What is “it” exactly? Our human body. Movement. Muscles and bones floating in a sea of fascia…? Biotensegrity? Electromagnetic waves sparked through the neuromuscular system, connected to the stars? Breath and Mind/Body awareness? Which words shall we use today to lead our bodies into movement? How do our emotions play into our movement potential? How is it that movement begets energy? I can be completely exhausted, yet do a simply morning meditation focusing on my breathing, then lay down and do The Hundred, Roll Up, maybe a few “Suns,” grab an apple and leave for work completely energized! Don’t tell me it’s just the coffee! “It” sustains me through many hours.
Through years of continuing education, many ideas are in my “toolkit.” Who exactly has “it”? Are we all expressing the same thing in different languages? Whether it’s energy up the front and down the back, or the autonomic or parasympathetic nervous system, boney cues, muscular cues, breath cues, imagery, hands-on sensory or auditory cues, classical contemporary, modified or amplified, movement teachers are saying the same thing, right? We are all finding the words to help us find “it” to MOVE MORE.
This has been our theme this year and I gotta be honest, quite the challenge. As my Yoga teacher described this morning so aptly, “Stillness is not inert.” Through past challenges of life-changing events, losing my husband, home, and all 4 kids sprouting wings into their young adult lives, the quiet can feel really LOUD. Movement actually grounds me – coming to the studio to teach, amping up my own practice, letting go of clutter (my husband was a book collector and they were literally “weighing me down”), adding meditation to my morning routine, and finding hobbies to enjoy, starting to meet new friends, reading and writing more, and as always, keeping my daily prayer and a gratitude journal. “It” is from a place of healing and wholeness, which is what I believe we are all seeking.
After breaking my arm, I only missed 2 days of teaching, including surgery, but several weeks later came down with the horrible virus going around. I had to literally “do nothing” but rest and sleep more, listen to my body. REST is intentional! One of our Whole Life Challenge well-being practices is “Do Nothing.” Can you?
Totally healed now, but reeling from the consequences of not getting paid for 8 days (self-employed Pilates teacher), I am so grateful I said yes two years ago to becoming a Rodan + Fields Consultant! My business can be mostly virtual or on the phone and has been a God-send – one of the things I truly enjoy about it – literally from anywhere! Finally starting to move out of another tough financial predicament, trust me it’s been much worse trying to figure out what to feed my family, at least there’s only me and the cats right now! I am getting out more – moving forward into my life each day, moving out of the spiral downward that had me spinning for years.
“We live in our bodies, not in our homes.” – Ana Forrest
My handstand and backbend goal may be my #movemore2019 goal, but honestly at this point the physical part of “it” is secondary. I am searching for purpose, for connection with people, to help people live and feel better. My goal has always been to listen to “it” – my heart, my intuition, whatever “it” is that I say YES to. My hope and prayer is that TriPilates continues to grow and evolve, as intentionally as it opened: To Balance Body, Mind, and Spirit. My thoughts about what “it” is that we teach, what is our expertise? It’s really to help YOU connect to that “Tripartite of body mind and spirit” that Joe Pilates refers to. It was and still is our mission.
Colleagues, if you are reading this, thank you. Friends, thank you for sticking with us through thick and thin. Students and future students, we will simply continue on this #pilatesjourney and #movemore, #rfjourney and #synergy. Never give up! Your Pilates practice will create a stamina and a strength for the rest of your life! As Joe Pilates wrote in Return to Life,
“…the proper functioning of your own body <is> the direct result of the assembled Contrology exercises that produce a harmonious structure we term physical fitness reflecting itself in a coordinated and balanced tri-part unity of body, mind, and spirit. This in turn results in perfect posture when sitting, standing, or walking withe the utilization of approximately only 25 per cent of your energy while the approximately remaining 75 percent in the form of surplus energy reserve is ‘on call’ to meet the needs of any possible emergency.”
Beth Su recently arrived back after a short Summer break nearly bringing us to tears of joy when she expressed her gratitude for our TriPilates community and classes. She said, “Debbie never stop, it (Pilates) gave her the strength and stamina to do her life with more energy and enjoyment!”
