Newsletter

Pilates Is A Way Of Life

Shining light on Pilates truths, honoring Joseph Pilates, and supporting you in your Pilates journey.

Tags: body awarness

Showing 8 results:

What Did Joseph Pilates Mean by “Elevates the Spirit”?

Last week, we talked about what happens when your mind becomes fully involved in moving your body.But Joseph Pilates didn't stop at body and mind.He included one more aspect. Spirit.He wrote that Contrology:“...invigorates the mind and elevates the spirit.”But what does it mean to elevate the spi...

by Joanna Telacka — Sep 03, 2026 balance body awarness body mind spirit contrology joseph pilates pilates pilates practice spirit

Already Strong and Flexible, So WHAT’S Missing?

Joseph Pilates wrote in his book: “Ideally, our muscles should obey our will. Reasonably, our will should not be dominated by the reflex actions of our muscles.” Let’s think about what that means. Here are two thoughts I had: Being strong is not the same as knowing how to use your strength. Being...

Aug 20, 2026 aligment awarness basic exercises body awarness flexibility mobility pelvis stability shoulder stability strength

What Is Your Pelvis Doing... Right Now?

As you are reading this newsletter, you are probably sitting. Before you read another sentence, don't change anything. Just ask yourself one question: How is my pelvis positioned right now? Is there a noticeable arch in your lower back? Does it feel like you are sitting more on your tailbone or c...

by Joanna Telacka — Aug 06, 2026 body awarness lower back health pelvic aligment pelvis position pelvis stability posture sitting spine aligment standing walking

Do You Know How To MEASURE Progress?

Learning Pilates is much like learning any skill you hope to understand, enjoy, and practice for many years. By now, you already know that it doesn't happen all at once. You don't simply "do" Pilates. You study it. 🙂 As you practice, you gradually develop the skills that allow you to perform each...

Jul 31, 2026 body awarness classical pilates movement skills pelvic stability pilates pilates fundamentals shoulder stability

The Question My Clients Kept Asking

When I first started teaching Pilates, I noticed a pattern.Nearly every client would ask me the same question:"What is this exercise for?"If we were doing Single Leg Circles, they wanted to know if it was strengthening their legs.If we were doing Arm Circles on the Reformer, they wanted to know i...

by Joanna Telacka — Jul 24, 2026 awarness body awarness body organization exercises learning movement movement movement patterns movement quality muscles pilates whole-body movement

Joseph Pilates Was Solving Modern Problems 80 Years Ago?

First a fun fact: What you and I call Pilates, he called Contrology. He outlined the art and science of Contrology in his two books: "Return to Life Through Contrology" and "Your Health". He wrote them last year… Just kidding 😊 He wrote them about 80 years ago, yet many of his observations sound ...

by Joanna Telacka — Jun 04, 2026 abdominal support body awarness body organization breathing contrology exercise flexibility hip mobility human body joseph pilates movement pilates shoulder mobility spinal mobility strength

What your ultimate goal of practicing Pilates has to do with right and left side of your body.

Once you stop comparing yourself to a fictional “perfectly symmetrical person,” you can begin training your body as it is. That perspective shift will be a turning point in your practice. The Attributes of Pilates: Symmetry, Asymmetry, and the Path to Uniform Development Over the years, I’ve wat...

by Joanna Telacka — Dec 13, 2025 asymmetrical exercises at home workout body awarness classical pilates injury prevention pilates mat symmetrical exercises uniform development workout at home

The Building Blocks of Our Well-Being

The complex choreography of classical Pilates exercises can be overwhelming, not only for beginners but also for seasoned Pilates enthusiasts as they progress through the material. However, the work of Joseph Pilates goes beyond the choreography of the exercises. Going deeper, learning and practi...

by Joanna Telacka — Nov 11, 2025 body awarness get healthy healthy aging healthy movements longevity pelvis mobility pelvis stability pilates instructor tips pilates teacher tips spine aligment stay healthy tutorials