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Pilates, many of us have heard about it, some of us even use it, but how much do you know about Pilates and the foundations on which it is built? The Pilates classes at Pilates Northern Beaches Anytime have improved my posture, increased my strength and flexibility, and brought me an increased awareness of my body.

Pilates is never a bunch of exercises randomly thrown together, there is always a sense of flow, just like when doing its’ predecessor Yoga. The exercises have always been chosen because they compliment each other in some way and that sense of flow makes it easy to move from one movement to the next. Pilates is all about building a core of strength alongside your spine and in your abdomen from which all other strength and movement flow. The techniques strengthen weak muscles, lengthen those that are short, increasing joint mobility and help you to achieve stability though the torso. No force is used, all the movements are smooth, slow and controlled to avoid any possibility of strain.

There are eight important principles that underlie every Pilates move and session to help you achieve the rewards: improved flexibility, strength, joint mobility, co-ordination, balance and alignment, and the elimination of bad postural habits.

1. Relaxation: One of the most important skills you can learn in life and exercise is relaxation, by this I mean learning to work your body without undue tension. By relaxing the body before you begin any exercise and by focusing your attention on the relevant area, you will find that you have much more control and fluidity to your movements. You will be able to make the fine adjustments to your body needed to put yourself in the correct positions and perform the movements without too much tension. Tension needs to be just enough to achieve the movement and no more, as when you tense unnecessary muscles during a move, you risk injury. The secret to Pilates lies in the balance you exert between relaxation and control.2. Concentration: Joseph Pilates said, “It is the mind itself which builds the body.” The ability to focus your mind on what each part of your body is doing and stay in the moment during an exercise is quite an achievement. This can take a little time to master however like all things, when done well will make a great difference to your Pilates workouts. When you realise that without your mind your body cannot move in the required way, you begin to understand the importance of this step. All movement come from a movement originally desinged and visualised in the mind, which then sends the signals to the apprporiate muscles. This is called ‘mindfulness’ and this skill when used for all daily tasks can create a major difference in your life, however it’s use in Pilates is what we are talking about here. Here is something to try before your next session and let’s see if your Pilates instructor notices the difference to your posture? **Whenever you are standing or walking imagine that you have a string tied to the top of your head and 100 balloons tied to the other end of that string. This visualisation will tell the muscles in your body to stand taller and straighter, and if done on a daily basis can help to build core strength without your even having to think about it.3. Co-ordination: As you get older balance and co-oridination become vitally important to your mobility, and both of these are tied to concentration so please keep this in mind when reading these three. When you are aware of what you are doing and what you intend to do next, your body become more co-ordinated, one movement flowing into the other. Watch a baby learning to walk, it concentrates so hard, what is it doing? Listening to the messages coming back into the brain from the sensory nerves in its limbs, movement is a feedback mechanism where your brain tells the body what it wants to do, and then the body feeds information back to the brain that allows for adjustments to be made, this happens very quickly so quickly you may not keep up with it cognitively. However this constant ‘conversation’ is what makes your movements become co-ordinated, and how the baby learns to prefect its ability to walk. The stages of co-ordination are from awkward, to clumsy through to refined as your mind and body learn to co-operate, they cannot co-operate in this way if you do not know what you are going to do next, so be gentle with yourself as you learn the routines, you will eventually learn what you are doing well enough to have a meaningful ‘conversation’ with your body.4. Alignment: The body is a closed, biofeedback system that relies on each part doing its part to perform perfectly. If one part is out of alignment the whole structure is compromised, just like a house with uneven foundations, and just like that house not only will your structure be uneven and unstable the internal workings will also be affected. Your general health and wellness are intimately linked to the alignment of your body and rectifying any structural problems and giving your body the strength and flexibility to keep the alignment balanced can often alleviate many internal ills. Your body has been designed so that your weight is transferred through the center of each joint, and when your body is balanced your centre of gravity would be behind the navel, just in front of the 3rd and 4th lumbar vertebrae. A little known fact is that it is muscles that pull on bones, which creates imbalance in the body such as scoliosis and this can be treated by retraining the muscles to do their job properly and bring the body back into alignment. When one group of becomes over-dominant and the opposing group get lazy you have one group pulling on a joint or bone and the other lending no resistance this leads to mis-alignment, pain and eventually inflammation – more chronic pain.5. Breathing: As I have said in previous articles many of us do not breathe properly, many of us breath only into the top of our lungs (which is called panic breathing) which sends a signal to the mind and then back out into the body that you are in stress, and you wonder why you feel stressed all the time. It is vital to learn how to breathe well, just look at a baby breathe and copy this, we are all born knowin how to breathe well, we just forget. Breathing into the abdomen can create such a feeling of relief and balance to your whole system, in Pilates we teach you to control your thoracic and back muscles to expand the ribs fully. The breathing rhythm of a Pilates movement is to breathe in to prepare for movement and breathe out as you move. Moving on the exhalation will enable you to relax into the stretch and prevent you from tensing up unnecessarily.6.Flowing Movements: Movement is life, we naturally love to move our bodies, we learn from movement and we experience joy from moving our bodies freely, comfortably and energetically. Remember when you were a child and you jumped for joy or danced with happiness or skipped for fun? All the best stuff in life requires movement even laughing, talking, singing, eating, dancing, playing and I know that I can leave you to think of hundreds more. When our bodies are too stiff and sore to experience the joy of movement we miss out on so much fun, and injuring are more likely when our bodies are in this state and so it becomes a catch22 situation. Pilates restores you bodies ability to move flexibly, freely and energetically long into old age, remember your only as old as you feel.7. Centering: This is all about our core strength and balance which is the focal point to your Pilates workouts. The abdominal muscles along with the ‘erector spinae’ which run up on either side of the spine, act as a support for the spine and the internal organs. Before beginning a Pilates workout you will be asked to ‘center’, which involves stabilising the torso and enabling you to safely lengthen and stretch, with your lower back protected. In the course of a one hour Pilates session you are effectively performing hundreds of ab exercises – no wonder you create a core of strength. 8. Stamina: The postural muscles of the body needs stamina and endurance. Pilates aims to build up the endurance of the core muscles and once you become used to your Pilates sessions you will find that the exercises you once thought to be difficult and a strain will seem effortless. This change will be gradual as your body adjusts, however the difference to your daily life will seem worth the initial struggle. Even though Pilates is not an aerobic exercise you will notice an improvement to your stamina and endurance. Remember Pilates is one of the mainstays of dancers and they must have stamina.

Joseph Pilates made this claim of his system: “In ten sessions you will feel the difference. In twenty, you will see the difference, and in thirty you will have a whole new body.” That’s a big claim, why not prove him right?

Helen Eames owns ‘balancenoosa’ an innovative business whose motto is, “wellness that comes to you” set in the heart of Noosa on the Sunshine Coast, Qld. Australia. ‘balancenoosa’ specialises in bringing specialist in different disciplines to your premises, allowing you to book the session of your choice and wait in the comfort of your own home. Corporate Wellness Solutions are a speciality for the team at balancenoosa and a uniquely designed solution can be created for your organisation. http://balancenoosa.com.au/

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A friend of mine mentioned that she and her husband had chosen their preferred charity for the year and the best charities to donate to are for cancer. Each January, they review the organizations they support and may move on from some, but they always choose one charity to be a new nonprofit for them to support for at least a year. My friend happens to be a former fundraising professional, so she knows exactly how to vet a charity and what she likes to see.

How should someone who is interested in supporting an organization evaluate an organization? Many people give to established and well-known charities, but there are easy tips on how to become a more strategic donor to any nonprofit.

Supporting a charity is a highly personal decision. Some people want to become involved with an organization that focuses on research and support for individuals dealing with a specific disease because they have had a loved one who has been affected, others care about learning and helping to ensure that all children are provided a quality education and still others care about providing future generations access to art and history. The good causes that can be supported in the world are countless.

In order to effectively give to charity, the most important thing to do is to define what you value and what would make you feel good in supporting. Whether you are passionate about art, healthcare, education, human rights, the environment or something else, you want to care about what you support financially.

Once you have determined the type of mission you wish to support, think about how you want to give. Do you want to give money? Volunteer time? In today’s world, many sophisticated charities are also recruiting their donors to become ambassadors for the organization by using social media and other strategies to raise awareness within their circles of influence.

Then its time to do some research. Some people prefer to give their donations or time to large and well-known organizations for a variety of reasons. However, there are many nonprofits that may be smaller and operating within a single community that are integral to those who are being served.

Whatever way you choose to give – large or small – it’s good to spend a few minutes doing a little bit of vetting. Start out by checking an organization’s website and see if it is being transparent. Do they list the board and staff members? Do they have their IRS 990 filings or annual report easily available online? Are they clear about their mission and do they demonstrate their objectives and measurable outcomes in support of their work?

All charities in the United States must be registered within their state. Check out the National Association of State Charity Officials to start. You can also find important information about organizations, including a nonprofit’s IRS filings at Charity Navigator or Guidestar, which has a very robust donor resource guide. Additionally, there is a Donors Bill of Rights, which is published on the Association of Fundraising Professionals website. These rights state what any reputable nonprofit organization owes to its donors.

It is always a good idea to take a few minutes and spend it reviewing an organization’s IRS 990 filings. You want to see if an organization is growing financially from one year to the next and if it is not, or worse – losing money, you want to do a little more research or call the nonprofit and ask why. There may be valid reasons for a decrease in revenue, but if you are going to give your hard earned dollars, you want to understand the reason, which can be anything from preparation for a capital campaign, investment into capacity building, loss of donors or some other such reason.

Many people are giving donations online, and it is important to ensure that your data is secure and they are using encryption tools to safeguard your personal and financial information. Additionally, support organizations that have published their Privacy Policies on their website. You may not want to give to an organization that reserves the right to sell your name and contact information as part of their donor acquisition efforts.

Today’s tech savvy nonprofits are expanding their reach through their donors. Many organizations will offer you the opportunity to create your own fundraising page or join someone else’s and help spread the word to raise money. You can also become a social media ambassador and have your followers know your support to the charity.

Finally, if you are giving a monetary gift, any gift helps, but keep in mind that you can leverage your donation by making a long-term commitment. If possible, choose to commit to the organization for an extended period of time and support them on a monthly basis if it makes giving easier. It might be difficult to give $100, but if you commit to $10 per month for a year, you gave $120. By making a long-term commitment to an organization, you also help them make better use of their financial resources. Feel free to tell them you are in for the long haul and you prefer not to receive any letters in the mail or have them waste money on retaining you, but make sure you receive their updates and know how your gift is being used.

© 2014 Not Your Father’s Charity. All Rights Reserved.

Please check out my website at http://wayneelsey.com/. Thank you.

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I have long wanted to try private reformer Pilates, and not just the mat class, but the real deal is the machine. Yoga is exercise. It is a form of fitness that promotes strength, flexibility, and stillness. Most yoga classes that I attend are void of religious references. You pose, you hold it, and you release the pose. Many times you’re trying so hard just to balance, keep your arms elevated, or stand in a strenuous position for several minutes that you don’t have the time or energy to think about anything else. I am persuaded that most Christians who oppose yoga have never even taken a yoga class.

Yoga is also form of meditation. It is a moving meditation. It has a spiritual side, which is probably where most of the controversy about yoga resides. Yoga has a mind-body-spirit connection. Central to yoga is our breathe. When the breathe slows down, the mind slows down as well. In fact, the purpose of yoga was to prepare the body for meditation. When the mind becomes still, we enter into a state of inner peace. When our mind is at peace, we create a greater space for God in our lives, to hear and experience Him on a deeper level, a spiritual level. The Bible says that “the spirit of God is within you.” Therefore, it is up to us to prepare our hearts to fellowship with Him. This is why yoga appeals to many Christians.

Those who are against yoga believe it opens Christians up to evil spirits and demons lurking in the darkness. They believe by being still and quieting our minds, we become prey to a host of spiritual unknowns. The majority of Christians who practice yoga know where their allegiance lies and they’re not so easily persuaded or manipulated. We know that Jesus is our Lord and we can use yoga to strengthen our relationship with him. We know in our heart and mind how to use yoga as a form to worship God.

I believe there are far more sinister practices that lead Christians down the path of deception and darkness than yoga. These include television, godless movies, popular music, and secular magazines. If Christians want to denounce evil and lead people towards the path of righteousness and holiness, help them to realize how the media is undermining their Christian walk every minute of everyday, not just the several hours per week spent at yoga class. Through the media, we are being feed a daily diet of anti-Christ propaganda that is deceiving us and keeping us from pursuing an intimate relationship with the Lord. Yoga on the other hand, does quite the opposite. Christians can use yoga to detach from these illusions, enter into oneness with God, and create a deeper connection with His spirit.

Jesus told the Pharisees in Matthew 23: 13, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. The growing interest in yoga to the Christian is a result of spiritual hunger. Going to church, listening to a sermon, serving in the church is not filling the gaping hole that continues to grow in Christians who don’t want more programs but more God. They are not finding it in the building, so they are looking elsewhere. Yoga or a Christ-centered yoga alternative is just another tool that allows Christians to put into practice the scripture that says, “Be still and know that I am God.”

When was the last time you we’re taught about meditating on God or practiced meditation in the church? When was the last time you spent time dwelling in God’s presence in the sanctuary? I can honestly tell you that for me the answer is very rarely. Most churches don’t value the quiet. Many may argue that abiding with God is a personal matter; however, many modern-day Christians aren’t even familiar with this concept and if they are, they have been discouraged to do so. In fact, there are Christians who have been brainwashed to believe that meditation is of the devil. But I believe that there is “no” greater practice that can help a Christian realize a personal, thriving, and growing relationship with God, than to spend time with Him in silence and solitude meditating on his word and abiding in his presence.

In all this condemning of yoga, Christians have forgotten the love and liberty that we have in Jesus Christ. John said in 1 John 3:21, “If our heart condemns us not, we have confidence towards God, meaning God is able to convict his children of sin or wrong-doing. Therefore, if in your heart you feel yoga is not of God, then you are obligated to not practice it, less you sin. In many such decisions God gives us a personal choice. He never appointed judges and juries to tell us to do this or that. That’s what the Holy Spirit is for. The Bible says, When the Holy Spirit comes you will not need any man to teach you because the Holy Spirit will teach you all things. I have actually heard stories of individuals receiving Jesus Christ on a yoga mat. What a wonderful opportunity to disciple the world. They come for yoga and get saved!

If Christians practice yoga as a form of worship, as a way to love and honor God and grow in relationship with him, what right has anyone to tell them any differently? Paul in Romans 14:4 declares, “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.” If as a Christian we practice yoga with the right motives and out of a pure heart, God receives our praise.

Are all yoga classes created equal? Absolutely not! There are yoga classes that are smothered in Hinduism, so Christians must be discerning when selecting a yoga class or teacher. I have actually walked out of yoga studios accessorized with huge Buddha statues, not because I don’t believe Buddha was a wise or enlightened man, but being a Christian I don’t worship Buddha, I worship the Lord Jesus Christ; there is no confusion in my heart. Hatha yoga or Yogafit are several types of yoga that have extracted all the religious components of yoga. Also, many gyms like 24 Hour Fitness offers yoga classes primarily for fitness and relaxation. God doesn’t want us to be discerning just about yoga, he wants us to be discerning regarding all aspects of our life as well. How we spend our time, money, what we eat, and where we attend church also have positive and negative ramifications.

Roman 14:2 says, “One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man whose faith is weak eats only vegetables.” Should we therefore all become vegetarians? Perhaps those who oppose yoga believe that “they” themselves lack the strength to practice yoga without being seduced away from the Lord. Verse 13 declares, “Let each one be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards the day [yoga] as special does so to the Lord. He who eats meat [or practices yoga], eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God. Therefore let us stop passing judgment. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But the man who doubts is condemned [if he practices yoga], because his eating [yoga practice] is not of faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.”

1 Corinthians 8:4 tells us, “We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one. For even if there are so called gods, whether in heaven or on the earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords) yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live and there is but one Lord…”

Yoga will continue to be a controversial topic amongst Christians, but that’s okay. God has given us the freedom and liberty to serve him in ways that not everyone will approve of. Christians who practice yoga, do so unto the Lord, Christians who don’t practice yoga, do so unto the Lord, so regardless of what side of the fence you stand, if you are using your faith to exalt and honor the Lord, according to the scriptures, it’s really no bodies business, but yours and Gods. Interested in Christian Yoga? See popular Christian yoga DVDs below.

Visit Secret Place Meditation to learn more about upcoming Christian meditation and Christian yoga retreats.Learn about the various Christian yoga and alternative programs.

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