Welcome to my journal, 60,000 thoughts.
You’ll find my regular thinking over on my Instagram and my email journal is also available by subscribing below!
Somatic Pilates - A different approach and evolution to Pilates.
Somatic Pilates is a specialist form of Pilates that combines Somatic principles with the principles of Pilates. It works primarily with very deep presence and felt sense - it is about integrating and becoming at one with your body, developing something called embodiment and deeply listening to and respecting your body. Somatic Pilates has a much deeper anatomical component for the client and teacher / practitioner and may harness different systems of the body deliberately to produce different effects. Its purpose is to produce full mind body integration. It does not intend to work with body as a separate 'thing’, but works with the body as an integrated whole, we both have a body and we are a body. When we work with our bodies and listen to them carefully we become much calmer and at peace with ourselves, and in that respect Somatic Pilates can be for some people a real tonic to everyday life, stresses and strains in every respect. So much can move us away from our bodies, and Somatic Pilates is a practice to put people back within themselves once more. We can move with greater freedom, we put less strain on our body, we develop greater felt sense and more confidence in our body because we have a different relationship with it….
Optimal Breathing for Life & Living: a mind body somatic perspective (part I)
Embodied breath is about you feeling and sensing you, and using your greatest resource which is you! We are composed of anatomical, biomechanical and physiological processes that are in continuous dialogue with our mind - body and body - mind. So embodied breathing is a process and practice of learning about how we work and function. As a somatic practitioner my role is to guide you through the process of how to sense that. In somatic work we are not asking our minds to empty as that can for many people be a huge challenge and is not our objective, but by focusing on the sensation and feeling in our bodies we can rebalance, discover and be more at peace and calm with ourselves. Learn more about somatics, breathing and how this differs to the breathing used in movement systems such as yoga and Pilates and how this can help you restore greater balance and take that deeper breath.
Healthy or ‘buff’ bones for life and for living!
Bone and Joint Health Matters. A five minute read about some of the issues but also more importantly what kind of movement you should be looking for. We can all support and empower ourselves through movement to enjoy what life has to offer!
Happier, Healthier & More Confident in Dance. Franklin Method® in Dance and for all Dancers : One Dance UK’s interview with me!
One Dance UK’s interview with me about my work with Franklin Method® in Dance, helping all dancers be the happiest, healthiest dancers they can be.
Stretching in dance, how the Franklin Method can offer you different solutions to higher extensions, tight hips and locked pliés…
This journal considers how the Franklin Method® can be used to help dancers not only feel more comfortable in their hip joints, preventing injury and discomfort but also as a way to develop greater ranges of motion and deeper pliés for softer and more controlled landings.
What is Somatic Movement? Some thoughts about the questions I am frequently asked about somatics, somatic practice and Somatic Movement Educators…
Somatic movement takes you out of intellectualising and into that felt sense, of movement, of your body, of you. With that feeling, there is connection, integration, balance and harmony. It is a holistic practice; we learn about the depths of the miracles working within us and also a lot about ourselves. And all of this is very honest, deep work, there is nothing superficial about it. It can literally look like anything, and you can travel, as far as you wish to go! My journal covers some of the basic questions I am asked about what Somatic Movement is, How it can help you, what it looks like and what a Somatic Movement Educator does.
Moving without moving: mental imagery, mental simulation of movement using the Franklin Method®. Practical application for dancers & movers in injury & beyond…
An exploration of my personal experience and use of mental rehearsal and imagery practice of moving with no movement using the Franklin Method®. It is a practice that I use directly with all of my clients, dancing and non dancing, at times when there may be an injury or something not feeling quite right. It’s an illustration not only of the neuroplasticity of our brains in action, but the power of mental imagery and its practical application for everyone that moves in any way. For dancers and dancers with injury an exploration of how it can be used to help you refine your movement skills in dance, not only to become optimal, but also to reduce the chances of any reoccurring injury.
En manège: My journey into the Franklin Method® as a dancer.
Have you ever just done something because you were curious and in your gut you felt it was right even though you were not sure what you were letting yourself in for?
Here is my story, and my personal mission: dancer wellbeing in mind and body using the Franklin Method®.
Interoception: Finding that inner state of comfort, wellbeing and health…
Have you ever just stood outside, taken a deep breath and just felt the exhilaration and calmness of breathing and that feeling of just being alive? With stunning blue skies this afternoon this wonderful and simple quotation popped up into my head!
“I took a deep breath and listened to the old brag of my heart. I am, I am, I am…”
This journal looks at our inner state of wellbeing and discovering our interoceptive selves.
Moving with integrity: keep it healthy and honest: the importance of moving in a mindful way in Pilates
Move with integrity, move with your mind and your body for your health wellbeing and longevity. An article on some of the things that make me dismayed about my industry, and why false promises sets clients up for unhappiness or low self esteem. And how really healthy movement can transform us all in mind and body.
Make this season one of calm, joy and wellbeing…
Have a winter of calm, joy and wellbeing. Emerge from the season in a position of strength, health and happiness…
Winter has always been one of my favourite times of the year: I love the frosty days and all of the seasonal rituals. In many ways it is an opportunity to get off the treadmill of what we used to do on autopilot, and consider what the season means to us personally, and how we can make the very best of what we have.
