becoming your own masseuse

my yoga teacher says that through our (physical) yoga practice, we become our own masseurs - this certainly applies to a personal pilates practice as well. what do masseurs do after all? more often, they work to release tension and even out imbalances of muscle and energy.

a main principle in pilates is the idea of control - when you are in control of your body, you recognize blockages in energy and muscles, and actively work to find ways to unblock these areas. one of the more effective ways in doing so is by strengthening other surrounding areas around the same body area.

here's an example, if you are the type of person who experiences tension in your neck or shoulders, then we work on developing the latissmus dorsi muscles which are at the bottom of and below the shoulder girdle. when these muscles work like they’re supposed to, they actually complement the muscles above the shoulder girdle and alleviate the extra load that those muscles have been carrying by themselves.

with a regular pilates practice, you can learn to redistribute your physical (and mental) energy and through your own movement, actively unblock certain areas that are overworked, overloaded and overstressed. in turn, you will awaken and fortify those underutilized and neglected areas. this neck and shoulder tension we spoke of that was once there can be minimized, if not obliterated. all you have to do is dedicate yourself to finding a way to release that area’s tension, redirect that energy and lighten its load.

reposting a good story on mind body connections

here's a great story from a student: she was carrying her groceries down a flight of stairs and suddenly she lost her balance. in years past, she tells me, she would have dropped the bag, spilling the contents and fallen immediately, surrendering to gravity and most likely obtaining a few bruises, scrapes, maybe pulling a muscle and such. in essence, she gave up immediately to the situation.

this time around, things were different for her. she lost her balance, but she fought to regain it. she focused to stay on her feet. she not only managed to do that, she reported, but she also kept the contents of the grocery bag from spilling out! she proudly told me of this accomplishment, saying that it was because she used her powerhouse to control her balance and prevent her fall. she also was pleased with the fact that she could focus on her ability to coordinate these things WHILE still holding onto the bag, keeping it upright. she had changed not only her physicality, she changed her whole attitude as well.

she fought and she focused instead of surrendering and giving up. of course this is my personal interpretation of this story, but i think it's a pretty good one, do you?

this is how pilates can help us all. as we strengthen our physical powerhouse, that strength will automatically fortify our mental state. a strong powerhouse means having great posture, and having great posture communicates confidence to the world. think about it - what connotations do you think about when you read the word "spineless"? we aim to support our spine with pilates exercises so that we can live our lives fully and healthily.

if you have a good story on how pilates has helped you, please share them with me. i've love to hear from you.

why i need yoga

i've heard its been a rough week. i, myself, can say that it's been rough. between really stinky egos, the santa anas and some topsy turvy timing, wednesday can feel like hell. they call it humpday for a reason. for us weekend warriors, it symbolizes the climax of the week, where you're supposed to both deliver and plan. it's when you've reached a certain height to your efforts and your thoughts are starting to include what you want to do when you rest or play. this feeling can be isolating and uncomfortable.

wednesday night yoga with joseph van arsdale is my medicine. it helps me let go of the anger, hurt or sadness that can permeate my spirit. i helps me work out all of those bad feelings and thoughts as i focus on how my body feels, how it moves, where it aches or where it is tense. as i hold my iyengar poses, i pinpoint my weaknesses and work to strengthen them. i feel where i am clutching or gripping and imagine the area lengthening and receiving its much needed oxygen as i breathe.


sometimes i dont have the energy to go, because i know that i'll be putting in more work, but yoga has never let me down. ever. i have always felt better afterward. so i go. sometimes i curse my teacher out because it can hurt; sometimes he makes me laugh and i feel like slacking. but no matter what, i end up putting in the work anyway, stretching, breathing and twisting. i imagine the length of my spine as i forget everything else. i stay in the moment because there's a lot to think about when you're trying to gain control of your body! the meditation that comes from holding still can be so rewarding.

yoga, too, gives me a sense of accomplishment. but this time, it's not so much of a conquering feeling, but a surrendering. during savanasa all you do is lay there, like a corpse (which is what the word means). laying still after challenging movement your body, mind and spirit have a chance to reconcile with each other. it's where you're not quite asleep, yet not quite awake - its state of transcendental bliss. this is why yogis practice. because this bliss feels right. it feels like everything is where its supposed to be, like you are where you're supposed to be - not thinking about what happened a couple hours ago or where you need to be. its comforting to know that you can be still, just for these few moments, and the greater world surrounding you continues as it does, and you're still part of it.