I think of living in my pilates-body as a dharma, a practice. In fact I consider everything in life to be a practice and being aware of my body takes practice. Having said that, I haven't always been aware of my body. I think back to all those sit-ups I did growing up without any understanding of what I was doing, awareness of how I was doing it or what it was doing for me. Of course I was not doing those sit-ups correctly but didn't know any better. A client of mine was a PE teacher for most of his career and he told me one day after class, "I wish I had found pilates many years ago when I was a young man. I would have been such a better instructor of fitness and would have had a better understanding of how the pelvic floor supports the entire body including the spine!" I agreed wishing I had as well.
When we begin to live in our pilates-body we become aware of how we move through space. We are aware of our alignement with the center of gravity. We feel more balanced and centered. Pilates is miraculous this way. It will support you far into your golden years and create a sense of awareness that once was taken for granted. A pilates-body is strong, centered, flexible and balanced. It is a cornerstone for vibrant health and well-being. I can't imagine living in any other body than my pilates-body!
