"Developing Inner-Core Strength" by Sharon Marquart
I was introduced to the Pilates Method of exercise a few years ago and have since been fascinated with the idea of "core strengthening." The Pilates exercise program consists of a series of movements designed to strengthen the core of your body by working on targeted areas. The exercises tone, reshape and firm you up with a simple yet very effective technique. Investing just 15 minutes a day in the Pilates Method can make a difference in how you feel and relate to your physical body. As a Life/Spiritual Coach, I have been considering ways in which to design a life exercises program that strengthen the inner-core of who we are as individuals from an emotional and spiritual standpoint.
Our inner-core consists of the principles and values by which we live. The more we develop these inner-core strengths, the more we raise our personal awareness and spiritual self-esteem. I believe these two areas of life are related. As we feel good about our personal self, we express the Spirit of Life more fully. When we strengthen our inner core, we have better posture in the way we walk through life. We become more flexible in the way we handle life's situations. We move gracefully through challenges. We base our choices around what we believe, and stay focused on what we know is true.
I learned a lot as I researched Joseph Pilates and I believe his inner-core strength supported him in creating this method of physical exercise. There was a calling in his soul he heard and followed. Before he was 14 years old, he studied anatomy and ancient exercise regimes of the Greeks and Romans. He also studied yoga and Zen meditation. He went to great lengths and made life choices by what was in his heart as he followed his soul's calling. He defined his technique as "complete coordination of body, mind and spirit." The strength of his inner-core guided him in developing the Pilates Method of exercise.
When imprisoned during WWI, Joseph Pilates trained his fellow inmates in his exercises, which helped them to not only survive prison, but a deadly flu epidemic as well. He was then sent to work as a nurse to care for patients who were immobilized by war injuries. While there, he used bed springs and straps hung from the ceiling to teach and develop his program. When asked to train soldiers, he declared his methods were for healing, not harming, and he left Germany. This choice brought him to set up his studio in NYC where he began to train dancers and eventually athletes. Joseph Pilates is a real testimony of someone who allowed his adversity and the strength of his inner-core call him to a higher purpose.
