Pilates + Mental Health
It’s the mind itself which shapes the body.
Man should develop his physical condition simultaneously with that of his mind.
Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness. Our interpretation of physical fitness is the attainment and maintenance of a uniformly developed body with a sound mind fully capable of naturally, easily, and satisfactorily performing our many and varied daily tasks with spontaneous zest and pleasure.
It is better to be tired from physical exertion than to be fatigued by the ‘poisons’ generated by nervousness while lying awake.
The acquirement and enjoyment of physical well-being, mental calm and spiritual peace are priceless to their possessors if there be any such so fortunate living among us today. However, it is the ideal to strive for, and in our opinion, it is only through Contrology [Pilates] that this unique trinity of a balanced body, mind, and spirit can ever be attained.
Self-confidence, poise, consciousness of possessing the power to accomplish our desires, with renewed lively interest in life are the natural results of the practice of Contrology [Pilates].
The mind, when housed within a healthful body, possesses a glorious sense of power.
In deciding what I wanted to write about in this month’s blog- Pilates and Mental Wellness- I sifted through various Joseph Pilates quotes regarding this topic, knowing that I would find several, but not anticipating that I would so many! (Above I’ve compiled a few, but there’s many more!) I’d forgotten how much he had to say about the subject, reminding my own initial discovery of this work and the benefits I began to feel when I began studying it in 2009.
That moment in life found me in a very tender place, as I had just recently been through a super dramatic- the kind you’ll probably only have in your 20’s- breakup, and I was looking to change my life in every way: a new career seemed like the right thing to do. As I began studying in an apprenticeship program to become and instructor and began regularly practicing Pilates and began to experience the physical benefits of Pilates, I also experienced a strengthening in my overall mental well-being. It was a strengthening of my mind and my spirit. It was this discovery that most impacted me, and the reason I’ve continued to feel passionate about teaching this work.
This month we’ve been lucky enough to be joined by Miranda Stone- a lovely wood nymph magic person- who has been a part of our community almost since we first opened (2 years ago! whoa!) and who, as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, works with severely mentally ill adults. Miranda was formerly a Pilates Instructor when she lived in New York City, and has been a student of Pilates for 10 years. We were able to sit down and have a chat about some of the work she does, and the intersection between our two professions.