clinging-grace-pilates

Pilates and Healing

Sat, 13 Sep 2025 19:03:12 GMT

"Healing:

It's not about 'fixing' broken people...

Healing is about restoring the conscious awareness and experience of the whole perfection of who and what you truly are."

anonymous

Joseph Pilates intended to create a workout that helped make people strong and flexible. Besides being sickly all his life, Uncle Joe worked in the infirmary during WWI. He saw that the wounded were just lying in bed. He thought, "Well, they're not going to get any better just lying there." If you look at the apparatus he invented, like The Cadillac and The High Chair and the springs used, you may get an idea of what he was looking at to use in order to help those men. The Cadillac looks like an old hospital bed and The High Chair looks like an old wheelchair without the wheels, in my humble opinion.

I was trained by Romana Kyrzanowska and her daughter, Sari Mejia Santo. Romana was Joseph Pilates' protégé. (I consider Sari more my teacher, than Romana, but I was trained under both master teachers.) They always taught us that it was a workout! Romana would say, "Keep them moving. Weakness shows up in movement." And Sari didn't like when we massaged the clients to much. "Make them work!", she would say.

I always tended to work with the delicate flowers , as Sari would call those people who were either soft spirited or had injuries that debilitated their spirit. It was our focus as an apprentice to specifically watch those who couldn't do the advanced work. The ones who used bands or props, who did only the beginner system. Why? Because on the whole, most people can't do the advanced work. Most of the "everyday" people doing the advanced workouts were lawyers or therapists, or other teachers. The average person isn't doing that work. The McDonald's Pilates people teach the advanced or pretend advanced-like exercises to everyday people. That's why they get hurt. But it's mostly what you see on social media.

Most people have absolutely NO idea what real Pilates is! "It's functional" , Julianna from Congruency Physical Therapy said. Most people don't realize there is a specific reason in the body for an exercise within the method. Other "latices", as Sari calls them, just give you something hard to do. There's no function.

Pilates is Healing. Joseph Pilates wanted people to get strong and flexible and have a balance of those two elements live in their bodies. It makes you less prone to injury. Besides, then benefit of consistency with anything makes you stronger inside and out on many levels. As a Healer, this is the area I gravitate to in this method. We all have more than one gift, and those gifts seep into the other things we love doing. I love Pilates! I fell in love with it hard! And my Healing abilities naturally shine through this work.

Pilates helps to rehabilitate the Body. The Mind. The Spirit. In a quote that was given to us while I was an apprentice, "Es ist der Geist, der sich den Korper baut". It translates into, "It is the Mind (Spirit) that rules the Body". "Mind" and "Spirit" are synonymous.

Isn't that interesting? Why do you think that is?

Earlier, I used "spirit" to describe the emotional and mental space of the delicate flowers . Sari used to call me a delicate flower, too. Little did she know the other half of my personality is a fierce warrior. I just don't look like it on the outside. But I digress. We often pigeonhole ourselves into a space that we don't belong. We often do it mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. We often don't think of all of these bodies when we are thinking of our injuries, aliments, abuses and brokenness.

My Spiritual Healing teacher, Pat Longo would say, "Never own a dis-ease!". "You have to be careful of what you say." We create more of our world than we realize. More than we were taught and lead to believe. More than we'd like to admit. Too often have I worked with someone when you mention an emotional reason why something may be happening in the body, that scoff.

Why do you think that is?

It's part of our Healing. Our bodies and emotions are tied together. Pilates bridges that gap. The best part about the bridge is, you don't have to believe! If you just do the work, the way Uncle Joe intended, it just happens. It's pure magic! And it's even more amazing when people get to feel that magic. Although, they might not identify it as magic. They just feel better.

Healing is possible. Progress happens. It just requires our continued consistency. As Cynthia Shipley used to say, "Determination". It's an outstanding word.

Would you like to experience Healing in your body? It's 100% possible! I've been teaching for over twenty years. I've seen it countless times.

Now it's your time.

Don't wait.

So much Love, Light, HEALING and Blessings,

Julia xo

Grief...Love with No Place to Go

Sat, 13 Sep 2025 18:55:24 GMT

"Leave

Let go of my hand

You said what you came to now"

I have come to learn that I am grieving my life. I am grateful to give what I am feeling a name. For months I have been in pain and anguish. It's hard, because I feel I make it look easy to onlookers. People don't see me. They see surface. And that doesn't reveal anything about me, it's their depth. Not mine.

I will be 50 years old at the end of this year. Nothing that I have worked hard to accomplish, nothing that I have survived, no number of lessons that I have learned has prepared me for the fact that I have nothing I really want. And the chilling fact that it probably won't happen.

Financial stability and security. A healthy, loving romantic relationship. Family and friends. Thriving in my gifts and sharing them with the world. To come this far and fall this short has been excruciating.

I have lived most of my life in survival and isolation. Despite my best efforts, these are the current facts.

Can that change at any time? Sure. That's the only thing that has pulled me through to this point. I will be 50 years old in less than three months. Although there are some amazing miracles that could happen, there are others that, at this point, that will never happen.

I will never have children. It was never really a high priority or even on my list. I figured if I ever did have a child, I would want to raise one with someone on the same page. I wouldn't purposely want a child just selfish needs. To create love in another human is not something I will experience this time around. Love, with no place to go…….

I will probably never have a healthy, loving romantic relationship. After an experience this year that has left me gob-stopped and baron, I really don't want one anymore. I believe in miracles, and the shift from Fear to Love in this scenario plays out like a never-ending story. I am open to seeing this differently, and seeing the reality that men are so broken and beside themselves is a glaring neon sign for VACANCY . Where are The Protectors? The Divine Masculines? Love, with no one to share and no opening to receive. No place to go.

Family and friends. The ones you chose, and the ones you choose before we decided to come to this Earth school. Most of my family has crossed over. I have some blood relatives, but we maybe speak once a year. Although there is Love, it's not prevalent. My childhood friends have their own lives. We barely speak, and we have such different lives. I am the only one not married or have children. And making friends as an adult is far worse than I imagined. It's just a test of all the lessons you've learned. Rarely is there a lasting connection. Love, that seems like it has wings, only flutters and bares the illusion of flight. It's just Love with no place to go.

My financial situation and living my gifts fall close together. The hard place of security is where many people living on the planet fall right now. It's on purpose. It's keeps us groveling and steals our energy so that we may not live in Joy and Love. Most people will understand this grief. "Robbing Peter to save Paul" leaves you overly spent. The last thing you want to do is give. You're so busy trying to lick your wounds, there's no room to help bandage others. Love, with no energy to propagate and falls at your feet. No place to go.

Living on a "wing and a prayer" makes it hard to do what I am believe I am here to do: HEAL. (And as I write that word, I see that has always been what I do). I am here to be a facilitator of God's Love. I know I am used through my lessons to teach. I have asked God several times to show me, show me just one woman who has done what I am trying to do! And no one has shown up. It only tells me more that I AM the living example. I AM the one to show it is possible to thrive and break every norm on the way. We have been lied to all along. Love is the ONLY way. And people think you're crazy and childish for believing that would be real. FUCK YOU!

We all experience grief at one time or another in our lives. We grieve our loved ones, our pets, our homes. More than once. This is a grief that is not often spoke about. Now that I have an opening to fall into and break, I will be met by Grace to carry me through.

I ask you to leave. I would like to Heal.

To all those in midst, I am sending my Healing Love.

Julia xo

"And I hope you feel better

Now that it's out

What took you so long?

And the truth has a habit

Of falling out of your mouth

Well, now that it's come

If you don't mind

Leave, leave

And please yourself at the same time

Leave, leave

Let go of my hand

You said what you came to now"

Lyrics by Glen Hansard, "Leave"

Dementia and Caregiving: Part 1

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 01:02:14 GMT

Dementia is a horrible dis-ease , as my client pointed out last week, with her apologies.

I knew at some point I'd be writing about my journey with taking care of my mother. I thought my Pilates blog on Memory , would be an opening into that dimension. My experience may help other who are a similar journey. May this help you find faith, love and support. You are not alone. It's not easy. And there is Light at the end of the tunnel, even though you may feel like you've been buried.

Dementia is a horrible dis-ease , as my client pointed out last week, with her apologies. It's the slow non-functioning of the brain. For every person there is, it happens a little differently. When my mother went into a nursing home, she was on a floor with other dementia patients. It's a locked floor, so they can't wander off or try to leave. The things not many people realize is that under the surface, they do "know" what's going on. Their brains can't help but to play out the scenario that's running. Let me explain…

My mother had an episode that landed her in the nursing home permanently. I am an only child and I had been taking care of her after my father crossed over. I had been trying to work and consolidate the home and her finances so that she could move into a retirement community, and I could live on my own. In midst, she had what I call "permanently stepping one foot on the Other Side". I had come home one evening to my mother asking, "Are you trying to kill me?". I looked at her in horror and said I think it's time to go to the emergency room, and thankfully she agreed! Sometimes dementia patients get bladder infections, and it can send their dementia in a far worse state. Up until this point, it was mostly just not remembering the everyday goings on and maybe seeing a few people who weren't in the room. (And no, it wasn't loved ones who crossed over. I asked extensive questions thinking that was the case at first.) She finally received a room to rest and about an hour after she had seen the doctor came the episode. She had fallen asleep for maybe 40 minutes. When she woke, she wanted to leave. Frantic. I explained we couldn't go yet, we were waiting for the doctor. That didn't register. She started yelling and saying, "I'm being held against my will! This is America! I have rights!" It raised attention and two nurses came in to wheel her to a separate room. She was continuing with the yelling, adding some prejudiced statement about minorities to which the African American nurse just shook her head like she's heard it before. Well, I hadn't! None of what my mother was saying had ever come out of her mouth before! None of it! My mother started pointing at me and saying, "That man is not my son!" and then added "You and your father have been living off me for years!". When the doctor arrived, she was apologizing to me! The doctor said, "I don't know what's wrong. She wasn't like this an hour ago. I'll have to do another MRI". It might have been a CAT scan. I don't remember. I do clearly remember my mother pointing at me and calling me a man. I knew I looked bad, but I didn't think that bad.

Another emergency room doctor had spoken to me the next day and felt she couldn't be returned home if I was the only one taking care of her. I explained we knew this would happen at some point. We just didn't expect it this way. It was truly a blessing in disguise for us both. Thank God she had that episode in front of other people, and people who were trained in what to do when it happened! I already had trouble with people believing that my mother was even "sick". It was also an easier transition for her to the nursing home. She never went home again.

She was finally admitted to a room, later that next day. I believe it took her a few days to "know" me or recognize me. I would ask, "Do you remember who I am?". The next day I received the answer in happy fashion, "Yes! You're the Spring Princess!". Well, Spring Princess was better than "that man" . It took about three days for her to be able to call me by name. In midst, we were sent to a nursing home in-term of a permanent facility. I was trying to get her into one close to the house and that happened to be rated five stars. As luck would have it, or the Angels and all of Heaven were conspiring, her social worker there used to work for the place I was trying to get her into! We had to wait about a month, but she was approved! I thank this social worker and my dad for making that happen! When she arrived in her room, I was noticing she wasn't watching the TV anymore. I asked her why. Her response was poignant. "It's like there's always a TV in my head, and I can’t turn it off." I think my jaw hit the floor and all the twinkle fell out of me. When people don't understand dementia, I recall my mother's words and share. "It's like there's always a TV in my head, and I can’t turn it off." She also asked, "How do you put a Kotex on a kitten?". I looked at her and said, "I don't know?", and then we both looked at each other and laughed!

This is just a small taste of dementia and care giving. I believe there's at least a second part to this blog, if not a third. I would really like to go into why this happened to my mother, and my personal lessons. I would love to have a community of those who have been through this process and those who are suffering inside of this process. Not just a social group to chat. A place where one can find substantial help and resources! These pretend to exist in the world, but in my experience, there really isn't any help. It's just a rat wheel. And your luck if you don't die trying to help a loved one.

REACH OUT! With whatever last ounce of energy you can muster! If you've been through this before, reach out! There are those who can benefit from your experiences, too! I'm not the only story or version of the story. Let's help each other!

Hoping to hear from you. Sending so much Love, Light, Strength, Courage and Perseverance on this journey. All of Heaven is trying to help. Just keep tapping and holding on!

Blessings,

Julia xo

Memory: Series on 5 Parts of the Mind

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 01:01:52 GMT

And Joseph Pilates used to say, "The body remembers".

There was a client in the studio I was teaching part time in South Park. He is a "die-hard" Pilates fan. He has a strong Intermediate workout and enjoys learning the inner workings of the regime and his body. He was allowed to come in and workout on his own. Diligent with his paper of the exercises in order, the spring settings and equipment setup. We would joke that maybe he'll go into the program and become an instructor. To that he responded, "There's too much to remember!". (I'm paraphrasing, but that's the gist.)

There is so much Memory in learning Pilates. There are over 600 exercises, let alone what their functions are and what they feel like in the body. Don't forget the equipment setup, too, on all the apparatus. There are at least twelve, off a rough count. (See, even I have to stop and think).

We used to have little sayings in the apprentice program to help us remember the order. The great thing about the order is it never changes. You may add or subtract, but you'll never do Front Splits before doing Footwork. It just doesn't make sense within the method.

"Dance the pads" was a great one in learning the Advanced Reformer. I used to practice the alliteration of "…long, short, long, stomach…" for the Intermediate workout. It's Long Box, Short Box, Long Stretch Series and Stomach Massage. It helped, and just extended into the Advanced!

Besides knowing the order, you also have to know the equipment setup for each and every exercise. On the Reformer, you have to know the spring setting, the headpiece setting and the footbar setting, besides the box and gears if and when they are used. Maybe you add head pillows are shoulder pads. Maybe you add the small box. Feeling a little overwhelmed yet? That's not adding what each exercise is "for", which you have to articulate on your written test.

Personally, when I teach regular Pilates people, I just try to get them into their bodies. I don't really care if they remember what exercise is next and how many reps they are to execute. Most people have a difficult time trying to get into their bodies, especially after the last few years. It's also a big difference I've noticed since moving from NYC to Charlotte, NC. It's much harder to get people into their bodies.

I always say the best way to do Pilates, is to feel your body! And Joseph Pilates used to say, "The body remembers". I add to that, "You may not remember, but your body does". It's ingrained and if you connect to your inner self or inner knowing, you will connect to the exercise and remember.

I have one client who gets on herself because she doesn't remember the exercises. In her defense, she hasn't had the consistent workout that would help solidify the order in her body. It's another big attribute to remembering Pilates and getting it in your body. Consistency. Most people don't understand that they aren't as consistent as they believe. Twice a week for three months is excellent consistency. No time off. No half sessions. Focused work. Unless it's a traumatic experience, one time isn't going to cement it into your body.

You're not going to learn everything in one session, either. Some people have this wild idea that they're going to close their eyes, feel their body, and get every aspect of this regime in one lesson. I hate to break it to you, that's NOT going to happen. Ever! I've been doing Pilates for over twenty years and I'm still learning. Romana used to say that, too. All the best teachers realize this of the work.

Another aspect I haven't mentioned in Memory is fun! Yes, FUN! You have to enjoy what you're doing! Your teachers will always tell you to "smile". Again, Joseph Pilates studied the facial muscles and their impact on the rest of the body. It's important to smile because you're teaching your body that it enjoys the work! How much easier is it to remember the lyrics to your favorite song as opposed to remembering how to factor a math equation? Enjoyment is a huge factor in learning and Memory!

What's funny is how anytime we would recite the 5 Parts of the Mind in an apprentice meeting, we would all forget Memory . Funny, right? It would usually be last on the list. This time, I made it third.

How are you with Memory? Do you feel like you forget things or have a "bad" Memory? In your Pilates workout, how do you fair with remembering the order and your equipment? Let me know. I'd love to hear from you!

Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia

Heart Chakra Opening

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Thu, 09 May 2024 22:09:38 GMT

"You open your heart knowing that there's a chance it might be broken one day and in opening your heart, you experience a love and joy that you never dreamed possible." Bob Marley

I started adding an extra Heart opening to my daily meditation. I always bring in the Light the way my teacher, Pat Longo, guides. Last year I had some major people drop out of my life. I lost about 9-14 living humans. They're still living, just not in my life. Many of their own accord. Needless to say, it was devastating. Trusting that everything happens for a reason, I decided to open my Heart as I meditated. What was I going to lose now?

It was probably about January that I started to add opening my Heart when I pulled in the Light. Not long after I started doing this practice, I had a session with a chiropractor who also does Kinesiology. He had said that my Heart was a little weak. It was something he had seen in many patients after the effects of the Pandemic. It wasn't surprising to me, for many reasons. The past few years alone have been hard on all of us. Even if you're considered an "awake" person, you are still going through healing and breaking down all the things that no longer serve the existence we are moving towards. In the past four years, my mother crossed over, my business got shut down, and I moved from the place I lived all my life to a completely different state not knowing anyone and re-starting my business. That's not to mention the ten years prior containing my father crossing over, my mother going into dementia and taking care of her, and then having to sell my family home.

Back to opening my Heart. So, I had been practicing when I bring in the Light into my heart and lungs, to further open my Heart to God's people. It was a way of calling in "my" people. It worked! It helped me meet some wonderful people, including the wonderful chiropractor! I've been on a constant roll of mostly meeting wonderful people. Those who aren't, show up a lot faster. The interesting thing is I'm shown how protected I am with those who aren't "my" people. They fall off pretty fast, and I don't mind standing my ground in a loving way. And I say "in a loving way", because I mean no harm, but I am definitely not suffering a fool! It's definitely an upgrade to how I would've handled myself in younger years. I didn't have a problem opening my mouth and saying how I felt no matter how obnoxious. Now, I call out people point blank on their bullshit. No holds barred!

This past month, I had two pretty intense Heart Chakra openings! One was during a reiki session a friend gifted me for helping be a body for a test. I had another one that woke me up from my sleep about a week or two after. I had pain in my chest, like I had be punched, or maybe more like something was trying to burst out of my chest. Since then, I can feel my gifts are opening up more and more. There's a flow. It's becoming more prominent and what I feel is my actual state of being.

It makes sense that when the lower chakras are healed, the Heart connects the top and the bottom. Liberation happens upwards, manifestation pulls down. It's very interesting to experience the opening and connection. Our Heart Chakras have to deal with: love and relationships; self-acceptance; balance and compassion; to love and be loved; social identity; grief; codependency, poor boundaries, possessiveness and jealousy; being shy, lonely, isolated, bitter, critical and lack of empathy. "Lack of Empathy" stands out! That's the huge trait to our psychic awareness. When it's not working, neither are our gifts!

I'm excited to see where this opening will go. I'm enthralled to see what will open! I am now, more than ever, confidently feeling how everything really is working out in my favor. It's making more sense. Thank you for the Blessings!

Are you familiar with the chakras? Have you had a Heart opening? I would love to hear about your experience! I would love for you to share and hear from you!

Until next month, where I should be sharing about my Cranial Sacral therapy experience and how this may connect!

Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia xo

5 Parts of the Mind Series: Imagination

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Thu, 09 May 2024 22:09:14 GMT

"Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world and all there will ever be to know and understand." Albert Einstein

Jerome Weinberg would often share his stories about him and Romana to the apprentices as part of our learning. There was this one story he would recount about an advanced exercise that he had been practicing and showed it off to Romana. He practiced it so well, he "added" to the exercise. Romana would exclaim, "WOW! Why didn't I think of that?". Jerome is a Visionary. It's a talent to "see" where the exercises can move to next. Not many people are as advanced in Pilates as Jerome. We have a good handful, but Jerome is the one who can keep extending the super advanced to beyond! "Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere." Albert Einstein Jerome's hard work and imagination has taken him into some of the world's top forums for excellence in a field!

It takes a great deal of imagination to keep seeing where Pilates can go AND keeping the authentic method! Many have just taken what they think is Pilates and created exercises that are Pilates-esque, but have diluted or completely deviated from the original method. That's not imagination, that's ego. Although they say, coping is the highest form of flattery.

Being trained by Romana, we all learned an exercise on the Short Box Series of the Reformer called, "Side to Side". It's actually an exercise Romana made up! She created it for people who couldn't twist. It gave them a safe way to stretch their back and not hurt their bodies. Hopefully working towards the day they would be able to twist. Romana applied Joseph Pilates method and just "saw" where an exercise could go! Imagination! Vision! What I would call, "clear seeing". "Every great advance….has issued from a new audacity of imagination." John Dewey. Romana always encouraged us to keep going beyond our limits, to keep "seeing".

I am also reminded of an exercise Uncle Joe made up for Sari, Romana's daughter. It's called, "The Sari" or The Shoulder Roll Down. It's preformed on the Cadillac with the Push Through Bar. He designed it for Sari to bring her legs over her head without it going into her neck. When she was younger, she had chronic neck issues. "Imagination is the power of the mind over the possibilities of things." Wallace Stevens Without Joseph Pilates imagination, we wouldn't have his outstandingly genius method to begin with, let alone where he continued to take it while he was working on clients.

I, too, will break an exercise down for those who are struggling with something basic. You can see their body will get there; they just need a more rudimentary form of the norm. I'm always clear about stating that "I made it up", so not to confuse it with the original masterpiece Uncle Joe created. As Romana and Sari would remind us, "he was the genius!". Of course, I believe we are all genius' in our own right, and I am trained to keep the method the way it was invented and taught. The best way to experience Contrology is to just do it as is and control your body with your mind. THAT , takes imagination! "My imagination creates my reality." Walt Disney. I like being able to show clients that they can do more than they've been telling themselves. "Seeing is believing" they say, and when they get to see how the dots connect, their imagination opens, too.

How do you use Imagination in Pilates, in life? Do you feel this is an aspect that is worth developing? What have you imagined that has come to fruition? I would love to hear from you!

Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia xo

A New Level of Narcissism: Sociopath

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 23:30:07 GMT

There was no expression on her face. Like we were having a regular conversation. Cold.

Easter Sunday, 2024, around 9pm:

My house alarm is going off. I wake up to two people trying to drill into my deadlock at my back door. One is hired help; the other is now an ex-tenant who was renting a room.

Easter, this year, landed on my mother's four-year anniversary of crossing over. I realized about a week and a half in and had told my house guest that I wanted to spend it at home, in peace. I had told her the month before it wasn't working and as per our agreement, I gave her a month's notice. Actually, I gave her a month and two weeks, as I spoke with her on February 19th. The last week of her stay, she was barely at my home. No word as to why. This was common, as she never communicated unless she wanted something. A point I noticed and part of why I gave her notice. I text to find out if she was ok and if she planned to return before the end of the week. She said she'd be there over the weekend. Annoyed, I asked if she could be out by Saturday, reminding her I wanted to be alone Sunday. I got a self-absorbed answer.

My best friend that I grew up with, and her husband happen to live in North Carolina, too. That was part of my incentive for moving to Charlotte. My bestie asked if I wanted to come over for the holiday. At first, I wasn't going to go. I just wanted to spend time at home, in quiet peace. Then I thought better. I was going to be really upset if my ex-tenant was going to spend the day in my home when I specifically asked her not to. I decided to go see my bestie and her family. My ex-tenant arrived in my home at 2:30am. By the time I left at 10am, she was just getting up and doing a load of wash. Did I mention my dryer has not been working. A bird incident. I figured my ex-tenant would be gone by the time I arrived back home.

I left my bestie at 4pm. I noticed my ex-tenant still coming in and out of the house with my door camera. I arrived home around 6pm. Most of her stuff was gone and there was a load of laundry going. I decided to change the door code and go to sleep. It had been a long day and I was done. I get a text message at 7pm that she can't get in. I'm half asleep in my bedroom, the back of the house. I simply tell her it's 7pm, she's been there all day and I'm done. I can bring the remainder two bags she left to her the following morning. I'd be in at 7:30am.

I received a barrage of texts in fury and threats of reporting me, whatever that meant. I wake up to drilling. When I came to my back door, which is a glass panel back door, she just looked at me like it was nothing. No big deal. I'm completely in my right. (I come to find out from the officer on the phone, technically she was in her right. Unless otherwise stated, she had until 11:59 that evening.) There was no expression on her face. Like we were having a regular conversation. Cold.

It wasn't for a few days later I realized I had leveled up in my lessons. Narcissist had turned to Sociopath. That fine line that showed true colors. If it wasn't for the revelation, I'm not sure I would have noticed the "mirroring" that happened. The pretend caring, lightworker, intuitive, "empathetic" display. Looking back, it only held when I was being myself. She didn't do it on her own. I noticed the need to make everything about herself and the pretend moments of "seeing" me, that only mattered when she wanted something. Taking another look, she always had problems with people. Honestly, I can have that problem, too, so I didn't see it as differently as I do now. For instance, she always makes them the "problem". I can't say the "bad guy". She just paints a picture as if she understands them, but it's never deep and there's never an expansion of the understanding. In my own trials with people, I have come to learn that they aren't "bad", it's just where they "are", and I take responsibility for my part in the exchange.

In hindsight, I could have text her when I changed the code and just made arrangements to leave her stuff outside and have her pick them up. But if things didn't play out the way they did, I wouldn't have seen her true colors. She presented very well. I would've written it off as she was just troubled and she's just not going to do the work. I wouldn't have seen the nuances of this level and what to look out for in the future. I wouldn't have experienced my neighbors love, protection and help. I wouldn't have experienced a new level of bad-assery in my own body. Whatever I learned transcended in my body. The next day people were ecstatic to see me! I was being told I was glowing!

As to my glowing, I feel like I know why. Needless to say, I went to bed very angry that night. It was needless drama and damage for no reason. NO REASON! Just a display to show your pretend power and your need for control. As I do every night, I prayed. For hours, because the needle was on the record! Play that song again, like a toxic need to vent! So, I called on Jesus and Archangel Michael to take away the feeling and bring back peace. That's all I wanted that day!!! It was getting better, but not as fast as it has in the past when I've called on the other side. I asked God, "How is this working for me?". I was flooded with Light. And then Peace. It was liked I walked into Heaven, and Heaven decided to stay. I needed this experience to step into my new level of Healer. As you can see in the world, we are greatly needed.

This month's blog was supposed to be about Friendship . So, this will be a two-part series and will be continued next month. I'm excited to see what this new month will bring! I feel the blessings are boundless!

Do you have experience with narcissists? Have you "leveled" up in your lessons? What have you learned? I'd love to hear from you!

Sending out so much Love, Light and Blessings to fill your souls that you may shine from the inside out, too!!!

Julia xo

Series on Five Parts of the Mind: Will

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 23:25:13 GMT

This is a subtitle for your new post

I received my certification in 2003 at Drago's Gymnasium. I was known as an "Independent" study because I didn't bounce back and forth between Drago's and the studio on 72nd with Sean. When I went through the program, Romana was breaking her relationship with Sean. She said, "No one tells me no ." I don't know much about the relationship. They collaborated for many years together. Honestly, I never had a good feeling about him even though we never met. I've never met anyone who said anything nice about him until this past year, and that person turned out to be unscrupulous, too. Sean seems to own a whole bunch of Joseph Pilates' belongings for someone who never met the man. Romana had many items from Uncle Joe's studio that seemed to fall into the hands of people who never met, studied or practiced with either him or his wife, Clara. Unfortunately, Romana had the reputation of trusting the wrong people. It had happened a few times. That's how she ended up at Drago's. Thank God he was a person of integrity.

I'm mentioning this as I start my series on The Five Parts of the Mind because I learned it while in the program. I don't know where the original information came for these "five parts"? Did they come from Sean? I don't know. They seemed similar to stuff I remember discussing in school, but in a brief search, I can't seem to find anything about "the five parts of the mind". We learned it as part of our curriculum, so to speak. It was a mantra we touched upon when discussing the methodology of Pilates. You may have a general idea of the methodology from the series I did on The Six Principles of Pilates. Another reason why I'm mentioning the split, Will. You have to have a strong Will to stand up for what you believe is right.

The Five Parts of the Mind in Pilates : Imagination, Intelligence, Intuition, Memory and Will . If you know me or have felt a sense about me, you can probably guess Intuition is my favorite! I may save that for last, we'll see. I'm getting called to Will for the start of our series.

A brief definition of the verb, Will , is used to indicate willingness . If you show up for a private or group class, you would think that you are there willingly . That is part of the work. I'd argue what are you willing to do? What is your commitment to the practice? What is your commitment to yourself? What work are you willing to do? You may just show up and go through the motions. It's unfortunately how many people get through life. Are you willing to connect to your body? Are you willing to expand upon the exercises? Are you willing to see what you are doing differently?

I'm reminded of a wonderful word Cynthia Shipley used when teaching me: Perseverance . I feel like this better describes the work we do with Will. Perseverance is: steady persistence in adhering to a course of action, a belief, or a purpose; steadfastness; the act of persevering; persistence in anything undertaken; continued pursuit or prosecution of any business, or enterprise begun .

When it comes to learning and executing Pilates at an Advanced or Super Advanced level, you have to embody Will and Perseverance. In over twenty years of teaching, I wish I had a dollar every time someone said, "Oh, Pilates is hard!", I'd have a bougie vacation stored away. Most people just give up. Or they try a few times and then life is hard, and they don't return. As I just told a long-time client recently, working on yourself is F'ing hard work!!! You need to embody Will and Perseverance to make that happen. No matter what it looks like on the outside. No matter how hard it is to execute. No matter if you are being supported. Do you want it bad enough, whatever "it" is? You'll do it if you do, but most people don't make an effort. Pilates is hard work!

I have found there is a small percentage of people who really catch the Pilates Bug. Those who have one or two classes and can feel what it does for their bodies and minds, and they're hooked! They usually embody a strong intelligence (another part of the mind), probably an injury or aliment they wanted to work on and those who have had hard lives and persevered.

Romana became a world famous despite a few disingenuous colleagues because she had the Will to keep going. I'd argue she also had the heart of lion, the talent of a rockstar and the patience of teacher. If it wasn't for her commitment to the work, or maybe just to life, we wouldn't have some amazing teachers worldwide continuing the authenticity and integrity of the work.

Are you Willing to do the work? In Pilates? On yourself? In life? What would you need to make that change? Are there times where you feel you have more or less depending on the circumstance?

Shout out! I'll shout back….

Many Blessings,

Julia xo

Connection

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 01:59:11 GMT

OMG! Did someone actually reach out?!? Holy Amazing Miracle!!! And did one of my messages actually reach someone who needed it?!? I believe so! WOW! It was a lovely moment of hopefulness after another week of just trying to get by…..

The end of last week I was greeted by an email from an individual who either read my blog on or watched a video I posted about using Selenite for Vertigo.

OMG! Did someone actually reach out?!? Holy Amazing Miracle!!! And did one of my messages actually reach someone who needed it?!? I believe so! WOW! It was a lovely moment of hopefulness after another week of just trying to get by…..

I gladly wrote back and told them to please reach back out if they had any questions. I was hoping to help and wanted them to know that if what I suggested didn't help, maybe I could suggest an alternative. They weren't alone. Someone was there, caring, even if the actual "help" didn't have an effect. Maybe the help of another soul caring, being a witness, standing beside in strength could make a difference in someone's life. If even for only a moment.

Empathy is called to mind. A now trending term is Empaths, those who understand themselves to be humans or souls who feel deeply other's feelings. As far as I'm concerned, every living consciousness is an Empath. Although, the more you look around, the more you wonder if people feel at all. I know they are, whether they ever choose to connect to their feelings ever again or not.

I understand what it's like to exhaust all possibilities with no avail. I understand what it's like to feel suffering. I know what it's like to feel alone. I have a slew of other feelings I connect to with ease and empathize with someone who is feeling the same. I am also, Empathic, and without understanding firsthand a specific feeling, my body and/or my soul knows. It's an intelligence all its own. An intelligence we all could use a class or two in refinement. When someone reaches out, the only true intelligent action is to reach back out.

Back to Connection. On a basic, humanistic level, most seemed to have lost touch. It's not only the past few years, it's been a systematic detachment meant to ware us down. The past few years were supposed to be the nail in the coffin. And although it seems like it's chaos, step back and look again. There are more and more of us looking to make a self-love connection so that we may then further connect with others. Hold on, because connection is coming! And those of us who have done the work to help are here for you. You just need to take the first step and reach out. Your people are here, and we're waiting with Love.

Reach out! Not just to me, to those you feel called to or who stick out as someone you felt good with in their presence. You are safe. You are seen and heard. You and your feelings matter, and there are "your" people who will understand. Don't stop, no matter what it looks like on the outside. Keep looking within. It will reveal the most beautiful souls in your life.

Happy Frolicking my friends! Sending you so much Love, Light, and Boundless Energy and Blessings!

Julia, xo

Everything in Pilates....

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 01:55:11 GMT

I heard Jay Grimes say many years ago, "Everything in Pilates comes back down to this exercise". He was referring to The Double Leg Stretch in the mat work. In fact, it's part of the Beginner Mat. In the Beginner Mat, you start to learn two of the five in the "Stomach Series" or what is better known as, The Series of Five.

The Double Leg Stretch. It's always fun teaching a newbie this exercise. I warn them it takes coordination, and of course it's always met with a laugh and the exaltation that they are NOT coordinated. Because of this coordination needed for the exercise, I tend to teach it in two parts. The movement and then the breath. The movement alone can be hard, as your arms are circling while your legs are just moving in and out. The tendency for most people is to also circle their legs. They tend to stop, put their head down and laugh, or just make the most perplexed face because they know they didn't do it correctly but can't figure out why. Then I add the breath.

Coordinating breath and movement happens in other breathing exercises, too. Again, Beginner exercises have breath and movement, or what we simply call breathing exercises. Beginner breathing exercises would include The 100, The Roll Up (or Roll Down depending on the body), Double Leg Stretch and Spine Stretch Forward. These are the mat exercises. Beginner Reformer would just be The 100, although I tend to add it to twisting on The Short Box for those who have breathing trouble, like asthma. I might just add breathing to every exercise if I notice the client is someone who tends to hold their breath.

Back to The Double Leg Stretch and breathing. Breathing isn't easy. Even if you don't have breathing problems, per se, most people don't breathe properly. We rarely breath into the back of our rib cage, particularly the bottom of the back of the rib cage. The Thinking Body by Mable E. Todd discusses in detail about the back of our rib cages and the importance of breathing into those muscles. (I haven't read it in many years, so you'll have to check it out and pipe in about my accuracy.) It's the EXACT movement that is happening on a deep level in The Double Leg Stretch. The arms and legs basically stretching from the spot in the back of your ribs AND breathing into that spot at the same time makes this exercise EVERYTHING in Pilates! It's whole-body coordination, breath and movement.

If you are a Pilates lover or enthusiast, you can see how The Double Leg Stretch can tie all of your Pilates workout together! The perfect execution of mind, body and breath inside out! What a challenge to adhere the whole of your workout to this single exercise! It's a brilliant observation and has made the way I work out and teach much different.

How are you doing with this exercise? Need any help trouble shooting? Are you up for the challenge of monitoring your whole hour of Pilates to the perfect execution of this single exercise? Let me know how you're doing! I'd love to hear from you!

Stay tuned to next month's blog. I'm starting a series on the Five Parts of the Mind!

Until next time, my friends….

Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia

Twin Flame Revealed

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Sun, 11 Feb 2024 16:11:37 GMT

There's a lot of misinformation about Twin Flames. There's a lot of misinformation in Spirituality, in general. I always remind people to listen with their Hearts. How loving is the message being given and directed? The more loving and understanding and the more willing to help you find yourself, the closer to truth the information you are receiving.

What is a Twin Flame? I feel like this is a huge topic in the past few years. It's made a buzz because of some show on Netflix. There have been too many people online touting their stories, opinions and what they believe to be divine guidance. Let's explore my personal journey and what I believe to be the best and highest influences of guiding Love.

There's a lot of misinformation about Twin Flames. There's a lot of misinformation in Spirituality, in general. I always remind people to listen with their Hearts. How loving is the message being given and directed? The more loving and understanding and the more willing to help you find yourself, the closer to truth the information you are receiving.

I explain that Twin Flames are a very specific Soul Mate. They are one soul split into two bodies. I direct them to thinking about siblings who are born twins. The relationship that is explained when you look into twin siblings is one of almost having their own language, only the other sibling understands and feels. They have been studied intensely. I have heard stories of them being separated at birth, living on opposite sides of the same continent and still very aware that the other existed, without even knowing they were a twin. They have found each other, sometimes "accidentally", sometimes with a purposeful search. How interesting it is to know there is another like you somewhere in the world. Some of us who are Twin Flames were not born as siblings. This is partly how I explain Twin Flames.

Other things I have learned from my own journey, meeting other Twin Flames and Twin Flame teachers is that we are some of the most Loving people on the face of the Earth! Hands down, some of the best people you will ever meet! Just pure Love! It makes sense that we are Lightworkers, and we are here to bring in the Light and remind everyone about Love. Our journeys are often ridden with hard lessons because in order to teach others what Love is, we have to experience and overcome what Love isn't and the healed version is what we teach by living example. That is why we came to Earth during this Awakening! To help teach and guide with Love. We break everything in ourselves that isn't Love to join together. All else is a toxic, 3-D illusion. We came to break illusions of anything that is not Love. Anything that is not Love is untrue.

I could go on about a lot of toxic, superficial nonsense I've seen and read online. Again, focus on the Loving messages that help heal. Those are Truth. Anything else is someone's lesson being learned, or not learned, depending. My all-time favorite teacher and person who has helped guide me with Love is Cassady Cane www.twinflames1111.com She has to have the most Loving messages and helps guide you back to yourself for healing and reunion. I have followed and read her blogs since she started in 2014, I believe. Recently she has made her blogs a subscription, but I believe her original work is free. I highly suggest her resources! Endlessly helpful, if you're willing to do the work. I also highly suggest Magnetize Yourself on YouTube and Instagram. Infinity gives wonderful, loving insights and guidance, too.

Back to my journey. As you may have read, I was born an only child in Queens, NY. Let's say I'm 39-ish again Gen-X'er. I was probably about seven years old when I realized there was someone else . What does that even mean? How does a seven-year-old know there is someone else ? Growing up, Hello Kitty was very popular. There were other characters, too. My Melody and Little Twin Stars. My father used to bring home shopping bags from Harper's Bazar full of Little Twin Star stuff. Pencil cases, stickers, jewelry boxes. Bags full of stuff! I still have a lot! This is when I remember thinking there was someone else . I was an only child. I grew up in a tumultuous household. Even as a child, I was very aware . My parents weren't going to have another kid. Again, how does a child know this??? Anyway, that was my first awareness that I wasn't alone. Little Twin Stars. Funny, huh?

As I grew older and more aware of "spirituality", or realizing there was something more than what we were taught, I knew I had a soulmate or specific person. It felt like an endless search. I would meet friends and lovers who were definite soulmates, but never anyone who fit the puzzle. The grooves were close, but there was never a perfect fit.

I had been told in a reading when I was in my twenties that I was a Twin Flame. I don't think I had heard the term before, but inherently understood it in my soul. More and more information started coming out about things that are often associated with Twin Flames. Like I had always seen the number 11:11 or 1:11. I even grew up on a block with a precinct and it was the 111th! My mother was into "Angel Numbers" before it was even a "thing". Usually Twin Flames see this number, but it isn't exclusive to only Twin Flames. The number signifies Christ Consciousness, according to my shaman healer. Makes sense if Twin Flames are here to teach about Love. That's what Christ Consciousness is about. Love. I'm also very connected to Archangel Michael, who helps Twin Flames join together. Interesting how Archangel Michael helps with strength, courage, protection and your soul's purpose. How appropriate that he helps guide Twins on this journey.

I've received a few messages from friends and classmates, but it was usually vague information. Correct in feeling, but vague. I never got a name or specifics when I asked. I was told I probably wasn't supposed to know. I had heard about Artistic Psychic on Etsy. She does a sketch of your Twin Flame and gives a reading of your person. I did it about three months after I moved to Charlotte. The reading of my person seemed correct, even though I had never met him at this point. His sketch was cute and seemed like I would like him, and again, I never met him at the point of this reading. It wasn't until about nine months later I met my person. And all the pieces started coming together.

I was told I wouldn't have to do anything, he'll come to my front door. Check. I was told it was going to be so casual I wouldn't even know it was happening. Check. I was told something embarrassing was going to happen. Check, check. And there would be a sign that I wouldn't be able to dispute. (Of course, it was a Twin Flame reference to a "mirror".) CHECK! My friend who mentioned that he'd come to my door also said he'd be a recovering alcoholic. Check. My ETSY reading said he was right around the corner. (I thought the meaning was he'd be arriving soon. I didn't take it literally.) CHECK! He'd have an adorable dog he has a special bond with. Check.

All these signs added up, and yet I was still so unsure. But then I had to drop into feeling and trust. The feeling of "home". It just made sense when we hugged. I wanted to stay there in the embrace. The feeling of "knowing" them all your life. Although nervous because I liked him, I felt like we could just talk and hang out for hours. The feeling of "attraction". Just wanting to be near him all the time, just to be near. And, wanting to jump his bones!!! Why??? I barely know this person??? Even for me being aware of my empathic, psychic nature it's still weird! The need to want to talk to him or see him all the time, and the excruciating pain when you don't.

This is why people don't understand when unhealed Twin Flames try to join that it seems ridiculous on the outside, because any rational person would look at the evidence or whatever trauma responses are happening and just casually move on. It's insane how cemented you feel into the moments, as if you've been rooted and can't move. On the outside, it looks like a toxic relationship. Some Twin Flames when they meet are very toxic. Some meet without having done much of their personal and spiritual work. Those of us who have met later in life, just seem to trigger an unhealed aspect that needs a little attention. We meet to trigger our healing. So, if you haven't done any at all, expect a little more toxicity. And those who have done some work, expect to go through a deeper Dark Night of the Soul, again!

My trigger was gruesome. It's amazing to be the Twin who has done the work (because often times one of you is more "awake" than the other) and feel like you were cut off at the ankles just to do the work again! I could only imagine how desperate and scary it must be for the Twin who isn't "awake". I truly had to find myself, again! I didn't think I was lost. I didn't think I was living for others. I didn’t think I was "weak". I didn't think I had to work on boundaries or self-confidence, again. I didn't think I expected someone to save me, I thought I just wanted mutual love. I didn't think I wasn't being my authentic self. All of this was triggered, and I've been working on it ever since. It's been a long breakdown of toxic people in my life, noticing how I'm feeling and taking care of my feelings above anyone else's feelings, gaining more self-confidence and just letting myself be "me" and allowing myself to be vulnerable, realizing I am the greatest Love of my life and I will be the one who takes care of me. No one else. Me. Thank God for doing some work, because this time I didn't drag myself on my face the whole time. I just fell on it a few times and was able to triage immediately. Who says your lessons don’t help?!

Again, what is my Twin Flame going through? I could only imagine how terrifying this must be from their point of view. Not everyone is aware of their spirituality. Not everyone has done the work. Some are very Loving who never fixed why they attract broken, toxic narcissists. Some are the narcissists. (Remember, a narcissist is an empath who never did the work. They refuse to Love themselves and force other to do it instead.) What must it be like for him? How desperately sad and confusing. Where do you turn? It must be scary, and they probably feel like they're crazy. Why feel so intensely about someone you barely know? At least, that must be the case for my Twin. We've only met a handful of times. Send them Loving prayers, angels and Spirit Guides to help them along their way. They feel like they have no resources to deal with any of this trigger to awakening.

Free Will and Twin Flames. We all have Free Will, no matter if you're a Twin Flame. We all came here with lessons to learn. The difference with Twin Flames is that we came here with the full intent of joining. We knew we would do it, even though it may look hopeless on the outside. We mirror feelings and thoughts. Pay attention. You can help guide your person with Love. This is why you need to break down your triggers and learn your lessons. We mirror feelings and thoughts. Pay attention. You can help guide your person with Love. This is why we are constantly called back to ourselves. To learn and trust our own guidance. We need to teach others to do the same. When you truly learn to Love yourself, there will never be a need to harm another person, for whatever reason. The more you work on yourself, the more magnetic you become, and the more irresistible you become to your Twin Flame.

I trust my Twin Flame will find out how absolutely capable he is and will achieve everything he's ever wanted. He'll learn to see himself with the same Love that others who love him dearly see. He'll return when he's ready. In the meantime, I will Love myself and enjoy life, as I should. I trust. I trust Love.

Any other Twin Flames out there reading this? Do you have any questions? Do you have insights not yet mentioned? Reach out! I'd love to hear from you, and other Twins would appreciate the Love!

Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia xo

Flow

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Sun, 11 Feb 2024 16:11:26 GMT

FLOW "The full workout is a flowing succession of exercises performed with vigorous dynamics. There is a minimum of movement, especially in the transitions, for a maximum flow." (The Pilates Studio Teacher Training Manual/1997)

We have come to the sixth and final principle of Pilates. Flow. I've said before that as you see the principles listed, it's like you're looking from beginner work to advanced. That being said, these principles are all working together at any level of your Pilates workout. Even as a beginner, you are looking to move through your workout, and not spend too many moments on any one principle. Yes, you will have your sessions just focusing on one principle. It shouldn't be every session. I'm reminded of two thing Romana would do in privates. One was focusing on a particular area of a person's body. She would instruct the client/student to focus on, for example, engaging their legs together and build the session around that correction. It was clear and easier to understand. The other thing Romana would say was, "Weakness shows up in movement. Keep them moving." This is an important element to remember when working this principle.

Back to FLOW . As you can see, for me, it's the hardest principle. I feel I've struggled teaching this element because of how focused I can be on Precision and Control. Funny for a New Yorker. I can walk a mile in two seconds and get twenty tasks done in half an hour. Pilates I take my time. Although, it's one of my biggest gripes when people do Pilates at warp speed thinking it's "flow". There are rhythms to every exercise, and speed or tempo and rhythm are two different aspects in music. Because of my dancer background, focusing on the rhythm always made more sense. Sari always said this, too, that she always worked by rhythm. I rarely count the repetitions I'm supposed to do because I feel the rhythm. When you fall into the rhythm of the exercise, I believe it's easier to find the movement and flow.

As an apprentice, we used to have a time range for flowing through our Reformer and Mat workouts. Beginner Reformer and Mat should be about ten minutes each. Depending on your accuracy, give or take a couple of minutes. Intermediate Reformer was fifteen to twenty minutes and when you were really good only ten. Same with the Intermediate Mat. Advanced Reformer was the work! You were lucky when you were first learning that you could get it done within an hour! When you were rocking it like a rockstar, forty minutes. The shear jump in number of exercises more than doubled. Same with Advanced Mat. A really great one is only thirty-five minutes. You can get just as exhausted teaching an Advanced Mat as doing it, again, because of the jump in how many extra exercises are added. Your mouth and lungs get tired from speaking straight through for that amount of time!

Moving from NYC to Charlotte, NC has been a huge difference. For one, not many people know what "Pilates" really is!?! Two, the pace here in general is that of moving through molasses, mentally and physically. I find the mental challenging. As if there's an obstacle. For a NYer, regardless of an obstacle, you keep going. Not here in the South. So, a workout here is either about speed, or it's so mental that movement doesn't happen. There needs to be a healthy balance.

When I'm teaching a beginner, I usually just let them move how they move. If they're not accustomed to working out, I give them a little time to feel their body and the apparatus before I emphasis more of a rhythm and pace. If they're more experienced in exercise, I may be more particular about Precision, as they tend to have a good sense of Flow already. Again, I'm reminded: "Keep them moving. Weakness shows up in movement." When you see more advanced teachers teach, usually apprentices, they just watch them for a few exercises. They don't say or do anything, really. They observe. They are looking to see how you move, and where you need attention. Is it your body? Does it need strengthening, stretching, adjusting? Do you need to more rhythm and flow? Where is your mindset in your workout? Does your brain need more focus and challenge?

I believe these principles surpass a Pilates workout and can be used in not only all other regimes, but they can also be used throughout any and all ways of living. They are a silent and subtle reminder to remember where you are at all times. Who doesn't need that gentle reminder?

I hope you enjoyed learning about the Six Principles of Pilates. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or observations. Do these help or have influenced your workout? Do you teach and have further insights? Are any one or more of these principles harder or easier for you to attain? Reach out! I'd love to hear from you!

Until next time,

Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia xo

Loving One Another: Communication

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 17:28:30 GMT

Communicate : v. 1 to make another or others partakers of; impart; transmit, as news, a disease, or an idea. 2 to administer the communion to. 3 to make or hold communication. 4 to be connected, as rooms. 5 to ANNOUNCE, GIVE, INFORM, PUBLISH.

Communication : n. 1 the act of communicating; intercourse; exchange of ideas, conveyance of information, etc; correspondence. 2 that which is communicated; a letter or message. 3 means of communicating, as a highway or passage; also a telephone, telegraph, or radio system, etc. 4 eucharistic communion.

It's taken me a while to gather my thoughts and feeling for this blog. I originally wanted to write a second blog on abandonment. It turned into communication, and that has taken its own journey.

In keeping communication in mind, I am called to remember a saying about boundaries: "Boundaries are where I can love both you and me simultaneously" . But what happens when there's a breakdown or a glitch or the pendulum swung so far it got stuck? How can we communicate truth in a loving way? You can't make someone understand, you can only give them the information. What happens when someone is in a space they can't communicate, for whatever reason? I titled this "Loving One Another" for a reason. How can we accomplish being Loving in all these areas?

In my last blog, a deep childhood wound had come to the surface. Abandonment. There wasn't communication. I had no idea what was happening. I was never told what really happened. No one ever apologized. Life went on like nothing happened. It left me feeling like I did something wrong. That I was unworthy. The consistent theme that I noticed recently in the many forms of abandonment that have come up, is that I felt I did something wrong or hurtful that caused the action, and the loss of a loved one forever is the feeling that follows. It's come up for healing. I learned to abandon myself, in being abandoned. I also learned to abandon myself for what others needed, and that I will need to grovel if I want to be loved.

Back to communication . Using my childhood trauma as an example, we can see a few aspects of where communication would have greatly helped the situation. If you didn't read the blog, as a young child my parents had a fight at a party, left without saying anything to me and I was being watched by strangers. Little to no communication of what was happening.

We see that lack of communication has a lot to do with the state of where a person is in their life. It has to do with their mental and emotional maturity. Although someone is "adult", it doesn't mean they're perfect or have all the answers or even act "adult" in every situation. It's their commitment to standing in love, instead of fear, that makes the mental and emotional maturity have life. In our brains, we understand that other people are going through things we don't understand on a certain level. Another human being will gain understanding by expressing those feeling and ideas. When that expression doesn't happen, we are left trying to fill in the blanks. That feeling of filling in the blanks can be clouded by our own traumas instead of truth.

We see that that if there would have been even a little communication on my parent's end, the trauma could have been less painful and traumatic. I might have had some understanding of what happened. I may not have understood what they were going through, but at least the situation wasn't ignored. Some effort to express feelings or acknowledge someone else's feelings. At least I wouldn't have been ignored. I deserved an apology. It was a hurtful thing to do, even though it wasn't meant to be hurtful. An apology would have helped. How else is someone supposed to know without guessing? Intuitive or not, you shouldn't leave people guessing. You shouldn't have to sit there and guess. If that happens, reach out. Lately my experience has been left with utter silence, but that isn't always the case. At least I tried to be loving.

Lack of communication wasn't lack of love for me, I'm realizing. Lack of communication was lack of love and maturity they needed to do, internally. Lack of communication in this manner to another human being is lack of self on their part. They didn't abandon me, they abandoned themselves.

Finally! Clarity! I am able to let go of the pain. It is not me! It's been a hard experience. It will probably happen again in my life. Now I have a place where I can manage the experience differently. At least now I have some peace. Now it makes more sense in my soul. I kept being told it wasn't me, and in my head I understood. My heart and soul kept hurting deeply. In healing my childhood wounds, I know my parents loved me. Looking back, in has been a long correction of how they didn’t love themselves and how those bleed onto others, especially the ones we love.

The simple truth. I knew it was there, I just needed my little girl to feel it and let it heal. She is happy again. I see their pain more clearly now.

I hope for anyone who has had to deal with the pain of abandonment, bullying and ghosting, they may find some clarity and peace in understanding with my own revelations. It is their lack of love and maturity for themselves they are suffering. Find that space for yourself in that moment and love that little wounded child. They need you to be the loving adult that may never return.

Sending so much Love, Peace, Light and Hope your way! "This is the way….."

Julia xo

Breath

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Wed, 03 Jan 2024 04:29:10 GMT

BREATH "All exercises are done with Rhythm of the breath (and heartbeat). We inhale on the point of effort to send fresh oxygen to the muscles when they most need it. (However, this is not always a must.) We stress the exhalation, wring all the stale air out of the lungs, like you would "wring a wet towel dry." (The Pilates Studio Teacher Training Manual/1997)

BREATH "All exercises are done with Rhythm of the breath (and heartbeat). We inhale on the point of effort to send fresh oxygen to the muscles when they most need it. (However, this is not always a must.) We stress the exhalation, wring all the stale air out of the lungs, like you would "wring a wet towel dry." (The Pilates Studio Teacher Training Manual/1997)

Interesting how breathing, a basic life function that's so basic we don't even have to think about it for it to function, is more towards what I consider an advanced point of the Six Principles of Pilates.

When I started the program, a little over twenty years ago, I had what doctors considered slight asthma. I had been prescribed an inhaler, but I didn’t like to use it. It was a steroid, and I would feel shakey in my body after it's use. I was probably still an apprentice when I was re-evaluated. They didn't detect the asthma. It was gone. I swear by the breathing exercises I learned.

Now, in this definition we have above, I feel it exhibits the advanced version of Breathing. You are moving through the exercises so well it just flows with your breath. You see the dance. When you're first starting out, you're just learning how to move and breathe properly.

In the regime, there are "breathing" specific exercises. I mentioned this in a previous blog, "Don't Forget to Breathe". Some of the basic breathing exercises are: The 100, The Roll Up, Double Leg Stretch and Spine Stretch Forward. Learning to breathe and move through these exercises is a lot of work. Just the mental focus of the breathing, let alone having to connect it to movement. (And remember, just the movement alone is hard to do and connect in your body). I often break down the breathe and then add the movement. Sometimes I just move the client and articulate the breath later. As we love to say in the teaching centers, it depends . It depends on what I see in the body and the client.

Just the act of a simple breathing exercise, that isn't even Pilates specific, can be an intense workout. I like starting off a mat class with an exercise my Spiritual teacher does when starting us into meditation. It's a way to calm the nervous system. I believe even psychologists teach this to clients. All you do is inhale for four counts and hold your breath. Then exhale four counts. Do this three times. It’s not Pilates, but I find it's helpful for learning how to pay attention to your body. I like to add in my Pilates, though, and have them thinking about engaging their Powerhouses and not letting their bodies move around too much. As you become advanced, there's minimum of movement. That includes within your body, too.

Many people don't breathe. Some people are aware of themselves in this fashion, some have no idea until you point it out. Then they laugh or are surprised. "That's hard", they say! "I can't breathe", they say. Ahh, yes my little grasshopper, now you are starting to learn.

Can you imagine working on breathing until your body just moves from this principle? That your movement and flow just breathe, like a lifting a sheet and watching it ripple and fall to the bed like magic? If this seems unlikely, my suggestion is you need to work a little harder on your breathing specific exercises. Work them until you wring every last drop of air out!

Who else has asthma and finds that their Pilates has helped? Anyone have asthma and would like to learn more? Who has made great strides in their breathing exercises? Reach out! I would love to hear from you!

Until next time, my Pilates Die-Hards. Next month will be our last principle, Flow. Everyone's favorite, yet not easily understood or executed properly.

Stay tuned….Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia

Finding my own Light: Abandonment

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Sun, 03 Dec 2023 20:15:55 GMT

“We all have an inner light waiting to guide us home. But sometimes the Universe turns off all the lights, so we have no choice but to find our own.”

― Rebecca Campbell, Light is the New Black: A Guide to Answering Your Soul's Callings and Working Your Light

a-ban-doned adj. 1 Deserted; left behind; forsaken. 2 Unrestrained; without moderation. 3 Given over to dissolute practices; profligate; shameless. See synonyms under ADDICTED, BAD. (Funk & Wagnalls New Comprehensive International Dictionary of the English Language 1980)

This week, and these past few years, has been very hard in terms of letting people go. Those of us who have abandonment issues and are Lightworkers (those of us who are aware of our commitment and journey here on Earth), have been deep diving into the depths of our souls. To say it's been excruciating I believe is an understatement. Those of us who consider ourselves Lightworkers, or souls aware of this spiritual journey, have already gone through what we call "The Dark Night of the Soul". It's the start of your awakening. It's really what the world has been forced into in recent years. Because all of us are souls and we are all called to remember. Those of us who are more conscious and have been doing attentive work towards the effort of bringing Heaven to Earth (even though it's already here), have had an extra hard time adjusting to the deeper lessons we thought we have already learned. We're here to help teach you about the many layers. And we are experiencing the deep layers, currently.

I grew up in a household that was sad, angry, violent, lonely. I'm a Gen-X'er. I probably have an easier story than many of my peers, and yet, I too deal with the repercussions of our generation. My mother was an alcoholic and would get into fist fights with my father. It would usually end with her fleeing with me in the night, only to return home to an empty house. I was probably between 5-7 years old when a bulk of this was happening. A recent event has me remembering an instance in those years.

We were up at the local Knights of Columbus, where my father was a member. We were there often, almost like a second home. His council was active in those days. This night must have been close to Christmas, as the Lutheran church across the street would do a live nativity the weekend before the 25th of December. They've been doing the live nativity for over 40 years. I don't remember much of this particular night. My parents were obviously fighting. I remember feeling tension, not knowing or understanding what was going on. I vaguely remember them being there and then gone. Maybe someone explained it to me? I don't remember. We were probably at the K of C Christmas party. All I remember is throwing up and having one of the young girlfriends from the council take me across the street to see the nativity scene. I think she said my parents would be back. I just remember being scared and sick to my stomach. I think I got home that night, but don't remember how or with whom? I don’t remember anything after. I just remember that horrible feeling. Where were my parents? Where did they go? What was happening? I didn't understand. Did they know where I was? Did they know who was taking care of me? What was going on? I was scared and sick, and the people who were supposed to love me the most and protect me were gone. The woman I didn't know may have communicated a general explanation. I remember her trying to be nice. I mostly remember the horrible feeling.

This memory was triggered this week, with yet another abandonment. The deep, horrible pain returned. Why? On many levels, why??? Did I need to learn this again ? Well, obviously I did, or it wouldn't be coming up, again . Abandonment issues often come from being neglected as a child. We tend to grow up people pleasing or taking care of others, searching for the love we didn't receive. Our self-worth is small. We tend to live in financial lack. If we choose, our life becomes a series of identifying, understanding and healing of these wounds. The healing, as many people who choose to heal, will relay it happens on many levels.

Why is this coming up again? Why now? On a surface level, I get that it's their issue, for whatever reason, and has nothing to do with their love or appreciation for me or my self-worth. On the surface, that's what I tell myself. And yet, the few times it has happened recently, that deep pain comes back. I feel scared and alone, wondering what I did wrong. I didn't do anything wrong. My logical mind understands. My deep, broken heart is saying something completely different. That's the part I need to heal. I need to sit with my feelings. Give myself time to cry and be angry. Find peace by forgiving how I feel "wronged" or abused. Understand that my trauma feelings and my intuition are separate, and to see the difference, clearly. And let time unfold the mystery. Other adults have traumas, too, that they need to heal. They may choose to heal, or not. I have to be the adult in my life and take care of my little, broken child. Love myself the way a parent, or the Divine would love a child who is hurting and not understanding. This self-love breaks open our hearts more, so that we may become fully centered to love unconditionally. There is no opening your heart without feeling ever more deeply. It gets harder every time, and yet, it heals so much faster every time, too.

"You open your heart knowing that there's a chance it may be broken one day and in opening your heart, you experience a love and joy that you never dreamed possible."

- Bob Marley

So, I'm called to find my own Light, right? I'm called back to Love myself, again . This will continue to happen until nothing shines but the Light. I can help teach others by my own journey. They, too, will heal from their wounds and have the courage and knowledge to find their own Light, as well. That's all we truly are, Love and Light. Nothing else really exists, and it's always a process in breaking down that illusion. The truth will reveal a Love beyond words.

With so much Love, Light and Blessings, I hope this is found by those who need to know they are never alone, and you are Loved to your core.

Julia, xo

“I believe that your tragedies, your losses, your sorrows, your hurt happened for you, not to you. And I bless the thing that broke you down and cracked you open because the world needs you open.”

― Rebecca Campbell, Light is the New Black: A Guide to Answering Your Soul's Callings and Working Your Light

Precision

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Sun, 03 Dec 2023 20:15:39 GMT

"We have a brain for one reason and one reason only -- that’s to produce adaptable and complex movements. Movement is the only way we have affecting the world around us… I believe that to understand movement is to understand the whole brain. And therefore it’s important to remember when you are studying memory, cognition, sensory processing, they’re there for a reason, and that reason is action." - Daniel Wolper, neuroscientist

PRECISION " The exercises were designed with a precise goal in mind to reach the full benefit of each and every exercise. You must pay the utmost attention to detail. All exercises have a clear structure, a precise form, and an optimal dynamic. Work with quality instead of quantity." (The Pilates Studio Teacher Training Manual/1997)

Our fourth Principle in the Pilates Method is PRECISION . It's very interesting to me as I write this definition out. It's probably a good reason why those of us trained "classically" are such sticklers when it comes to the regime. It's so the opposite of what is taught in gyms or gym like settings. And why teachers like me are so irritated with how those classes are taught. Gyms are the "wham, bam, thank you ma'am" of fitness. They are the McDonalds of Pilates, along with some other boutique studios. WHAM, BAM, thank you MA'AM! Reminds me of that saying about "You are what you eat, so don't be cheap, fast or easy".

THIS is the huge difference between what Romana and Sari taught, and what the other "lattices" teach. THE BODY!!! It's the hardest part to understand, in my opinion. Who wants to go so deep into their body and understand? Most people aren't that deep on a daily basis. Pilates is deep . Like you've dug all the way to China and you're tapping on the surface and wondering how you can go deeper. Deep. Learning and understanding your own body, internally as well as externally, is hard. Most people aren't interested in this work. Ever. Which is fine, to each their own. To master your Pilates work, this aspect cannot be overlooked.

“All that is important is this one moment in movement. Make the moment important, vital, and worth living. Do not let it slip away unnoticed and unused.”

― Martha Graham

The Body. The illusive wonderment of the Pilates world. It's often argued that anatomy should be taught. Joseph Pilates didn't teach anatomy. "He was the genius, not you", Romana and Sari would exclaim. Maybe you should learn it the way he invented. Understand what the exercises are for and look to where you can apply them to your client. Joseph Pilates used to make people with rods in their spines do "Rolling like a Ball". I know, because his clients followed Romana and we used to teach them as apprentices. (BTW, some of the ugliest Pilates you've ever seen. But they did the advanced work!) It's very hard for newbie teachers and "Contemporary" teachers to understand this concept. And yet it goes right into understanding the Precision part of the principles. Now, learning your body, internally, may be helped by learning anatomy. By all means, you should learn it, if it helps you. But it's not necessary at all to understand and apply the method of Contrology. As my Healing teacher, Pat Longo, says about healing , "If you want to learn Reiki, learn it. But it's not necessary to do energy healing". It's the same idea in Pilates.

I would argue learning the body is the intuitive part. In Pilates, we learn about the Five Parts of the Mind: Intuition, Will, Memory, Intelligence and Imagination. Actually, learning the body also takes Imagination and Intelligence, too. And my smart mouth wants to chime in that the "intelligence" part is another reason why people don't want to be bothered. Or maybe it's the lack of Will? That, too, is hard for many people. I feel this has a lot to do with courage and fear, and most people pick fear. Learning the body from your inside out takes Intuition, Intelligence and Imagination. It takes your Will to create and execute.

In my experience, the best teachers who worked hard within understanding their own bodies, learned how to teach other people's bodies. In the program, we had to adhere to a certain level of body awareness. We had to learn the advanced work, or we wouldn't graduate. We had to keep our bodies healthy and trim. As apprentices and teachers, we are often working out constantly to dig out layers of understanding in our own bodies. We did that every 200 hours in our Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced levels.

Your workout will have a different focus in your body, depending on what your body is working on in that moment. Are you working on strength in your Intermediate mat? Flexibility on your Advanced Reformer? Do you have an injury or aliment that needs attention and what exercises should you leave alone and what exercises should you add more focus? Currently, I grapple with learning Pilates in my body. I have lower back pain, which before I had this issue, I was really good at teaching to clients. Now, my workout is the one I would teach a client. Frustrating for someone who has done the advanced work and just wants to move. And, just adds to the precision of my workout. It's not cookie cutter WHAM, BAM, THANK YOU MA'AM exercise. I have to pay a lot of attention to how I'm executing a move inside my body, not just the execution of said move. That type of precision and consciousness is a lot of work, and not easily preformed in vigorous and straining manner.

How are you enjoying the Six Principles of Pilates thus far? Are you learning anything new? Do you have experience in applying these principles to your workout? Do you have anything to add from your experience or do you have any questions? I would love to hear from you!

Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia, xo

"I believe that the unity of mind and body is an objective reality. They are not just parts somehow related to each other, but an inseparable whole while functioning. A brain without a body could not think … the muscles themselves are part and parcel of our higher functions". - Moshe Feldenkrais

What is in My Control?

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Tue, 07 Nov 2023 22:31:25 GMT

"When you can’t control what’s happening, challenge yourself to control how you respond to what’s happening. That’s where your power is."

What a horrible concept of not having control. Of anything . On my spiritual journey, this has been something I've had to work on, hard. I have many traumas and it's not only been a trauma response, it's also been a learned way of dealing with life. Coming to realize over and over again, that this concept or practice has nothing to do with life. Life, just is…..

As I was deciding to write this blog, I wanted it to reflect my Pilates blog. I wanted , should be emphasized. On my journey, I've had to learn to stop, listen and follow my intuition. I'm getting better with this feeling . As I said, "I wanted" to write this blog, and I stopped and asked, "Is this what you want me to write about?", instead. So I wrote my first line and closed my computer. Ok God, my Spirit Guides, my angles, my loved ones, what would you like me to write about? Sure enough, guidance arrived.

Today in my mat class, a client was mentioning the tv show, The Chosen. (By the way, if you haven't seen this show, I highly suggest a watch!) She explained about how she was listening to Dallas Jenkins talk about filming for the third season. It was actually referred to by "Red Sea" moments. Basically they were trying to film scenes and either the weather or timing of a scene with natural light was seemingly not working. Then, they would have that moment! You know, when everything pulls together! Magically or miraculously. God's timing. Divine timing. You just keep showing up and trusting and it all works out. But that's the thing, it doesn't always feel like that when you're in midst. That's why you have to keep going. Keep showing up. The best way you are able.

When you have been taught not to trust, and further have traumas that make it even harder to trust, the idea of control is hard to dissolve and let go. It often takes many lessons, and many different versions of lessons to learn where all the traumas are that need to be healed. One thing that I look back on that helped me immensely was A Course in Miracles, The Workbook. It helped me break down everything I was looking at and what I was seeing . I don't usually think to mention this tool when discussing control. I don't generally discuss control. It doesn't even hit my radar. But it used to! It used to be all I thought about. I'd even joke about how I'm a Capricorn and control is an issue for us. But on my spiritual journey, and all I've had to surrender, I guess that's been an aspect that has been greatly healed. Again, I'm still learning lessons, so it takes me there every so often. But it's more about me stopping, listening and following my guidance. I've found that the deeper I go into the lesson, the better my overall attitude about the given situation is handled with more grace and peace. Every time.

Let's take the current situation. My finances. They've been a problem before, and, I have made great strides in overcoming all these years in my journey. Just like any other issue or problem, it's temporary. I'm always taken care of; I'm always guided and even the last-minute miracle is becoming less stressful. I'm falling into the groove. I trust. As they say, "So far you've lived through 100% of your days". Right? I'm still here. And who knows, I learn this lesson and next time maybe the lesson is with romantic relationships. (*Insert hysterical face*, there's another lesson that always feels like a lesson *insert not amused face*).

It's learning the "control" part is me, how I move and feel. There's nothing else. Everything else is an illusion. I believe it's part of why we are so taken out of "ourselves". There's more control connecting within, and further, with God/The Universe/Source than there is in "this" illusion. It's just an illusion. Control is an illusion. And when we internalize that feeling, we are unable to be controlled.

So, do you have an issue with control? How do you handle this in your daily life? Would you like to share what works for you, or what doesn't work? Does anyone identify with how I've been feeling on my journey? Do you have stories you'd like to share or get clarity on? I'm here for you. Reach out.

Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia xo

Control

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Tue, 07 Nov 2023 22:26:14 GMT

CONTROL: When the work is done from the center and with full concentration, you are in control of the movements performed. We do not let habit-most often wrong-or gravity take over. Joseph Pilates called his method " Art of Contrology" .

The third in our series of The Six Principles of Pilates is Control . Contrology , what Joseph Pilates called his method, is the "art of control". (Romana would always remind us that "He didn't want it named after himself!". Mind/Body connection. Willful execution of precise movement. If that sounds like a lot of work, you are 100% correct! It's one of the reasons I feel most people don't like Pilates. Not only are the movements hard to execute, but the effort to make it a beautiful dance is a whole other category. And when you see advanced Pilates at it's finest, that's exactly what it is, a beautiful dance.

Control. Sounds like something we need to get away from in life. Yet, when you truly understand the concept of "control", what you are really understanding is how it is executed, right? Like, control is not having "control" over others or situations. "Control" is having a deep connection within us. Spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically. Again, a lot of work! Who wants to do that? When you start looking at the first three principles, you start to see that it's not just a bunch of exercises. You start to see and understand the method and the deep workout.

Think of all the mindless garbage that consumes our everyday lives. Go ahead, make a list. What jumps off the top of your head is easy. Anytime we are creating a new habit, think of all the work it takes to focus on just doing that one new habit! Maybe you consume three coffee's a day, and now you are only consuming two. Think of what it takes to make that happen until it starts to feel normal or comfortable . You have to go within yourself. It becomes a meditation. And mindful movement is just that, a mediation. A moving meditation. Get where it can become a beautiful dance? In movement and real life?

If you're someone like me, "control" can be a bit of an issue. I can overdue that aspect, if I'm not careful. This is where the more advanced principle of Flow becomes something I need to strive for, to get me moving and out of my head. I can overthink and not move or look to be so precise that I can beat an exercise to death. And that's not overall how Pilates is done. It's good to have laser focus when working on an exercise that may be harder for you to do, but your whole workout shouldn't be just a few exercises. Your workout should be as much as you can possibly do within an hour's time. That's how Romana taught, that's how Sari teaches. You have to be careful with wanting too much control. You know, just like real life. It can be harmful.

And if you're the opposite of me, and need to find a little control, maybe this principle is the one you work on a little more. For you, this may feel like you're being slowed down. It's probably not as bad as it feels. You're just not used to the feeling, and the best way to do Pilates is to feel !

Where are you in your Pilates workout? Are you familiar with this notion and execution in your movement? Feel free to reach out with any questions. I'd love to hear from you!

Love, Light, Pilates and Blessings,

Julia xo

Love Letter to Myself

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 21:08:55 GMT

“I'm not here to grant you the extraordinary love you never had for yourself. I'm here, on my own accord, to love you. So that when you stare into my mirror eyes, you may see how extraordinary you are.”
― Kamand Kojouri

A fellow Lightworker/Psychic/Medium reached out this past Sunday. I had a reading with her earlier this year, and she reaches out every once in a while, with a message or directive. This Sunday she text, "Write a love letter to yourself". Funny she text that to me as I've been re-evaluating "who I am".

Who am I? This journey into my healing and becoming a Healer has left me feeling that I don't really feel like "me", or at least that's my awareness lately. What is "me" is now? I don't know. I'm identifying and trying to find remnants of things I used to like about myself. I made a list to help me start. I only had a few before I started to write what "I used to" like/do/feel. It was interesting to look at the list and feel like it was stuff I hated about myself, too. I left the list and what I noticed. I figured I'd come back after letting it stew and see what I would write when I returned.

I came back the next day and wrote the following. It just flowed. I didn't feel like it was "me" writing. I'm sure it was guided.

Dearest Julie,

Why I love you so much…...I love your childlike, playful energy. The kind that lights up a room, makes everyone smile, and carries them through the day. The energy that is sweet and caring like this world doesn't exist. The kind of energy that has reckless abandon whilst holding dear that God has you. I LOVE THAT ENERGY!

I love how you love so deep, it hurts. And that you're willing to take on that hurt if someone else can feel better, if only for a moment. I love how you are willing to go to the ends of the Earth for the people you love. That's a courage that most people are lucky to dream about. I love your courage. I love your strength. It was built very special in just you. You were made very special to help others, especially in your soul group. You and your Twin were made to be two sides of the same coin. You are the same.

I love when you are just being yourself. Again, you are very special, and that Light that you carry is stunning. It scares a lot of people who don't know that about themselves, and it makes you feel like crawling inside. You have to be you! You are a very special gift. Even if they are not in a perspective to see the gift. Life is a gift and not everyone knows how to really live.

I love when you are singing and dancing and playing. That is where you feel like "you". Remember that and remember to do that often. You are "too" adult because you feel like that's all you have now. It's not true. YOU are all you have now, and YOU like to live. Take time daily to listen to music, even for a little while and let yourself sing and dance. There's always time.

I love how connected you are to the other side, to God, to your angels and Spirit Guides. Your family. We are all here, cheering you on. You ARE doing what you are called to do. Trust. Even when others don't understand. We are here holding you, too. We know you know, and that you'd like that to be more in the 3D. It's coming. And not months down the road. Now. It's happening now, and faster than it seems. Just keep opening your heart and connecting to Love. It's coming in fast. And it's going to be overwhelming how much Love is coming.

Lastly, I love that you are constantly trying to Love yourself and find ways to expand your practice in that Love. It will continue all your life, and you will continue to grow. That's what you do, even when you're not enjoying the journey and feeling comfortable. Yet you continue to keep Loving others and yourself. You should be proud. I LOVE YOU.

Your Higher Self

I would add my sarcastic whit. It's something I've stifled a bit in ordered to be "nicer" to people, thinking maybe I was being mean. I've been assured I'm not going to hurt anyone. And I've decided I need to let my mouth rip again when presented with such a situation.

I hope this finds those to who need here how they are wonderful and Loved. You are. I hope this finds people like me or on a similar journey and need to hear they aren't the only ones feeling this way. You aren't. I hope you find the time to try this exercise yourself. Let me know your results. I'd love to hear from you.

Until next time, Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia

Concentration

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 21:03:37 GMT

CONCENTRATION: "To fully benefit from the workout, the exercises are executed with focused concentration. It is the mind that guides the body. The exercises are not done haphazardly or on autopilot. We center the mind with the body in action. We bring the five aspects of the mind into the workout: intelligence; intuition; imagination; will and memory." (The Pilates Studio Teacher Training Manual/1997)

"Es ist der Geist, der sich den Korper baut" Fredrich Schiller. "It is the mind (spirit) that guides the body." This quote was posted on our chalkboard when I was an apprentice. It was translated as above, although it may also read, "It is the mind that builds the body.". We would also discuss the five parts of the mind in apprentice meetings, too. We would joke that "memory" was always the one we would forget. Of course, the spiritual side of me really appreciates that "mind" and "spirit" are synonymous.

Concentration is the second of the Six Principles of Pilates. It is the focused effort to center the mind and body together to move your workout. It's not about just flailing the body through the exercises. It's about paying attention and adding effort to creating movement. It's a like specialized dance. When you watch advanced Pilates, that's what it looks like, a dance. It doesn't look like a workout anymore. It takes a lot of focused effort to make your body do the movements precisely.

This principle of Pilates can be lost by many. Not everyone wants to do this work. And it is work! Why would anyone want to when "mat" classes are rampant in gyms where it's mixed with other modalities and called "Pilates". They just want to "burn". They just want fast, hard movement where they don't have to think. Not everyone will be able to concentrate. There are people who have disorders and issues that make this principle harder to attain. When in a private, I move them as safely through the workout as possible. They are adults and need to be minorly aware of their own responsibility.

Back to learning Pilates. I often have beginners just work on paying attention to their body. That's hard enough, let alone remembering the order and equipment setup. Although, that is also part of the work. It takes a decent level of awareness to realize that all of that work falls on the student/client. And that works takes years to perfect. The order becomes pretty clear, as it never changes. That's easier to grasp as you go along. The equipment setup is the last element. The lifelong commitment to learning your body never ends. That is more advanced, so even a person doing "beginner" work for years is hopefully working at an advanced level years later. You will always do "Footwork", but how you did it when you first started, as opposed to months or years later should be different.

Some people will never commit to this level of learning, no matter how long they have been doing Pilates. That's ok. It's their workout. Some people just come in because it's their way of being social, or some people just figure if they show up, they've committed enough. They can be and do whatever they like, and they are where they are in life. Just like the rest of us. The six principles outline the workout and where it can take you, if you'd like to go. Some people will skip a few principles. Some of us work diligently on all of the principles. It's your workout, what is your focus?

I'd love to hear from you and your workout. Do you have a focus? What is your favorite thing about Pilates? What don't you like? Is there anything you'd like to see or do that you'd like more information on, whether it's an exercise or execution? Where are you in your level?

I'm here if you need to reach out, so reach out. Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia, XO

Finding Oneself

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 13:22:48 GMT

"If you want to change the world, change yourself." Mahatma Gandhi

This life we are given, that we chose, is a journey. And I say journey because it's a far more positive outlook than what it actually feels like to be currently living in this realm. I signed on knowing full well what it would entail. I agreed to come here and follow steps to constantly uncover the truth . My truth. Universal Truth.

This never-ending process has been working on myself, even when I thought I was just fixing a situation or circumstance. I've been on this constant journey to heal traumas that disguised themselves as being a part of me. A pain that needed to be loved. A fear that needed to be dispelled. They were just illusions I needed to see past. And for as long as I live, there will always be something to work on. They get easier as you learn, for the most part. Some get revisited a few times to discover another layer, a more advanced level.

I had a fellow Lightworker describe this journey like a spiral, or that old school design "Spirograph". Where you travel inside and then back out. It can be intricate, or it can be simple. It's an ebb and flow of movement that constantly brings you back to center.

So, I wanted to relate my Pilates blog this month about "centering" to "finding oneself". The journey within. I feel like we hear that phrase, and we get the general idea. Go inside. Yet, the painstaking travel it takes to follow through with learning to go within has more depth and meaning than can be described in one short blog. How do you go within?

My quick take is following through with all the lessons you have to learn. This is when you realize over and over again that there is absolutely nothing that is outside of yourself. NOTHING! And each lesson helps to reiterate that point. It's a breakdown of the illusion that we are separate from God/Source. It's reinforcing the fact we truly would never hurt another because we are only hurting ourselves.

Dolores Cannon talked about our lessons and free will. She said that you don't have to do any work, for all of eternity. Do you really want that? Do you want to hang out in grade school while all of your friends are going off to high school, and college and getting married?

We think we're making things easier by not working on our lessons, or by ignoring the lessons. They will always be present, until you decide. Or not decide. How does that make you feel? What do you choose? Do you know where to begin?

I think the journey within is individual. For each of that, it will look different. Again, I say it has to do with learning lessons. That's my experience. My evolution. Maybe it's a quieting of the mind. A meditation. Maybe facing fears or discovering self-worth. I think this list can be endless. This journey to remember.

Have you started this journey? Do you have tips or insights you'd like to share? Do you have questions or concerns moving forward? Reach out! I'd love to hear from you!

Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia

Centering

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 13:18:22 GMT

CENTERING: "The main focus point of the Method. All the work starts from and is sustained through the CENTER. Joseph Pilates called this center your "Powerhouse". We work around the CENTER LINE. Two straight lines run through and perpendicular to this Center Line: one from shoulder to shoulder; one from hip to hip. We call this the Frame or box. This framework centers the body in all actions. (The Pilates Studio Teacher Training Manual/1997)

Centering is one of the Six Principles of Pilates. In order they read: Centering, Concentration, Control, Precision, Breath, Flow. Looking at them, one gets an idea of how the Method works. There is an order and design of development. Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced. You can envision the whole, and yet see where an individual may work. They are always all worked on in a session, and yet, there is more focus depending on the student/client working.

Back to Centering. Being taught by Romana and Sari, this is the constant focus. Everything came back to this spot, no matter how advanced you were in your body or the Method. Granted, the more advanced the individual, the less they are only focusing on Centering. At that point, they are more working on Precision, Breath and Flow. That's why when you see Advanced Pilates, it looks like a dance.

I find Centering one of the hardest principles, ideas, to get across to a client. Luckily, it's something I've had to work hard on from the inside out. I have Scoliosis. My "natural" center is sitting off to my left hip, and twisting/collapsing in my left side. When I would be adjusted on the Reformer, it felt off or uneven. Uncomfortable. I would move my body back to what felt comfortable. Until my teacher had me look at my body during the correction, I didn't understand. It didn't feel correct. Yet visually, I could see the correction that needed to be made. It was working to hold all of that and do the movement. See the progression: Centering, Concentration, Control.

This is where I try to guide clients. Through this feeling. Because I believe one of the best ways to do Pilates is feeling ! And that can be a challenge, too. Not everyone understands their own feelings. Right? There's a book by Louise Hay, "You Can Heal Your Life", where she guides you to understand feeling in your body. We all have feelings, and yet even when we are consciously working on them, it's not always easy to distinguish.

I like to get clients feeling their body in many ways. One is by trying to make them aware of their body in a session. Sometimes it's just the act of paying attention. Not that you may be able to adjust anything in the body or exercise. The focus may just be awareness. If they have a decent awareness, I move the focus to feeling what the awareness. Some will be able to feel it, some not right away. Depending on what they are able to feel, I may move the said exercise to another piece of apparatus. The whole point of using the equipment is to help create an opposition in the body. If you can't seem to find it in one place, try another. Just like "real life". Sometimes it's not the apparatus you may use to find the body, it may be another exercise. Maybe you're doing trying to get them to carve into their Powerhouse, and yet to find out how to do that you may need to take them out of their Powerhouse. It's being open. It's being aware. It's being committed to doing the work.

Not all clients will be interested in doing this work. You try to read their body and move them forward safely. It doesn't mean they can't do more advanced exercises. It's just finding what will work, and give them a workout. Pilates is a workout!

How do you work on Centering in your body? What has helped you progress? What is it that still mystifies you? I would love to hear from!

Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia

Divine Feminine Rising!!!

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 18:23:53 GMT

I have become glaringly aware of how much I've downplayed myself and my self-worth! GLARINGLY!

In the Spiritual world, we talk about the Divine Feminine and the Divine Masculine . It describes "who we are" at our core. Love. Divine. Not the 3-D version of what a female or male we were led to believe. So, when we talk about the divine version, we are talking about remembering who we are "originally". And both female and male have work to do to break down the lies we've been taught. We are both on the rise! And my personal journey has felt amped up in the past few weeks.

Many of us working on reconnecting without Divinity have been doing this for some time. There has definitely been a stronger pull in the past few weeks. I have noticed it get super intense the past two to three weeks, even though there had been a heavy awareness for a few months. We are all working on this to eradicate the lies and deceit for all humanity. We are in the beginning stages.

As I stated, I've been doing this work for some time. I can easily say all my life, with strong focus the past ten years. It's been breaking down illusions and healing my traumas, in general. Recently, it's been pin pointed effort on my self-awareness, self-care and self-love. The self-love being the absolute hardest.

I have become glaringly aware of how much I've downplayed myself and my self-worth! GLARINGLY! My conscious brain, or what I believe to be my conscious brain, "knows" that I am worthy, and I know how many illusions I've broken down to this point. And wow, the amount I still have to eradicate!!! They say the amount of money in your bank account reflects your "self-worth". The issue of money has been a long-standing lesson in my life. I hate to use this comparison about money, because I'm sure this is not true of everyone. In my case, it's terrifically true! In the true sense of the word "terrific", meaning to terrify. Noticing this fact has sparked a spiral of awakening.

I have an excellent education. I graduated a top college in the United States, Cum Laude. I have not only been certified by a world-famous teacher in Pilates, I am also the student of another world-famous teacher. Two world famous teachers are also under my belt. Besides being self-motivated and always looking for endless information, I'm a lover of all things healing, spiritual, and arts related. My financial advisor said given my background, I should be making ten times my income. YES! I agree! And why has this been such a grueling problem???

My self-worth. Again, in my head I believe it to be true. And, the fact is, my broken inner child rears her head when confronted with apathetic "adults". My inner child still hears/thinks/believes no one sees me, no one will hear me, no one will stand up, no one will show up, no one will take action. I'm left all alone. I have to do it all on my own. It makes me want to not bother. It's hard to push through and have hope that I will actually find my people.

I've had the realizations that I really downplay myself when it comes to work. There, too, I learned I was only good enough only when I was supporting someone else in their effort. I was not supposed to receive it or else I was being conceited, or that my talents weren't really that special. Because I've noticed when I let myself shine, even those who love me and are well meaning will try to cut me down. I've realized they don't even realize their insecurities are getting their best. I've realized it's not as nasty and mean as I thought or felt in the past. I remember what I've learned about sitting with it and feeling the feeling. It makes the monster much smaller.

I've realized I really let myself get stopped by this feeling. It can make me frozen. Immobile. Not out of fear. I don't have too much of a problem moving through fear. The feeling of someone else's judgement knocks me off my feet more than I'd like to admit. I thought I didn't care what other people thought of me, and in many aspects this is true. When it comes to my integrity and truth, it destroys my heart because I know my heart is sterling. I know there are people out there just like me, but God help to help the people who aren't and He wants me to help!!! I've realized how debilitating it is to my soul.

I'm here to break the illusion. For myself. For other women. For all of us, so we remember again that we ARE LOVE. I always say, "We all come from Love. We all return to Love. Our journey here is to remember." The truth is, we never really left.

So, I'm forging through my fears, traumas and illusions. I know it will be magical. I'd like that magic to happen a little quicker, but as I said, it's been heightened recently. I'm sure it's about to snowball! I hope you stick around for the journey.

Let me know how you're doing on your journey! Any insights that you are experiencing? I would love to hear from you!

Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia

"Real" Pilates

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 18:14:26 GMT

Re-al adj. 2 Being in accordance with appearance or claim; genuine; not artificial or counterfeit. Funk and Wagnall/copyright 1980

What is Pilates??? An exercise regime invented by Joseph Pilates that stretches and strengthens the body. Originally named, Contrology.

What is real Pilates??? The actual regime that was taught by Joseph Pilates handed down to his students, known as "elders". There are five main elders: Eve Gentry, Kathy Grant, Ron Fletcher, Mary Bowen and Romana Kyrzanowska. The first four teachers mentioned, and a few that are also considered "elders" all point to Romana as the one who kept Uncle Joe's method the way he created. This is mostly referred to as "Classical" Pilates. Anyone trained under these teachers are "Classical" teachers. Not to be confused with "Contemporary" Pilates, which is a pilates-eque type exercise.

Why are there different types of Pilates? Joseph Pilates had much forethought into his inventions. He had a patent on his equipment. He wrote a book called "Contrology", not "Pilates". He was distinctive in telling Romana that he didn't want anything named after him, especially when we would go over our stances. Some people stand "heels together, toes apart", and it's widely called Pilates Stance . Romana was very adamant that he didn't want his name used, and not to call it "Pilates Stance"! Unfortunately, he didn't have the forethought to copyright his method. By the time Romana had the idea to do so, she lost the battle in court. It's very similar to Yoga. If you learn about Yoga, there are a few main schools. I believe five to be exact? They also lost a copyright for the work due to time lapse. Too many people had learned what they learned and went on with whatever they were doing. Unless you look up information on the matter, you wouldn't know. Many people go into doing exercise and diets because it’s a fad and they hear it's good to do for the body.

Why are we making a distinction? I take pride that I'm well trained by a world-famous teacher. I taught in the studio alongside her, and my 600 hours of certification were in training Joseph Pilates clients who followed Romana. There's a huge difference in what I learned as opposed to "Contemporary" Pilates. I don’t want pooh pooh others. Some have worked very hard for what they teach, and they teach a good workout. And some have learned it in a weekend course. The Pilates world is small, even though its name has become a well-known. There should be a distinction. Wouldn't you want to know if you're eating pure sugar or eating a "sweetener"? And you should know to make an educated choice.

What type of Pilates do you do? Did you know there was a difference? Would you be willing to learn differently than you've been taught?

I would love to hear from you!

Many Blessings,

Julia, XO

My Story: A Healer's Journey

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Tue, 03 Jan 2023 20:55:08 GMT

"My name is Julia Hartstein and "I carry the water."

In my "Intro to Healing" class, I tell my story. As it may sound unfortunate to many, it's a great teaching tool on how we can personally heal with only the help of our own faculties and God's Infinite Love. My journey hasn't been easy. That being said, I am utterly grateful and proud that I am able to share with you for your best and highest good, and the best and highest good of all concerned these words.

My name is Julia Hartstein and "I carry the water." There's a saying about those who carry the water, they've been to Hell and back. I, (We), carry the water for others so that they may not burn.

I was born and raised in Queens, NY. The Melting Pot of the World! It's the most diverse city with over 161 ethnic backgrounds in its dwelling. I am an only child. My mother was a recovering alcoholic. Before her recovery, I grew up in an atmosphere of my parents getting into fist fights. I would lock myself in the bathroom because it was the only room in the house with a working lock. Often these fights ended with my mother taking me and fleeing, driving around all night trying to find a safe space, often times returning to an empty home. This happened during my early years. I'm probably remembering from about 5-7 years old.

Grade school was a nightmare. I was thee "one" that everyone picked on, even the "nerds". I remember thinking that if I was dead, everyone would be happy. I had about 56 absences in the 7th grade. I would beg my mother to let me stay home. I remember walking home one day on Bell Blvd. and a group of boys from class were pulling my skirt up and grabbing me and flicking my hair. I screamed. People looked but did nothing. The boys just laughed and ran off. One time in midst of changing classes. I was pushed into a wall with my already broken arm and then asked, "Are you ok?" whist this person was laughing. My mom knew, the teachers knew, rarely anything was ever done.

My grandparents used to baby sit me before I was old enough to go to school. They were more like my "parents". Listening to me, watching over me, playing with me when I was at their home. My grandfather had a stroke when I was probably about five or six years old. It was his left brain that suffered the stroke, and he was paralyzed on his right side and bed ridden for six years. My mother used to go on weekends to help my grandmother bathe him and change the sheets. My grandparents died four months apart when I was in the 7th grade.

1987 was a stressful year, looking back. It was also the year my mother stopped drinking. She had picked me up from a babysitting appointment. She was crying and asking if she was yellow. I didn't understand at the time, but my mother had given herself Hepatitis. It was only a few months later both her parents died.

Since we're discussing my childhood, let's talk about my childhood friends and neighbors, two brothers. Two days before my 15th birthday I was raped for the first time by one. That's the one who I thought I loved. I say first time, because it happened multiple times by one or both. It was only a few months after the "first time" I tried to take my own life.

Let's fast forward about fifteen years when my father crossed over and I had to start taking care of my mother with dementia. Not only did I take care of her virtually by myself, I also took on her debt, over $330,000. I did this as I worked one or two days during the week and starting my business.

My story is someone else's survival guide. My life lessons can help others. Maybe you have been through similar circumstances. Maybe you've been though worse! And maybe you don't have any of these traumas and still understand what it's like to have deep hurt in your mind, body, soul. I share to help others.

I end the class saying "Blessings". I learned to do this from a class I took with Maryanne Williamson. It derives from a French word blessure , meaning 'wound". I wish you no wounds. When you know what it's like to truly hurt, you don't want others to feel the same.

Blessings My Friends on this journey in 3D. May we understand that this is all an illusion, and we are infinitely loved!

Julia, xo

Pre-Pilates

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Tue, 03 Jan 2023 20:54:56 GMT

"The Pilates Method teaches you to be in control of your body and not at its mercy." Joseph Pilates

I remember my first apprentice meeting after entering the program. You needed 75 pre-requisite sessions before you could even assess, and that didn't guarantee that you made it into the program. Apprentice meeting were usually an hour held by Sari Mejia-Santo, Romana's daughter and master teacher. She would ask if anyone had questions, so topics for discussion would be injuries, requirements for written test and the execution and reason for an exercise. Often "Pre-Pilates" would be discussed. Pre-Pilates ?!? What is that??? I freaked out! Everyone seemed to know what it was, and I felt too new to ask out loud.

Pre-Pilates is a set of exercises that are there to strengthen an injury or aliment. They can be done before your session to either help assess a client's mobility, or to help a client warm-up before their session. They are often given as "homework" exercises, too, and are also known as "T.V." exercises. (You know, back in the day when you had to watch T.V. commercials).

These exercises help to strengthen feet, ankles, knees, legs, lower back, wrists, hands, shoulders and neck. They are done standing, sitting and lying down. Now, doing some of these at home are hard depending on the client's living situation and their injury. I would think it sounds obvious that if you can't get down to the floor, more than likely you're not going to do an exercise that requires you lying flat, as a bed or sofa is not a viable option. Your teacher will help evaluate what may work for your circumstances.

Generally, in Pilates, we have a rule to leave an injury alone and then strengthen it at the end of a session. This is where we like to teach Pre-Pilates exercises, and whatever the person's body needs. I am in midst of doing videos on YouTube. Check out my channel and look to see the Pre-Pilates series: Clinging Grace Pilates - YouTube Like, comment, share and ask questions!

As always, I love hearing from you! Reach out! Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia xo

"You can say what Pilates is in three words. Stretch with strength and control. And the control part is the most important because that makes you use your mind." Romana Kryzanowska

My Worth, My Voice

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 17:35:17 GMT

".....I'm realizing that I feel what I say doesn't matter....."

It's a quest I find is a spiral in healing from my mother. I grew up with an alcoholic mother. Clearing her demons has been an ongoing process. I'm in midst of finding my voice! Speaking my truth. Understanding I am loved and supported on levels I am unfamiliar. I am in midst of finding another level of healing. It was explained to me by a fellow healer/psychic/medium that it's spirals in and out depending on where you are with your work. I am not only working on this for me, I am also working on it for my Twin Flame and ultimately, the collective.

They say the child of an alcoholic parent has "instant gratification" issues because if we weren't paid attention to in the first five minutes, it never happened. When I heard that statement it took three years off my life, no joke! And the part of not being paid attention to really hits on many levels. Very much now, more than before, I'm realizing that I feel what I say doesn't matter. Of course, my rational brain knows that's not true. And yet still deep down, I have a hard time pushing through to express myself and express myself properly.

As a child, I danced. Non-stop. Of course, that's also the Healer in me learning to move energy. You don't need to word your feelings, particularly on def ears. You just need to feel. Move. Vibrate. It was often done alone in my parent's bedroom, as it was large and unoccupied during the day. I was often shy and quiet. I needed to feel out the scene and make sure it was safe. It led to me being unnoticed by adults most of the time. Being an only child and not well integrated, I didn't have many friends to spend time and converse, and play. It has taken me a long time of speaking out, acting up and stumbling through to find my words. My voice.

Finding my voice was a huge leap in my Pilates training. We would practice with other apprentices and normally when you teach, you stand directly in front of a client/person. I stood off to the side. I didn't want to be seen or heard. I didn't want to be intrusive. I didn't want to bother the student. Very interesting as I write, noticing what that moment and feeling was in comparison to now. It's the same feeling I'm going through now. And funny moving from dance and being out in front of people to teaching, and now from teaching moving into being out in front on social media again to teach. Very funny, Spirit (insert sarcastic smile).

So, fast forward to now, I write blogs on my website and have social media accounts for Tik Tok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. I absolutely love writing and posting on TT/IG. I am mostly unseen or speaking. Writing gives me the time to choose my words wisely, mostly. TT and IG I mostly post memes. I find they are more relatable and easily accessible. Besides, I was posting videos with little response. I fucking HATE posting videos!!! HATE IT!!! I can't stand my voice. I don't like the way I speak or look. And even if I had someone videoing me and a body to teach, I still would slag in making videos. I was only doing it because I was called to by my Guides. I hate it! I can feel my teeth gripping and my body clenching thinking about making a video. The only reason I do it is in hopes to help other people. I could care less about having "followers". I want to help, and I want it to reach those that would find benefit in the help. I wasn't finding the videos helped, so I stopped posting.

It's also been a struggle with my "new" friends. I have a few people that are new in my life, and I find it a struggle. Not on their part. They have been very loving and generous. It's my end learning what to do and how to act when someone is being loving and generous. Especially from other women! My mother, not intentionally, was very controlling and manipulating when it came to being loving and generous. When she was being loving, it was for her to feel loved. And when my mother was being giving, it was to control me a certain way so she could get what she wanted. So now, when women who are in their true matriarchal power, just being loving and supportive, it feels like a trick! I just try to be loving and gracious and yet feel like it's not enough. That I'm not enough. That I'm not worthy. And I feel lonely and unwanted. It's not true. Again, my rational mind and my empathic heart says very differently. And yet, my DNA is being rewired to love myself on a deeper level. I'm learning that love gives you freedom. That it's "free". That I don't have to do anything in return. That I am worthy.

It is new territory for me, and I am learning to navigate. Crying and stumbling through, raw and trying to open, I am present. And that's a gift, right?

Wishing you all the gifts that life is looking to offer you in abundant blessings now, and in this coming new year!

Love and Light,

Julia, XO

The Price of Pilates

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 17:34:58 GMT

"We used to discuss in the certifying studio that it was $6 to have a private session with Uncle Joe back in the day....."

You know, when I started Pilates 22 years ago, a Private session cost $70. I believe there was a package price, too, but being rather light in my wallet, that price would've been further out of my budget.

I started taking sessions in an effort to become a teacher. You needed to have a minimum of 75 pre-requisite sessions. It took me two years and about four extra sessions with Sari, Romana's daughter, to take my assessment. Sari's sessions were a little more expensive, as she is a master teacher. It took me so long because of having funds available for the sessions.

As we're coming into the year 2023 and after living in Charlotte, NC for two years (I moved from Queens, NY), I am wondering what this year will bring? I know it's only going to be amazing, yet, how will it unfold. The cost of EVERYTHING is going up and when it comes to our health, our hard-earned money seems to be the last thing we consider spending. For example, I only buy organic when possible. When I relate this to others, there response is, "That's nice, but it's expensive". When you speak about anything alternative health or just anything that is not deemed a necessity, it's often the same response. Expensive in comparison to what, exactly??? Gas? Groceries you're already buying? The cost of your dinner out, or just the dinner you picked up? The coffee you buy out every day? Your vacations? Expensive in comparison to what?

My financial advisor, in an effort for me to understand my worth and expand my business, made a profound statement. "It's unreasonable to think that any private work whether or not you're an accountant or a physical therapist or a technician, should make less than $125 an hour". WOW! Hold the phone! It's not 1996 anymore??? What a change in perspective. For years I've been on the same band wagon as everyone else when it comes to a skilled worker, that they should be charging the same price they did 20 and 30 years ago! That's crazy! And unfair. And definitely uneducated.

We used to discuss in the certifying studio that it was $6 to have a private session with Uncle Joe back in the day. He mostly taught lawyers and doctors, because they were able to afford private sessions. Nowadays, it's still decently expensive for a private, ranging in price from $70-$200. It will depend on the area you live in and the status of the teacher. Teachers who are newly certified will be a base price, whereas the teachers who have many years behind them, plus teacher training status, plus other certifications and modalities will be towards the higher end. There are also semi-private sessions, which are higher priced for the hour, but the price is shared between two or more people, depending on what your studio offers. Some studios can do three or four. Sessions will range about $45-65 depending on the number of students and the teacher's status. The studios that have huge group classes of more are not considered part of the "traditional" Pilates workout. They range about $35 with the option of buying a package for a discount. Where you are in your workout and budget will determine your session.

Which brings me to a more budget friendly option, Mat Classes! We learned to teach "mat" classes in the program because it was the up-and-coming affordable trend. Traditionally, Uncle Joe didn't teach mat classes. He only taught to students who knew their workout and had been taking sessions with him for years. For the same reason you're supposed to be an "Intermediate" level to do a semi-private session, you should be for the mat work, as well. That being said, Mat is the core of the work! It's the hardest part of Contrology, and if you've never done a private and used the equipment, it's even harder! I digress….Mat classes are the best way to get your bang for your buck! They range anywhere from $15-$35, again depending on the area you live and teacher experience.

The last three years have been hard on Mat classes. In person is always the best to get the hands-on correction. Even if the teacher is fluent in their speaking of corrections, the student may not translate well into their body. Many studios have just cancelled their in-person mats all together, even if their state guidelines say they are allowed. It's just not worth it for the teacher or the studio to carve out time that is not making money.

When some of us teachers would have a night out in Manhattan, we would chew the fat about Pilates, because, who else would understand our plight? One of the reoccurring themes would be "winning the lottery". As teachers, we wished we could win the lottery so that it would be financially more accessible to everyone. It's not that teachers want to charge exorbitant prices. They want to make a living like everyone else seems to be allowed. I had a spiritual friend I met here in Charlotte. She used to work in advertising, and she was complaining about the panhandlers. "You know they make about $30,000-$40,000 a year", in an aggravated manner! "Really?", I said, "That's about what a Pilates instructor makes". Most people haven't trained hard for their profession, get continually amazing at their work and not get paid a raise year after year for their work.

Now back to "The Price of Pilates". I used that as a gateway for having a conversation about the cost of sessions. Let's talk about what it's worth . Having a Private session doesn't just work your body. It works your mind and spirit! It's a relationship you build with another human being. You receive a teacher, counselor and therapist. A cheerleader, body sculptor and advocate. Your overall health is what you gain every time! I personally haven't had health insurance for about 15 years now. I go to the dentist and eye doctor, but I've barely seen a doctor in years. Thanks to Pilates I never rarely get sick or injured. If I do, it moves easily out of my body. Every cent I've saved I've used in good health. It's been worth more than every penny. What is your health and wellbeing worth to you?

Wishing you all the most Love, Light, Health and Abundant Blessings now and in this coming year!!!

Julia, XO

Take Your Shoes Off Before Coming Into My House

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Wed, 02 Nov 2022 19:00:45 GMT

"Love yourself enough to set boundaries."

As much work as I've done, asking someone to take off their shoes when coming into my home is still a hard request. No adult likes to tell another adult what is ok and what is not ok. It's even worse with a loved one. Still worse is feeling you were called here to help others as a healer and have to put a healthy limit on what that means. Unfortunately, so many of us learned toxicity and have been conditioned that we can't tell the difference.

"Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves, even when we risk disappointing others." Brene Brown

What are healthy boundaries? The simple answer is what is comfortable for you. Easy answer. Like many notions that are simple, there are infinitely harder to accomplish. When I first started to learn about boundaries, it was about learning not to tolerate toxic behavior from other people. Didn't matter if they were strangers or loved ones. Of course, it was a lot harder to find that boundary for a loved one or someone I thought I loved. Being more advanced looking at boundaries, it's about taking care of myself properly.

I grew up in a toxic household. So, from an early age I learned a toxic version of love and action. I grew up feeling and knowing that certain things weren't right. Lack of conscious adults to guide me left me reliving tragedies into early adulthood. It was my inner guidance and purpose in life that led me down the road to healing myself, and in turn being able to help heal others. I believe I agreed to this journey to have life experiences that others can relate and learn. My journey is someone else's survival guide.

I learned from an early age that I was to take care of myself (cook, clean, sleep, eat), and be there for everyone else regardless of my own wants and needs. This set up a long line of broken boundaries. There was no limit on people lashing out against me, taking advantage of me and me giving up my time and energy even when I didn't have any to someone who "needed it more". Although I learned bare bones how to "take care" of myself, I never really learned how to take care. Most adults I knew didn't know how to take care of themselves or treat themselves properly. They learned abuse and self-destruction.

Self-care. Our only responsibility! We've been conditioned into thinking that it's paying bills and being subservient to society. Doesn't that sound like the toxic version of boundaries? Self-care should be a well-rounded version of rest, food consumption, exercise and play. Anything else we tag onto that list is superfluous. Yes! I said it! Anything else are not "real" responsibilities. Our first and foremost responsibility is to take care! "Working" is and isn't a responsibility. We are all here for our own special purposes, and that is work! We also need to take care of the things that need attending to, like doing our laundry.

When I first started to learn to take care of myself, I was about 35. It was in midst of taking care of my mother, who had dementia. She had just had the episode that landed her in a nursing home. I felt like all I did was sleep, eat and go to work. I was also in a tough financial situation. There was barely anytime other than food shop. I had to learn how to manage my time to also do laundry, clean and have fun. I lived in fear mode and thought of only paying bills. It was also some of the toxicity I learned to only spend money on bills and necessities. Using money to "have fun" was irresponsible . How crazy is that notion? That you're being irresponsible for enjoying your time!?!! It's obnoxious! I am still having issues in learning to have fun.

A Course in Miracles was also very helpful for me in this process. It taught me how to "see" differently. The Workbook is a daily meditation. I did it for three years straight, as I was determined to change my life! It really helped me find balance, clarity and strength. Taking care of ourselves is not easy. It should be basic, and yet so much harder when we have to re-learn. I didn't list meditation as a basic self-care, although I believe it's the next top important activity on the list! We need a tool, or many tools, to help empty the daily garbage in our heads. Writing can be a meditation. Movement is huge on the list for meditation, too. Not everyone can sit and chat "Om's".

The more we learn to love ourselves properly, take care of ourselves properly, then everything else starts to fall into line. "If you don't love yourself, it's impossible for you to love others. You can't give away what you don't have." Joyce Meyer That is a wonderful definition of a healthy boundary.

Reach out! Tell me how you deal with loving yourself, taking care and setting boundaries. I'd love to hear from you!

Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia XO

Magic Torture Exercise!

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Wed, 02 Nov 2022 18:52:15 GMT

"You can say what Pilates is in three words. Stretch with strength and control. And the control part is the most important because that makes you use your mind." Romana Kryzanowska

Ahhh, the ever fun and extra omph, The Magic Circle!!! I used to have a client in the certifying studio call it "The Magic Torture Exercise". After using it once in a session, that is how she referred to it and of her own free will, would ask for the torture! We can also call it "the Ring of Fire". My clients today ask me "where's the magic?". It's a great piece of apparatus to enhance your workout! Studios that teach mat classes will often have a specific Magic Circle Mat, which is usually a little more expensive than a regular mat class. Or, if you have a teacher who really loves you, they'll just pepper it into your class (insert devilish smirk).

The Magic Circle was an apparatus that Joseph Pilates invented. We had the original ones that he made in Drago's, the certifying studio in Manhattan. The original circles didn't look intimidating until you picked one up. Then thoughts of "what the f%$@ am I going to do with this?" ran through your head! The ring part was metal, about an inch wide. It looked thin but was very strong and not easily bendable. There were two wooden handles on the outside only. If anyone if familiar with what a Magic Circle looks like nowadays, there's a stark difference. Magic Circles made today are soft and fluffy looking, in comparison. First of all, the metal isn't that strong. It's more buoyant than its predecessor. And the metal is covered in some soft, durable plastic. It has handles on the inside AND the outside that are made of foam. Yes, nice floofy foam.

Now, many different companies make this apparatus. The one I always suggest first is Gratz. That being said, they are all basically the same now, and I would suggest purchasing the best price possible. There's a teeny bopper store called "5 Below" that has a reasonable workout section, and they also sell Magic Circles. Everything in the store is five dollars! But if you're a traditionalist or authentic driven, go with Gratz. I also happen to like the one Balanced Body makes. They come in three "band" strengths and are a little more expensive. I find the medium, two band strength closest to the feeling of the original circles. Although, I don't think I have felt their three-band version, so I can't say unequivocally.

So, what's so "magic" about this circle anyway? It's usually used to amp up your mat workout and to give you a challenge. It's definitely more for intermediate work. That being said, I've also given it to beginners. It's to kick up or enhance your Powerhouse work. It can be used either between the hands or between the ankles, depending on what area needs focus. It's always used from your Powerhouse out though your extremities. Besides adding Magic Circle to your mat there are also a sitting leg series, a standing legs series and an arm series that is usually done standing in your stance. I recently saw the Magic Circle used to teach The Wall. I never learned it that way, and I really appreciated the thought process. It's not traditional and yet so basic. Loved it!

What are your adventures with The Magic Circle? Have you yet to try? Any stories or questions? I'd love to hear from you! Feel free to reach out and share! Until next time,

Love, Light and Blessings my friends!

Julia XO

Clearing Elements

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Mon, 05 Sep 2022 21:10:29 GMT

The three basics!!!

Ahhh, my space needs to be defunked! And in more than one way! What can I do???

I often get asked this question. And I'm sure many people have heard of these practices that I'm about to list, they never get old in this department!

Honestly, you don't need to spend one cent on purchasing anything to clear a home! Good old bringing in God's White Light into a space, object being is more than perfect! That being said, if you're like me, an extra added element helps make the ritual more tactile. Holy Water is another freebie that works! I don't even think you have to be a Catholic and run to the church to fill up your container. Just bless water by pulling in God's White Light. (Of course, this will depend on your faith and spirituality, so proceed as you see fit.)

That being said, one of my favorites to use is Sage! It's one of my favorite feelings when visiting an American Indian festival. I've been going yearly since I was 15 years old. (Let's just say that's over 20 years, shall we?) If you look up the scientific benefits of Sage, I think you'd be amazingly surprised! And of course, an amazingly ancient practice has to have benefits, right? Did you know burning Sage helps to increase the negative ions in the air? Go look what negative ions can do for you. I'll wait. Ok, I'll tell you. It's like creating a happy place! It's why Edgar Cayce was called to Virginia Beach. There are massive amounts of negative ions on that beach! It's part of healing. If you look up buying Sage, you'll see many people make it with other herbs and flowers. My favorite is when it's bundled with Yerba Santa: https://amzn.to/3BfZdnn It smells like tea to my senses! (This is my experience. It may differ to another's senses.)

Another fav is Palo Santo! I love the way this smells! It's like licorice! Except, I can enjoy the smell and not the taste! I often use my essential oil to anoint my forehead before I meditate. Palo Santo means "Holy Wood" and helps with spiritual attunement. I also love burning the little sticks of wood. Sometimes this feels like less work than burning Sage. I know that sounds silly. Sometimes just the effort to get the Sage going seems longer than to just burn a stick of Palo Santo. Sometimes it just depends on what I want to smell. I bought from this company and absolutely loved their product: https://amzn.to/3x0iUNv I can be a stickler about smell, and sometimes Palo Santo doesn't have much of a smell until you burn the stick. This company's product smells just from it sitting there and looking pretty! It would be nice just as a drawer sachet!

Last, but not least, I have to include Selenite. It's a basic essential if you're into crystals. It reminds me of God's White Light. It's like taking a shower with all of Heaven and it's Angels. Selenite is just that, it cleans with white light. It's a basic because it also helps cleanse other crystals without you having to figure other techniques. It's simple. No effort is required. Just keep it around. Although, if you're sensitive, you may enjoy holding it and closing your eyes and seeing white light shower over you. I had a crystal enthusiast suggest using it when you come home from being out for the day as a way of clearing off the negative energy. I thought it was a great idea! Now, you usually only need a piece, which will run you on the high end about $3. That being said, no reason you can't put a few pieces around your dwelling if you like the feeling it gives. I used this company and liked their product: https://amzn.to/3ANWccF You can always give them away as gifts. It's a nice thing to receive, as many wouldn't go out of their way to purchase for their own use.

Well, that's my schpiel for now. Hope you enjoy these suggestions for clearing. See you next month my loving friends!

Blessings and Light,

Julia XO

Workout Wear! Where?

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Mon, 05 Sep 2022 21:10:15 GMT

My new favorite thing to wear!!!

What to wear?!? It's often a question I get asked by my clients. When doing Pilates, the best clothing is something that is comfortable to move in, and something that allows the teacher to see your body form. Personally, I have x-ray vision and it doesn't matter! That being said, you want to wear something that basically clings to your body. Yes, I know, those of use with body dysmorphia don't like to wear certain clothing. I get it. I understand. And, in a workout, you also don't want to wear something inhibits your movement and that doesn't allow air flow. You think it's not important or a major concern, until you start moving.

I like to have suggestions that fit the everyday person's budget. Let's be for real, not everyone has the money to go into some of these brand name stores for workout clothing! Often times I had pieces from these brand name companies because my clients would buy me a gift card at Christmas time. Even though certified instructors get a discount, 30% of $100 is still $70 for a pair of leggings!

So, I wanted to share my newly favorite shop! A fellow Pilates instructor and studio owner recommended this company, and Monica always looks like a class act! Even on an off day, not that she ever seems to have one. It's a company called CRZ Yoga on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RlHmB7 I. LOVE. THEM!!! They are so ridiculously comfortable! They wear incredibly well! AND you can buy four pairs for the price of one pair in one of those brand name shops!!! I highly suggest their product! I haven't had an issue to contact the shop, so I can't comment on their services. I would think they are at minimum, decent. I bought this pair of pants and just love the way they feel: https://amzn.to/3TKz8nD They are known as the "naked feeling" line and they feel like brushed skin on your body, inside and out. They are thin without feeling like your naked, if that makes any sense? And I feel like I look amazing! (Not sure if that's actually the case? But I feel like I do, and that counts more! *disclaimer, they don't advertise it this way, it's my own personal feeling)

I'm not sure I'll venture into a brand name clothing store for a long while now. Not unless I need a good print. By that time, I'll see if I can find you another really good share!

Until next time my friends and Pilates enthusiasts!

Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia XO

Another One Bites the Dust.....

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Fri, 05 Aug 2022 20:26:58 GMT

"Grief is like the ocean, it comes in waves, ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn to swim." Vicki Harrison

Even if you are someone who isn't aware of this Spiritual journey we are all on right now, you are feeling the layers of the onion being torn away daily. How could you not???

We are obviously ALL going through the Dark Night of the Soul, even if we've done our major purge. Those of us who have done our major purge are still going through little ones with everyone else's major awakening.

The theme for me this week has been feeling like I'm mourning the loss of the living. Yes. I feel like people who are still living have crossed over from my life. It's a very odd and sad feeling. And it's not like it hasn't been happening for a couple of years now, and it's not like it hasn't been happening with some of the people I love the most in the world. I feel like I have lost many loved ones who haven't crossed over, physically.

They seem to be lost in their "own" world. It's not for lack of love, it's just where people are right now. Looking out, it seems to be lack of doing "their" work. Or, the overwhelming realization of the "work" they have to do now.

I realize that not everyone will be a part of our lives forever. As they say, sometimes people are in your lives for a season. Yet, when it's some of the people you loved the most, it's hard to let go. I did ask God to bring me "my" people, "my" tribe. I guess I didn't think that meant some were going to leave. And it doesn't necessarily mean it's permanent. They may return in this lifetime. I know it's to help me grow more, as I feel like that's all I've been doing. Exponentially so…..

I'm definitely being pulled through my traumas of feeling like I have no one, no help, no love, no support. I know I have it infinitely from the other side. And, I know they are trying to show me the ones who are coming into my life to show me new life patterns. I did ask. I am in midst of receiving.

So, I've written this for those who might be feeling this loss, and may find some comfort in this blog. There are others feeling the same odd and sad feeling, too. We are all just being called higher. Some of us read more of the book than others, that's all. On to the next chapter….

Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia

Tick Tock.....The Clock

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Fri, 05 Aug 2022 20:26:55 GMT

"As you would imagine the name emphasizes, you imitate a clock. More specifically, your pelvis will represent a clock."

I'm trying to remember when and where I learned The Clock? I was reminded about this exercise by an old friend who gave me a Feldenkrais session. Did I learn it in Pilates when we were doing "Per-Pilates" exercises, which are very similar to exercises given by physical therapists? Or did I learn it in Dance Analysis in college? I'm sure I must have learned it many times. Recently I was reminded again about it from a fellow teacher here in Charlotte. It's a very simple exercise, and just like anything else you do in Pilates, it's subtle with great benefits! So, this may not be specifically a Pilates exercise, but it's Pilates-like.

As you would imagine the name emphasizes, you imitate a clock. More specifically, your pelvis will represent a clock. It's wonderful, small movement that is very helpful for back pain. It does require you to be able to get to the floor, which isn't always the case for people who are suffering with back pain. In this instance, I would suggest doing this against the wall and also using it as an extension of the Pilates exercise called The Wall.

If you are lying down, make sure you have a pillow for your head. I often suggest a hand towel or two. Keep your Pilates Box square and your knees bent. Imagine your pelvis is a clock. The numbers we are going to focus on are 6 o'clock, 12 o'clock, 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock. 12 o'clock is basically your belly button, and 6 o'clock is your pubic bone/tailbone. Both hips are 3 and 9 o'clock, respectfully.

Start with just 12 and 6 o'clock. Shift your hips into 12 o'clock. It should feel like you're rounding into the mat and your tailbone is coming a little off the floor. Then, slowly roll the pelvis a little forward into 6 o'clock. It will feel like you're arching off the floor and that your back and ribs are up. Don't force the movement. Just do it the best you are able. It's ok to feel a little discomfort. It shouldn't feel forced or a lot of pain. Do this a few times until it starts to feel like you've massaged that spot. Find your center, or the center of the clock.

Now let's work on 3 and 9 o'clock. Shift your hips over to 3 o'clock. You should feel like you have more weight in the back of that hip, and your legs/knees may follow. Now, like you're using a level for construction, shift your hips over to 9 o'clock. Again, you'll feel more weight in the back of that hip and your legs/knees may follow. After doing this a few times until it feels like the pain has dissipated, find your center.

Notice what your body and back feel like while doing this movement. You will probably notice one side more, and you will notice it's probably harder to do one side. That's ok. Even if you don't feel like you know what you're doing or learning your body, just go to the feeling of being in less pain. That's the most important. I would suggest this practice at least once a day. Maybe two or three times, depending on how you are feeling. I mentioned earlier, this can also be done against the wall. Realize that you will be standing, and your legs will feel it, too. Be aware of your legs, knees and feet when doing this standing. Notice I did not emphasize using your stomach muscles or "powerhouse". This is more of a light massage for the back. For some people, they overuse their stomach muscles and just need to feel the massage. Allow that feeling. It's ok, you're not cheating the exercise. Muscles will still work if you're someone who doesn't work out.

Let me know if you tried this exercise and what were your results! I'd love to hear from you!!!

Until next time my friends, Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia

Stretch/Resist

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Tue, 05 Jul 2022 17:10:04 GMT

.....Cynthia Shipley, describes stretching when working out. She says, "The more you pull your stomach in, the more you can stretch!".....

A big theme that has come up this month is the idea of resistance in the body. It comes up particularly with mat-based clients. Because of the past two years, many people have only ever worked out virtually. So, they are missing having hands on attunements and getting to work out on the equipment. They don't always have props they can use as part of their class. I really like to use props for my mat classes, even its if not traditional Pilates. I'm seasoned enough to let my clients know that's it's not part of the work but may be used to help their bodies get into the work they need. The point is to get you into your body! The mat is the hardest because there is nothing to rely on but yourself!

One issue I find is learning how to stretch! If you're tight like me, or how I used to be, stretching feels horrendous! It feels like you're stuck, and that no other movement is possible. It feels like it never gets better. It feels like a futile cause. I'm here to let you know that is simply untrue! It's just learning to let go, feel your body and be consistent.

I find that stretching feels better when there is resistance. Using our own hands isn't always easy, and like most people, we like to look for outside sources to make that possible. So, using straps or thera bands are helpful. If you're going to use a thera band, I'd suggest an extra heavy density or more: https://amzn.to/3NztqAJ . When thera bands are too light, they're about as useful as using your hands. You don't actually get the intended stretch. Just a watered-down version.

There's a version of stretching I give in my mat that I've dubbed the "No-No Exercise". It's just a one leg stretch with the Magic Circle. I call it the "No-No Exercise" because if Romana saw you do this in the studio, she'd quickly teach you how to do it with your own hands!!! She didn't like it because it took you out of learning how to create resistance in your own body. But in all fairness, we were also using all of the equipment, all the time! So, there was plenty of space to have equipment teach us the proper resistance. I teach this one leg stretch right before Leg Circles on the mat. I usually teach it the way Romana taught me, but the past two years has made me pull out the Magic Circle: https://amzn.to/3bHl1Oy . I'll do it for a brief period of time, then take it away. Again, it's not how you should ultimately stretch, or use the Magic Circle! Next month, I'll do a blog on proper use of the Magic Circle!

What's nice about any resistance is that it allows you to get a stretch with little to no effort. It makes the event a little less traumatizing. Particularly if you're a very tight individual. It's a great way to at least start the process. Even if you hold on to the practice for an extended period of time. It will help build you up to actually creating it in your own body and learn to stretch on your own at some point.

The exercise of stretching your leg on the mat is simple. Lie down in your Pilates Box, both legs extend as far as you can on the floor, keeping your lower back flat. If we're tight or really need to work on our backs staying flat, your knees may be more bent. Bend your right leg in against your chest as much as it goes. Don't change your Pilates Box to make that happen. The, extend the knee just a little, don't change your upper body. Meaning, keep your upper body on the floor. The, just walk your hands up to as far as you can and hold. Don't worry if the knee is a little bent. Your leg doesn't have to be straight. That's what you're working to make happen at some point. Make sure you have a firm grip. No creep fingers! When sufficiently stretched, switch legs. For those who are used to taking privates and use the Reformer, this is basically The Tree on your back. This is where you may use some assistance for the stretch, i.e., your thera band or Magic Circle.

I also love how one teacher, Cynthia Shipley, describes stretching when working out. She says, "The more you pull your stomach in, the more you can stretch!". Brilliant! It makes sense, especially in those times when you're not on your back. If you're doing The Roll Up, for instance, you're rounded over at some point. Using the stomach pulling in will one, support your back, and two, have the work happen on the inside of the body. Love it! That's where you learn resistance!

I often cue clients to do an exercise/stretch from yoga called Legs Up the Wall. Basically, you'll lie down with your bottom (tush, rear end, tuckus. ass…) to the wall. Put your legs on the wall and lengthen them up as far as they go. See if you can also relax your tailbone down to the floor in opposition. The wall helps to hold your legs and also creates a resistance. Again, a passive way to get the stretch when your super tight.

These are just a few thoughts on creating resistance in the body for stretching. Let me know how you are doing with your stretching! Did you try these exercises? Do you need help trouble shooting? Reach out! Ask! I am here to assist!

Until next time my friends, Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia xo

Crossing Ourselves Over.....A Shift in Perception

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Tue, 05 Jul 2022 17:04:09 GMT

TRIGGER WARNING … I'm writing this from my own personal experiences. I am a Spiritual person, and this is a Spiritual Blog. This matter will be addressed from that standpoint. Be warned…..

It hasn't even been two full months, and today I hear of another loved one taking their life. Crossing themselves over. Suicide. Two deaths in two months. And those are only the ones in close vicinity. I have heard of others in a smaller radius for the past two years. These souls never get any easier to hear.

I was called to share my own story about two months ago, on a Tik Tok I posted. I too, at the age of fifteen, tried to cross myself over. I am called yet again, to share in this blog. Hoping that my journey helps spread and activate Love and Healing. Hoping it reaches those who need to hear my story and this message.

As I said, at fifteen years old, I attempted suicide. I grew up in a household with fighting and alcohol abuse. I went to a grade school where I felt like I was the one kid that always got picked on. I didn't have a lot of friends. I was scared and shy and felt like I never mattered. Unloved. It became a culmination of things at that time that probably "pushed me over the edge", so to speak. A boy I loved that didn't love me back. "Friends" who really weren't friends. Being raped for the first time, which would've been two days before my fifteenth birthday, by the boy I loved. And those feelings of being scared, shy, not mattering and unloved with absolutely no coping mechanisms to help. Where would I have learned anything of help at that point?

Luckily for my own innocence, I took the "wrong" pills. We didn't have much in our medicine cabinet and the only prescription medicine we had was antibiotics. Penicillin. I took what was left in the bottle. 13 pills. I figured that would be enough, right? Prescription is more potent than over the counter, right?

I don't exactly remember the steps leading up to my father finding me on the Cross Island. I must've hinted to my "friend" about what I was doing. I may have even written a note. There was only a few places I would've gone. It was a place of comfort, to be by the water. It reminded me of my grandfather who loved fishing. Although I felt bad about leaving, all I could think was that I'd get to be with my grandparents again. They basically raised me and both died months apart only a few years before that moment.

I think I was surprised my father showed up. I remember being in his Chevy Nova and him asking what happened. When I told him, he took his hand off the stick shift long enough to smack me in the mouth and put it back down. Nothing else was said.

Next I remember being in the emergency room. My mother hysterically crying. Because when wasn't my mother crying? I ended up taking some fluid concoction that made me throw up whatever was in my stomach. The doctor not knowing if I was lying about what I took, exclaimed that it was a good thing it was only antibiotics and not something more damaging.

Because of NYS laws and it being on record what I had done, I had to go to a "hospital" for a month, minimum. If you were deemed a threat to yourself (which basically meant you tried to take your own life again on record), you were kept longer. At least that was my understanding. My "counselor" felt I wasn't telling the whole truth and that I had work to do, and signed me out. No follow up. No help. I could probably do a separate blog just on that whole experience!

For the thirty one years since that time, the only reason I am here is because of the "Other Side" and the work I have done on myself, alone. I have never tried to take my own life again, nor will I. Yet, it's always been a feeling to overcome. As I've learned to navigate this plain, this overwhelming feeling has gotten better. Less intense. Less frequent. And my understanding of "why" is consistently clearer.

Let's start again with my childhood. I've always been connected to the "Other Side". I've always been connected to the most precious Light and Love that truly exists. And growing up with my experiences, in a world the way most people "see" it, it never made much sense. I never understood those who don't actually see . It doesn't make sense to me that our first inclination isn't to just Love each other??? I make it a point about seeing Love, because that's all there is to see! It doesn't matter who you are or what you've been through, Love is the only thing to see! And when you have that basic understanding and seeing people react the way they do, it's abominable to me to see otherwise! This is a huge reason why …..

That being said, in order to navigate this dimension I've had to unlearn, let go, and build constantly and consistently. Because of my connection to the Other Side I was able to grow, often with resistance from those who believe in "this side" too much. It was the Other Side's urging that has kept me moving, and those individuals who maintain a connection to the Other Side. My progress has been learning my traumas which in turn helps to understand others traumas, learning my life lessons, understanding why I am here and who I am, allowing myself to feel my connection to God fully. Committing myself to this journey, even when I don't feel like "doing the work". The Other Side taught me these insights. Not anyone on Earth. This is another reason why ….. "The work" that has to be done, that not many people understand or are able to teach.

Back to my understanding of "why" I have felt this way. It's usually in those moments of "leveling up" (that's how we describe it Spiritually), that I feel at my weakest. When I'm learning a new lesson, or deconstructing on a higher level a lesson that I've already worked on. That's when I'm feeling scared, that I'm not enough, that no one loves me and it reignites that feeling of leaving this world. When I'm constantly drawn to go deeper within and connect to God, because I forgot who I am. That's when all of Heaven swoops in and reminds me of how magical this life is, and how absolutely loved and supported we are by the Other Side. They remind me to always come back to my power. Helping me eradicate life's traumas that become lies in our body when we let them sit and fester.

Why am I here? To help spread Love and Light. To help Heal. To have the strength and courage to say the things no one wants to hear. To have the strength and courage to persevere even when I don't want to keep going. To help teach my story to others so that they, too, are able to conquer their fears.

I am also called to share with you books that come to mind that may help on your journey of understanding and healing. One, is a book from my teacher, Pat Longo: https://amzn.to/3y9BXF6 This book is great for anyone who is a deep feeling individual! Another book that is a tried-and-true favorite is by Louise Hay: https://amzn.to/3OEPjQJ It's the quintessential guide to understanding your aliments, mental or physical and how to teach yourself to heal. And last but not least is a new favorite by Anodea Judith: https://amzn.to/3R53MXw This book has gobs of psychological information linked to your emotions and making it easy to understand!

I'm praying this finds those who need to hear this message. I hope you may find some comfort, understanding and healing. Feel free to reach out with any questions. I would love to hear from you!

And to my fellow deep feeling souls who are on this journey and want to just end the suffering, know that it gets better, it gets easier, and there is so much more Love and Miracles for you to experience! As Maryann Willamson would say about A Course in Miracles, " A miracle is just a shift in perception from fear to love." Do not let the illusion of fear, of this darkness we see, to permanently cloud reality. We truly know that the reality is Love, infinitely.

Sending you all so much Love, Light, Healing and Miraculous Blessings!!!

Julia xo

"Healing isn't as simple as learning to love yourself. It's going back to the places you stopped loving yourself and remembering why. It's then holding that part of you close and rescuing them from old pain. The remembering is what makes it hard. The holding is what makes it brave." Nate Postlethwait

Selenite: Healing My Vertigo

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 22:10:57 GMT

Selenite is very healing!

Selenite, the Greek word for moonstone named after the Goddess, Selene. It's one crystal that is said to clear other crystals and charge their energy. Citrine may do this, too. It has a soft nature and is not supposed to be put under water, as it will dissolve. Although, I've heard that there is selenite that is stronger and it's possible to put in water. In my brief research, I have found a few conflicting notions. Some crystal people will say that it's the same as Satin Spar. Others will say they are different crystals. I was just told over the weekend that someone had it burned over them to clear energy. I thought she may have confused it with the Palo Santo or sage that it was sitting next to, but she was very clear that it was Selenite that was burned. I have yet to find information about this practice.

I will be reporting from my own experience and knowledge about Selenite, and why I was encouraged to share this information. I was led by my Guides to use it for a specific aliment that I've had to deal.

Selenite definitely brings in the White Light. Just looking at it inspires seeing Light! I was instructed by a crystal store owner to use it like a spiritual white light shower when I walk in the door. It's a great piece to clear off the energy of the day as you walk into your sanctuary or home. It's great to just hold, close your eyes and see the Light. It's definitely connected to the higher realms and is a conduit of their everlasting Love and purity. It makes sense that it helps to clear other crystals. Because of its clear connection to the higher realms, it's a great way to connect with your angels and/or meditate, too. Remember, it's not necessary, it's just a helpful tool depending on your practice.

You can see why it gets paired with Sage and Palo Santo. It helps to clear negative energy because of it's high vibration. It's a great piece to put all around your home, keep on your person or desk, or have in your car. You can find them in any size from ones that fit in your pocket to ones that are the size of a small table. I guess it all depends on your needs and passion for crystals. They even come in heart shapes!

So, on to why I was called to write this article. It's a follow up to a quick video I did on Tik Tok. I've had Vertigo off and on for about ten years. More so in the past five. It seems to get triggered by my sinuses. There are two types of Vertigo. One, that's based inside the middle ear, and the other is neurological. I have the middle ear Vertigo. We all have "crystals" in our middle ear, and sometimes they get dislodged. I remember the neurology doctor telling me that fact and thinking that it was wild that we had crystals in our bodies! Fast forward ten years later, and even though it was adjusted, I would have the issue every once in a while. Now, from knowing myself so well, I say that's it's my sinuses that cause the issue, but I know it has a lot to do of my emotional state, too. And emotionally, it has been hard to stay focused.

Anyway, about two months ago I was getting out of bed in the morning, annoyed I had to do it methodically so I wouldn't get too dizzy. I heard my Guides say, "Just use your Selenite". What?!? It seemed silly, and yet, it made sense! So, I begrudgingly picked it up and put it next to the ear I know has the issue. I could feel like a "woww" when I put it next to me ear, and I got a little dizzy even though I was sitting up straight. I just held it there until I could feel like it was done. I swear it was adjusting the crystals! After, I decided to buy some Selenite earrings for when I work out, but I haven't needed them since I used the Selenite. I used it that one time. I basically wear them when I work out, just in case.

In the brief research I did about Selenite, looked up the "healing properties", and found nothing about my condition or experience. I write this in hopes to help others who may have Vertigo and are in need of some relief. This is one place I bought Selenite in bulk and felt they had a good product: https: / /amzn.to/38Iqmnx

I would love to hear your thoughts or feelings! I found my experience very interesting and again, I hope it finds the person/people who need to hear this information!

Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia

**DISCLAIMER** Used stock photos for "crystals"...the ones used are NOT Selenite...Thank you.

This Ain't No Party, Gurlfren!

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 21:51:52 GMT

The Series of Five! AKA: The Stomach Series.

I know most people who are familiar with Pilates just assume it's all "Powerhouse" work, and to some extent, that is true. And, all the exercises have a specific purpose and focus. The "Series of Five" is also known as "The Stomach Series". It's a group of five exercises that specifically target your stomach muscles on different layers. The group is a comprehensive unit.

My clients have funny names for the series. One client calls it "The Party of 5", while another one calls it "The Stomach Shit". This client also jokes around that it's "The party everyone is invited to but doesn't want to attend." When the series is done the way it was intended, you get a wonderful burn in the abdomen, you expand the breath, and you lengthen the body! For gym people, it would be similar to doing crunches with more precession.

As stated, there are five exercises in the "Series of Five". Single Leg Stretch, Double Leg Stretch, Single Straight Leg, Double Straight Leg and Criss Cross. Only two of these five are in the Beginner Mat. You are looking to work into your "Pilates Box" first, which is your torso. You always want to keep you Pilates Box square, and work from that place even if you have to limit your range of motion . You can always increase your range of motion, but you will find trouble doing so unless you have made the effort to keep your Pilates Box. That's when you graduate to the last three. Now, depending on your level, you may learn all five at once. Although there is a lot of coordination within the series, so, you may be strong enough to handle all five, but the coordination may have you dragging at first.

What I find interesting is that Jay Grimes, another "elder" in the Pilates community, says that "Everything in Pilates comes back down to Double Leg Stretch". It makes sense! It's about coordinating your breath and movement, expanding that breath properly (meaning breathing into the backs of your lungs), and lengthening and strengthening the body. I love how it's considered a "beginner" exercise. Sounds like a lot for a beginner, right?!

There are two books I highly recommend in learning this series. One, which I feel should go without mention, is Return to Life: The Art of Contrology by Joseph Pilates: https://amzn.to/3Ndlwhi There is everything to be learned from this book! When Romana was asked if she ever saw anyone do perfect Pilates, she mentioned two people, and one was a man from the mid-west who bought this book and executed it precisely. The other is a book one of my clients stumbled upon at a garage sale: https://amzn.to/38JkzhJ She showed it to me, and although ambivalent, I took a look. I was surprised to find it was a pretty decent book and had good explanations and pictures. Both are reasonably priced and great to have in your Pilates vocabulary. They are great for beginners or advanced alike. Add a bottle of champagne in Romana style, and NOW it's a party!

Let me know how you're doing with your series! I can always help trouble shoot!

Love, Light and Blessing,

Julia

Jesus' Second Coming.....

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Tue, 03 May 2022 15:59:44 GMT

It would seem that Jesus never left. He is within every one of us, and we have the power to bring about change.

Is Jesus really "coming back"? Did He ever leave? Isn't He in each and every one of us? I'm not sure I believe the version we've been sold on.

Growing up Catholic, this is something that was touched upon in our religious studies. We mostly focused on the New Testament and the Gospels. And moving from Queens, NY to Charlotte, NC, I'm guessing even our old school Catholics are more progressive than the ones practicing down here in the South. I believe most Christians have the same understanding of The Second Coming. If I'm correct, it's basically the idea that Jesus/God "will come back to judge the living and the dead", right?

After years of being interested in spirituality and reading all sorts of books, it's only recently that I've come across a lot of information that no one really has an authentic bible. Did you know that? There is this docuseries that goes into boring detail about all the original bibles and how the information has changed and omitted in them throughout the years. There are plenty of online resources and social media accounts that have great info, as well! They have purposefully derailed us from the truth of God (The Universe, The Highest Power) and the truth about ourselves and our connection.

With that being said, do you really still think Jesus is coming back? That's why I asked did He leave? Isn't He within each of us? Because from my understanding and perspective, I don't think "He's" coming back.

Too many Near Death Experience (NDEs) books lead otherwise. Too many hypnosis books that involve past life regressions lead otherwise. Too many blessed beings like Edgar Cayce, Dolores Cannon and scripts like A Course in Miracles and Abraham-Hicks lead otherwise. And when you go back to the bible and read it with these teachings, I believe you get the rounded view that has been purposefully manipulated. We are really coming into the age of truth and awakening. We've been lied to about our power and connection with God/Source.

It would seem that Jesus never left. He is within every one of us, and we have the power to bring about change. We can love one another as Jesus loved us. Jesus didn't go around judging people. He loved and healed people. He left the judgement to His father. Why haven't we understood how to do that yet??? Why do we teach that God (The Universe, The Highest Power) is all loving, and judgmental? That doesn't make any sense! And I'm not advocating take people's hurtful or abusive actions. That's not what I mean about loving one another. Think about how when we are faced with "loving one another", all these "buts" come up. It reminds me of the meme with Jesus teaching the Sermon on the Mount. He of course states, "Love one another…" and then everyone asks, "But what about homosexuals? But what about abortion? But what about….?", and the bubble underneath of Jesus' response, "Did I stutter?".

We were given all the tools we need to make change happen. To remember Jesus, Christ consciousness, lives in every single one of us!!! There is no greater tool! We have been given the choice to act in love, or to act in fear. We have been given the power to be loving or harmful. There is no one coming to relieve you of your work! YOU have to do YOUR work! Do you remember? Which do you choose? Because those of us who remember are going to be standing routed in the ground of our loving consciousness. This is how you bring Heaven to Earth.

And I'm not saying we aren't going to be helped. We already are being helped! I'm saying stop waiting for the other shoe to drop! Go live your life in loving consciousness! Bring Heaven in through your heart in every way possible. Don't stop!

Sending you so much Love, Light and Blessings on this journey we all decided to join. So join the party. I'm pretty sure it's the best one.

Julia

Letter to my Back.....

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Tue, 03 May 2022 15:56:16 GMT

Dear Back, I'm sorry......forgive me. I love you.

Dear Back,

I'm sorry you're taking all of the weight of the world. I've been taught and conditioned to think that you've got everything handled, and/or it's your job to handle everything. It's not your job. It's not anyone's job. I promise to start taking care of my self, my being. "Self care" is not selfish. It's our actual job. The one we were conditioned away from living. I will learn to love me again, and in turn, love you. And I've been told, we're fully supported! Yeah, I know, it's a shock to me, too. We are fully supported. Thank you, for helping feel the pain I ignore. I love you, Julia

I believe it's widely know that Pilates is great for back injuries and aliments. It was my understanding going into the program, and after twenty years of teaching I can report that is the case 99% of the time. Most back injuries I've taught are just about stretching and strengthening within your means. Even when it comes to herniated discs. I've seen people walk in crippled to working up and doing the advanced workout.

I've had so many of my clients tell me about the many books they read about back injuries being emotional. Yes, I said it! Their back injury was emotional. They'd tell me how reading the book and doing Pilates helped their back. And years of teaching those with herniated discs, I would come to find out that they never suffered an injury like a car accident or falling down the stairs or skiing accident. They were sitting in their office chairs. All these people were regular Pilates clients. They came in twice a week. For years. They understood the benefit.

I too, after being certified for about ten years had a horrible back injury. I had been taking care of my mother with dementia. Enough said for those who know what that entails! The pain was so bad that I thought I had herniated discs. I went for a few massages and they told me that nothing was wrong, but it was hard to believe. I eventually met this amazing chiropractor in Elwood, Long Island that finally helped! I sat and filled out a fifteen page inquiry in detail about how I was feeling and what was going on in my life. WHAT???? I couldn't believe it!?!!! I had known for years that this was the issue with my clients, but couldn't apply it to myself. It took just one person to consciously care and it started melting away. And I was able to apply my workout accordingly.

I want those who suffer with back pain to know that there is a way. A way to be pain free and not feel like you're going to break in half. A way to maintain your health. A way around the emotional baggage that gets stuck in our bodies. There is a way, and I'm here to help.

Let me know how this hits you! If you have any stories to share! Sending so much Love, Light and Blessings, Julia

Healing the Wounds

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 16:20:08 GMT

...I believe we are here to learn to break down everything that is not Love, and restore us back to our "natural" state.

"Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate." Carl Jung

It's a familiar quote. Probably one we take notice, and then then let quickly roll away. We don't want to "know". We've been conditioned to look outside of our divinity. We've been left damaged with no resources to move forward. It's scary. It's hard work. It's overbearing. It's no wonder why the world looks and feels the way it does today. We're being beaten into a corner, afraid to turn our faces to the Light, barely enough energy to lick our own wounds.

Most of us are hurting. No matter what face or mask you've decided to wear for the day. We're hurting. Too many have no idea they even feel this way. Do you feel this way??? Are you someone who is noticing? Are you someone who thinks you're fine and it's everyone else whose hurting or wrong? What do you "see"???

In my journey as a healer, I have been called to eradicate traumas I've gone through in this lifetime. (I also believe it's traumas from past lifetimes, too, not to mention ancestral). When we think of "trauma", in this case emotional trauma, we think of major issues like being beaten or molested as a child. Yes, those are very hard traumas indeed. I'm also talking about miniscule traumas, ones that wouldn't even register as a "trauma" in our minds. Like an argument or correction that you remember, but don't pay it much mind other than a memory. For example, my parents gave me a correction for saying a naughty word when I was a child. Rightfully so, but they did it fiercely and not recognizing my sense of humor. I even remembered it as a funny story until it kept coming up when working on my throat chakra. That is when my voice was shut down. When it comes to abuse, or even an accident to the body like breaking a leg when you went skiing, we feel that in the body differently. The memory is registered more physically. These miniscule traumas are sometimes a little harder to register.

How many of us have consciously made the effort to identify and work on these traumas? Hmm, maybe a handful who read this blog? Of those who are making a conscious effort and diligent work, how many have cleared all the trauma? Haha, I'm sure none! I believe healing is 100% possible. I believe it can come without even doing this "work". And yet, I believe we all signed up to do this "work"!!! We like to joke around in the spiritual community that "we didn't read the fine print" before we contracted to come back to Earth. That being said, I believe we are here to learn to break down everything that is not Love, and restore us back to our "natural" state. Our Divinity. To bring Heaven on Earth. You say, "Sounds nice, Julia. Love your outlook, although I think that's impossible!". Yeah, I don't blame you. My Pollyanna vision sounds like just that, a cartoon movie.

The reality is just that idea! Because even if you don't believe in all this hocus pocus mumbo jumbo, wouldn't it feel nicer in your body, your life, to exist in this realm??? Yeah, ok, it would, but how do you do that???

Well, I'm glad we've gotten this far that you ask, my friends!!! We take a look. Maybe you don't even step forward yet. You just decide to take a look. Then you see something! Ooohh, what's that??? Hmm, I didn't notice that before but it makes sense to how I feel! How do I "work" on this? And the list will keep going…….

A book that has made a magnificent difference on this journey is Louise Hay's "You Can Heal Your Life"! It's an amazingly famous book! The cool thing about this book is the back. It's like a dictionary look up of aliments. You can look up anything from acne to knee problems to cancer. You'll find what is emotionally going on that's causing the problem, to what you can emotionally do to fix the problem. If you're just starting out, I highly suggest you purchase the book for that reason alone! It's fascinating! For example, I looked up "ear infections", as I had them chronically as a child. It's from hearing parents argue. WHAT?!! Made total sense! Of course, the work is in the beginning of the book. If you read it, it will teach you how do to what I'm touching on in this blog. Even for people who have absolutely no idea how they feel! It's a wonderful, easy read. It will have you reeling!

So, wanna take a look with me? No worries, I'll hold your hand if you need. I'm here.

So much Love, Light and Blessings on your journey, my friends!

XO, Julia

“What you don’t transform, you will transmit.” – Richard Rohr

Don't Forget to Breathe!

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 16:12:33 GMT

He would reply, "You don't teach a chicken or a pig how to breathe. They just breathe".

Breathing. An Autonomic Response. There is no conscious action required for breathing to happen. No conscious effort! It happens without voluntary action. Yet, we notice the effort needed in walking up the stairs, trying to keep up with our children, just taking the groceries into the house. When we're not breathing, we become conscious. Seems like that's backwards, and yet, often we don't notice a good thing until it's gone.

Speaking of NOT breathing, as a teenager I had what was considered slight asthma. Regardless of my activities as a dancer and avid walker, I would have trouble breathing depending on the environment. That environment could be due to weather, or it could be due to emotional stress. I would hold my breathe, unconsciously. I didn't realize until I started my apprenticeship that I would hold my breath. I knew when I became stressed, that I could start hyperventilating, but was completely unaware of how I would just hold my breath. Looking back, I just pushed myself through because I craved the movement. It wasn't until I started Pilates and working on the "breathing" specific exercises that my asthma cleared. The reason I know it started to clear was because of my yearly check ups with a doctor. They would always check my breathing and lungs. Pilates taught me how to breathe properly! Who knew???

Clients would often ask Joseph Pilates during a workout, how to breathe. He would reply, "You don't teach a chicken or a pig how to breathe. They just breathe". There are over 600 exercises in the Contrology method, and there are "breathing" specific exercises meant to teach you how to breathe. They coordinate movement and breathe to help expand your lungs. In the Basic Mat alone, there are four: The 100, The Roll Up (or Roll Down, depending on your work), The Double Leg Stretch and Spine Stretch Forward. Let's focus on The Double Leg Stretch!

Jay Grimes, a student of Joseph Pilates says that, "All of Pilates comes back down to The Double Leg Stretch". It exhibits the Six Principles: Centering, Concentration, Control, Precision, Breath, Flow. The one that we will focus on will be Breath. This exercise puts it in gorgeous alignment to work your back and lungs.

The Double Leg Stretch is a simple exercise, and yet hard to be dexterous in it's execution. Basically you are lying on your back, "Pilates Box" is square. You are moving your arms in a circle, while your legs move straight out to a working level and back into the body. You coordinate this with your breathe. Inhale, limbs out. Exhale, limbs in. All this coordination, and trying to keep your back flat, ribs in, squeezing your legs together. Have fun trying! Oh yeah, ultimately you would do this would your head and shoulders rounded forward. Yeah, if you saw the exercise, you wouldn't think there's that much to execute. Physically trying to accomplish everything I just mentioned is another story.

Another exercise and apparatus Joseph Pilates invented was the Breath-A-Ciser. It looks like a hand held windmill. It's an expensive little piece of equipment, so I often have a pinwheel handy. You can purchase them in a 99 cents store! The exercise would require your stance and rounding down as you're blowing into the pinwheel. The goal is to keep the pinwheel at an even tempo the entire time, and to breathe into it all the way down. Keep an eye out on my Tik Tok and Instagram, as I'll post this exercise in the coming weeks.

So my friends, are you looking to expand your breathe and inhale life more deeply? Come, and try these exercises. Let me know how you do! I'd love to hear back from you!

Until next time….Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia

Manifestation

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 20:15:07 GMT

“The trick is in what one emphasizes.

We either make ourselves miserable,

or we make ourselves strong.

The amount of work is the same.”

– Carlos Castaneda

So, what is this "manifestation" thing all about? We hear the word and (pun intended) it conjures up ideas of magic and spells. Or at least that's how some people speak of manifesting. When we look up a brief meaning of the word, we find this: "An indication of the existence, reality, or presence of something." Hmmm, so are we saying it wasn't there to begin with, or just maybe coming to a realization?

That's a great question!!! Are we just breaking down the illusion? I would say, YES!!!

For years I had been writing "manifestations" or goals, which I believe is a better way to describe this breakdown. Ultimately, that was what I was working on, was having my goals and dreams become a reality. Most of the time, it didn't really seem to pan out. It wasn't until recently when I was working with my financial advisor that this started to make more sense. He had me write down about 10-15 goals for 2022. Ok, I wasn't that interested in writing them, but I did. I only wrote my business goals, thinking my personal ones weren't as important. All these ideas that were clear in my head were excruciating to write! I couldn't do it! I would pause and stop and think again. It's like they didn’t want to go down on paper!?! Now some weren't as bad to write, and once I got started it became easier. What a thing to notice!!! Writing goals was hard.

It makes me think of how we subconsciously block ourselves. If you aren't familiar, there's a great book called "The Power of Your Subconscious Mind" by Joseph Murphy. In this book he explains that your subconscious mind doesn't know the difference between now and 20-30 years ago. So, for example, if you were told as a child that "you better marry rich", your brain has that in the background f'ing up your relationships in the present. So, to further that notion, any negative commentary we have running around in there will foul up what we are trying to work on now! Holy WOW!!!

So, I really noticed this as I was physically writing. Most of us will "think" about our goals. We don't make the effort to write them down. And that's where we'll see a block. Very interesting….

In midst of this exercise, David now said, "well, add your personal goals, too. They're important! And I want you to write these goals as affirmations ". Instead of me writing "I make "x" amount of dollars a year", I'm supposed to write, "I earn "x" amount…" Again, very interesting. Because this is homework that Pat gives her students. It's about how we speak to ourselves, noticing the verbiage, and correcting it with not only positivity, we're correcting it with an outcome we want to see in reality. When we ask, we have to believe as if it were true!

Ok, so that sounds simple, and yes, like "loving one another as I love you" is not easy to execute. Writing and speaking require more conscious effort on our part. Not only to notice, to also preform. Pat has us do two things on this journey. One, she teaches "cancel, cancel" and "delete, delete". They are supposed to be used when saying things like, "you're a pain in my *ss" or "that never works for me" or "things never go as planned". If you said it, you're supposed to add "cancel, cancel" or "delete, delete" after, and change the sentence to what you would prefer. Examples would be, "I'd prefer for you to leave me alone" or "this time I'll have a happy outcome" or "this plan is cemented to go right". Try it! Even thinking it makes you want to puke in your mouth a little, doesn't it??? Notice that feeling! Why??? Yes, so many of us have that dark, sarcastic sense of humor, I understand. I am one of those people! And look at what we're creating when we do it!?! The other thing Pat has us practice, which will fall into believing, is when we pray that we ask as if it's already done. Not "please", just "thank you". "Please" is meant to be polite manners when you pass the salt at a table. Not begging God for help when it's already a given. It changes how you feel. Again, try it! It's not easy to say in our heads. Trust me, I've had to do all these little adjustments along the way. I'm constantly tweaking!

And that's partly my point. Making the distinction in our heads and words is one thing, writing them down is the next step. It becomes even more clear what we fear, what we think we've overcome and where our work needs to move us forward.

"Manifestation" isn't about creating a miracle. Although, remember that a miracle is just a shift in perception from fear to love. "Manifestation" is the conscious effort to live our dreams and break down the illusions that are in the way. It's more about conscious, positive living. And who doesn't need a little work in that department??? And probably why this word may be so scary. Because it deals with the "work" we have to do, not the instant gratification we get by sitting back and watching it happen.

So, what work do you have to do in order to make your dreams come true? Feel free to share! As always, Love, Light and Blessings, Julia

An Apple a Day.....

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 20:14:50 GMT

"Basically, The Hundred is meant to get the blood flowing through your body..."

Most people are familiar with the saying, "An apple a day will keep the doctor away". It's a great old school colloquialism to teach us to take care of our bodies. If you think about, eating an apple a day hits a lot of points, like cleaning our teeth, getting in fiber, eating your fruit. My godson calls fruit "sports candy". A quick search says that apples are good for: vitamins and minerals, weight loss, your heart, lowering diabetes risk, promote gut health, prevent cancer, possible fight asthma and protect your brain. Wow!

So, in Pilates, The Hundred, is my "apple a day" exercise. I've always given my clients homework, like practicing an exercise that will help their progress. The Hundred is the exercise that I would encourage the most! Why? Well, for starters, it is usually the first exercise you learn in Pilates, and the first one you generally learn in your routines. Therefore, if you're just starting out or you've been do Pilates for a long time, The Hundred is foremost in your mind.

Basically, The Hundred is meant to get the blood flowing through your body and get your heart pumping. This idea is very basic within Pilates. He felt, and I agree, that the blood flowing through your body helps it to heal. Why the "Pre-Pilates" exercises are about getting to an affected area in a secondary manner, so that you are pulling the blood through the ailment and not making the injury work. Other added bonuses to The Hundred are working your Powerhouse and coordinating breath with movement. Depending on your injuries/ailments and level of work, you can tailor this exercise to your needs.

The Hundred is a great building exercise! You can be a basic beginner and still get the benefits! If you were executing this exercise full out, your legs would be held out where your eyes and toes are on the same level whilst keeping your back completely flat (Again, very advanced. Most people start with their legs straight up), your head and shoulders would be up and rounded forward and your arms pumping up and down about 4-6 inches. You would inhale for five counts and exhale for five counts while pumping your arms (which equals ten), and you would do those ten times. Ten times ten is 100!

So, depending on your injuries or ailments, you might not be doing any of what I listed! If you have neck and shoulder injuries, you may have your head down and beating your legs together high, which would serve as the "pumping" part of the exercise. If you have back injuries, you may have your legs bent in the whole time. Better yet, you may not even be able to get down to the floor. You may choose to do your Wall exercise and pump your arms as you pull your stomach against the wall. The whole point is to get your blood flowing and your heart pumping. The rest is gravy.

So, have any of you done The Hundred before? What are your experiences? Do you need help trouble shooting? Give me a shout out! I would love to help and guide!

Until next time my Pilates enthusiasts…..Love, Light and Blessings, Julia

Vest of Protection

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 16:52:48 GMT

There has been a dramatic difference in my life after putting on my vest of protection daily!

Before I met my teacher, Pat Longo, I used to call on Archangel Michael daily. Actually, many times daily. Along my Spiritual journey, it was a habit I grew. Always asking for protection and help. I would ask him to guard me, my family and friends, my home, my car, my travels. Anything I could think of that I felt was the most important. Depending on the day, I called for help driving, dealing with someone over the phone, speaking in person with other "humans" (I put that in parentheses because there are many humans walking around, asleep, and therefore don't feel human to my soul. They are vacant of knowing their own soul and come off soulless.) On my journey, I dealt with energies that felt dark, and were dark, and Archangel Michael would help when I asked. Notice how I describe my feelings . It's important to understand how we feel . Many people aren't aware.

I am an Empath. We understand the word empathy means:

the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner.

My awareness is very sensitive, which allows me to feel deeply. Very deeply. I've been told all my life that I'm "too sensitive", or that I'm "very sensitive", as if it's wrong or bad or weak. It's not. It's a vast strength that we haven't given much credit. I've had to struggle with it all my life until I started my journey, or Dark Night of the Soul. I became more aware.

It wasn't until I met Pat that I was really aware of myself being an Empath. I never thought of it or labeled myself that way. Part of our homework is to look up the traits of an empath. WOW! It really started to make sense! It gave me a whole new sense of my own power/awareness/divinity/sovereignty. So much of my daily existence made far more sense.

It was also under Pat I learned about my "Vest of Protection". She said to visualize a vest, it could be a silver, poofy vest or it could be a steel vest and you want to see it cover the whole front of your torso from your shoulders to your pubic bone. You also want to see it covering the whole of your back, too. This is to be done daily. Some days I just put on a vest, some days it's a whole Medieval suit of armor! Lately, I just put on a poofy silver vest and surround myself in a white bubble. You can choose for yourself what you feel you need in that moment. I have a friend who also puts on a hood because she feels her head also needs to be protected.

There has been a dramatic difference in my life after putting on my vest of protection daily! Within less than a month I noticed that I wasn't approached as often by strangers. I noticed dramatic "friends" and drama ridden issues were held at bay. Now, it's not like they didn't happen sometimes. I also had much more awareness about these circumstances, and I was able to adjust accordingly. Often handling situations with more ease. Again, I had been on a spiritual journey and becoming more aware of my issues, habits, and concerns. So, there was that element already taking place in my life. That being said, the practice of putting on my vest drastically enhanced these circumstances.

Alright, now it's your turn! I would love for you to try this out and let me know how it works for you!!! Do you notice a difference? Let me know if you need any help in trouble shooting! Feel free to reach out! I would love to hear from you!

Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia

Happy Feet

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 16:23:29 GMT

Our feet have to do with "moving forward in life".

I once read a question on social media from a master teacher who was in their studio after traveling ask, "Where do I begin?". A fellow instructor replied, "Footwork!". It was a simple, lovely answer, and our teacher was delighted and took the suggestion.

Traditionally in Pilates, you start Reformer work with a series of movements called "Footwork". It's a great place to come into your center, move with ease, and start the correction process of general misalignment. "Footwork" consists of three pressure points: Toes, Arches and Heels. It ends with Tendon Stretch which brings the movement of all three together. This is done against the resistance of springs. This resistance helps the ankle, knee and hip alignment. The springs teach your body, whether you are aware or not, how to use your muscles more efficiently, and ultimately, taking weight off of our bodies.

I happen to be very interested in holistic health, leaning towards the spiritual. In Louise Hay's book, "You Can Heal Your Life", she has a dictionary look up of aliments. It has two columns, one, what is emotionally incorrect causing the "dis-ease", and two, a column to correct the emotional imbalance. Our feet have to do with "moving forward in life". Makes sense! When our feet are not working for a multitudinous amount of reasons: arthritis, breaks, circulation issues, we quite literally have a problem moving forward.

In my experience for all the years I've been teaching, I love to see that foot aliments seem to be the easiest to alter, with or without consciousness. Pilates has plenty of opportunity to address our feet, regardless of if you are doing any apparatus work or mat work. Some places where you can easily accomplish any work on your feet is a Basic Mat. Just watching your feet, no matter the exercise, will be work regardless of a foot specific exercise. You can add articulation of your feet to Leg Circles, before you start the exercise. Romana would often have us just stretch the leg for those clients who were a little tighter. Why not add the articulation of your feet?!!

What I mean about "articulating" your feet is finding the "Toes", "Arches" and "Heels". I think the Leg Circles from the Basic Mat is a great place to start! You've warmed up your body with The Hundred and The Roll Up (or Roll Down, depending on your level). When you take your leg up, hold behind your thigh for a moment while you "point" and "flex" your foot. ("Pointing" of your foot would indicate that your ankle is long, and your toes are long. "Flexing" of your foot would indicate that your ankle is at a right angle and your toes are pulled towards you.) Notice how your foot moves! Does it go side to side, or circle? Is it easier to move your toes, and not so much your ankle? It is VERY important in Pilates to watch our bodies! Our bodies are smart and will do whatever we instruct. We just have to have the mindfulness and determination!

You can apply this articulation and mindfulness in your practice wherever you feel comfortable, not matter your level! There are a few other basic exercises that are beneficial to helping your feet become more mobile, and you can add to your at home workout routine. We used to call them "TV" exercises or "Pre-Pilates", as you can do them before and/or after your workout. One is called Towel Exercises, and probably many physical therapists give this exercise. You can do this sitting down or standing up, though you would want to work up to a standing position as a goal. You would use a towel, preferably a regular towel, not a washcloth or hand towel as they would be too small. Next, you would place your foot at the end of the towel, probably heel on the floor and your toes on the towel. Make sure your body is in alignment: Pilates Box is square (shoulder to shoulder/hip to hip, all lines connect…..your torso should look like a box), knees are over ankles and your knees are hip width apart. Now, curl your toes to pull the towel into you. Do this process three to five times in, and then push the towel back out. When you start, don't be discouraged if the towel barely moves. Some of us have very dormant feet, and it will take some time to wake them up! You may even experience dizziness or nausea. Don't be alarmed, it's common, and all the more reason why we start this exercise sitting down.

These are just some examples of exercises you can do to have more mobility in your feet! I encourage you to try! Let me know how it goes! Please feel free to ask any questions in the "comment" section below! Remember, this is a friendly, loving site. Thank you for refraining from negativity or arguments.

Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia

"No Sugar" Detox

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Tue, 04 Jan 2022 21:11:24 GMT

This is a subtitle for your new post

Happy New Year's Blessings my Lovelies!!!

So I'm inclined to share with you a routine I've acquired over the years. At the beginning of every year, I do a "no sugar diet" detox.

It originally started about five years ago when I attended a class with a master herbalist. The class was about four to six hours on "Healing Herbs". My friend was taking horticulture with the New York Botanical Garden and knew my interest in essential oils and invited me as a guest. Needless to say, it was an amazing class! I was particularly intrigued by this detox diet for an aliment from which I was suffering. So, I reached out to the teacher and we both agreed that it was worth the try. In midst of doing this diet, I realized this is just the way we should all be eating, and that we've never been taught properly.

Andrea Candee (www.andreacandee.com), the master herbalist, said she was taught the Rule of Three . "Three days, three weeks, three months". Of course, depending on the level of what you are working, one of those rules would apply. My aliment had been going on a while, and nothing helped. Again, we agreed that three months would be the most beneficial. It was amazing to see how my body changed! And to see the reactions of others who were watching the transformation.

First of all, when I say, "no sugar detox", people think you're just cutting sugar out of your diet. No big deal right? Other than your love and/or addiction to sugar. WRONG! It's a whole system of replacing. It's not just sugar, because you want to not only detox the sugar from your system, you also want to detox the foods and/or chemicals that inflame the sugar in your system. Ohhh….. So, you're also detoxing acids out of your system, too. It's more detailed and involved than one may think from just hearing the name. I even love the name Andres gave the list! "Avoid/Substitute". Not, "don't ever eat it again!", it's avoid .

Again, I did this as a way of curing an ailment, thinking that it was just a temporary diet. I figured it may teach me how to use sugar in a healthy way, as I used to use it as a way to feed myself fast and cheap! I quickly started to learn this is the way I wanted to eat most of the time!

It wasn't easy. I thought in two to three weeks I'd get acclimated. More like a month and a half! I was starving for the first month! Partly, because I was learning how to actually eat and trying to make that work into my schedule and pocketbook. At the time, I was working maybe one or two days a week taking care of my mother with dementia. Eating only organic is more expensive! And taking out foods that I thought were healthy, like potatoes/corn/rice, I felt like I had no carbs or substance. I was eating salad three times a day! Which sounds crazy, even for someone who really enjoys salad! And that's really how we should eat. No one wants to hear it, but it's the complete truth. It's funny people's response, "Well, I want to be happy" or "I want to enjoy life". Hugh??? Think about that for a moment. Is that the only way you are happy or have enjoyment in life? Through food? And we wonder why we're so sick physically/mentally/spiritually???

Changes to my body happened rapidly. I noticed within three weeks my belly fat had disappeared. Yes, even an in-shape Pilates instructor had belly fat. I was eating too much sugar, remember? The inflammation in the rest of my body was disappearing, too. My waist, the back of my arms. I noticed my sinuses clearing up and not having a problem with an overabundance of mucus. I was using the "bathroom" more efficiently. My clients would tell me how gorgeous my skin was looking! (By the way, I've had longtime issues with serve cystic acne). Oh, and have I mentioned yet the clarity of thought?!? Brain fog was lifting. I could "think" again! No more forgetting words or thoughts. I was clear!

The benefits of doing this diet, I feel, are extreme. I think even if someone had the same notion I did, and just did the diet for three months with the intention of going back to eating "normal", they would still have great results! They say that when you detox your body from sugar, it heals. From my own experience, I can surely say this is true! You also realize that we are ALL addicted! There are some people who will snub their nose and put down individuals with a severe addiction, like alcohol or drugs, and yet when they are presented with this diet, they scoff it off saying they "love sugar". Ok, no problem here folks…..

I highly suggest this detox to anyone! Now, I'm not a doctor. You should always consult a medical professional regarding your health, if your one of those people. And I say that joking around, because I'm not one to go to a doctor, in general. Not that I'm above going to one. I trust my body, my instincts and my judgement. Many people struggle with these attributes, and in those cases, should consult a physician. When I did this diet, I did not. It's been five years in the running, and I do it every year. I basically never get sick and I'm not dead, so, something must be working! I mostly keep this diet throughout the year once I've detoxed. I let myself cheat when I go out with friends. And once the end of year holidays start, it's no holds barred! Holiday meals are part of celebrating the holiday, and Thanksgiving and Christmas are my favorites! So, it's a year that slowly works into a great detox! It works perfectly for me!

Let me know your thoughts and feeling! Have any of you ever done this diet? Did you enjoy it? What did you notice in your body/mind/soul? Are you interested in trying? Please feel free to reach out and email me! I'd love to answer your questions! I will also send you the list upon request! Also, check out Andrea's website and contact her email. I'm sure she'd love to help!

Sending so much Love, Light and Blessings!!!

Julia XO

Every day, Not Just Once a Year!

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Tue, 04 Jan 2022 21:02:36 GMT

Happy New Year's Blessings!!!

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The Fast Lane

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 20:46:49 GMT

"Be and artist of consciousness. Your picture of reality is you most important creation. Make it powerfully, profoundly beautiful." Alex Grey

I happen to be a fast driver. Very fast! I am dexterous in my driving. I also have a strong awareness of the rules for driving, official and unofficial. For example, I get annoyed at people who don't signal. Yes, I can see what you're about to do, but it feels less annoying when you use your directional to let me know. It's common courtesy, that's all. Stop thinking you're the only one on the road and its all about you! The "Fast Lane" is another example. Technically speaking, when driving on a highway, the "Fast Lane" is really just a passing lane. You're not supposed to "ride" it the entire time. It's basically meant to play leap frog with the middle lane. Unofficially, none of us use it that way. And the common courtesy is that if you're not going as fast as the person behind you, you're supposed to get out of their way. I never knew that until I really started riding that lane. Even before I knew about that "rule", I couldn't stand the people who sit in that lane doing the speed limit! Seriously, there are two other lanes you are more than welcome to ride! Why choose the fast lane? Are you needing to prove how wonderful you are and enjoy annoying people you don't know??? GET OUT OF THE LANE!!!

"So, Julia", you ask, "What does this have to do with Spiritual Healing?". Well, thank you for asking, I'm about to expand on that thought (insert big, sarcastic smiley face!). For Lightworkers, I think we've been very frustrated and saddened by those who are seemingly not "waking" up. It's been very intense this past week. A conversation arose for me yesterday that I was handed by Grace. It was some random, lovely human being, one you thank God for placing on this Earth. They stated an opinion, not one I give much thought, and they stated it very passionately. To which my response was an innocent, "Wow, really?". A moment or two was taken for retrospect, and conversation kept going. It was a lovely encounter, as I felt we left on the same elated terms we met. And it got me thinking, hence this blog……

Part of why I've been feeling this intense is because I'm in the "Fast Lane" with this journey we are all taking. I want those, who aren't on 100 mph to get out of my way! Not in a mean or judgmental way. I just have someplace to be and I want to arrive there yesterday. (I don't even think that's my Queens, NY talking). I'm on a "mission from God", and it's ok if you don't want to join, just move aside. And the hard thing for me is to enjoy the journey! I can't stand it! I just want to get there already! I want to be where we all remember we love each other, and treat each other with that love!

I learned that I don't like "the journey" from walking a labyrinth. I had this conversation with a Pilates client, who we often see things from a different point of view, and she has this wonderful way of letting a difference of opinion fall away. She enlightened me because when she walks a labyrinth, she doesn't get the point of the center or getting to it, she just enjoyed the walk. WHAT?!?!?! It was mind blowing for me! I just wanted to get to the center. Getting there annoys me! I find it a stupid waste of time! Just walk it with no destination? No reward? No spiritual endowment??? Why do it? WHY???

"Ughhh, hello Julia, that's what you get from enjoying the journey", Heaven says as it looks down on me smiling! Ok, fine, I'll try to keep perfecting that feeling. It's not easy. We've been systematically trained to believe we're being irresponsible and selfish. I will constantly and consistently do my work. This system is dismantling and falling to dust. This "fast Lane" that we're all in, is about to merge in a super highway of infinite love! Try to remember, take breaks when you need, go out and be the light and love you need to others.

"Be and artist of consciousness. Your picture of reality is you most important creation. Make it powerfully, profoundly beautiful." Alex Grey

Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia

Your Red Slippers

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Fri, 12 Mar 2021 17:08:28 GMT

"Truly, the greatest gift you have to give
is that of your own self-transformation.”

– Lao Tzu

To quote from The Wizard of Oz, The Good Witch says at the end of Dorothy's long journey, “You’ve always had the power, my dear. You’ve had it all along.”

Yes, my dears, You have the power! You have always had the power! You've been conditioned by the traumas you signed on for, and this 3D's "reality". You've signed onto working your way back to remember and teach others to do the same!

We contract, as souls, who our parents are/where we grow up/the life lessons, or traumas we are exposed to growing. Yes, you're probably saying, "I didn't sign up for this!", or "I signed up for this? No way!". There's a running joke for spiritual people that we "didn't read the fine print", hahaha (insert smirk face emoji). Yeah, you picked this time and place to grow, so, start growing!

It's often taught in different religious backgrounds that we are never separate from God, and that we are made in His/Her likeness. That God is in everyone you see. It's true! Dan Chesbro, author and minister, says, "It's all good, it's all God." Think of it, God made EVRYTHING! Lucifer, God's most beloved angel, fell from Heaven, or so it is taught in Christian religions. Growing up Catholic, we were never taught about the part of the story where Lucifer asks for God's forgiveness and is accepted back into Heaven. Other Christian denominations teach this story, but not many. It's a divisive plan to keep your true power at bay. If you can be scared into thinking there is always something dire out to get you, and that if you pray, maybe your prayers will be answered?!??

Edgar Cayce would say, "God answers all prayers." End of story. Our prayers are always answered! ALWAYS! We are conditioned by the fears we were taught, and still being scared into believing. It clouds our vision of what is real. The only thing that is real is Love. God/The Universe/Jesus/Spirit (or whatever terminology makes you comfortable) is conspiring for us to be in our true divinity. Our true divinity is everything that God is: Love, Health, Compassion, Abundance, Empathy, Joy, etc. This is truth! Anything else is an illusion.

If you see hatred/anger/disappointment/frustration/illness…IT IS AN ILLUSION! It is not reality! You've just been conditioned into believing it's reality. I know it's hard. I understand what these all feel like, as if they not only lived in my bones, they moved my tortured soul. And breathed black tar out of my lungs. I understand. I have also done the work that dissolved all of those illusions like water to sugar. They are illusions.

"Do Not Feed the Fears!" Your fears, your conditioned neuroses are just part of your work here to further your soul and help in the development of the rest of humanity. Notice the fears. Don't feed them like it's Thanksgiving day! Notice and act. Not re-act. Stop reenacting your traumas. You, only YOU, have the power to change that story! It's not someone else's fault anymore. You have to decide to move forward, or stay in listlessness.

What ways will you decide to move forward today? Tomorrow? Three months from now? A year from now? Take a step, and be meticulous and undeterred! We all need you!

“Would you like to save the world from

the degradation and destruction it seems destined for?

Then step away from shallow mass movements,

and quietly go to work on your own self-awareness.

If you want to awaken all of humanity,

then awaken all of yourself.

If you want to eliminate the suffering in the world,

then eliminate all that is dark and negative in yourself.

Truly, the greatest gift you have to give

is that of your own self-transformation.”

– Lao Tzu

Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia

The Wall

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Fri, 12 Mar 2021 17:08:25 GMT

Keep in mind, when your making these adjustments in your body, they don't feel correct.

An easy and simple way of understanding "Up and Forward" is the ending of The Wall exercise. It's a great exercise to do daily. It's a Basic exercise that can pretty much be done anywhere! Look for a free wall or door! It's that simple! The very basic version is to just put yourself up against a wall. The most important part to touch is your lower back! It's the space between the top of your hips, and the bottom of your ribcage. It's easy to find, as it doesn't exactly like to touch the wall "naturally". It will take the conscious feeling of your body, and then the conscious feeling of that spot on your back against the wall. Make sure your feet are in front of you, even more so than you believe the should go out. If someone was looking at you sideways, you would probably look like a 45 degree angle. Also work your feet parallel. (Remember, parallel lines never meet! So don't let your toes or heels turn in or out). Look to adjust your feet over your toes. Now, purposely lock your knees straight and feel what your lower back does against the wall! Then, soften the knees again and adjust your lower back. Interesting, huh? Make sure to keep your knees bent. Yes, bent!

Keep in mind, when your making these adjustments in your body, they don't feel correct. Read that again! THEY DON'T FEEL CORRECT. As long as you are not in terrible pain, you are fine! Oftentimes, we need to get over the feeling of the "feeling". Use your eyes to check your body! This is a very important part of Pilates! WATCH YOUR BODY! (I know this is daunting for some, just remember you are beautiful and loved! Leave your judgement about yourself out of the equation!) It's part of your workout to learn to see your body! Ok, are we against the wall yet?

Lower back is flat. Feet are in parallel far enough in front of you. Knees are a little bent. Now, you might feel a little rounded forward. Lift your sternum bone (it's the bone on your chest, in between your ribcage) and look at a point in front of you. Do not worry about your shoulders or head touching the wall. In fact, the shouldn't touch. I now that sounds, and feels, counter intuitive, it's not! Even super advanced Pilates people don't put their heads against the wall. This should be work to hold this position, and, a little uncomfortable. Just breathe. Feel your breath expand your muscles. Actively use your breath to lengthen your muscles into the position. So every time you breathe, your engaging your muscles to do the work. This should help this position feel less uncomfortable. Great! Are we ready to do the "up and forward" part of the exercise??? (I know, Pilates is a lot of work!)

Walking off The Wall. Put your hands on the wall, physically. Touch the wall with your hands and keep them against the wall. Slowly walk your feet backwards to the wall. Keep watching your stance. Make sure it doesn't change. As you are walking back, your torso will slide up the wall. Try to keep your lower back against the wall. It will not completely stay on, and that's fine. Just don't let your back arch. Walk all the way back until for heels meet the wall. For some, your heels may be about half and inch off the wall, particularly if you are very sway back. (Sway back is someone who has a very large arch in their lower spine.) In this position, hands are still on the wall, lower back is as close as possible, and sternum bone and forehead are lifted, you should feel like "the leaning Tower of Pisa". THIS, is your Up and Forward moment!!! AAAAHHHHHH!!! Now, let your hands fall at your sides. Use your stomach, or "powerhouse" to hold you in and up, and now walk away from the wall. TaDa!!! You did it! Now, practice it daily! It will take a few times before it feels more natural, and not so mechanical.

Try it out for yourself, and share your results! I'd love to hear how it works for you!

Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia

"Everyone is for Everyone Else"

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Thu, 11 Feb 2021 16:20:24 GMT

Our first job is to learn self Love, because it helps us to Love others properly.

Have you ever read Aldous Huxley's, "Brave New World". It's often compared and taught with a novel by George Orwell, "1984". Orwell's is often quoted, and would sound familiar, like, "The Thought Police". Brave New World is a Utopian society controlled by sex and drugs under the illusion of freedom. (It's a little different in respect to 1984 which is a society controlled by fear and punishment.) There is a slogan that is taught in the Brave New World Utopian society, "Everyone is for Everyone Else".* It's this illusory quote that on the surface sounds like we should take care of one another. The deeper tone is you belong to and are controlled. That you are conditioned to think/act/believe the way the someone else deems fit. Sound like anything going on today???

It's one thing to say, "everyone is for everyone else", and quite another to say, "we are here for each other." We ARE here for each other! We are here to remember Love. From once we came to where we will end. We are here to "walk each other home". That doesn't mean it's my job to do it for you. It doesn't mean it's my job to tell you how it's done. It doesn't even mean you have to do the work. Your life, your free will. Your choice! We are supposed to Love each other and not have judgement over someone else's journey. We don't have to participate in their journey, and, we are not supposed to do harm. We Love from our means. Our first job is to learn self Love, because it helps us to Love others properly.

Two spiritual truths keep coming to mind: One, we ALL come from Love, we ALL return to Love. Good, bad, naïve, evil, or whatever judgement you may hold. One, our journey here is to REMEMBER! We are quite clearly being called back to remember. It is our job to do the work on ourselves, that we are not pushing our unhealed traumas onto other people/humans/souls. We also have to do the work and realize that when other people are doing harm, it's mostly because they are hurting, too. It is not anyone's natural state to be in turmoil. We learned that here, in this 3D world. That is why you may read or hear the terms 4D and 5D. It's looking past this illusion into another dimension. It's like your 3D glasses from the 80's have expired and you have to upgrade your technology to see more clearly. Again our choice to do the work. It's that pesky Free Will thing again! You can choose to be part of the problem, or the solution. If you don't like what you're seeing/hearing/feeling, my suggestion is get to work!

Two, when we "Cross Over" (leaving illusion for truth, body for spirit), we go through a moment of our lives flashing before our eyes. In this "moment", we not only experience everything we ever went through, we experience it from the other person's thoughts/feelings. That means we think/feel and have their moment, too! So, take the example of having an argument with a stranger. You and this stranger are both on line at the grocery store. They, are on their phone, not paying attention, seems like they are in their own world and just their presence annoys you. You, are trying to get home fast because you need to make dinner and you've already had a long day. So, you lash out at this person the second the cashier is ready to ring them up. Words and thoughts are pushed and shoved, and you both leave disgruntled. Flash forward to your "life flashing before your eyes" review, and you experience this scenario again. Except this time, you are in the other persons shoes. You realize that they are going through a nasty divorce, just barely getting by and only had that moment to speak to a dear and trusted friend because they don't have family or friends around. You feel the words and anger that you threw to this person. Interesting understanding? Makes sense as to why we have been told to "love one another", that "if we truly loved ourselves, we could never harm another", to "always be kind", etc. WE ARE HERE FOR EACH OTHER!!!

Hugh Lynn Cayce, Edgar Cayce's son said, "We all go together, or we don't go". Do you understand? Unless you find how to Love yourself deeply enough to Love others regardless of your judgements, we don't go!?!! Heaven really does exist and we can drop this illusion if we find Love. Read that again! Heaven and Love are here, right now! We have to drop the illusion! We can help each other, unless, you like how things are going? Your choice. Some of us have already moved forward. Wouldn't you like to join along?

I hope you enjoy, find comfort and healing in this article. If you liked it, thank you for sharing with others who may resonate. Feel free to ask questions!

Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia

*(I didn't have a chance to verify this quote. I'm pretty sure it's this quote or something very similar).

Finding Your Stance

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Thu, 11 Feb 2021 16:20:21 GMT

There really is no such thing as Pilates Stance .

Romana used to get really annoyed when someone would say "Pilates Stance". She insisted, Uncle Joe didn't want anything named after him, and why the method is actually called Contrology (not Pilates)! She would say, "Heels together, Toes apart". There really is no such thing as Pilates Stance.

There are a two basic stances that most people work on for their body. Heels together, Toes apart, or Parallel. Now, depending on your body and what it likes to do, you may work one foot in parallel and the other foot turned open. It all depends, which was a dreaded statement as an apprentice. You are looking for proper hip, knee and ankle alignment. Sometimes you start in one stance and change through your years of working out because your body changed. You want to work into a Parallel position, ultimately. Many people start heels together, toes apart. It's not to be confused with a ballet dancers "turnout", which is meant to be completely open. Heels together, toes apart is a wide "V". It's a little more open and takes a little more effort than just physically putting your feet in the stance.

We use Heels together, Toes apart for those of us who are Pidgeon Toed or our legs roll in from our hips. It looks like your knees and toes are touching when you stand normally. This makes the muscles work open and helps to correct alignment. This is the stance I used when I first started, as my legs liked to roll inward. I had seen pictures from a trip I had before I started Pilates, and then after, and noticed the difference!

Joseph Pilates would take before and after pictures of clients from their first session until their fifth session. It was amazing to see the difference! He would promise to change your body within five sessions, or your money back! It's easy to keep this promise, as clients automatically see the difference, too!

The other stance that is widely used is Parallel. Remember from math, "parallel lines never meet"? Well, that is the stance! Your feet from your tippy toes, until your heels are in straight lines. No scattered toes inching out, or your heel turned ever so slightly. Feet will be hip distance apart. Parallel! This is the stance that is used for people who are "knock kneed", meaning their knees touch but their feet open across wide. It's also used for people who have knee problems, as it's less tension than the other stance. This is also the position you try to advance into working from Heels together, Toes apart. It requires more effort to hold your thigh muscles to keep your legs over your feet.

Another important factor of your stance is even distribution of weight. Romana used to trace our feet with paper and pen. She would then explain the Triangle on the bottom of your foot. She would draw a line across all five toes, and then two lines to the center of your heel. That is your Triangle and she would instruct us to feel even weight on all points. We would stand, in our stance, and practice feeling just our toes, so our heels felt light. Then we would practice feeling weight in our heels, and lift our toes. Finally, we would practice feeling even weight on all points. This, completed your stance! You used it your entire workout for the hour. Very rarely would you change it for an exercise. It should follow through every exercise that requires your stance.

Now, it's time for you to try! Look in a mirror, or get a family or friend to help you look at your legs and feet. Determine what it is you normally do, and then you can apply the stance that will give you the correct work! Let me know how you make out! And always, feel free to ask questions!

Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia

Up and Forward

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 15:11:34 GMT

Romana would say, "Paw the Earth like and animal! Up and forward!"

Joseph Pilates' philosophy was, and is, "Up and Forward". Just like life, you can't hang back on your heels and expect to move forward to your goals and dreams. It takes conscious thought and action. A simple gesture in your body, and the rest of your body will respond. The symbol I like to use in teaching what up and forward looks like is Superman, tilted forward, about to take flight from the ground.

Romana would often to refer to Joseph Pilates' study of animals. He noticed that they were always in a tilted, forward stance. Romana would say, "Paw the Earth like and animal! Up and forward!" Watching and studying animal movement was a huge influence on Uncle Joe's work.

Romana would also say, "Pull in and up!". She would explain that you want to pull your stomach to your spine, and lift it up your spine. Making the conscious effort to make the muscles "pull in and up" automatically corrects your posture without much knowledge or manipulation. Just like real life, your body will respond to your conscious thought.

A Basic exercise that implements this idea is Arm Weights. The apprentice program always taught us that the most important part of Arm Weights Series is you Stance! How you hold your body! Your arms, are secondary. Romana insisted you hold you body like a "Greek column"! No one, or nothing was going to push you over. That slight incline, or up and forward movement was the most important. When you're doing it correctly, it feels like you're going to fall forward. When you're holding this stance, your arms will work the various positions, and get the articulation they need. There is a secondary stance in Arm Weights, which is more advanced, and the last set of arms I teach to an individual or group in this series. It looks like a squatted position with your back flat over your legs. Although, the execution of holding this squat or Table Top requires the same up and forward motion, it's not the easiest position to find and why I teach it last.

One of my favorite places to feel this idea of Up and Forward is 2x4. This is an exercise to strengthen your ankles, and is first taught using a stable device for balance. Most often in the studio, The Cadillac is used, as it has bars to hold about shoulder distance apart. If you were doing this exercise at home, I would recommend holding onto a door jam, or kitchen counter, or maybe even the dining room table. Yes, as your thinking, an actual 2x4 is used, but not necessary to execute the exercise. You would start with your feet parallel (remember from math, parallel lines never meet), adjust you knees over your toes (if they don't line up naturally), spread all five toes and lift your heels as much as you are able. Slowly lower the heels down. This is repeated five to seven times. (Repetitions may vary.) If you can visualize this, you can imagine that you need to have a slight incline, forward motion. You need to feel light on your heels. No letting the heels drop like a sack of potatoes! This is how dancers are able to lift off of their ankles like there are on marionette strings. Their whole body is in Up and Forward motion!

So, I challenge you to try and feel Up and Forward in your body! Practice feeling more weight in your toes, than in your heels. You might fall a little forward, not to worry, you will catch yourself before it becomes an incident! Let me know how you make out!

Feel free to ask questions!

Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia

The Only Thing.....

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 15:11:30 GMT

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Edmund Burke

Understanding ourselves, and our own darkness, leads us to a better understanding of the darkness in others. You've probably heard this, or something like this before. This is why work on ourselves, and understanding our own divinity, is so important. If we don't see ourselves and stand in our own power, then it's easy to be manipulated and controlled. It's easy to look the other way when atrocities are taking place. When our energy is zapped and we feel like the dregs of the Earth, why bother pushing back against the status quo?

It is imperative that we find who we really are and not this lifeless being that "life" molded. We are much more than we have been led to believe, and we have much more power and connection to the Divine. All you have to do is open your eyes. It's scary! Not only will you see elements of yourself that you don't want to know exist, and the work you would have to do in order to be free and live in your sovereignty, you will see the darkness that is trying to take over the Earth.

Make no mistake. There are nefarious elitists who are intent on lulling you into an ever deeper sleep, taking your rights away and swindling you into coaxing every cell in your body that their way of living is "the way"! Look! Keep your eyes focused! Don't turn away. I know it's hard. It's scary! It's painful. The more we try to ignore what's becoming blatantly obvious, the easier it becomes for them to do as they please. Again, make no mistake, they are trying to make this a way of life for us all. Why else would they put all their efforts into making you hate? And if you understood your own divinity, why would you hate??? Why would they silence opposing arguments and/or evidence? You have your own mind, you don't need someone else to decide. Why is only one "side" or "voice" allowed to speak or have validity? Truth is truth, and if you're paying attention, liars only lie to themselves when they open their mouth.

I came across a YouTube video of an ex CIA agent teaching "how to spot a liar". I believe it was to a group of fashion executives, as there is a lot of theft in that industry. I believe there were six points of interest, as well. It's about an hour long. I highly suggest the watch! I happened to watch it because I found it interesting. As an empath and psychic, I already have that radar, even if I can't explain why. What's great about watching this, is it gave me something "tangible" for others to understand. Ultimately, I believe we are all psychic empaths. It's just some of us choose this moment to be very aware to teach others. Again, we've been systematically conned out of it for centuries.

How much longer can we look at these "leaders" and not "see" who and what they are in their hearts? How much longer can we look the other way when yet another victim of child sex trafficking comes forward with their brave story? How many stories of their torment will just fall away before we get to the root? How many have to come forward before you understand there is a most grievous problem? How many laws to drop the age of consent need to pass before you realize that you are being conditioned into a lifestyle? How many mass child graves from around the world will finally get your attention??? How many more hundreds of thousands of children need to go missing? I believe the statistics are at 800,000/year? Maybe when it hits 2 million, like the lottery?!?? Maybe then we'll take a look?

"The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything." Albert Einstein

These maleficent or Luciferian entities are not as strong as they present! Honestly, one look from a person who stands in their own power, and they receded like the serpentine energy they embody. That's all it takes. A look! Get it? LOOK!!! Because they have no power. The only power they have is to be conniving. That's it! Like any psychopathic narcissist, they loose their hold when you let them go!!! All they have left is to turn themselves inside out! They will cease to exist.

Or, you could do nothing. Keep looking away. Keep on doing just what you're told. No thought or consequence. There are people doing the work. Right now, living every day in the Light they bring from above. They are laughing, walking, spending time with their families. They are working, moving, breathing. They are enjoying life, as it is our right and freedom! They're hoping one day, after you have had enough rest, that you will decide to join in their efforts, too.

Thank you for taking the time to read. If you found this helpful on your journey, and you know someone who may benefit, thank you for sharing!

Love, Light and Blessings on your continued path!

Julia

Doing the Work

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Fri, 29 Jan 2021 17:39:32 GMT

We all have this idea that what we want to attain in life is somewhere "out there", just beyond our reach.

How often have you ever heard a notable celebrity of any manner when asked how they arrived at their current status, they reply with, "It took a lot of work." What is this mystical "work" that they are doing??? I work. You work. Most people "work". What is this "work"??? Sign me up if it gets me to my goal faster!!!

We all have this idea that what we want to attain in life is somewhere "out there", just beyond our reach. If we "work" hard enough, maybe we'll get "there". So we work 24/7/365 trying to attain our goals. We find ourselves exhausted, and not much closer. We have been conditioned by our traumas, and systematically brainwashed by society to think we are less than an amazing, shinning soul. You hear that statement? YOU ARE AN AMZING, SHINING SOUL!!! I understand if you don't feel this statement. As I said, we have many barriers built to wall us off.

These barriers are illusions! Very much like the picture of a horse tied by a rope to a chair. The horse doesn't move believing it's bound. It's perception, and ours, is askew. We need to take a deeper look. That deeper look is in the mirror. It is at our actions, or reactions. It is at our unhealed traumas. It is at our daily life and how we interact with others, and most importantly, how we treat that person in the mirror!

What are your daily habits? Do you get enough rest? How do you eat? Do you eat? Exercise? How do you feel, generally? Are you angry? Depressed? Lonely??? Make a list, on purpose! Take out a piece of paper and a pen (or you laptop, if you're so inclined) and write it down!!! You need to see these answers, because you'll make up excuses or brush off the truth if you're only just thinking them in your head! You need to start seeing "yourself", because you may not really see the person staring back at you in the mirror.

There's a famous quote about changing the world, right? "If you want to change the world, start by changing yourself." Correct? We all hear it, and yet it's a much different story when we have to "do the work". The work isn't "out there". It's not for someone else to do while you point a finger and tell them how to accomplish the work. IT'S FOR YOU TO DO THE WORK!!! ON YOURSELF! As a Pilates instructor for almost twenty years, I'll have people comment, "Oh, Pilates is HARD!". Yes, it is because YOU have to do the work!!! And I find there are far too many who aren't interested, and those who downright refuse. It's like the people who are proud of not eating green vegetables because they are green. Really??? Ok, then don't complain later when you are suffering from a severe illness. Your choice!

One of my favorite suggestions on "doing the work" is A Course in Miracles (ACIM). Some of you may have heard of this book. Marianne Williamson is famous for writing the "cliff notes" called Return to Love. She suggested that you do the workbook from ACIM. It's the core of the work! (It's like Mat work in Pilates). It's a 365 day meditation, one for each day of the year. Although, in my experience, there were times I needed more than a day to reflect on the lesson. Sometimes it took me three days. Sometimes it took me three weeks. I did the course for three years straight, and I did during one of the hardest times of my life! I had been my mother's caregiver after my father crossed over. She had dementia. I am an only child. I took on my mother's debt AND was trying to start by business AND trying to work while all of this was happening! My life was, and is, infinitely better for doing the workbook!!! It's an app you can download to your phone, if you like, so it's always with you. The lessons will teach you to break your perceptions and move forward. It's one of the easiest and cheapest ways of starting the work.

There are, of course, many avenues to take on your road to finding yourself and "living your best life". The point is to start. Another easy and inexpensive way of starting is to simply close your eyes, call in the light from above, pull it through your body and ground yourself into the Earth from your feet and tailbone. Feel the light clear all negative energy from your body, leaving you in your natural glow, and let the gray fall into the Earth. See that gray turn into glorious white light, and send it back up through your body, straight into the ethers, and let the light cascade around your entire body. This is a mediation that my teacher, Pat Longo, instructs. It's know as a White Light meditation, and many people teach a version. Pat has a few meditations I highly suggest on YouTube! In my experiences, doing this daily has also made a huge difference in my life, and added to it's infinite joy.

Go find YOU! Not this life you've been living for so long according to all these other toxic influences! You are deserving of love, happiness, joy, abundance, and relaxation. You are deserving of your own sovereignty:

"Sovereign has everything to do with power. God is described as "sovereign" in a number of Bible translations. In addition to describing ones who have power, the word sovereign also often describes power: to have sovereign power is to have absolute power—that is, power that cannot be checked by anyone or anything."

This is your souls natural state! Remember?

Remember. Return. Align. Elevate.

Thank you for taking the time to read! If you have and questions, feel free to ask!

Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia

Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes.....

julia@clinginggracepilates.com (Julia Hartstein) — Fri, 29 Jan 2021 17:24:35 GMT

In Pilates, we are taught to leave the injury alone and work the rest of the body.

The one thing about Pilates that is different from many exercise regimes, is that it works the WHOLE body! From the top of your head, to your tippy toes. It is also set apart from physical therapy, as it works your whole body regardless of injury or aliment. A fellow instructor from South America, who also has a background in physical therapy, mentioned many years ago about a study that was conducted in Brazil. They tested people with injuries and put them into categories:

1. they did nothing about their injury

2. they did physical therapy

3. they did Pilates

If they did nothing about their injury, as you can imagine, there was no change in improvement. If they did physical therapy for their injury, they jumped into the 70 percentile of improvement. If they did Pilates, they jumped into the 90 percentile of improvement. In Pilates, we are taught to leave the injury alone and work the rest of the body. At the ending of a session, you strengthen the injury.

Generally, a private session consists of Reformer work, Mat work, and then body specific exercises. Often times they are done on other apparatus: Cadillac, Barrels, Chairs, etc. Sometimes they are just an exercise the teacher decided to make up for the specific body. This is the time, if you were strengthening an injury, you would give that specific exercise.

If a person is more advanced, you may just work on one specific apparatus, like the Reformer or the Cadillac. The whole session can be done working on advancing the body with the apparatus that will help the body into the work. Sessions are generally 50-60 minutes, depending on your studio. If you happen to be working out in a certifying studio, you may get a little extra time working with an apprentice. Working on you Mat, as it doesn't require any apparatus, is a great way to help strengthen your body and practice for your private sessions!

Your workout and progress will depend greatly on you! Do you want to improve your general body awareness? Or do you just want "a good workout"? Either way, you'll find both. It's like "real life", you will advance based on your willingness. "Advanced" doesn't necessarily mean doing all the "bells and whistles". Many people have the misconception it's being able to do all the exercises. How do you get there? Understanding your body more and applying it to your workout. You can do Footwork, a Beginner exercise, and be advanced in the execution. It's not just about adding more exercises and doing them fast. Again, it's like "real life". Just because you have more work at your job, doesn't mean you're better at the execution, unless you've learned to do it with style and finesse in a short period of time.

I hope this article gives you a little insight on Pilates. Fell free to ask questions!

Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia

The Great Awakening

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 16:03:42 GMT

I was awakened out of a deep sleep this morning by my alarm.

I was awakened out of a deep sleep this morning by my alarm. I was dreaming about fellow Pilates teachers and reconnecting after not speaking for many years. Not for lack of love or admiration, just general life circumstances. It was interesting that, despite social media connections and life distance, the love and admiration was still present. It was lovely to feel, regardless of whatever differences we may think or feel, that we were still connected.

BOOM! That is it! That is why I'm so frustrated! That is what I not only want to feel, I want to see others in this euphoria!!! "The Great Awakening". You've heard this term floating around on social media, I'm sure. Usually from your spiritual friends. Some of your political friends may have thrown it out there, too. I think no matter where you are at this moment in time, EVERYONE realizes that something very drastic is taking place, and something very different is on the horizon. We're scrambling to understand our lives and how to live. What is happening???

You may have heard the term "Dark Night of the Soul". Again, many spiritual people use this phrase. It refers to us "waking up", so to speak. We are pushed into a position of coming to our full realization. We are being called back to God, Source, The Universe, etc. We are called to dismantle every illusion we were brought up to believe. This, is what is happening to the world! No longer are we allowed to stick our head in the sand about ourselves, or what is happening to our fellow souls. Some of us "spiritual" people have done much of this work already.

We are all souls. Spiritual or not, most people have this inkling. Most of us have this understanding that there is more to life than how we live, what we were brought up to believe, more than the system we live under. The layers of the onion are being ripped off for us, because so many of us don't want to know what's happening. For some, that is the journey. Some will never understand in this lifetime, and/or outright refuse to do the work.

Personally, even as a "spiritual" person whose done the whole "Dark Night of the Soul" thing, I still am here learning my human experience. Although I feel like I have a better handle on these ideas, I still live amongst people who are "asleep". It's painful to watch. It's hard to digest, not so much that people don't "want to know" what's happening, that they purposely work in the opposite direction of becoming clear. It's painful! I know from my own "awakening" what's it's like to be terrified and feel alone and have to do work I just don't want to start! And yet, I am called again to find love and compassion, because the mass of people are terrified. I am the one who constantly needs to adjust. It's even harder, still, when your friends who are "aware" or "awake" have fallen into despair. Their unhealed trauma of being let down is constantly taunted. Further do I have to push through the Darkness. Rightfully so, I adjust because I've done "the work". As I say, "I've been to Hell and back! I know the way out." (I just don't feel like taking the trip again. I have other obligations.)

We teach Love by being Love. I have to break down and find that place in myself to Love more, when all I want to do is recede. That is what the Darkness wants to happen. For the Light to recede.

There is no "right" or "wrong", "good" or "evil". There are only levels of consciousness. There is only Light and Darkness. And the Darkness is dark. It's gruesome, dreary, macabre. It's deep, heavy sadness that sticks to your soul and marries you to the ground. These dark truths that are "hidden" in plain sight, MUST LIFT! We must hold each other tight, and uncover what no longer serves our Love! We must do this TOGETHER!!! Hugh Lynn Cayce, Edgar Cayce's son said, "We all go together, or we don't go!". Is it that important to be separated, or more important that we Love? Does our Earthly experience have to be separate from Heaven, or can we drop the illusion and bring Heaven to Earth? Do we join hands and go together, or just not go?

As they say, "The way to change the world, is to change yourself." It is time to change, and absolutely embody Love and remember we are here for each other! The time has never been more important than NOW!!!

Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia

Tools in your Tool Box

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 15:58:33 GMT

Depending on someone's body, and how the day is treating them, I like to use different "tools" for an exercise.

My client asked this morning as we we're doing our Zoom class, "Are we doing Spine Stretch Forward against the couch?" "No", I said, "but if you feel you need it, by all means, do it! It's a tool in your tool box that you can take anytime you need." It just so happens that my 7am diehards all workout in a room with a couch, so I use it to their advantage. (Insert playful smile face).

Depending on someone's body, and how the day is treating them, I like to use different "tools" for an exercise. I'm using the term "tool", but it doesn't actually refer to a physical object outside of your body. Sometimes it can, and sometimes it's just a different way to hold your body. Sometimes it's just a modification for an exercise.

Not everyone is going to do every exercise like they've been practicing Pilates for 20 years. Even people who have practiced for 20 years do not necessarily look like they are polished. It depends on the individual and their practice. (You know, just like "real life"). So, there are general modifications for exercises, and the things teachers make up depending on what the body in front of them is doing. "Here, dear, you need to do this!" It's partly to get you into your body, and partly to teach you where to look and learn your body. Some people will always use these modifications or tools. Some people will only use them until they understand their body and are interested in the next lesson.

"Assisted Teaser" was a huge modification that we learned in the program. Ahh, yes, the ominous "Teaser". (You can hear the Twilight Zone theme in the background.) It's usually done in a Private session with a teacher, where the clients legs rest on the teacher, and the teacher holds the forearms of the client to help them role up and down. The goal is that you will be able to hold your legs on your own. Again, for some people, they will only ever do an Assisted Teaser, and that's what their body needs! Some people will use it briefly, or on a day their body needs the help. It's a great modification that I like to teach in class against a wall, or in Zoom classes, with whatever is in plain sight that would fit. Sometimes I have clients use their couch. An ottoman would work. Even a stack of books! The great thing when you learn a modification, you can be creative! My client who asked the question this morning, sometimes asks her husband hold her feet!

Modifications help our bodies "do" the exercise. They can be used forever, or you can put it in your Tool Box and take it out when needed. Again, it depends where you body is that day. Maybe you woke up after sleeping with the window open, and you have a crick in your neck. Or, life stress like taking care of a loved one has you emotionally and mentally exhausted. You have to do what your body needs. It's not always about doing the "Advanced" work. Some people get so caught up in that idea, and I've seen people hurt themselves when it's not necessary. I'm not saying to disregard a challenge. Sometimes trying something harder or more advanced is wonderful! I'm saying, get in touch with your body and your needs and access your workout.

You can also use "tools", or external props to put you in the correct placement. It's why we use the Universal Reformer and it's where most Private clients start. It puts your body in place without much thought or effort. It's starts the process of teaching your body, regardless of your awareness. The Reformer, or any apparatus is a prop to teach you resistance in your body. It's their to help! That's why Mat work is the core and hardest work, as you have to create the resistance on your own.

"Tools" can consist of thera bands, ropes, yoga blocks. I like to roll up the Mexican blankets that are commonly used in yoga to create a "Barrel" in a Mat class. (There are three apparatus in Pilates that are called Barrels, and they are round like a barrel, hence the name). Again, you can get creative and use anything that's sturdy and the correct size. I often suggest a wall to do Spine Stretch Forward. It will let you clearly know what vertebrae you are articulating!

I hope this blog has helped you or a friend! If you have any questions, please feel free to ask in the "comment" section below! This is a friendly, loving site and a place for everyone to learn, including myself! Thank you for refraining from negativity and arguments. This is not the site for such grievances.

Love, Light and Blessings,

Julia

clinging-grace-pilates

Pilates and Healing

"Healing:

It's not about 'fixing' broken people...

Healing is about restoring the conscious awareness and experience of the whole perfection of who and what you truly are."

anonymous

Grief...Love with No Place to Go

Dementia and Caregiving: Part 1

Memory: Series on 5 Parts of the Mind

And Joseph Pilates used to say, "The body remembers".

Heart Chakra Opening

"You open your heart knowing that there's a chance it might be broken one day and in opening your heart, you experience a love and joy that you never dreamed possible." Bob Marley

5 Parts of the Mind Series: Imagination

"Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world and all there will ever be to know and understand." Albert Einstein

A New Level of Narcissism: Sociopath

There was no expression on her face. Like we were having a regular conversation. Cold.

Series on Five Parts of the Mind: Will

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Connection

OMG! Did someone actually reach out?!? Holy Amazing Miracle!!! And did one of my messages actually reach someone who needed it?!? I believe so! WOW! It was a lovely moment of hopefulness after another week of just trying to get by…..

Everything in Pilates....

Twin Flame Revealed

Flow

FLOW "The full workout is a flowing succession of exercises performed with vigorous dynamics. There is a minimum of movement, especially in the transitions, for a maximum flow." (The Pilates Studio Teacher Training Manual/1997)

Loving One Another: Communication

Breath

Finding my own Light: Abandonment

― Rebecca Campbell, Light is the New Black: A Guide to Answering Your Soul's Callings and Working Your Light

Precision

What is in My Control?

"When you can’t control what’s happening, challenge yourself to control how you respond to what’s happening. That’s where your power is."

Control

CONTROL: When the work is done from the center and with full concentration, you are in control of the movements performed. We do not let habit-most often wrong-or gravity take over. Joseph Pilates called his method " Art of Contrology" .

Love Letter to Myself

“I'm not here to grant you the extraordinary love you never had for yourself. I'm here, on my own accord, to love you. So that when you stare into my mirror eyes, you may see how extraordinary you are.” ― Kamand Kojouri

Concentration

Finding Oneself

"If you want to change the world, change yourself." Mahatma Gandhi ﻿

Centering

Divine Feminine Rising!!!

I have become glaringly aware of how much I've downplayed myself and my self-worth! GLARINGLY!

"Real" Pilates

Re-al adj. 2 Being in accordance with appearance or claim; genuine; not artificial or counterfeit. Funk and Wagnall/copyright 1980

My Story: A Healer's Journey

"My name is Julia Hartstein and "I carry the water."

Pre-Pilates

"The Pilates Method teaches you to be in control of your body and not at its mercy." Joseph Pilates

My Worth, My Voice

".....I'm realizing that I feel what I say doesn't matter....."

The Price of Pilates

"We used to discuss in the certifying studio that it was $6 to have a private session with Uncle Joe back in the day....."

Take Your Shoes Off Before Coming Into My House

"Love yourself enough to set boundaries."

Magic Torture Exercise!

"You can say what Pilates is in three words. Stretch with strength and control. And the control part is the most important because that makes you use your mind." Romana Kryzanowska

Clearing Elements

The three basics!!!

Workout Wear! Where?

My new favorite thing to wear!!!

Another One Bites the Dust.....

"Grief is like the ocean, it comes in waves, ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn to swim." Vicki Harrison

Tick Tock.....The Clock

"As you would imagine the name emphasizes, you imitate a clock. More specifically, your pelvis will represent a clock."

Stretch/Resist

.....Cynthia Shipley, describes stretching when working out. She says, "The more you pull your stomach in, the more you can stretch!".....

Crossing Ourselves Over.....A Shift in Perception

TRIGGER WARNING … I'm writing this from my own personal experiences. I am a Spiritual person, and this is a Spiritual Blog. This matter will be addressed from that standpoint. Be warned…..

Selenite: Healing My Vertigo

Selenite is very healing!

This Ain't No Party, Gurlfren!

The Series of Five! AKA: The Stomach Series.

Jesus' Second Coming.....

It would seem that Jesus never left. He is within every one of us, and we have the power to bring about change.

Letter to my Back.....

Dear Back, I'm sorry......forgive me. I love you.

Healing the Wounds

...I believe we are here to learn to break down everything that is not Love, and restore us back to our "natural" state.

Don't Forget to Breathe!

He would reply, "You don't teach a chicken or a pig how to breathe. They just breathe".

Manifestation

“I'm not here to grant you the extraordinary love you never had for yourself. I'm here, on my own accord, to love you. So that when you stare into my mirror eyes, you may see how extraordinary you are.”
― Kamand Kojouri

"If you want to change the world, change yourself." Mahatma Gandhi

"Truly, the greatest gift you have to give
is that of your own self-transformation.”

– Lao Tzu