Teaching Pilates can be as centering and meditative as doing it!

I have to admit I love my job.  There are so many job perks to being a Pilates instructor that I often forget how nice it is a to live in my Pilates clothes, be active all day long and spend my work hours teaching something I’m passionate about.

A job perk I don’t always think about is how present and centered I have to be as an instructor to do my job well.  I often forget how good this is for my brain and soul until I have a day when it’s a challenge for me to keep my mind focused on the task at hand.  Teaching Pilates isn’t something you can mindlessly do.  It’s hard to think about what you are going to make for dinner and walk a client through a sequence of exercises helping them find their best form.

Most days I have no problem staying and going into  “instructor” teaching mode, but a few weeks back I had an evening where a friend had shared some exciting news with me during the day and I found myself having to really work to be focused.  While I was teaching I was continually having to bring myself back to teaching and the body in front of me.

It reminded me a lot of when I meditate and use a word to focus on and the continual process of coming back to that word when my mind drifted to other places.  That’s when I had that “ah ha” moment  of realizing that the process of teaching Pilates probably has a lot of the same effects on my body and brain as a meditation practice.   Pretty cool and just another reason to love my profession!!