“…and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
The above quote is from the angels the night of Jesus birth.
It’s comforting to think that a message from heaven is one of peace for mankind.
Praying for peace on earth this season and beyond.
As you celebrate the Holidays, I hope you and your homes are filled with peace, joy and blessings!
Wishing you and your loved ones a blessed, beautiful time!
Blessings & Peace,
Shannon
I just wanted to express gratitude for you!
Thank you for sharing yourself, your life and your most valuable resources – your time, your trust and your health.
It is an honor to support you on your journey.
I hope you enjoy many moments this Holiday that are filled with gratitude.
Wishing you and your loved ones a Happy Thanksgiving!
Warmly,
Shannon
Some of you may remember Deedie Root. With her permission, I’m sharing a letter she wrote on her progress and a way you may be able to help!
5 quick, easy tips to help you navigate through the all the temptations and stay slim through the season.
I’ve briefly shared before about Eve Gentry’s incredible story.
I’m delighted to let you know that the documentary “Eve Gentry – The Power of Pilates” is available for free viewing on Vimeo.
If you haven’t seen this short documentary, you are in for a treat.
And if you only have a five minutes, you can fast forward and watch from 4:23-9:24 for the segment on her recovery from a radical mastectomy.
It is truly amazing how Joseph Pilates helped her completely regain range of motion and strength even with the pectoralis major muscle removed!
Eve Gentry experienced “the power of Pilates” firsthand.
And Eve paid it forward passing on Pilates work to the next generation! Enjoy:)
With Best Wishes Always,
Shannon
The term “underwater dancing” probably brings to mind synchronized swimming and the olympics.
But imagine performing a dance completely underwater –
without coming up for air!
Julie Gautier is a pioneer in underwater dancing.
I think you’ll appreciate the artistry and physicality in this video.
You can get a glimpse of her breathing exercises at the beginning of the video.
It’s interesting to hear her background and creative process. The video, of course, finishes with an underwater dance (in a natural pool of water in the jungle)!
Enjoy – “Dancing Through The Waters”!
Stay Cool & Calm,
Shannon
Dear Students,
Hope everyone had a Happy 4th of July yesterday!
Here is an article on “Freedom of Movement” that I thought you might enjoy if you haven’t seen it already!
Also, coming up on July 29 will be the business 7 year anniversary!
Wishing you continued good health, joy and freedom of movement in every way!
With Best Wishes Always,
Shannon
Pilates Day is coming up on Saturday, May 6.
To celebrate, I thought you might enjoy this inspiring story from Ukraine.
A photo went viral last year of Pilates being practiced in bomb shelters.
Later an article was published in “The Core” on the Balanced Body website, it shares Halyna’s journey and how she stayed strong body and mind!
Happy Pilates Day!
Wishing you continued good health,
joy and peace!
Warmly,
Shannon
“Forever Young” is the title of a new book by Mark Hyman, MD. While this author is a new find for me, you might already have heard of him. He has written many books including 14 New York Times bestsellers!
The direction science is going is fascinating. The combination of biology and technology and the things they expect to be able to do in 10 years is mind-blowing and sounds like something out of science fiction.
But you don’t have to wait for new inventions.
There are important things you can do now to invest in yourself and in your health.
As you might have guessed, exercise and nutrition play a vital role.
If you would like to learn the “#1 Hack To Stop Aging”, here is a video by Dr. Hyman discussing his new book. The story about the 95 year old who walks 5 miles a day is especially inspiring!
And here is a longer interview with Dr. Hyman where he talks about “metabolic flexibility” (my favorite new term) and he shares his smoothie recipe from the book!
Wishing you continued good health!
Enjoy:)
Shannon
“The whole country, the whole world, should be doing my exercises. They’d be happier” Joseph Pilates
In developing his method, Joseph Pilates’ goal wasn’t just to make people strong physically. He wanted people whole and at their best in every way – body, mind and spirit. He believed that if everyone practiced his method that they would not only be stronger, they would also be happier. The goal wasn’t just about six-pack abs, but joy and fulfillment.
He thought if people were happier the world would be a better place. A little Pilates practice might lead to world peace? Or so Mr. Pilates believed. An idealist, a dreamer and visionary, Mr. Pilates wanted the full development of each individual and the proper development for the planet.
As you carve you some time for self-care through the holiday season and through out the year, may you experience all the benefits Pilates has to offer – body, mind and spirit! May you find yourself strengthen and refreshed – even a little happier! May you have peace and joy and may that overflow to those closest to you.
Wishing you and your loved ones a blessed, beautiful season!
Merry Christmas &
Happy New Year!
Warmly,
Shannon
I’m going to let you in on a little secret. It’s a book that is a must have for Pilates Teachers and Exercise Professionals. If you ever wanted to discover more about human anatomy and movement in a way that has scientific insight and depth but is also easy to follow, then Anatomy of Movement by Blandine Calais-Germain is a gem.
Though you may not have heard the name Calais-Germain before, you are in for a treat. She is a dancer turned Physical Therapist, so she has a movement and solid science background. But what makes Calais-Germain’s work so special is that she is not only able to write but also able to draw.
Calais-Germain creates her own illustrations. Between the written text and the drawings, she is able to clarify concepts that might be harder to grasp otherwise. While educating on anatomy, her book almost becomes a little work of art.
Plus, the book is practical and useful. This is not just another old anatomy textbook. Calais-Germain focuses on both anatomy and movement. If you ever wondered how certain movements impact a particular area of the body or what movements you should and should not be doing and why, then Anatomy of Movement is a great resource to find the insights and answers you are looking for.
As you probably guessed, Calais-Germain is French. She has written over half a dozen books that have been translated into multiple languages. Her books Anatomy of Movement and its’ companion Anatomy of Movement Exercises are often required reading in Pilates and other fitness and exercise Teacher Training programs.
If you would like to do a deeper dive and learn more about Anatomy, then Anatomy of Movement by Calais-Germain is a great place to start. Pilates Teachers and many other Exercise Professionals are fans of this French author.
The New Year starts with good intentions, but by February most resolutions have fallen by the wayside. Whether or not you like to set goals for the New Year, developing new good habits can be challenging.
In his book, Atomic Habits, James Clear, presents a helpful and realistic approach. Based on Mr. Clear’s insights, here are a few quick tips for developing good habits anytime of year.
– A particularly useful concept is “Habit Stacking”. Add the new habit to something you already do. For example, when you brush your teeth or after you walk the dog, do a lower body stretch. Stacking it onto another habit you already have helps the new habit stick.
– You may be relieved to hear that “Motivation is overrated; environment often matters more.”* or at least that’s the title of one of the chapters in Mr. Clear’s book. It makes sense to set your environment with cues for the new habit (healthy food in the front of the fridge). This “makes it obvious”.
– Closely tying with another step “make it easy”. Convenience is important. If the healthy food is easy to access and the unhealthy food inconvenient, this can support you in creating better eating habits and eliminating bad ones.
Developing new habits doesn’t have to be extreme. It can be in small degrees or atomic. As Mr. Clear advocates, daily improving just one percent adds up over time and changes the whole trajectory.
While New Year’s resolutions might seem grand, it’s those small incremental consistent changes that can bring about the transformation that was truly the aim in the first place.
If you want to dive deeper, here is the link to Atomic Habits by James Clear. It is an easy, interesting read. This article summarized just a few of the ideas that are in his book.
*chapter 6, pages 80-90.
