Whether you’re new to Pilates or are a seasoned practitioner, you might be curious about ways you can supplement your practice. After all, couldn’t we all afford a little more self-care?
Okay, we get it. Just how much more self-care can you handle!? I mean, there’s only so many hours in a day, right? Even so, there’s a simple and free way to add more self-care to your life. And it could only require five minutes per day.
We’re talking about starting a meditation practice. And here’s the bonus: meditation complements Pilates.
Starting a Meditation Practice
Why meditate? What benefit could be derived from sitting for five minutes per day? Well, for starters, a regular meditation practice can help relieve stress, improve your mood, and even lower blood pressure! Plus, when you carve out even just five minutes to look inward and become grounded and present, it’s going to ripple out into the rest of your life.
So where do you begin?
Here’s the thing. You don’t need to purchase a special hemp cushion infused with magic fairy dust, then twist your body into a pretzel while secluding yourself to a mountaintop or a cave to meditate.
Yeah, having a space that’s somewhat away from others is helpful. But you can also put on headphones and sit on your couch with a long up-stretched, though possibly supported, spine. The most important thing to do as you start to establish a practice is find a place and a position where you can be comfortable. Meditation shouldn’t feel like torture (though there are, admittedly, some older schools of thought that would dispute this).
Then perhaps you set an intention for what you’d like to receive from your meditation. A sense of peace, a clearer vision of something, or even just five minutes to breathe and relax. Whatever.
You’re Simply Coming to Yourself
Close your eyes, bring your attention to your breath, and allow your muscles to soften and your mind to relax.
At this point, you may be laughing out loud. How in the world do I do all of that!? When I sit down and close my eyes, my head starts whirling with thoughts or I get really sleepy. That’s OKAY.
Meditation isn’t about blocking those thoughts. It’s about being with them and eventually getting outside of yourself enough to observe them. Then you can begin to evaluate whether they’re serving you or causing harm. All the while, you keep coming back to breath. Over and over and over.
By the same token, if you get sleepy, that’s okay too. You may fall asleep. Your body is letting you know that it needs rest. So give it that. A short five-minute nap can be incredibly rejuvenating.
Whatever the case, as you begin your session, consider taking a body scan. Starting at the top of your head, scan downward. Take note of any strong sensations or places you hold stress in the body and breathe into them. It also helps to notice everything that IS working and express gratitude for all of the complicated systems in your body working together.
And if the first time (or ten) that you sit it feels like a lot of work, no worries. This is normal. Meditation is challenging for most of us at the beginning. And it takes 21 days to establish a habit. But once you get some solid and consistent time under your belt, you’ll begin to notice a sense of being settled and relaxed occasionally when you come to sit. Then over time, that will increase. And you’ll be able to carry that into other parts of your life.
Such as your Pilates practice.
How Meditation Complements Pilates
Consider this. Your Pilates practice is heavily steeped in the mind-body connection. It requires control, focus, and attention to breath. The same goes for meditation. So, in effect, you already have the foundation in place for a meditation practice.
Although you’re moving in Pilates, you’re doing so in a way that coincides with the breath. And this requires breath control. Meditation also uses breath control to improve body awareness. This is an additional layer you can bring to your Pilates practice. Especially when the movements become very challenging. Going to your meditative state can keep you centered in the midst of the difficulty.
Finally, as you become accustomed to setting an intention for your daily meditation session, you may also find yourself setting movement goals in your Pilates practice. You can begin to move toward these in a grounded and centered space that keeps you in the present moment.
Looking for More Mindful Pilates?
Now that you see how meditation complements Pilates, we hope you’re interested in starting your own practice. There are many resources on the internet that can help you get started and stick with it.
Meanwhile, if you feel your current Pilates practice could use a little more body-mind connection, it could be time to try somewhere new. Contact us today!
We offer an array of mindful and intentional Pilates classes with experienced instructors who will motivate you to stay on track so you can more easily integrate meditation into your Pilates practice.