Nia Newsletter

Finding Comfort

In the Jewish calendar, we're in a period called the Seven Weeks of Comfort. It begins with grieving over how far we've drifted from the Divine (or our own divine natures). Over the seven weeks, we go through a process of self-examination and soul-healing, a journey...

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Rafiki’s Birthday Blessing

One of our community's birthday traditions emerged from an experience I had on my 50th. It happened to be on a Friday, and that evening I went to a service led by Rabbi Shefa Gold. I had asked ahead of time if she would give me a birthday blessing. In the service, she...

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Lean on Me

Lean on me, when you’re not strong,I’ll be your friend, I’ll help you carry on.For it won’t be long ‘til I’m gonna needSomebody to lean on. Bill Withers

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Enjoying the Fruits of Our Labors — July 7, 2025

I wrote last week about a card that appeared in a recent Tarot reading I had with Jennifer: a woman carrying a bouquet of flowers. Each flower is exquisite, but the bouquet so big and heavy she can't stand up straight—a symbol of taking on too much, even if you love...

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Praying for Shalom — Peace and Wholeness

People who want to live in safety and peace have more in common with each other, no matter where they live, than they do with the people who condemn them to death. And it's about time we understand that. Linda Dayan, Haaretz (Israeli newspaper) I'm attending a meeting...

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God, Bouli, & Marco

A delicious Greek salad at the Acropolis Museum.Whatever my conception of God is, it's oceanic, a vast energy field rather than any human-like agent that directs the minutiae of individual lives. On the other hand, it was hard not to feel there was some kind of...

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“Because I Love You”

I shared a few weeks ago that my niece Maggie's husband, Daniel, was killed in a road accident in Uganda. He was on a trip for his job with the Austrian foreign aid office. While he was there, he hiked to the beautiful spot in the photo. Daniel was a wonderful match...

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Finally Back at Dance Place

From one of our first classes in 2012 or 2013.In December, 2019, I got official. After starting Nia at Dance Place seven years earlier, I went to the County Building and filed papers to make that my business name. And then I remember sitting in the studio on a...

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Dance of Faith and Doubt

So people get readyFor the train a-comin'You don't need no baggageYou just get on board!All you need is faithTo hear the diesels hummingDon't need no ticketYou just thank, you just thank the LordYour content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module...

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