Enjoy a taste of the Nia Blue Belt Training that focuses on Communication, Relationships and Intimacy. You’re invited and encouraged to attend any or all of our daily Public Nia Class, and Special Events on Saturday and Sunday, during our special Nia Week.
Sensuous Healing
This Saturdays classes (8:45am Nia 5 Stages and 10:00am Nia Classic) both focus on Sensuous as Healing Energy.
As humans we are sensual beings. The sensation of sensuous is about calm, peace, harmony, flow.
Sensuous is the first sensation we feel when we’re born, when we’re held, when we’re brought to the breast, when we’re physically close to another human being –it’s very personal, very safe, nourishing and it’s essential for health and well being.
As we begin another 30 day Nia Challenge, Helen provides an “intro to Nia 5 Stages Class” where we explore the anatomy and function of our 13 major joints.
Enhance awareness and sensory IQ around
how our body is designed,
how every bone tells as story and
how we can move with efficiency, ease and joy.
This class can bring fascination about the body up and prepare us for a fabulous Nia Class experience at 10am.
1st Monday Cuppa and Clothing Give-A-Way
Yes! 1st Monday” connections are WONDERFUL…
Every month, on the first Monday, we meet up after 10am Nia class to connect, enjoy a cuppa and have a grand time.
Coffee, tea, kombucha, snacks and time to hang, get to know each other better, help and support.
This month, having cleared out her closet, Helen is bringing LOTS OF CLOTHES! Some items are new (tags still on), great workout clothes, bring a bag and prepare to shop!
This is one of our community events where all and any donations go towards St Jude, our “Soma Selected” charity of choice. Our goal this year is to raise $4040, we have $1705 so far.
FYI the link says 2020 Marathon - this event has been postponed to February 2022 due to Covid19.
We have a great time listening to each other’s thoughts on
how we love Nia,
our desire for all our friends to come and
the challenges we have with regards how to describe Nia to people.
Our conclusion, bring them to 1st Monday Cuppa!!
Consider enjoying a “triple play” with
8:45am YogaFaith
10:00am Nia
11:00am 1st Monday Cuppa
At this 1st Monday Cuppa bring a bag and be prepared to SHOP! Helen has sorted out a LOT of clothes, some new, lots of great exercise clothing
Happy October
Featured
Nia and Yoga Faith Classes continue to grow at Soma Ranch.
Welcome Kelly, Diane, Gayle and Monica who invested in the year unlimited. Welcome back for another year Kay!
This weekend our class focus is “Sensuous as Healing Energy” (it’s our birth right!)
The Come Home to Mystical Body Retreat was a healing nourishing success.
We’re excited to continue feature the Advanced Evolutionary Mystic Meditation Facilitators, co-presenting with Helen Terry, at special quarterly retreats, at Soma Ranch. Enjoy Nia - Meditation - Healing - weekend retreats.
Here’s a summary of upcoming events at Soma Ranch with more details included below.
Nia In PERSON Trainings are filling up. With Nia Blue Oct 6-12 this month, and Nia Green Nov 3 - 8 next month.
Hope you are stepping into October, enjoying the shift of the seasons, with something joyful in your heart and something to “tickle your toes” (help you giggle) and pumpkin something!…
Love
Helen + Joe
Nia Training Retreat at Soma Ranch
Oh what joy to have Nia Trainings in person, at Soma Ranch. Starting this upcoming week with a Nia Blue Belt October 6 - 12, 2021. We presently have four people registered and two returning Nia Blue Belts.
Private, Semi-Private and Dorm accommodations are available!
If you are looking for a healing, intimate, beautiful training please consider this Nia Training retreat at Soma Ranch that focuses on communication, relationship and intimacy.
30 Day Nia Challenge October 1 - 30
Since January 2021 I’ve been enjoying teaching 30 minute Nia classes ONLINE. The program started with the 30 30 30 idea. This is where a group of participants signed up to the challenge to take 30 Nia classes, 30 minutes a day, for 30 days. This is the most popular and successful course I’ve ever launched, I’m amazed by how, 9 months later, we’re still going and growing. Some folks have been with us every month since January. And every month more participants join us.
Wonderful Retreat
Thank you Denise M. Simpson for traveling to co-facilitate our first of many Mystic Meditation with Nia retreats. Helen Terry and Alan Davidson first dreamed up the concept of these retreats a couple of years ago. What a delight to finally experience the dream put into action at last weekend’s retreat. This was also the first time loved ones of Alan (who died Easter Sunday) got together.
Amazing how this fusion of voice dialogue, tapping, meditation, Carl Jungian Psychology, Big Mind, Nia Technique, Authentic Movement, Body Centered movement, active listening and Systemic Somatic exploration come together for a wonderful healing experience. There were a couple of Nia participants who had never tapped or meditated before and some other participants who had decades of meditation experience with Alan. The collective support from the group created a wonderful safe space where, in a relatively short period of time (only a weekend retreat) some deep healing and amazing progress was made.
These retreats will be offered quarterly. The next will be with co-lead with Helen Terry and Jacqueline Kane in March: the Happy Healthy Wealthy Body and Life Retreat
30 Days of Nia with Helen Terry
Enjoy daily Nia classes with Helen Terry. With 30 + 60 minute options, 24 hour replays, check ins before and after class, extra educational nuggets and the opportunity for support, encouragement and accountability, you are set up for connection, fun and success. Here Helen shares more about the program, the time table, a taste of what the classes look and feel and how you can personalize your experience.
Nia Sounding Heart Land
Howdy! Are you ready to get in the mood for Saturday morning “Sounding” Nia experience? Here’s some research about the amazing Album “Heart Land”, a link for the music, and intro chat from Helen and a very inspirational bio of Tim Wheater.
This amazing musician/composer has faced many challenges, including a condition that led to severe paralysis. After many failed attempts to heal, Tim explored the power of sound/vibration to heal the body mind and soul. There’s a beautiful sense of going on a healing energy ride, with emotions in motion, when dancing Nia with his music.
The Full album is included below. I hope you find it healing and we’d love you to join us in class!
Tim has co-presented with some of the finest renowned authors, healers and spiritual teachers including Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dwyer, Neale Donald Walsch, Julia Cameron, James Redfield and even His Holiness the Dalai Lama. His uniquely melodic and distinctive music has also led to recording opportunities with The Eurythmics, Donovan and the Grateful Dead, and performances for Kings and Queens!
Here’s a wonderful review by Carol Wright, at www.allmusic.com.
This monumental and ambitious "oratorio" headed by flautist Tim Wheater combines synth orchestra, boys' chorus, men's chorus, male and female operatic soloists, flamenco guitar, French horn, overtone chanting, and ethnic drums and other instruments. It is (or should be) to the men's movement what Constance Demby's 1986 Novus Magnificat is to the new age movement or what the 1812 Overture is to the 4th of July. The album concept sprouted from a simple recording Wheater made of overtone chanting, and the theme is the fateful voyage of The Warrior to the realm of love; a mystical element is added by tying the story into a quatrain written by the prophet Nostradamus….
"The Warrior's Return" begins with a vast and peaceful panorama of overtone chanting, orchestral strings, and Wheater's golden-toned flute. "The Warrior's Prayer" is a deceptively "lighthearted" embrace of the concept by The Warrior; here, Wheater plays a carefree melody on his flute and sings with Spirit in a clear and engaging style. This prayer is obviously not enough, for an ominous and warlike piece titled "The Inner Battle" follows. The climactic outburst by Heart (Sarah Leonard) is the spine-tingling moment of the album. The Medicine Man offers a peaceful prayer in the Lakota language, which is followed by a tribal percussion chant titled "Shaman Rap." "In Love's Domain" begins with a peaceful flute melody by Wheater, backed by a meditative organ drone. The French horn (and echoes) signal the arrival of The Warrior's harmonic chant. Spirit's song weaves lovingly amid The Warrior's singing and his descant flute. The Angels, harp, and Spirit join in until The Warrior is victoriously elevated to spirit. Sharing credit with Wheater on composing the music is David Lord; Stuart Wilde co-authored the words. Works of this scope and impact are rare.
Here’s Tim Wheater’s Bio from www.sonichit.com
Award winning composer, flautist, vocalist, teacher and public speaker, Tim has presented his acclaimed inspirational music, talks and demonstrations all over the world. He has co-presented with some of the finest renowned authors, healers and spiritual teachers including Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dwyer, Neale Donald Walsch, Julia Cameron, James Redfield and more recently His Holiness the Dalai Lama. His uniquely melodic and distinctive music has also led to recording opportunities with The Eurythmics, Donovan and the Grateful Dead; as well as receiving an invite to perform for HRH Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip; plus the King and Queen of Sweden.
Having travelled millions of miles around the globe Tim has lectured and performed in theatres, festivals and stadiums in many major cities, which include Esalen, Open Centre, The Omega Institute, alongside The Whole New Life, New Life and Mind Body Spirit festivals. Tim has also performed at fundraising events for organisations such as Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and the World Wide Fund for Nature.
With over 20 albums to his credit, Tim has won a number of prestigious accolades in the United States including:
"The Yearning" with Michael Hoppe - CD of the Year 1994
"This Earth" with Julia Cameron - Soundtrack of the Year 1997
"Afterglow" with Michael Hoppe - CD of the Year 1998
"Incantation" with and produced by David Lord - CD of the Year 1999
Having studied music in London, Paris and New York with Sir James Galway, Marcel Moyse and Nadia Boulanger, Tim's five star recordings are a true testimony to his musical creativity.
An important part of Tim's work is to teach the healing effects of sound. Many years ago, Tim suffered a dehibilitating condition that led to severe paralysis. Time after time, treatments and remedies failed to return him to a state of physical and mental balance. Hence, it was during this time of a long and painful rehabilitation that Tim made the ultimate discovery that through simple vibration it is possible to effect deep healing on a mind, body and soul level.
He discovered that the easiest way to create vibrational sound was through his voice, and although he had always been told that he could not sing, Tim began to use his voice to hum and chant. By creating some simple vocal exercises Tim quite quickly began to experience a positive change in his physical and mental wellbeing; he discovered that by exercising the voice it created a complete change on a cellular level that brought about his miraculous recovery within days.
Over the years, his original recordings have been used globally by leading therapists, healers, thinkers and communicators to transmit a message of powerful good vibrations. His back catalogue includes more than a dozen best selling and award winning CDs. Stylistically, it is possible to trace the evolution of his technique through different albums, however, one thread unites them all; the sensitive use of real organic sounds, both his virtuostic, masterful flute playing and, in latter years, his highly acclaimed voice.
Tim believes that we are beings on a precious life journey of discovery of ourselves, our surroundings and our fellow beings. Through experience, he has learned to teach transmutation of fear and negativity into a positive message of peace and inner and outer love.
Updated COVID-19 protocol.
At Soma Ranch, we want you to feel at home, relax and unwind, knowing that we have taken care of many details to help you keep safe and well.
We are committed to health and safety, and have updated our wellness policies. Our goal is to keep serving as we have done for the past 18-months and to keep you safe. We are proud to say we have not had a single COVID outbreak during our rentals or retreats.
Until further notice we host all public retreats and trainings at 50% occupancy, with a maximum of 9 guests.
In accordance with Center for Disease Control’s COVID-19 protocol and guidelines, the following policies are in place at Soma Ranch.
COVID/Illness:
Please refrain from attending a retreat if you have COVID or are sick.
First Day Temperature Checks Required:
Everyone will have their temperature taken. If a guest's temperature is 100.4 or higher, they need to please leave and not interact with others.
Capacity:
Soma Ranch operates at 50% occupancy for public events and up to 100% occupancy for private groups, where the host determines occupancy based on their comfort level.
Cleaning:
Staff will clean the common areas once daily during all retreats. This is in addition to our thorough cleaning before each group's arrival.
Pre-Arrival Testing
Guests who are not fully vaccinated are required to provide proof of a negative antigen or PCR COVID-19 test taken within 3-days of arrival.
Vaccination Requirements
Guests who are fully vaccinated are required to provide their vaccination records. Guests are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose in a two-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine.
Stay On-Property Request
To further protect staff and guests from potential exposure, we ask that guests remain on the Soma Ranch property for the entirety of their stay.
Evolutionary MM Conversation
Denise Simpson and Helen Terry are excited, collaborating to bring the Come to the Mystical Body Retreat featuring Nia Dance and Courageous Heart / Evolutionary Mystic Meditation. September 24 - 26, 2021.
Learn why it is important to get into your body and live through your body to stop the chatter and spinning thoughts in the mind, to balance both masculine and feminine energies, to experience a community of soul seekers for enlightenment and evolution...and mostly to have a FUN, JOYOUS, Sacred self-care experience to rejuvenate your energy and strengthen your connection to True Self.
Register for this life-changing transformation opportunity at #somaranch 1 hour outside of Houston.
Special Events with Helen Terry
During our upcoming wonderful weekend retreat Come to the Mystical Body Retreat, Helen Terry is providing 3 x 90 minute special Nia Events:
Sat 9/25 10:30am Mask + Mirror
Sat 9/25 4:00pm Enigma
Sun 9/26 10:30am Selfless
During each of these 90 minute movement experiences Helen will be sharing the wisdom of the body through Nia’s 5 Principles of the Body’s Way:
The Body Thrives on Dynamic Ease
The Body Demands Balance
The Body Is Balanced in Yin and Yang
The Body Demands Simultaneous Mobility and Stability
The Body Itself Reveals the Body’s Way
Each class will include
educational content,
somatic (body centered) experience,
guided meditation,
a handout,
integration recommendations “how to dance through life with this experience”
Please consider joining us for a class, the day or a luxurious weekend retreat. “Denise Simpson and Helen Terry are excited, collaborating to bring the featuring Nia Dance and Courageous Heart / Evolutionary Mystic Meditation. September 24 - 26, 2021 and would love you to join us.
Nia Express
I LOVE learning and taking safe risks, and find one of the most fascinating ways to get out there and teach is to play with the new routines "unseen and unheard".
One way is to teach a MoveIT class (where the teacher shares the familiar 52 Nia moves, one move per minute) with the “yet to be known” music. On an “express” 30 minute Nia class, we change the move every 30 seconds!
Other ways I also enjoy learning include
simple kata - one base move per song
use moves from a previous (well known) routine
draw moves from the latest routine learned
I download the playlist from Nia HQ, resist the desire to listen to the music, and teach a class.
Participants share how they enjoy the creative process and feel an integrated part of the improve experience.
Here’s what a Nia Blue Belt teacher shared about her experience….
“I just did your 30 minute Express class....
It was SO liberating to know that you were hearing the music for the first time - that gave me extra permission to relax into it.
I could really sense how 25 years plus of Nia devotional practice has led you to do that!
I could feel YOU feeling and sensing the music - the ‘ones’ and the drops and the spaces and where ‘something was going to happen’.
As a student, it was so much fun - choosing my favorite kata and personalizing and sensing my body and the freedom.
As a teacher, I learned loads about adding moves like claw hands or strikes or energy shifts to the same base move...
And how to simplify.
I never look at the routine until I’ve got the music in me....
Basically I LOVED it - you are a genius - THANK YOU!”
How to make a 30 minute playlist.
Since January 2021 I’ve been enjoying teaching 30 minute Nia classes ONLINE. The program started with the 30 30 30 idea. This is where a group of participants signed up to the challenge to take 30 Nia classes, 30 minutes a day, for 30 days. This is the most popular and successful course I’ve ever launched, I’m amazed by how, 9 months later, we’re still going and growing. Some folks have been with us every month since January. And every month more participants join us.
There are many ways to create a 30 minute playlist for this express (shortened) Nia class experience.
When working with an established Nia routine (which is usually about 60 minutes long) here’s 13 of the many methods we’ve adopted:
choose every other song (“Side A”)
click the other every other song (“Side B”)
use the 1st half of playlist (often bring the last song to end) e.g. Songs 1,2,3,4,5,6,13.
play the 2nd half of playlist: Often bring the 1st song to the beginning 1,7,8,9,10…
be random! choose shuffle!
shuffle songs not played the day before
dance the playlist backwards part 1 (e.g. 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8….)
dance the playlist backwards part 2 (e.g. 7,6,5,4,3,2,1….)
select 1/2 the songs
play the 1/2 songs that weren’t selected
play the first, the middles and the last. (1, 5, 6,7, 13)
play the longest songs
play the shortest songs
As you can see, the creativity is limitless. In fact this is a fabulous example of how sometimes by creating/having a limitation (i.e. only 30 minutes) in relationship with keeping structure (the 7 cycles of a Nia class) we burst into enhanced stimulating options with fascination, fitness and fun up!
Psoas and Sound Nia Classes
Our Psoas and Sound classes have been so popular, helpful and healing we are delving deeper this Saturday i both the 8:45am Nia 5 Stages class and the 10:00am Nia Classic class.
Enjoy a Slide show during the 8:45am Nia 5 Stages class to help you
understand where your Psoas muscle is,
how Psoas affects the rest of your body
how you move/dance with your Psoas
how to hydrate/heal this curious muscle/messenger
Then Dance your psoas with sound and joy in the Nia 10am class. The choreography from the classic Nia Routine “Global Unity” is adapted to new music that is all about sound, vibration and soul!
“So I think I’ve found it. How to have a home in my body. Intellectually, I know it’s the next step.... Knowing I need to find my home in my body. (Which I can so easily feel betrayed by).
There has been no answers.
Then - to find the psoas - the instruction to put my hands at the bottom of my rib cage as “if they were like little wings” and I wrapped my hands at my mid-back and instantly started sobbing.
I fell to my knees.
The next cue
- the image and instruction to place the hands at the inner thigh/groin area -
and a wave of relief.
And then
- both hands at the neck-
“Like a triangle”.
And I repeated those three gestures
over and over and over again.
As if I was remembering something.
Finding what felt like
it might be
Home. ”
Wonderful Weekend Retreat for Fall
Denise Simpson and Helen Terry are excited, collaborating to bring the Come to the Mystical Body Retreat featuring Nia Dance and Courageous Heart / Evolutionary Mystic Meditation. September 24 - 26, 2021.
Learn why it is important to get into your body and live through your body to stop the chatter and spinning thoughts in the mind, to balance both masculine and feminine energies, to experience a community of soul seekers for enlightenment and evolution...and mostly to have a FUN, JOYOUS, Sacred self-care experience to rejuvenate your energy and strengthen your connection to True Self.
Early Bird pricing is extended through September 18. ONLY 6 spots remain for this life-changing transformation at #somaranch 1 hour outside of Houston.
Soma Ranch Celebrates 12 years
Today is Soma Ranch’s 12th Birthday! Our adventure began 9.9.9! We celebrated with a hybrid Nia class with folks dancing in person and ONLINE! The Sun was shining through the windows of the studio and in our hearts. From what we’ve been through over the past months, today felt like an accomplishment!
A day to celebrate our strength, resilience, the blessings along the way and the wonderful community that is an integral part of what we call “Soma Ranch” - i.e. Soma is more than a location, more than a ranch, more than a retreat center. Both near and far, WE are community.
Day 9 of our 30 day ONLINE challenge.
Focus: "Mama Cell": As it is with the belly “Mama Cell” so it is with the 700 muscles and likewise the 75 trillion cells. We explore how we open close, move side to side and figure 8. Experiencing horizontal, vertical, rotational systemic movement from the core. With the intent to celebrate, sense strength, resilience and give gratitude.
Happy 12th Birthday Soma - thanks for the ride!
Music: all songs on the Playlist were about Rising
Nia Psoas and Sound Classes
This morning, in both Nia classes, we focus on Psoas and Sound. Connecting Body, Emotions and Sound with the Psoas Muscle with the intent to heal, feel better, relax more and feel increased integration of Body Mind and Soul. Nia 5 Stages 8:45am and Nia Classic10:00am. Request access to Zoom links and 24 hour replays of class at nia@somaranch.com
Happy September
Featured
Wow! what an amazing time we are having at Soma Ranch. Our Birthday Class and Celebration was special and meaningful. Recent AirBNB guests have been wonderful, enjoying the ranch to the full while respecting the space and leaving 5 star reviews.
Classes at Soma Ranch continue to grow. Today we enjoyed folks in class (singing, laughing, dancing).
Nia Retreats are happening with Come Home to Mystical Body + Retreat for Nia Black Belts.
We’ve extended the Early Bird pricing through
September 15 and have 6 places remaining.
There’s lots of great stuff coming up (both In Person and ONLINE), now’s the time to register. Helen is back from an inspirational 2 week retreat in Mexico at Rancho La Puerta Wellness Resort and Spa. She returns for a “week of Nia at RLP” April 2 - 9. 2022.
Here’s a summary of upcoming events at Soma Ranch with more details included below.
Nia In PERSON Trainings are filling up (Nia Blue Oct 6-12, Nia Green Nov 3 - 8 )
Hope you are stepping into September with something joyful in your heart and something to “tickle your toes” (help you giggle) …
Love
Helen + Joe
Nia 30 day Challenge starts Sept 1
Little did I know, when we started this 30 day Nia Challenge ONLINE in January, that the concept would sustain and increase all the way through 2021! There are some folks who have been in on this challenge now for 8 months! (including my Mum!) and new participants keep joining each month.
Each week enjoy:
3 x 60 minute Nia Classes: a “hybrid” combo of In Person at Soma Ranch with the 30 day challengers joining us ONLINE.
3 x 30 minute Nia classes are personalized specifically and exclusively to the 30 day Nia Challenge group. This is where I teach directly to the screen, only to the ONLINE Challenge participants. These experiences are more educational. We connect before class (checking in and laughing around an array of subjects!), There’s also usually 15 minutes after class where folks ask questions, share insight from class and learn more.
1 x 60 minute Nia 5 Stages Classes a special weekly, Saturday 8:45am morning class, that is educational, healing and in preparation for the Public Nia Class that follows at 10am.
