KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID (KISS)!

My Nei Gong teacher is a very very smart man and he is also a great teacher.  His intelligence alone is not what makes him a great teacher.  His depth of understanding is what makes him a great teacher.  What does one have to do to understand something so deeply and fully?  

The simple answer is:

Sit With It.  

That is exactly what Einstein did.  He just sat and sat and sat until he figured it out.  That's also what my Nei Gong teacher does.  He sits and meditates and waits for the Tao to come to him.

When the mind is clear SIMPLICITY arises.  When simplicity arises the answers becomes clear.

In your Pilates practice do the same thing Einstein and my Nei Gong teacher do! Use mental focus and your breath to clear the mind and your movement will become simple, free and open.

The Art of Doing Nothing

In our culture there is a huge emphasis on DOING.  Working harder, faster and longer are revered by our leaders and innovators.  What is not taken into account are the ramifications of this said methodology.  What are the consequences both individually and societally of not emphasizing stillness and inner reflection?  If you are tired, injured, sick or stressed as a result of implementing those values is the net gain of more money, things and ego-based satisfaction really worth it?  It would almost be more beneficial for us to ask those question before taking any action so that we use our life energy in a way that is balanced and increases our quality of life rather than detracts from it.

What does this have to do with Pilates?  It is in fact imminently applicable.  We approach working out much like we approach life - GET ER DONE!  We are focused on goals and not process.  When we disregard process we treat our bodies as machines not as sentient entities.  Our workouts become rote and we wonder why we don't feel good after we workout or we don't look any better.  Bringing stillness and mindfulness to our Pilates practice opens up a world of opportunity.  It allows us the opportunity to make better and healthier choices that give us increased rather than decreased quality of life.  It also allows us to take that awareness into our daily lives if we choose to.  The more you can view your Pilates practice as a microcosm of how you experience life the more you will get out of it both on or off the mat.