About: “Be Open and Curious” is an introduction to the mindful movement approach and its physical, emotional, and cognitive benefits for all levels. Exercises in this first lesson will involve the fundamentals and benefits of Pilates, e.g., teaching students how to link breath with movement, enhance their mind/body awareness, and improve their flexibility, core strength, and posture. They will be encouraged to have an open and curious attitude toward this and all subsequent lessons.
About: Students will begin with a brief mindful breathing practice, the benefits of breathing, and then be guided through a series of mindful movements in sync with their breathing throughout the class. They will learn to gain breath control and boost their confidence by improving coordination and focus.
About: The emphasis in this lesson will be on gentle movements and stretching to calm the mind and body. Poses will be geared toward relieving the aches and pains associated with hours of sitting and staring at computer/phone screens and improving posture, mobility, and flexibility.
About: This lesson will focus on grounding focal points (using them as visual cues to maintain balance and focus). Students will be guided through a full-body exercise flow involving focus, grounding the feet into the floor, balancing postures, strength, and joint stability.
About: Students will be introduced to the idea of the breath as an anchor; they will be guided through fluid, wavelike movements and exercises. Students will be invited to imagine the stress in their lives as waves and their body adapting and moving with the water rather than resisting it.
About: This activity will be filled with fun exercises and stretches involving spinal twisting to increase flexibility and mobility. As students are guided to twist and turn their bodies in various ways, there will be a theme of seeing things from new perspectives.
About: This movement session will be filled with “feel-good” exercises and movements that feel nurturing and nourishing. While they move, students will be invited to reflect on how they can be kind, patient, and loving toward themselves in their mindset and in their daily actions.
About: Students will be invited to experiment with a range of movements and open to new experiences. As they experiment with different variations of the same stretches and exercises, they will be encouraged to identify what feels good they can take with them and continue practicing in the future. The concepts of nonharmful judgment and beginners’ mind will be mentioned.
About: This practice will begin with a brief body scan. This will be followed by a full-body gentle flow to increase flexibility while at the same time drawing awareness to how the physical body feels during each movement or position. The idea of letting go of attention to the past and future and really being present will be infused.
About: Students will be instructed to repeat several sets of the same exercises, progressing toward increasing their level of challenge, trying to be more mindful each time, and working toward a sense of mastery. At the same time, they will be encouraged to remain kind and compassionate toward themselves as they move. The benefits of repetition and perseverance will be tied in.
About: Side body work will be emphasized as well as exercises involving leaning forward and backwards, with the theme of leaning into discomfort and moving through it rather than avoiding or letting it take control of emotions, similar to riding the waves of stress in Lesson 5. Self-regulation has many bits and pieces; simply by turning to their breath rather than getting lost in a negative emotion or train of thought, they can improve their mood, ability to appreciate their experience, and their performance.
About: In this strength and stretching flow, students will be encouraged to attend to the pleasant and positive aspects of the experience. They will be guided to attend to the five senses as they move as well as to savor positive emotions and physical sensations.
About: In this lesson, there will be an emphasis on strengthening the lower body, particularly the legs and glutes. All movements will be done incorporating an “attitude of gratitude” and appreciation for the body and all it does for them on a daily basis.
About: While moving the body in all directions and planes of motion, students will be encouraged to dedicate their practice and efforts to someone in their life who is struggling. There will be an emphasis on heart-opening and outstretched arm movements. At the end, there will be a short meditation inviting students to send compassion and love out to the world in general.
About: This free-flowing mindful movement session will seamlessly flow from one exercise to the next. As students move and breathe, they will be encouraged to let go of all physical tension as well as worry, anxiety, and unpleasant emotions. The idea of letting go of the need for perfection will be tied in.
About: There will be a focus on the arms, upper body strength, and movements of rising up and reaching upward and outward. Students will be invited to celebrate what their bodies CAN do and are capable of doing, rather than punishing them for what they cannot do.
