This weekend I had the incredible opportunity to inspire and support moms to live engaged lives for soulful resilience. Through rituals, Pilates, and painting we connected, grew, and created meaningful memories.
Rituals
I joined the moms mid-retreat on Saturday afternoon. We began our time engaging in a ritual of reflection and remembrance. This community has lost 10 children in the past 18 months. It is a tremendously high number for this small community.
We lit a candle remembering each of the 10 children who have departed from this earth. We lit a second candle for each of the 10 mothers. Together we grieved, wept, breathed, and expressed our gratitude.
Rituals are an important way we can remember with gratitude and be present with one another in body, mind, and spirit. Rituals support our soulful resilience.
Pilates
We then moved into a time of developing our physical and mental resilience through Pilates. I shared the many ways Pilates has transformed my ability to be resilient through the seasons of my life.
We learned about Joe Pilates, the founder, whose own personal journey is one of remarkable resilience. From his beginnings as a very sick child, to being in an internment camp during World War I, to the journey of immigrating to the United States.
All along the way, Joe invested in the resilience of people around him. Developing over 500 exercises in the span of his lifetime, Joe's work helped people avoid injury, illness, death, and rehabilitate into their best-selves.
What a joy to share Joe's mat exercises with the moms at this retreat! We had great fun working and learning together.
Painting
After dinner we all journeyed to a painting studio where we enjoyed painting, laughing, and learning more about each other. It was a joy to discover which moms savored following our Lead Painter's detailed directions, the moms who were energized by the opportunity to follow their own lead, the moms who navigated between the two directions. We had grand time sharing in the fun of creativity and memory making.
In just a few hours we were able to engage in meaningfully developing our soulful resilience:
Ritual
remembering, connecting, gratitude
Pilates
storytelling, physical + mental engagement
Painting
laughter, creativity, memory-making
If you are interested in building your resilience, here are some possibilities:
35 minute Pilates mat classes in a warm welcoming community:
Mondays 11:00am & 12:00pm
CREO Arts & Dance, Wayzata
Thursdays 10:30am
North East Dance Center, New Brighton
This fall your first mat class is free! Promo Code: FallFirst2017
See our list of Group Classes to register.
One-on-one training available in Minneapolis
See our list of Private Sessions to register.
Add Pilates to your next workshop, gathering, or retreat.
Contact me at Dannell@ElevatePilatesMN.com to find out more.