Edition One: (Re) Finding Your ‘CENTRE’

First of all, welcome to my quarterly Blog:

“Living Pilates & The All Important ‘Why’”

I’ve chosen the word ‘why’ because it is a word I use a lot..

If I’m going to do something, I need to establish why I’m doing it, what is the benefit to me, what is the benefit to others & what is the benefit to the environment around me. If I can see & understand the reasoning behind it & it makes sense, then I will generally do it!!!

So as I share my first quarterly Blog, I encourage you to please engage with me, & let me know if there are any ‘Whys’ you may have with regard Pilates, Good Movement & Wellness..

I would love to hear your thoughts, & maybe answer some of your ‘Whys’ in my future Blogs.

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Hello from a chilly 7 degrees centigrade!

So WHY on earth do I love to take off to the beach, move my body in the chilliness of the UK climate, & enter the freeeeeeezing cold waters, even if for just a few minutes, & swim?!?!?

At the beginning of a New Year, when there is so much pressure to do something new, to bring about a change, to do something to make yourself ‘better’, ‘slimmer’, ‘fitter’, ‘younger’ (to name but a few!!!), it can feel just a little overwhelming.

And we can be at risk of losing our ‘CENTRE’ (my word for the essence of who I am, my stronghold, what makes me, me..)

So in an effort to shake off the external ‘noise’..

‘Off to the sea I go to lose my mind & find my soul!!!’

Is it cold? Yes!!!

BUT, the exhilaration & sense of renewal, the joy of being at one with nature, of awakening the senses, the mind, the body, the soul, is oh so worth it!!

Life can be overwhelming, so finding practises which help us return to our centre, (& it doesn’t have to be cold water therapy!!!) can be invaluable.

I detail below the FIVE practises I come back to time & time again when feeling overwhelmed, & in need of re-finding my Centre..

1. PILATES: The Why..

It connects my mind with my body via the sensory feedback I receive from my mat (or whatever `I am connected with..)

This distracts me from external stressors
It helps me regulate my breath & oxygenate my mind & my body
It enables me to let go of what I do not need in order to find & work from my Powerhouse (the energy centre of pilates)
It supports exactly what my mind & body needs, whether this be release, strength, rebalance, workout etc, in order to restore balance to the whole.

2. NATURE: The Why..

Tanyard Meadows, Surrey, UK with Oreo (The Naughty Mole)

It enables me to breathe in the fresh air, filling my lungs & oxygenating my mind & my body

It opens my eyes to see that which is so much bigger than me
It gives me space to see, with no confines or limits
It reminds me that there is a time for regeneration & a time for fruitfulness, & that the seasons are such a great example of this
It reminds me that so much of life is not within my control, & that that is ok.

3. DAILY READINGS: The Why..

Each morning, no matter how I feel, they change my perspective & give me a truthful focus for the day ahead

They remind me that I am loved & that I am enough
They remind me that I have a purpose & help me to come back to that purpose when I get caught up in the secular expectations & pressures of life
They remind me to listen to that ‘still small voice’ of truth which never fails to guide my path
They remind me that when I do not feel able, or when I am overwhelmed, I will receive whatever I need to continue walking my path of truth.

4. QUIET TIME TO PROCESS LIFE: The Why..

Worth Abbey, The Quiet Garden, Worth, West Sussex, UK

When life feels overwhelming or confusing, taking myself off into a quiet space enables me to allow all that has been to be ‘processed’

So often in the busy-ness of life, we do not have the head & heart space to fully process difficult feelings &/or emotions. Certainly in my own experience, if these emotions are not acknowledged, they will have an impact on how I feel about myself & my general state of wellbeing
By simply bringing the struggles, difficulties & upsetting situations into the forefront, I can see them for what they are, give them space, & make room in the coming days/weeks/months to know whether any action from me is necessary.

5. SOCIAL INTERACTION: The Why..

Pilates Retreat, Minos Palace Hotel & Suites, Crete, October 2023

Spending time with good friends is vital to my existence & helps me keep a healthy perspective on life

Sharing the truth of who I am with others, & finding those with whom I align is both affirming & humbling
My church, pilates, going to a ballet, dinner or coffee with friends, being in nature & live music are just a few of the things I love to do with with those I love, & this interaction & energy truly brings my centre alive.

HOW I CAN HELP YOU (RE)FIND YOUR ‘CENTRE’

I really hope you have found some value in what I have shared. It comes from my own personal experience, as I believe that when we share our own struggles & how we overcome them, we have the potential to draw alongside others in theirs, & offer encouragement, inspiration & support.
So here are a few ways I can help you:

The first step would be to book in for a 1:1 Session with me, either online via zoom, or in person at my Surrey UK Studio.
Here I can meet with you exactly where you are at, to listen, to chat, enabling me to suggest some options available to you to support your journey back to the centre of who you are.

Thereafter, we can draw from any or a combination of the following:

1:1 Training or Instructor Mentoring as individual 60 minute sessions
1:1 Training via a block of 6 x 60 minute sessions (pay for 5 get the 6th free)
Online Studio Video Library payable via a monthly subscription to access my full Pilates Training Library, both applying pilates to your everyday movement, & taking you from the Foundation of the Work right through to the more advanced Classical Exercises.
(This can be supported with 1:1 Training sessions as & when needed).
My Live Online Classes offering 3 levels of Pilates Classes either to be used stand alone or supported with 1:1 Training as needed.
Remedial Massage so perfect to loosen areas of tension, restore normal function to the soft tissues, create a little space to simply ‘be’, & ideal used as part of on ongoing training plan to support you mind, body & soul.

Please do get in touch if you have any questions, I would love to hear from you..

With much love,

Katharine xxx

(January 2024)

LIVING PILATES & The All Important ‘Why..’

Edition One: (Re) Finding Your ‘CENTRE’

First of all, welcome to my quarterly Blog: