The Countdown to 13 years.

By Jill Pagano on Oct 25 2009 - 9:19am

I have a box of journals. When I stack the journals on top of each other they reach my hip. I have always been a journal writer. Not necessarily an every-day writer, more like when the spirit moves me.

Last week I was doing one of my search and recovery missions. I search through my journals to recover parts of myself. I return to my earliest writings to see: what were my dreams, my desires before the responsibilites of adulthood crept in. The more I read the more I see the consistency among the years. And it is comforting to me.

Purely by accident, I stumbled upon journal entries from my white belt Nia training. The first page of the journal (I always love starting a new adventure with a fresh, white lined journal), is dated 11/29/1996 and I'm starting my Nia journey the next day.

As I read these the next several pages, I am moved to tears. I still am as I type this. These few pages document the beginning of a new way of seeing myself, knowing myself and finding a new type of Joy in my body. On that day of writing I had no idea that 13 years later I would still be in love with this body of work--Nia. This love has outlasted boyfriends and one husband. It's outlasted job-changes. It has supported me through the transformation into motherhood and through divorce. The journal writings document where I was and help me receive where I have travelled.

I am looking forward to sharing these intimate writings with you as I celebrate my 13th year. So stay tuned. I'll be writing them in a daily post on their 13th anniversary.

Love, Jill

PS) And if you'd like to receive them in your inbox just subscribe to this blog via RSS feed and it will come right into your inbox.

13 years

By Lila Bergroth (not verified) at Oct 26 2009 - 1:27pm

Wow Jill, Sincerely looking forward to meeting you. I had a lot of fun with Leslie on Saturday though.
I so appreciate your sharing on the 13 year mark. Mine WB 13 year is also coming next June. I appreciated your presenting Nia as a constant through all your relationship changes. I am currently living separately in a marriage and waiting to see the best way to conscioiusly separate in the midst of parenting 2 little ones, and growing my Nia and healing practice in a a new location. I just wanted you to know how helpful reading your sharing is.

Lila
Brown Belt, Hillsboro

Thankyou Lila for reading

By Jill Pagano at Oct 26 2009 - 2:05pm

Thankyou Lila for reading and sharing a bit about yourself. What a wild ride it has been. I look forward to our paths crossing in person! And if there is anything I can help with or be an ear for you, please let me know.

Jill

Daily Offering

By Cathy Geier (not verified) at Nov 4 2009 - 8:39am

That precious offering each day brings us to .. decisions, thoughts, sensations. The precious offering of unsettlement.. uhh why are you saying this is a gift this morning! Cathy! You are writing on another's blog.

I say it is precious because first off - you ( I ) notice it. Then you ( I ) have the opportunity to deal with it. Whether you dull out and go back to sleep; languish in wondering; begin breathing deeply and flushing breath and warmth through your body or separating out what is causing these feelings and deciding what to do about them it is a choice.

It is your and really my choice daily and some times moment by moment.

I feel great. I get up happy. I move into my day with confidence standing straight. When I don't feel great - I get to choose hwo to meet that day - what to do to introduce a better feeling. Which feelings I can listen to and magnify or work around. I often say that when faced with a problem particularly one which is hard or unsolveable to surround that problem with love in your life. This is similar to many NIA principles - surround that aching body with attention- stretches, undulations, breathing, hot baths, creams massage. Surround that mental psyche with poetry, writing in journals, listenng to uplifting music, going to lectures about mental health, walking outdoors, drawing.

NIA reminds you of sensation, awareness and joy. Go to that place as the expert of your own boy and thereby - life. Surround yourself with love sensation and joy.