Do You Take Up Too Little Space?

Photo by Austin Pacheco on Unsplash

Today, while teaching a Pilates, I stumbled upon an interesting concept. What does it mean to take up space and time?

When we are in pain we tend to shrivel up. We curl into a ball, protecting our heart, lungs and vital organs. Over time it becomes a habit and then we forget what it felt like to occupy space. Our skin, muscles, connective tissues and joints tighten up. Deep belly breaths that we are born with are changed to shallow upper chest breathing. How in the world are you supposed to take a deep breath when you are curled into a ball trying to be as small as possible? How are you supposed to be creative when you can’t even breathe?

If that wasn’t bad enough, we also forget what it is like to take our time. It is a by-product of our technology driven lifestyle. You can do more. Keep going, faster, faster, faster.

As you are being pulled in ten different directions, you continue to curl into a ball. With our shoulders up by our ears, knees and hips bent, trying to look up, but the weight of the head keeps pulling us down. Your body is simply telling you. “I don’t like it”. Like a kid who lies down on a floor in a protest while you are trying to put them to bed.

Hey, I observe it in myself as well. Trying to be a mother, a wife, a business owner, a healer, a daughter…. And we are talking about adopting a puppy? What? We are meeting her in a couple of days.

Now that the puppy is becoming more real I feel the tightness in my chest. Puppy? Seriously? How in the world am I going to take care of it? I don’t know anything about puppies.

Fortunately today I was teaching a Pilates class. You know, every time I teach I learn something new. And today it was the concept of space and time. We worked a lot with deep breathing and allowing our bodies to take up space.  The result was stunning. Not only did the posture of my students change, they felt lighter and more energized.

We worked with taking our time during exercises focusing on intentional movement from the supported base provided by deep breath. As most brilliant things in life it was that simple.
Before you face life’s challenges, find your breath. Breathe deep into the space between your shoulderblades.

Breathe deep so you can feel the length in your lower back. Breathe!

Take up space. Spread your arms and legs, spread your fingers and toes. Why do we clench all the time? Open your jaw, stick your tongue out, stretch your arms and BREATHE! Wow, it feels amazing. Now stand up, close your eyes and feel the transformational energy in your body. Feel the lightness and ease.  

Do you know that people who are in pain don’t know how to take a deep breath? It’s a fundamental skill, it’s a reflex we are born with. Why do we forget how to do it? Why do we settle for the least amount of space, the least amount of time and least amount of freedom? Yet, the most amount of stuff, clutter and technology?

Every day I teach my patients that pain is just a signal from the body that something is wrong. Think of the last time you hit your funny bone? Jolt of pine, ouch! You hold your breath. Now think of childbirth. What is everyone telling the woman as she is bringing a new life into this world? BREATHE!

It’s that simple, breathe through your pain, it makes it feel less intense. It gives you control, it moves the blood and lymph, it relaxes the muscles and tells your brain that all is good in the world.

Take up space, take up time. Why don’t we do it? We only have this one chance in this lifetime. There is no need to shrivel up, no need to lower yourself so that you can fit into some mold that is obviously wrong for you.

Stand up, stretch out and breathe! Your body will thank you! Your loved ones will thank you because you will be more like yourself. Everyone around you will see your radiant smile and thank you for being YOU!

Do you want to explore this concept further? Join us for Pilates classes (noon on Fridays starting in April) or sign up for FREE SAMPLE SESSION where we can talk more about your WHY and learn your HOW.

Remember to slow down, breathe and you WILL have a great day!
Elena