Melanie Collie
Capturing Stillness: Mindful Moments Through the Lens
"The creative process, like a spiritual journey, is intuitive, non-linear, and experiential. It points us toward our essential nature, which is a reflection of the boundless creativity of the universe."
John Daido Loori
MELANIE COLLIE
"Capturing Stillness: Mindful Moments Through the Lens"
"The creative process, like a spiritual journey,
is intuitive, non-linear, and experiential. It points us toward our essential nature, which is a reflection of the boundless creativity of the universe."
John Daido Loori
WEEKLY BLOG POSTS.
WEEKLY BLOG POSTS
When Pilates Doesn't Work
“Who we are being is more important than what we are doing.”
― Peter A. Levine, Trauma Through a Child's Eyes: Awakening the Ordinary Miracle of Healing
During my Pilates training in 2009, we focused primarily on learning the exercises to teach beginners, intermediate and advanced levels.
We also studied posture types and muscle, how they affect each exercise
I went on to study kinetic chain levels 1 - 4 in London, as I found the Pilates training only went so far, learning just the exercises wasn't enough for me, I wanted to help the person in front of me in more depth and have a depth of understanding.
With all that knowledge though, it was not until 2020 during lockdown that I wondered why I was seeing fear and pain in my clients eyes and what I could do about it, how could I help and just exercising wasn't enough, plus most clients just weren't attending the sessions.
How could I understand what was happening?
My own feelings of tiredness, hip and shoulder tension, jaw tension were beginning to concern me as the usual stretches didn't seem to be very effective.
Just by chance ( which is usually how it happens!) I came across some classes on Facebook in a group that was teaching these slow moves that placed an emphasis on resting and doing less.
What a revelation!
My body said " Yes!"
So I practiced twice a day for weeks, which went into months
No pain, no tension, a relaxed jaw
I felt good again, and I had not done any exercise..
So I began delving into the brain and nervous system, to try to unravel our human responses to stress, fear, worry, anxiety and why we get stuck in non serving patterns of movement and how to carve new pathways.
I started to teach some of what I had learned in my online classes, and I am not ashamed to say that I still do.
They are not for everyone, especially someone who just wants core strength, I don't teach 8 minute plank holds and 20 push ups.
I have been to classes like that before I took my Pilates qualification ( 2 years doing Pilates twice a week at a local gym) and spent a lot of money on a physio, and I hear, behind the scenes, that Pilates is not for every body, especially the tight, wound up like a spring body who just wants to get even tighter and wound up by pushing themselves even more.
There are sessions for a person who is like that, and my sessions aren't that.
I have and want to serve who is in front of me, and usually that person :
Has had enough of feeling sick and tired
Is holding a lot of unresolved stress in their bodies which affects their health and wellbeing
Wants to change and wants to learn more about what is going in inside
Has no interest in having a 6 pack, but would love better posture and fluid pain free joints
Feels detached from their bodies and would love to work on reconnection
Realises that just stretching a tight muscle doesn't work long term
Would love to fall back in love with the way they move
Has no time for the gym or long workouts, 5 - 15 minutes is enough sometimes.
Is curious about their mind body connection and wants to understand more
Has a stressful job or lifestyle and wants to learn ways to feel more fluid and pain free
There is more than just mindlessly following exercises, and thats where I realised I wanted to understand the mind and body in more depth.
During reading Peter Levines work I came across other books that helped me that you might like to read or maybe you have read them, let me know:
Norman Doidge: The Brains Way of Healing.
The link is to his website
Dr Robert Sapolsky: Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers ( and why humans do)
The link is to his You Tube Channel
The link is to her website - free worksheet to question your thoughts. This is a painful process but eye opening and releasing of anger and expectation. I learned a lot through her work, she also has You Tube channel and does a lot of free sessions.
Enjoy !
When you are ready, here are way I can help you:
Join my monthly membership here
Read my blog here
Watch me on You Tube here
When Pilates Doesn't Work
“Who we are being is more important than what we are doing.”
― Peter A. Levine, Trauma Through a Child's Eyes: Awakening the Ordinary Miracle of Healing
During my Pilates training in 2009, we focused primarily on learning the exercises to teach beginners, intermediate and advanced levels.
We also studied posture types and muscle, how they affect each exercise
I went on to study kinetic chain levels 1 - 4 in London, as I found the Pilates training only went so far, learning just the exercises wasn't enough for me, I wanted to help the person in front of me in more depth and have a depth of understanding.
With all that knowledge though, it was not until 2020 during lockdown that I wondered why I was seeing fear and pain in my clients eyes and what I could do about it, how could I help and just exercising wasn't enough, plus most clients just weren't attending the sessions.
How could I understand what was happening?
My own feelings of tiredness, hip and shoulder tension, jaw tension were beginning to concern me as the usual stretches didn't seem to be very effective.
Just by chance ( which is usually how it happens!) I came across some classes on Facebook in a group that was teaching these slow moves that placed an emphasis on resting and doing less.
What a revelation!
My body said " Yes!"
So I practiced twice a day for weeks, which went into months
No pain, no tension, a relaxed jaw
I felt good again, and I had not done any exercise..
So I began delving into the brain and nervous system, to try to unravel our human responses to stress, fear, worry, anxiety and why we get stuck in non serving patterns of movement and how to carve new pathways.
I started to teach some of what I had learned in my online classes, and I am not ashamed to say that I still do.
They are not for everyone, especially someone who just wants core strength, I don't teach 8 minute plank holds and 20 push ups.
I have been to classes like that before I took my Pilates qualification ( 2 years doing Pilates twice a week at a local gym) and spent a lot of money on a physio, and I hear, behind the scenes, that Pilates is not for every body, especially the tight, wound up like a spring body who just wants to get even tighter and wound up by pushing themselves even more.
There are sessions for a person who is like that, and my sessions aren't that.
I have and want to serve who is in front of me, and usually that person :
Has had enough of feeling sick and tired
Is holding a lot of unresolved stress in their bodies which affects their health and wellbeing
Wants to change and wants to learn more about what is going in inside
Has no interest in having a 6 pack, but would love better posture and fluid pain free joints
Feels detached from their bodies and would love to work on reconnection
Realises that just stretching a tight muscle doesn't work long term
Would love to fall back in love with the way they move
Has no time for the gym or long workouts, 5 - 15 minutes is enough sometimes.
Is curious about their mind body connection and wants to understand more
Has a stressful job or lifestyle and wants to learn ways to feel more fluid and pain free
There is more than just mindlessly following exercises, and thats where I realised I wanted to understand the mind and body in more depth.
During reading Peter Levines work I came across other books that helped me that you might like to read or maybe you have read them, let me know:
Norman Doidge: The Brains Way of Healing.
The link is to his website
Dr Robert Sapolsky: Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers ( and why humans do)
The link is to his You Tube Channel
The link is to her website - free worksheet to question your thoughts. This is a painful process but eye opening and releasing of anger and expectation. I learned a lot through her work, she also has You Tube channel and does a lot of free sessions.
Enjoy !
When you are ready, here are way I can help you:
Join my monthly membership here
Read my blog here
Watch me on You Tube here