I remember many years ago talking to a very spry 97 year-old woman and asking her what her secret was. “KEEP MOVING!” she replied, emphatically. ”Just always keep moving!”
Now a (young-ish!) “elder” myself, I realize firsthand how “right on” this advice was. I feel fortunate to have been a gymnast in my younger years, and to have remained active in dance, running, hiking, swimming, yoga, and other physical endeavors as an adult. It’s second nature to me to stretch and move my body. But what used to be effortless sometimes now takes a bit more discipline to put into practice!
A little personal aside, that may be relevant for some readers: I am happy to say, after almost a decade of much trial and error, research, good and not-so-good advice….and a LOT of tenacity and self-discipline, I have come to a good working relationship with my bone-on-bone right hip joint, and am nearly a decade (as of this writing) past when I was told I would absolutely need a hip replacement. I hasten to add – I’m very happy the option exists, and may well go that route someday, but for now I am thrilled to have learned as much as I have in recent years about the intricate workings of my musculoskeletal system, and deepened my experiential knowing of how phenomenal our body/mind system is. My awareness level and mindfulness in each moment has deepened considerably, due to the “gift” of my arthritic hip. I share this now in hopes it may encourage someone else – mabye you?! – to listen to your own body’s wisdom, whatever it may be wanting to tell you! And…to keep your body moving, no matter what!
I taught movement classes for many years, including step, dance aerobics and pilates. More recently, pre-pandemic, I’d been teaching EDGU and CoreYoga+™ classes. I continued to teach these classes, when schedule permitted, not only because I love sharing the joy and benefits of these workouts with others, but also because it fascinates me to keep deepening my awareness of form, subtlety of movement and the wonders of these amazing human bodies in which we live and move and have our being. Not to mention, it’s fun, feels good, and has innumerable side-benefits, like increased energy, vitality, more restful sleep, feeling and looking younger, and a greater overall sense of well-being!
Currently, I am only offering individually customized programs. (See below!)
WHAT IS EDGU? ( To order my EDGU DVD, click here.)
EDGU (pronounced “Edge-you”) is a unique moving meditation, facilitating well-being and balance of body, mind and spirit. Easily tailored to individual needs and fitness levels, it can range from a mild to fairly challenging physical workout. It can even be adapted to be done in a chair!
*Physically, EDGU promotes spinal flexibility through a series of graceful, pivotal upper-body movements. Grounded in an open stance position, this rhythmic process exercises and aligns the spinal column, releases muscular tension, gently mobilizes joints in the upper body, and stimulates circulation. Many (myself included!) have experienced profound healing from back, neck and shoulder injuries via EDGU’s gentle, yet uniquely effective series of movements.
*Mentally/Emotionally, EDGU focuses the mind, balances the left and right hemispheres of the brain, and helps bring you into the peace of the present moment.
*Spiritually, EDGU is designed to open each of the chakras, allowing for an increase in overall energy (or “chi”), as well as a greater sense of clarity, insight, and well-being.
Simply put, EDGU is powerful, amazing stuff! I’ve been teaching EDGU since 1998, and I continue to whole-heartedly sing its praises. In addition to the standard EDGU sequence, I also incorporate gentle stretches, visualization, mindfulness and breathing techniques into the process, deepening the experience of peace, balance and clarity that EDGU facilitates. You will come away from this simple, yet powerful sequence feeling centered and refreshed, with a smile in your heart.
Here’s how a few of my EDGU students describe their experience:
EDGU and Nancy have both been such a gift in my life. EDGU is unlike anything I have done before and I love it because it allows me to work on my body, mind and spirit in a very unique way. It offers me a practice of clearing, letting go, aligning, recharging and receiving, all while strengthening my body, and my mind. Nancy herself is a beautiful, heart-full teacher, gentle and knowledgeable and not to be missed! Having her EDGU DVD throughout my many life changes has proven to be an “essential” in my tool kit. I am SO grateful for the continued opportunity to practice with them both!
— Stacie Haus
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You may even feel rather…”ethereal.”
(Above photo taken by student Joey Johnson, right after an EDGU session!)
To order my EDGU DVD, click here.
WHAT IS CoreYoga+™ ?
CoreYoga+™ is a synthesis of hatha yoga and core strengthening (Pilates-type) exercises, designed to promote flexibility, strength, stamina and balance, with awareness, breath and relaxation elements integrally interwoven into the entire workout.
While holding a balance pose, or stretching, I will often be heard to ask my students, “And what else are we doing while we’re doing this?” To which they’re well-trained to answer…“Breathing!”
Awareness and breath are essential to a good BodyMindSpirit workout. So is laughter, in my opinion! Although, in any given workout routine, there are moments of deep reverence and stillness, and moments of just plain hard, grunting work, there is also a prevailing attitude of fun.
I work with students of all ages and fitness levels, and love to help students learn to honor and work within whatever their present fitness level may be. Here are a few comments, first from the head of Health and Wellness the our local YMCA, then below it, from some of the wonderful folks who’ve been in my Healing Sanctuary (home studio) and other classes:
Nancy has given her time, passion and purpose to the members of Eugene Family YMCA for nearly 20 years, much of that time as a volunteer. She taught step and dance aerobics in years past, and currently teaches CoreYoga/Pilates and EDGU.
Taking classes from Nancy is a pure treat. She has such a way of making each person in the room feel comfortable, safe and supported. She leads her classes in a skilled and heartfelt way that touches your heart…. gently warming you into a powerful, impactful workout, then guiding you back into a place of deep relaxation and contentment. Students always leave feeling much better than when they arrived!
—Kari Porter, Director of Health & Wellness, Eugene Family YMCA
PRIVATE COACHING
All of my movement trainings are based on what I call “The ABC’S” of a Mindful Fitness Practice: Awareness, Breath, Core-Strengthening and Stretching.
Need a little guidance or an extra boost to get started on a regular, customized workout program? Is yoga something you’ve always wanted to try, but a class full of people who can sustain pretzel-like poses feels a little (or a lot) intimidating?
I can work with you to help tailor a program that fits your specific needs, keeping in mind your lifestyle, fitness level, and goals.
I’m a stickler for good form. That doesn’t mean pretzel poses. It just means doing whatever level of movement you’re doing, with awareness and proper positioning. Cultivating good, conscious awareness of your body as it moves through various stretching, strengthening and balancing exercises makes a world of difference, both in your on-going enjoyment of your practice, and in your ability to not injure yourself.
I’ve worked with people for just a time or two, or on a more on-going basis, depending on your needs and desired results. I offer private coaching both live and virtually, so feel free to contact me for more details if this is of interest to you.