Jason Alan Griffin :: The Blog

 I practice making any situation into a learning growing experience. What may first seem like a setback can usually be turned into a positive renewal or a discovery of new things.  Such is the case when we went into lockdown and could no longer meet for classes. Many teachers went to electronic classes and started teaching on "Zoom", but I had to honor my intuition that it wasn't the right thing for me. Personally, on Zoom or other cyber meeting platforms, I don't feel the same connection to my students which is one of the most important elements of meeting for group classes. So while I would have loved to be able to teach to students all over the world, I felt I owed it to myself and my students to only offer as full and rich an experience as possible. So I chose instead to stop teaching.  Several months later, things started to look better and I experimented with holding small classes indoors using face masks. And once again, I found that while that may work with ot...

  In October we used the Be Breathed routine 6 times, Knee-Ah once and Moss Side Story for a spooky Halloween Blue Monkey class Here are the scripts I wrote for setting the focus of each class: Oct 3 -  Feelings from our Feet   (Be Breathed in Balance Studio) The way we place our feet on the ground can have a major impact on the type of experience we have. Today I want to focus intently on the steps, stances and kicks and how it makes us feel as we guide ourselves through the choreography. Let your attention go from my feet to your feet and to a split awareness of both. Be aware of what emotional feelings it stirs up and brings forth. A feeling of comfort, security, success and relaxation should accompany the proper use of your feet. Use your emotional awareness and the splitting of your mental attention to be supported and empowered by your foot-floor connection.  Oct 6 - Being Kind To Ourselves  (Be Breathed in Volunteer Park) Today let's focus on how we're be...

 In August we used the Take Flight routine 12 times Here are the scripts I wrote for setting the focus of each class: Aug 1 -  Elegant Resonance   (Take Flight in Balance Studio) Today we are doing the Take Flight routine. And since it is a brand new routine, never before taught in a class setting, I want to focus on the music, and in particular: How Your Body Responds To and Resonates With the Music. When I create a new routine, the first thing I do is put together the playlist. That part alone could take several months as I search for just the right music and ensure that the songs fit together in just the right way in the right order. When they do, it creates a supportive soundscape for our movement journey. And then the music inspires the movement. Each song has a unique personality. Some are slow, some are quirky. Some powerful. Some nurturing. Some playful. Some mysterious... And there are often distinct unique sounds. When I create the moves, they must align with th...

Being introduced August of 2021, Jag's newest routine is called Take Flight. It focuses on the gestures of Giving and Receiving. It is a well-rounded, fun, full-bodied athletic routine. It uses unique movements such as the Rocking Horse, the Owl and the Huzzah, to reach high. And it uses moves like the Springy Lunge and the Dangle to get low. Moves like the Gorilla and Throwing the Ball take us both low and high at the same time.  It is easily adaptable to all fitness levels, but can definitely offer a physical challenge for everybody.   The music, from artists like Maya Jane Coles, Azam Ali, Adam, Shaikh, Jain, Yello and Banco de Gaia, is very global sounding and inspiring. In the song Tilinko by Laar / Zoohacker, we learn how to let the arms flow gradually from low to high while the legs walk rhythmically. In the song Funk Me Up Baby by Alex Cortiz, we learn to perform a kick coming right out of a turn, without first tapping the ground. And there is a move in Earthsong by Ka...

 In July we used the Universal Mind routine four times and Beautiful Day once.  Here are the scripts I wrote for setting the focus of each class: July 14 -  Smell The Grass.   (Beautiful Day in Volunteer Park) Welcome everyone. Thanks for coming. I'm so excited to launch a new program,  Nia in the Park with Jag. My idea is that the time and location can periodically change, so I'm open to hearing your input in that regard. First, a few words about Nia in general. It is meant to be very adaptable to each person. Nothing is expected of you - follow along and just have fun. It is taught "on the go" which means you do what you can and don't worry about the rest. Each time you come back to class, you might pick up one or two more tidbits. But no matter what, you are encouraged to adjust and personalize all of the movements so they feel right, in your body, right now.  Today we are celebrating by doing my Beautiful Day routine, using "Dynamic Ease" / "Rel...

One of the things that I learned during the 2020 pandemic was how healing it is to be in touch with nature.  My first inclination when we were asked to isolate ourselves was not to connect electronically, which I thought seemed artificial and unnatural, but to truly isolate and to take this as a strong nudge from nature to self reflect and reexamine the choices that got me to where I am. I felt like this is what the whole world needed to do, but I was only in charge of myself so I did it quietly. I removed myself from my work and from social media and read philosophy books and meditated a lot. I also found myself taking my dog to the park a lot and noticing how just a few minutes in the park could totally change my day.  I was once opposed to teaching my Nia classes outside. I felt I needed a controlled indoor environment so that I could properly deliver the type of experience I was accustomed to. But gradually, with the help of some clients who I was training in the park twic...