidays have passed and the New Year is still waiting to start. It's a bit of a slow time to say the least, leaving most people unsure if they should be resting or gearing up for all their New Year's resolutions.

It's a perfect time for setting intention. Being that it is still winter, there is no real rush in energy but just as the sun has started setting later in the day so shall we. We can steadily start to increase our energy just like the sun. Now is a great time to start creating your intention and goals for the New Year. 

Creating the intention is a bit different that setting up a hundred New Year's Resolution Goals. It’s how you want it to be ("Being vs Doing") Maybe you want 2015 to "Be" adventurous or "Be" love or "Be" curious. By simply creating an overall intention you set the tone for New Year geared to you. Once you have set the tone you can look at what it is you truly want to create. 

Start by writing everything you want to do or would do if you couldn't fail. Think in terms of personal, career and health and remember to THINK BIG! Then, start to pick the ones you can't live without. Under each category you only want to have 2-3 goals. 

After you have picked your 2015 goals, write them as if they have already happened and give them a "by when". 

Example: "I have run the Honolulu Marathon." By Dec 6, 2015. 

By creating a "by when" you are more likely to hit the goal you have created within that time frame. By stating the goal as if it's already happened, you program your mind that you have already done it. This helps give you confidence in attaining it. 

The last element to creating intention and goals is to share them with everyone. Post your goals in your home where you and everyone else can see them and when in conversation ask others what they are creating and share what you are up to. Not only will you both walk away inspired but you have created the energy of what you want to go forth. We are more likely to achieve all that we want in life by sharing it with others. 

So, as you find yourself in this slow energy that gaps the New Year, create intention and brain storm on what you want 2015 to look like not just with "Doing with "Being" as well. 

Check out all the cool new ways to connect to your well-being and self-expression here at Movement Works this 2015!

Connect to your inner child and take our Hula Hoop Class - Hoop 360 or

Find your sassy side and dance it out in our Zumba or Zumba Gold Classes or

Sculpt and tone that body through our Barre and Pilates Classes or

Find your inner Zen with Yoga or

Burn off those holiday calories and connect to your inner fighter in our Piloxing Classes

and much more!

Visit our website for scheduled classes and start your New Year off right!

http://www.mvmtworks.com/classes

Celebrate Diversity this Holiday Season

Central to any winter holiday or celebration are the messages of hope, charity, gratitude, and family. No matter a person’s religion, origin, race, or social class, we’re all bound together by the tradition of celebration.  

Diversity among cultures and people runs deep across the continents and it’s important to embrace and respect the fact that not everyone celebrates the winter holidays in the same way. But celebrations are expressions of joy and shared experiences, something we all have in common.  Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, Ayyám-i-Há, and Winter Solstice (Yule) are just a few of the religious and nonreligious customs  that connect us all this time of year. Acquainting yourself with

the varied winter holidays and celebrations of different cultures and groups can be an enriching exercise and is one way of gaining an appreciation of our differences.

• Ayyám-i-Há is a four to five day celebration among the Bahá'í faith. During the Festival of Ayyám-i-Há, Bahá'ís are encouraged to celebrate God and his oneness by showing love, fellowship and unity.
•  Christmas is the observance of Jesus’ humble birth to a virgin in a stable in Bethlehem. The holiday also celebrates the events surrounding his birth, such as an angel’s appearance to shepherds, telling them to visit the newborn king. Although the Church doesn’t consider it the most important Christian holiday, Christmas is certainly the most popular, at least in terms of cultural and social significance among billions of people around the world. 
  
• Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish celebration that celebrates the first great victory for religious freedom won by the Jews more than two thousand years ago against Seleucid Empire of the 2nd century BCE. Hanukkah is also known as the festival of lights, as the focus of the festival is lighting the eight candles during the eight days of the festival.  Other Hanukkah festivities include playing dreidel and eating oil based foods such as doughnuts and latkes.
• Kwanzaa, a week-long festival that begins Dec. 26 each year is observed by many African Americans in honor of their African cultural heritage and traditional values.  It is based on regional harvest celebrations in Africa. Each of the seven days focuses on one of seven core principles. The principles of Kwanzaa help people to learn, achieve, and grow. A candle is lit on each day, and on the last day, gifts are exchanged.
• Winter Solstice or Yule takes place on the day of the winter solstice, around December 21 in the northern hemisphere. Many cultures organize feasts, festivals, holidays and celebrations around December solstice.

Winter holidays, when shared with family and community,  can bring us all together and help us better understand other traditions, but perhaps gain deeper insight into our own beliefs. When we stop to consider that our world includes countless unique people and traditions, we progress in our recognition that diversity is valuable and that’s something we can all celebrate.

Did you know… Participating in group yoga classes promotes more than just a healthy body. The practice of yoga celebrates diversity, promotes friendships, mutual respect, empathy, and builds a strong community. You can meet exceptional people with varied backgrounds and interests which fosters diversity and acceptance.

Whether practicing yoga or dancing along side a neighbor in class, Movement Works offers a full schedule of classes for all ages and abilities that will transform your body, your mind, and your life. Get to know yourself and your community here with us.

Turn Your Yin In

The air is chilling and the holidays are in full flow as the winter solstice fast approaches. This time of year a lot of us find ourselves busy with parties, planning and creating goals for the New Year but this is the time for rest. Just look at nature. The trees have lost their leaves, the flowers have lost their petals and the bears (along with many other animals) have stuffed their tummies with food and gone to sleep for the winter. Most of nature has gone to sleep so that it can renew its energy. We are not exempt from this equation.

Yin is the opposite of Yang. Yin being night and Yang being day. (Negative, positive, female, male etc...) You cannot have one without the other. Together they work in perfect harmony creating balance. Relating to the seasons spring and summer would be Yang, making fall and winter Yin. Spring and summer are filled with new life, energy and warmth where fall and winter are seasons for reflection, rest and cold. Winter is a time to go within and relax.

Here are five ways to turn your yin in

1. Sleep more

2. Eat root veggies and spicy foods

3. Drink herbal teas

4. Try on milder forms of exercise such as yoga (yin, gentle or restorative) or TaiChi etc. 

5. Meditate / Journal

In conclusion...Embrace the season and relax. 

Nurture your yin within with the variety of yin inspired classes we offer at Movement Works: 

Candlelight Yoga Flow 

Tue 7:15pm

Candlelight Gentle Yoga 

Wed 7:15pm

TaiChi/Qigong

Tue 10:30am

Wed 7:00pm

Thurs 10:00am

Yoga Flow

Mon 9:00am

Tue 9:30am

Fri 9:00am

Gentle Yoga

Mon 10:00am

Kid's Don't Always Need an App; They Need a Parent

Kids Don’t Always Need an App; They Need a Parent

In a world where iPads, smart phones, and gaming consoles are the norm, and work/life balance for parents gets blurred, it seems an easy fix to put a gadget in your child’s hands as a stand-in for you.   

Nielsen reports that 55%of tablet owners with kids say they use the gadgets to entertain the kids while traveling, and 41% use tablets to pacify their kids when they’re in public settings like restaurants.

While kids use mobile devices to view educational content, they’re also using them to play games, watch videos or TV programs. According to Common Sense Media, an organization dedicated to improving the media and technology landscape for all kids, families, and schools, kids today spend over 50 hours of screen time every week. And 38% of all toddlers under the age of 2 have used an electronic device. That’s a lot of screen time!

Over time the lack of face-to-face interaction with parents, family, teachers, and peers can impede a child’s capacity to think for him or herself and formulate genuine social relationships and experiences.  So create specific face-to-face time when phones and tables are put away for conversations and sharing time together.

By spending quality one-on-one time with your kids, they gain many more benefits that an app can’t give them, like feeling loved and appreciated, learning how to develop relationships, voicing their thoughts and feelings, fostering communication, providing positive reinforcement, and learning social skills, all of which can help develop your child as a happy, well-adjusted, and contributing member of society.

So this year instead of putting tablets, smart phones, and plug and play devices under the tree, how about giving your children an even better gift…time spent with you!  

Did you know… That music and movement are influential in childhood development - mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually, verbally, vocally, and socially?  Children who are exposed to music and dance at an early age develop critical thinking skills, excel in nonverbal reasoning and communication and work cooperatively and collaboratively with others.  According to the National Dance Education Organization research shows that students who study dance are more:

• Self-motivated, disciplined and focused in their everyday lives.

• Expressive in their communication of emotions, thoughts and feelings.

• Creative and imaginative.

• Able to critically analyze their own work and the work of others.

To help kids reach their full potential, Movement Works offers Musikgarten classes every Saturday; an early childhood music education program that helps infants, toddlers, and children develop a deep love of music and the ability to express it.  

The secret to Having The Most Amazing Holiday

Tis the season to be jolly and might I add... full and busy!

Typically if we are lucky enough, we start with the harvest celebration of Thanksgiving by stuffing our belly's full of turkey, casseroles, stuffing, hearty vegetables and desserts. Just as awake from our turkey educed coma, we move straight into the Christmas shopping spree that lasts for a month. Shopping, spending, cooking, baking, photo shoots for Christmas cards and many trips to the post office. We plan and attend parties with family, friends and co-workers. These are all wonderful traditions but mentally, physically and financially stressful as well.

 As we start our busy holiday season of giving don't forget to give to yourself. Here are 7 things you can do to nurture yourself to feel healthy, vital and stress free so you can enjoy this time of giving and receiving. 


1. Set a daily "alone time" ritual. This could be as simple as getting up 10-15 minutes earlier than  everyone else to "just be" and drink your morning coffee or tea or it can be as luxurious as a 20 min bath in the evening. Allow yourself 10-20 to just be alone to collect yourself and breath. This will help you keep balance by centering yourself.

2. Eat nourishing foods and consume wisely. This doesn't mean you have to count calories every time you go to a party but know your limit. Portions are key here. Allow yourself to enjoy all the deliciousness but don't over stuff yourself. If you are going to a potluck bring a healthy alternative dish to share. There are plenty of delicious healthy recipes for the holidays. Check out this website for healthy recipe ideas. http://www.foodnetwork.com/holidays-and-parties/packages/holidays/holiday-central-how-tos/holidays-made-healthy-smart-indulgences.html 
  As far as alcohol goes... be cautious in how much you drink. We all know what happens when we drink too much :) When your not at a party drink lots of water and fill your body with vitamins, deep leafy greens, nuts, grains and in season vegetables. This will help give you energy and keep you healthy.

3. Make lists. Organize what needs to be done and purchased by role of importance. If your "techy" phones have list apps you can use or you can get a small notebook to carry around with a pen. I find it very satisfying to cross off one thing at a time. Whether its an app or a notepad, organizing your thoughts is always helpful and give's a measurable result.


4.  Honor Your Time. When we give ourselves a time limit we can accomplish a lot more than one might think. By doing this and staying true to the time limit you set, it helps create focus by getting the most important things done.





5. Rest. It's easy to get caught up, especially if you have children but remember sleep is essential. The more rested you are, the more productive and stress free you will become. Some might say, "I don't have the time." That's when you go back to #4 :)




6. Keep in check. Last but not least remember what's important. No matter what holiday you celebrate, remember why you celebrate it. Aprigraha (a Sanskrit word for non-possessiveness or attachment) is a beautiful Yogic principle that can be honored here. Spending money on gifts, decorations and eating are fun but keep yourself in check as to how much you are consuming. How much do you really need? Whether it be material possessions or food and drink. Possessiveness and attachment will never fail to throw one off balance. Things don't have to be a certain way to be perfect. There are plenty of ways we can create atmosphere, meals and gifts with a little love.

 Here's the cherry on top! Allow yourself to enjoy the moment. Holidays are about giving freely and spending time with the ones you love. Let go of all the "have to's" and "to do's". Get present to the present moment and find gratitude for what you have. After all that's the true gift.

 Take care of yourself and have fun!

Continuing with our thoughts on gratitude as we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, just what is gratitude - an emotion? A virtue? A philosophy?  Gratitude is NOT indebtedness, nor is it complacency. 

It’s the abundance of what you already have, not what is missing in your life. It’s recognizing what’s good, and minimizing the bad. It’s gratefulness not gratification. It’s a dimension of psychological well-being, not an excuse to suffer during difficult times. It propels the desire to do more, not less. It’s about giving credit, but not ignoring your achievements. It’s a state of mindfulness while sifting your fingertips through soft white sand on the beach, acknowledging the texture of each grain. It’s the silhouette of a loved one sitting in a chair, reading a good book.  It’s heart open, mind expanded.  It’s spirituality, respect, resilience, happiness, empathy, purpose. Gratitude is the beginning of compassion and humility.   

******

Most of us generally think that gratitude is something you say out loud – “Thank You” – but that’s not exactly how gratitude works. Gratitude is something you feel and is a direct result of personal willpower.  You must practice it, acknowledge it, embrace it, and share it.

Copyright: http://www.123rf.com/profile_morrbyte

So what’s your gratitude meter reading these days? Try creating a gratitude journal and make it a daily ritual to capture the “gifts” you received from strangers or loved ones each evening. They don’t have to be grandiose gestures; could be a smile by a passerby, a hello on the street, a small act of kindness. Keeping a gratitude journal can help you maintain your effort to appreciate the things you have and enhance your own well-being.     

Did you know…That the practice of yoga is based on a philosophy that encompasses gratitude? In a 2013 study published in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, a significant relationship was found between the extent of yoga practice and gratitude. The longer individuals practice yoga regularly, the higher their levels of reported gratitude are.  

Changing the World One Grateful Moment at a Time

Thanksgiving is nearly here and reminds us to give thanks. Gratitude is one of the most powerful tools we have in life. By simply shifting our focus from what we don't have or what could be, to finding gratitude for what is right now our world transforms to a more loving and beautiful place.

Some may find this challenging with some of the circumstances that are presented to them. In this case I suggest just finding three things you can be grateful for today and watch how it shifts your attitude and point of view. You may even find yourself counting more than just three things to be grateful for.

In Yoga we would call this Santosha. (a Niyama -Personal Observances)
Santosha:
 Contentment; being satisfied with the resources at hand - therefore not desiring more

Contentment and gratitude are one in the same. By finding gratitude we find contentment. When we are content, life is recognized as whole and complete. Everything else is clutter of the mind. When we come to this space we come back to the joyful and pure place we knew life to be as children. After all, this is our natural state of being.

 Today write down 3 things you are grateful for and share them with someone. Ask them what they are grateful for and enjoy the state of bliss this brings. 


Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough & more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home and a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of the past, brings peace for today and creates a positive vision for tomorrow. ~Melody Beatie

Upcoming Winter Performances

Join us at Crow Creek Golf Course on Dec 13th, 630-9pm for our very first holiday showcase. Our Movement Works community will be showcasing performances and class demonstrations - our martial arts and dance programs will be represented, including our Ballroom and Shag folk. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Please join us for this festive celebration of music and movement!! 

Namaste & Happy Holiday Season!! 

Ballroom Benefits

We all know it takes two tango. It's takes duel effort of  two dancers to seamlessly glide across the floor in an almost effortless motion. It's passionate. It's beautiful. It's elegant.

We may not all be Ginger Rogers or Fred Astaire but we can all dance to express, connect and benefit our well-being. It's a form of dance that's not age specific and contributes to ones over all health in many ways.

A 21 year study of senior citizens 75 and older (led by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City) found that dancing was the greatest risk reduction activity for dementia and Alzheimer's by 76%. Other activities included tennis, golf, walking, reading and writing amongst many other hobbies.
(for more information on this study visit http://socialdance.stanford.edu/syllabi/smarter.htm)

 Ballroom dancing can also improve cardiovascular and bone health. Everything from up tempo salsa dancing to a slow and steady waltz gets the heart rate going which can help lower blood pressure. The movements of dance can even strengthen bones or prevent bone loss.

Because ballroom dancing is a communal activity, it also has positive effects on mental health as it can increase serotonin levels through social engagement, movement and touch. Many studies will back up what seems to be common knowledge: Being around other people builds social ties, contributes to a positive outlook and builds self-confidence. Joining a ballroom dance class is a great way to accomplish this.

What's your favorite form of dance and how has it benefited you?

Check out our upcoming Ballroom Events!

Nancy

NANCY S. SMITH, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR     DANCE & YOGA FACULTY                 

Nancy has been working in the field of dance education for over fifteen years. After completing her MA degree at New York University’s prestigious Steinhardt School for Education, Culture & Human Development, she began working in both dance administration and education in New York City. Nancy has been on the faculty and directed programs at Harkness Dance Center’s 92Y, Peridance Capezio Center and Brooklyn Ballet. She instructed classes at UNIS, the United Nations International School as well as Village Community School. In 2011 she gained 225hour Hatha Yoga Certification. Most recently, Nancy traveled to India where she deepened her practice at Mysore Mandala and Yoga India. She is currently working toward certification in mat Pilates.

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday
6:30-7:30pm Tap Technique	7:15 - 8:30 pm Flow Yoga	7:15-8:30 pm Candlelight Yoga	6-7pm Tap Repertory (10 week closed session)