Susan Palmer's Exquisite Now

Day 38 of 52 Nia dance

The religion of my family has a profound scripture: “Men are that they might have joy.” I grew up hearing that, and perhaps it’s among the most meaningful legacies for me of that faith, right up there with loving kindness as a guiding principle.

So when I think about the reasons behind my decision to commit to a daily practice for more than seven weeks, part of it was simple curiosity about experiencing joy in a physical way every day. Nia is all about joy of movement. It’s about learning to love how I feel in my body. What would it be like to feel that every day?

Here’s what it’s like: Every day, I have an interlude — any where from five minutes to 65 minutes, depending on my mood and the routine — where I am joyful.

Honestly, every day. So far, anyway. Joy takes different shapes. Some days it’s calming. Some days it’s exuberant and childlike. Some days it’s a kind of loving acceptance of whatever is going on that I am powerless over. And some days it’s simple joy, like being warmed by sunshine, like a friend I adore smiling my way.

I have invited friends to dance Nia with me and some have come. Not everybody experiences the enchantment that I’ve found. And I think that is how life works. There are many many ways to bring joy.

My hope is that everyone finds their path to joy. And not just fleeting glimpses. But a path, marked by their experience and enhanced by the experience of those with whom they resonate.

Find a way to joy. And find a way back to joy when it’s needed.

Today I danced “Alchemy.” Again! I’m loving it.