NIA: DANCING TO A NEW AGE TUNE After being asked about a movement-dance-exercise form called Nia from a few inquirers, I examined the website and found many New Age concepts promoted by Nia. Below are my comments and the related excerpts and/or links below each comment. The link below shows that Nia includes Guided Meditation in the training Guided Meditation (other terms for this and similar practices are Guided Imagery or Guided Visualization) is when someone leads another person(s) in a meditation or in visualizing certain images. These methods are used for many purposes: relaxation, hypnosis; past life regression; spiritual purposes; and to manifest something in the meditator’s life. No matter what the stated purpose may be, this is always a form of hypnosis and there is always a detrimental mind and spiritual component to it. Hypnosis is mind conditioning and in this state, the meditator’s mind is made suggestible and open to any influence or suggestion that may be introduced, from the leader/teacher or from a demonic source. Even if there is no immediate influence, over time, practicing this meditation (also true for one who meditates alone) makes one’s mind more suggestible and thus open to new ideas and beliefs. https://nianow/nia-5-stages The material below refers to spiritual realms of the body -- this is a New Age concept about the body. The New Age believes the physical body is a mere manifestation of the “spiritual body” or the “subtle body,” which includes energy fields, auras, and energy flowing within the body through invisible channels. The energy is invisible, unknown through natural means, and unquantifiable, which indicates that it is an occult concept of a force. This concept is a core tenet of occultism and New Age. Excerpt==This intensive introduces the next set of 13 Nia principles, which focus on the mental, emotional and spiritual realms of the body. While the White Belt curriculum focuses entirely on awareness of physical sensation, Blue Belt applies these skills to explore internal sensations as perceived through – but distinct from – physical sensations in the body.== https://nianow/blue-belt Here again is the New Age energy concept. Everyone is an “energy being” who is all energy; the body is just a temporary form of lower energy. Excerpt==This level of training explores the experience of living as energy beings, as every experience of sensation in the body is an energy experience.== https://nianow/brown-belt The “River of the Unknown” referred to here may is likely referring to a deep state beyond thought or conscious awareness. Excerpt==Black Belt, the fourth level of Nia education, invites you to let go of all you know and enter the River of the Unknown, a place of infinite and endless creativity.==https://nianow/black-belt Here we see the New Age view of the bodys inherent wisdom. The “wisdom” of the body is a core tenet of the New Age and is a big component in New Age alternative healing. This “wisdom” is related to the New Age belief that a divine wisdom or intelligence (often identified as God) permeates the universe. ==Gain deeper understanding of your bodys inherent wisdom as you learn five simple principles and body practices of The Bodys Way - the philosophy and living science of Nia Technique.==https://nianow/the-bodys-way Here are more New Age views, such as Sacred Movement. Although it is not defined here, Sacred Movement is usually associated with Yoga or other New Age practices, and could indicate that the movements themselves are tools for opening spiritual awareness, have a spiritual effect, and/or have an effect on the “spiritual body.” [Here is how one site explains it, and I would say this would be the typical New Age view: Ultimately it is the path of the soul merging back to God. Along the way movement is a healing practice and a mystical practice of removing the obstacles that release us into Love. Subtle & gross movements of the physical body mirror inner states and awareness. We can use outer movement to explore, align and ascend to our highest spiritual reality, from sacred-yoga/RuthDavis.html] Excerpt==Art of Self is a profound step on the Nia Journey. It is the belt that celebrates not just you, but your advanced potential. It’s about stepping even further, out of your excellence and into your genius. Being in genius, in the zone, means letting go. It is expressed in beauty, power, and wisdom of spirit. It sets you free into Sacred Movement. It moves you further into brilliance. It is a movement dedicated to a single purpose and person: you.== https://nianow/first-degree-black-belt From the same link in above comment, here is some hardcore Gnostic New Age. Note that they say our spirit knows more but we have forgotten. This probably means that we have always had full wisdom but forget it each time we reincarnate over time. Or it could mean that that before birth, we were spirit creatures with God or part of God (more likely reincarnation but we can’t rule out this latter very Gnostic view). Also note the reference to Sacred Geometry, which is a form of divination. Aikido is a spiritual martial art based on Taoist views of supernaturally manipulating an invisible force, chi. Excerpt== Plato wrote that, “all knowledge is already within us, no one really teaches us anything new.” In First Degree Black Belt we remind each other of the archetypal principles of our nature, our body, and how our spirit knows more, but we have forgotten.The origins of First Degree Black Belt comes from over thirty years of body-mind movement exploration. It takes you through Nia’s White, Blue, Brown and Black Belt, further into Aikido and Sacred Geometry, all of which have dramatically impacted Nia.== CONCLUSION Due to its heavy promotion of New Age views, I strongly advise against anyone taking any Nia courses or training. The New Age is usually subtle, and is growing more subtle. Its appearance on the surface is often innocuous, charming, beguiling, health oriented, compassionate, and spiritual. It seduces insidiously, using language that carried meaning other than what one may think. Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for God’s wrath is coming on the disobedient because of these things. Eph. 5:6 But I fear that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds may be seduced from a complete and pure devotion to Christ. 2 Cor. 11:3 The mind of the discerning acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks it. Proverbs 18:15 But it is from Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became God-given wisdom for us—our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.” 1 Cor. 1:30
Posted on: Thu, 02 Oct 2014 21:35:49 +0000
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