We have two homes, our body, and the earth. We must care for them just as we might tend to our dwellings. Our bodies are our temples and our vehicles through life. If we nurture the relationship with our body and give it the attention and care through movement, we can be happier, more confident and live longer lives.
A fitness or movement practice can also be a spiritual journey. There are many different types of conscious fitness modalities that support a deep mind and body connection and awareness that can bring about longevity and enlightenment. Here are a few of them:
Nia
Nia meaning, “Now I AM” combines dance, martial arts, and mindfulness. Nia tones the body and transforms the mind, body, emotion, and soul. Nia is a holistic fitness practice addressing each aspect of our lives that’s more than just a workout.
Nia draws inspiration from Tai Chi, Tae Kwon Do, Aikido, jazz dance, modern dance, Duncan dance, yoga, Alexander Technique and Teachings of Moshe Feldenkrais. Each class includes a dynamic combination of 52 movements that connect to main areas of the body; the base, the core, and the upper extremities.
Nia provides cardiovascular and nervous system conditioning and promotes neural activity across both the right and the left hemispheres. Nia educates the whole human being through guiding us to move in ways that are most beneficial to our authentic selves while creating pathways our limitless human potential.
Yoga
It’s safe to say that yoga has become one of the most popular forms of exercise in the US. Rooted in Indian spirituality and religion, yoga in the US has become a modern way to reduce stress, find community and maintain physical fitness. Yoga has a vast variety of physical benefits that range from supporting our cardiovascular systems to enhancing a physically active lifestyle. However, taking up yoga as a daily conscious fitness practice can bring a deep sense of peace, oneness, and connection to self. Practicing yoga regularly can integrate the essence of beingness instead of “doingness” throughout our daily lives.
5 Rhythms Dance
Not so well-known but growing in its popularity, 5 Rhythms is both a workout and a meditation. It is a dance that incorporates five elements; Waves: Being/Body, Heartbeat: Loving/Heart, Cycles: Knowing/Mind, Mirrors: Seeing/Soul, The Silver Desert: Healing/Spirit. The dance practice supports the creative expression of anger, vulnerabilities, emotions, and ecstasies. 5 Rhythms is an authentic movement practice that can initiate us back into the intelligence of our bodies and ignite healing on our physical and spiritual levels. Classes take place around the US.
Qi-Gong
The translation of Qi-Gong is Qi Cultivation. Qi, pronounced “Chi” is the life-force energy running through all living beings. According to Taoism, the health of our mind-body connection depends on having a clear, strong and balanced flow of qi through the meridian system. Qi-Gong originated from early Chinese culture dating all the way back to into prehistory.
Today, Qi-Gong has become an integral part of medicine in China and is widely used for preventative care. On a medical level, Qi-Gong can improve organ function in the body. There are certain movements that target each part of the body sending life-force energy throughout. On a spiritual level, the cultivation of clarified energy and mental peace, Qi-Gong supports a deeper connection to our intuition and creativity. Qi-Gong is widely practiced in the US and can be a powerful conscious fitness practice to incorporate into our daily lives.
Flow Arts
The flow state or “being in the zone” can be described as being at peak performance potential. It is the state of being that allows for full creativity to move through us. Achieving flow states can increase productivity and happiness. Practicing achieving a flow state through this style of movement brings more awareness to our bodies, muscle control, a greater degree of fitness, strength, flexibility and artistic expression.
Flow Arts is a modern practice that encompasses a wide variety of styles and techniques. It’s typically a skill-based practice that involves different props like hula-hoop, poi, fans or staff but can also be achieved through body movement. Most of the flow arts skills can be learned on our own through YouTube videos, but there are usually flow-arts communities around major US cities.
It is through conscious body awareness and practice of many different modalities of movement that we can achieve whole body wellness and happiness. We can do more than just workout. We can engage all of our senses, cleanse our organs, heal our emotions and connect spiritually through conscious fitness. We can explore these powerful practices and find which one resonates best with our lifestyle. The most important aspect of any one of these modalities is consistency and self-compassion.
At Regenrus, we know that a multi-faceted approach to health is critical. Our products are designed to nurture the body's ability to fight against ailment. But our community of customers, our family of values-aligned peers, all should take a holistic approach to the development of their wellness.