I hope you have had a good week … I’m not going to mention the weather!! But come on — enough with the rain!

It was lovely to get back into classes after the Easter break, lots of props being used in face-to-face classes this term so I hope you enjoy them and feel the difference that using them can make to the exercises.

I have had a few conversations with JTP Family members this week about movement, staying active and what it means to us in terms of our lives.

To quote Joseph Pilates:

Change happens through movement, and movement heals

and of course I support this. This is my 25th year of teaching Pilates, and I have been lucky enough to work with many hundreds of people, all experiencing different movement challenges, and all having their own individual movement goals, including myself.

The range of the movement goals is wide, from wanting to return to first team football following injury, to getting movement back after a knee replacement, to feeling more confident with balance, or getting up from a chair without assistance, to beating grandchildren in a running race around the garden.  

This wide variety is definitely one of the reasons why I love what I do, and feel grateful that this is my work. 

I have seen movement goals change over the years, in particular the last 3-4 years where more and more people are looking for mindful movement over and above dynamic exercise. 

I include myself in this, I know that my movement challenges and goals have changed. I no longer want to run marathons, but I do want to keep feeling like I can move freely, keep my body flexible, and functionally strong in order for me to keep doing the things that I want to do. But also, I want to feel my body move, and feel it does what I want it to do, so that makes me feel good about myself, and helps me to release and let go of tension. 

Someone said to me today in a session I don’t want the moon Jane, but I do want to feel I can walk for however long I want to walk, I want to spend as much time as I want in the garden, I want to move without worry about constant pain and stiffness and these movement goals are just brilliant and I know that Pilates is going to support this. I also know that if you are wanting the moon, that is also brilliant and Pilates will support that too, I’ve seen it, it's true.

What I want everyone to feel is that when you keep your mind/body moving you will get closer to your moon and as a result of this you will feel things change and you will feel better in so many ways, I’ve seen it, it's true.

So keep moving, keep feeling good and keep looking to your moon.

With love

Jane xx