“Where the eyes go, the body follows” is (sort of) a famous yoga saying and it’s actually really profound, and layered. It’s about one’s drishti, which is Sanskrit for gaze AND focus. It begs the question, “Where are you putting your attention?” In pure movement terms, where your eyes are IS where the body goes. Think Cobra pose – a big part of the pose is looking up. That upward gaze helps the body “snake” upwards into a more robust position,...
Whether you’re sleep deprived or not, there are moments when one needs more energy. It’s easy to fall into a coffee habit when experiencing a lull, and I certainly went through that phase, but there are way better techniques for bringing energy in. Here are my top five instant (and free and painless!) energizers: Do Five Minutes of Meditation – often we feel fatigue because our minds are on overdrive. Mediation helps slow the mental chatter which in turn settles our nerves. I love an open-eyed mediation,...
Kids sit cross-legged with ease, but something happens along this road called life, where what was once easy, becomes difficult. For the record, it’s not “old age.” There are millions of examples of elders sitting cross-legged with no problem. What it is is an example of “use it or lose it.” You know those fit tests that see how fast you can run a mile or calculate how many pushups you can do in a minute?...
I’ve watched many people give up too soon. They feel as though they’ve run out of steam when it comes to getting in shape, or they’ve hit a seemingly insurmountable roadblock and believe it’s a sign from the universe to throw in the towel. I can’t emphasis enough that this thinking is complete and utter hogwash. Not only does it stop you in your tracks, it can also do a number on your self-esteem. There comes a...
We step out of bed, walk to the kitchen where the countertop height provides total ease, and where we don’t have to stretch or strain in the slightest to pour ourselves a glass of water. We then position ourselves in a car or a bus or train where we find another comfortable sitting position, then many of us find a desk next where we sit some more. We walk between locations, but leisurely walking is still...
Pilates Mix is a 20minute series of standing and traditional mat Pilates. It is slow paced for a workout, but is actually pretty fast paced for Pilates. The routine requires focus and body awareness, especially awareness of what’s not moving. We’ve had lots of requests for more Pilates workouts, and I really love blending standing stuff with mat work. Pilates Mix is not a huge calorie burner and it’s not going to “wipe you out” so to speak. It’s subtle, mindful and concentrated. It promotes symmetry and...
I womaned-up when I became a mother. There was a level of responsibility that whacked me in the face. I thought, “I must have energy for Luca, and always have my wit’s about me.” It felt like I finally took ownership of my life. That was over twelve years ago, but funnily enough, right now in dealing with the covid crisis, it’s like de ja vu – I’m feeling this need to woman-up all over...
Joe Pilates famously said, “Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness.” He couldn’t have been more right. It is the first requisite. The body is meant to move and wants to move. Feeling strong and capable is foundational to joy. Now, what’s the second requisite? Well, I’d say it’s faith. Faith in it’s broadest sense, meaning complete trust or confidence in something. So for this topic, that means faith in your body’s ability to function, to heal...
Self-help guru, Lisa Nichols, has a big go-to tip for successful living – find your tribe of unicorns. This very much resonates with me, especially this year, as I’ve relied on my tribe of unicorns more than ever. (I include my dog in my tribe!) My tribe encourages me to eat healthy, and to still have fun. My tribe won’t let me get pulled down by fear. My tribe exercises with me, and invites me on...
On Saturday night, I stood in my kitchen, attempting to make dinner for my family, when a wave of fatigue fell over me. I had had a busy week and the day flew by with a bit of rushing around, but I was well rested and hydrated, and it was only 6pm. I quickly realized I wasn’t physically fatigued – I was emotionallyfatigued. I get the sense that a lot of us are experiencing emotional fatigue...
