Thursday, April 14, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Making Connections
So, as I venture into the world of blogging two things occur to me: First, how moved I am by the endeavor of writing - it feels right. Second, I believe that the point to having a blog is to discover, explore and connect with what's happening in the world of teaching Pilates - and yoga and movement in general. And if that's true then part of my job is to help connect you to all the valuable resources that are out there.
Honoring the idea of one small step at a time, here's what I've found today:
Pilates For The People
This blog, authored by guest contributors and the originator, Julie A. Schondfeld is a lovely site with a wide variety of information. I would encourage you to check it out and then comment here whether or not you enjoyed it.
Also ...
The Pilates Biz
I found Gina last week when a friend of mine Sean Daily (Social Media Ninja's) heard Gina speak at a social media conference in San Diego. She's got a really nice feel to her site and offers lots of great tidbits of information - for free. I would recommend definitely checking her out.
And so we begin. I would love to know if you found either of these sites useful, what you thought and what you are interested in seeing here and out there.
Can't wait to hear from you!
Warmly,
Chantill
Honoring the idea of one small step at a time, here's what I've found today:
Pilates For The People
This blog, authored by guest contributors and the originator, Julie A. Schondfeld is a lovely site with a wide variety of information. I would encourage you to check it out and then comment here whether or not you enjoyed it.
Also ...
The Pilates Biz
I found Gina last week when a friend of mine Sean Daily (Social Media Ninja's) heard Gina speak at a social media conference in San Diego. She's got a really nice feel to her site and offers lots of great tidbits of information - for free. I would recommend definitely checking her out.
And so we begin. I would love to know if you found either of these sites useful, what you thought and what you are interested in seeing here and out there.
Can't wait to hear from you!
Warmly,
Chantill
Monday, March 21, 2011
Teaching To Learn - Getting Reinspired
I've been thinking lately about what keeps us going as teachers. What is it? Because you and I both know that sometimes it's just not easy.
It can be difficult to stay fresh, to stay present and to offer a truly open experience hour after hour.
What I notice in my own teaching is that the more I learn the more I love teaching. The more I am open to hearing, exploring and taking every hour as if it were my first the more I am able to offer.
We can do this in 2 ways:
First, we can make sure we take care of ourselves and nurture our strengths and skills by studying with other teachers. This could mean taking a workshop, or working out with another teacher or visiting another studio or even checking out someones blog or website to see what they are working on.
Second, we can open ourselves to learning during each class and each session. The moment we come into an appointment closed off, expecting the outcome and unwilling to see it as a fresh opportunity we loose so much of what that moment has to offer. Buddhists call it beginner's mind. I think of it as student's mind. If I am willing to let go of my knowledge and see each session for what it has to offer then I feel reinvigorated when I finish, not depleted.
Isn't that what we all want.
What do you do to stay inspired?
It can be difficult to stay fresh, to stay present and to offer a truly open experience hour after hour.
What I notice in my own teaching is that the more I learn the more I love teaching. The more I am open to hearing, exploring and taking every hour as if it were my first the more I am able to offer.
We can do this in 2 ways:
First, we can make sure we take care of ourselves and nurture our strengths and skills by studying with other teachers. This could mean taking a workshop, or working out with another teacher or visiting another studio or even checking out someones blog or website to see what they are working on.
Second, we can open ourselves to learning during each class and each session. The moment we come into an appointment closed off, expecting the outcome and unwilling to see it as a fresh opportunity we loose so much of what that moment has to offer. Buddhists call it beginner's mind. I think of it as student's mind. If I am willing to let go of my knowledge and see each session for what it has to offer then I feel reinvigorated when I finish, not depleted.
Isn't that what we all want.
What do you do to stay inspired?
Starting Over Again
Last year sometime, most likely around the New Year, I wrote an article about the power of practice and the deep belief in allowing ourselves to start over again, and over again and over again. So it is to this thought I draw on now for a little strength to start again with our Skillful Teaching blog.
Life is pretty amazing - completely unknown, unpredictable and astonishing in it's uncanny ability to steer us in the right direction. Although it's not often the "planned" direction I find it is always the direction I am meant to go.
The skillful Teaching project has ebbed and flowed this past year with the ebb and flow of our studio, Pilates Collective. It has evolved as I've met, spoken with, been inspired by and taught by so many new people. And instead of waiting to see what it will become "eventually" I thought perhaps it better to take the bull by the horns and be present with what it is right at this moment.
It's exciting!
It's uncertain.
It's exhilarating.
It's very much a venture into the unknown.
And I feel like it's the right direction.
So, here we are starting again. I hope this post finds you well and thriving. I'd love to hear about how your teaching is going, what challenges you are facing and what you are doing to make your teaching more skillful.
Life is pretty amazing - completely unknown, unpredictable and astonishing in it's uncanny ability to steer us in the right direction. Although it's not often the "planned" direction I find it is always the direction I am meant to go.
The skillful Teaching project has ebbed and flowed this past year with the ebb and flow of our studio, Pilates Collective. It has evolved as I've met, spoken with, been inspired by and taught by so many new people. And instead of waiting to see what it will become "eventually" I thought perhaps it better to take the bull by the horns and be present with what it is right at this moment.
It's exciting!
It's uncertain.
It's exhilarating.
It's very much a venture into the unknown.
And I feel like it's the right direction.
So, here we are starting again. I hope this post finds you well and thriving. I'd love to hear about how your teaching is going, what challenges you are facing and what you are doing to make your teaching more skillful.
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