Nia with Marie McKay Embodied Movement

I’m Marie McKay and for as long as I can remember movement has been my medicine. As a lifelong fitness enthusiast, breaking a sweat and moving my body to great music with like-hearted people has been my touchstone to a healthy lifestyle. I created this page to share what I love, all things EMBODIED MOVEMENT. The key elements of embodied movement practices are INTENTION & ATTENTION. Embodied movement practices use the body as a tool for healing through self-awareness, mindfulness, connection, self-regulation, restoring balance, and self-acceptance. For the past 20+ years as a movement instructor, I have been helping people explore the relationship between the physical body and the energy body, as well as the interaction between body, thoughts, and actions. This modality teaches us through awareness and kindness rather than shame and punishment. Every time we engage in an embodied practice, we make a choice to listen to our bodies and take care of ourselves. It is a discipline of self-care that supports self-healing and overall health. Nia:
My favorite embodied movement practice is called Nia. I am a Black Belt Certified Nia Instructor and I love creating and leading Nia classes, workshops and retreats. My passion is helping people activate their own unique energy to experience more joy and awareness in their bodies at every age and stage of their life. Nia will make you fall in love with movement. More than just a workout, Nia is a unique whole-body experience that blends structured and free expression movements inspired by the martial arts, dance and mindfulness. Set to a variety of musical styles and rhythms, Nia uses the physical body to help heal the mind and spirit by joining muscular movements with introspection, intention, visualization, imagery, and expressiveness. Through less thinking and more feeling, the body sweats, the mind relaxes and the soul soars. Nia is adaptable to all fitness levels; it can be as high energy or gentle as desired. Simply show up with an open mind + an open heart and feel the joy of movement! We move in bare feet; soft soled shoes are optional. My Nia Backstory:
In 1999, while living in Boulder, CO I was introduced to Nia. I stepped into the class with some trepidation, but just moments into it I could feel something was different than any class I had experienced. The music, the movement, and the re-connection to my body felt amazing. I was smiling, sweating, laughing, and even feeling emotional at certain points. I felt more alive and filled with joy than I ever had in an "exercise" class. From that one class I knew I had to make Nia a part of my life. Nia has changed my approach to fitness and my life in countless ways. Becoming a Nia teacher has allowed me to perfectly merge my passions for movement, fitness, learning, teaching and human relations. As my interest in holistic wellness evolved in the early 2000’s, I became attuned in Reiki level 1 & 2 and completed my YTT 200. I continue to study and practice various forms of healing arts, meditation, and energy work which I will be sharing on this page as well.