"We loved looking at the family movies...and to see the kids at a much younger age...and especially "adorable Mike," always calm, cool and collected (with Tiff helping him with different things) and to see Tiff so very excited and happy about life. Brian thought it was funny to see how excited she was over the ATC's, other parties, and Christmases while Shan and Mike stood calmly by, all just hilarious for us to watch 30 years later with our grandkids."
This was part of the email I received from my mom in Florida this evening following a delightful visit by my sister and her two kids from North Carolina. Ironically I read it as I was leaving the first part of a kick-butt weekend workshop on Pilates. I can recall the excitement and energy I felt in those home movies when I was probably 10 years old. I simply could not squash my enthusiasm. I certainly felt that energy tonight as I participated in a Pilates class taught by an advanced instructor, a self-described 45 year old movement geek, bubbling over with enthusiasm of Pilates being a personal journey of one's own body at any age. Of finding strength and stretch from within because of the energy one can simultaneously create and oppose. It is a synergistic relationship that exists throughout our body that when one muscle stretches another strengthens.
This same energy exists in life...sometimes I embrace it and other times I oppose it. Regardless we are never just one way. We can't define Pilates as just a method of stretching when strengthening is occuring at the same time. I can't define myself as enthusiastic when I often simultaneously feel the desire to be quiet and passive. Writing has been a method to express my child-like energy that still exists internally for various pursuits in my life, including Pilates. For whatever reason, over the past decade (crazy long time but also crazy short) I have at times felt a need to squash my joy...my outward enthusiasm. Not just with work but partly with life in general. Maybe it's the erroneous belief that once a mom we have to be the adult and not celebrate as children might. Maybe it is the pressure I put on myself to know everything possible about Pilates, to strengthen everyone and to do no harm. Maybe it's being a wife that makes me think I better "tone it down a bit" or my enthusiasm might be misinterpreted. Maybe it's from having people ask me for years, "don't you miss the south?" "don't you miss your family?" that I finally accepted the idea that one can't be happy displaced from their roots. However each of these above statements can be opposed by the reality. Moms should laugh until they feel their side splits; Pilates is more an experience on the inside which can be expressed differently on the outside depending on your age and fitness level (i.e. what is available to you); wives may spontaneously embrace life and the people that come with it; southerners can be absolutely happy and content in the north...believe it!
Thursday in mat class I was cueing the class to emphasize the exhale, to really BLOW the air out during "rolling like a ball." In addition, I instructed them to allow the exhale to come slightly before the action as there was value to a "premature exhalation." We laughed. I had not intended to say something funny but there is no better way to loosen up than to laugh--especially in ab class--then you will truly work from your center. For a while afterwards I actually questioned my silly phrase and prayed people did not find it inappropriate. After our class tonight with frequent laughter, hard core Pilates moves, directions to pull our booty's out of the basement I am again comfortable with my yin and yang...my serious and my light hearted...my joy and my sadness. It's all part of the journey of our own life and body.
Thank you for reading. I look forward to seeing you all in class next week!
This was part of the email I received from my mom in Florida this evening following a delightful visit by my sister and her two kids from North Carolina. Ironically I read it as I was leaving the first part of a kick-butt weekend workshop on Pilates. I can recall the excitement and energy I felt in those home movies when I was probably 10 years old. I simply could not squash my enthusiasm. I certainly felt that energy tonight as I participated in a Pilates class taught by an advanced instructor, a self-described 45 year old movement geek, bubbling over with enthusiasm of Pilates being a personal journey of one's own body at any age. Of finding strength and stretch from within because of the energy one can simultaneously create and oppose. It is a synergistic relationship that exists throughout our body that when one muscle stretches another strengthens.
This same energy exists in life...sometimes I embrace it and other times I oppose it. Regardless we are never just one way. We can't define Pilates as just a method of stretching when strengthening is occuring at the same time. I can't define myself as enthusiastic when I often simultaneously feel the desire to be quiet and passive. Writing has been a method to express my child-like energy that still exists internally for various pursuits in my life, including Pilates. For whatever reason, over the past decade (crazy long time but also crazy short) I have at times felt a need to squash my joy...my outward enthusiasm. Not just with work but partly with life in general. Maybe it's the erroneous belief that once a mom we have to be the adult and not celebrate as children might. Maybe it is the pressure I put on myself to know everything possible about Pilates, to strengthen everyone and to do no harm. Maybe it's being a wife that makes me think I better "tone it down a bit" or my enthusiasm might be misinterpreted. Maybe it's from having people ask me for years, "don't you miss the south?" "don't you miss your family?" that I finally accepted the idea that one can't be happy displaced from their roots. However each of these above statements can be opposed by the reality. Moms should laugh until they feel their side splits; Pilates is more an experience on the inside which can be expressed differently on the outside depending on your age and fitness level (i.e. what is available to you); wives may spontaneously embrace life and the people that come with it; southerners can be absolutely happy and content in the north...believe it!
Thursday in mat class I was cueing the class to emphasize the exhale, to really BLOW the air out during "rolling like a ball." In addition, I instructed them to allow the exhale to come slightly before the action as there was value to a "premature exhalation." We laughed. I had not intended to say something funny but there is no better way to loosen up than to laugh--especially in ab class--then you will truly work from your center. For a while afterwards I actually questioned my silly phrase and prayed people did not find it inappropriate. After our class tonight with frequent laughter, hard core Pilates moves, directions to pull our booty's out of the basement I am again comfortable with my yin and yang...my serious and my light hearted...my joy and my sadness. It's all part of the journey of our own life and body.
Thank you for reading. I look forward to seeing you all in class next week!
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