Author: lebureauetc

I am a believer in beauty, love, forgiveness, and experiencing life's lessons until you learn your lessons you need to learn. I am a mom of 3 beautiful girls, I am married to my soulmate, and I enjoy learning new things and understanding new ways of seeing people and the world. I practice what I believe and I also believe in Yoga and Pilates practiced with attention.

EMBODY the ALOHA within YOU

by lebureauetc, posted in Uncategorized

 

Meaning of ALOHA –
The real meaning of Aloha in Hawaiian is that of Love, Peace, and Compassion.  It’s the guidelines of how to live – a life of Aloha is one when the heart is so full it is overflowing with the ability to influence others around you with your spirit.

 

Just returning from vacation on the BIG Island of Hawaii, I feel inspired to share the following story with you…

Better known as Peaman, Sean, is an acquaintance I have known all my life and see every year in Kona. He has been putting on free running and multi-sport events in Kona for the last 20-years and generally contributing to the aloha feel that the Big Island is famous for.

Sean was in an accident at the age of 9 and he still suffers severe pain on a daily basis. One (not ALL) of his obstacles have been that his pituitary gland does not function and he does not produce any hormones. As a result he has zero motility in his gut which makes it extremely difficult for him to absorb nutrition and gain any weight. Usually it hurts me to look at him because he is so skinny! However, something was different about Sean this year. I was expecting to see his frail physic, bald head, and chicken legs. Instead, I saw him with a full head hair, and possessing some muscle mass. He actually had meat on his bones! What happened I wondered?

 

SEAN –
The accident happened when I was 9 years old when we were back visiting Manhattan Beach, California. A drunk driver hit us going almost 70 mph, killing my mother instantly. It put me in the hospital for an extended amount of time and caused major damage to my pituitary gland, which helps maintain your body’s muscle mass.
During the accident I had the experience of going toward the loving light of God and then going back into my body. I would say that moment has formed my life in a very positive way.
When I was in high school, no one knew how bad the pituitary damage was. When everyone else was growing facial hair and wanting to have girlfriends, I wanted to play in the mud. I was not interested in standing in the hallway with fancy clothes. I wanted to throw the ball around like we did in elementary school.
In high school, I was running track and playing Pop Warner football and doing all the things normal kids did, but just having a lot of pain and unusual health situations. Suddenly, my femur breaks and they tell me I have the bone density of a 70-year-old man and that I have osteoporosis.
If you look now, as far as my heath and the pain I’m in, I still say it is a blessing. I would not be doing what I’m doing if it was not for that.

 

When I saw Sean, I automatically said, Wow! You look great. What happened? What did you do?

He was so kind and humble and told me his story. He said, a lot happened! Mainly he stated that he choose to live. He hit rock bottom, sleeping 36 hours at a time and only weighing in at 80 lbs. At that low point he knew he wanted to live and therefore had to make some changes…body, mind and spirit.

 

SEAN –
Last year before the Hapuna Rough Water Swim was a big rough patch. I was hovering around 80 pounds and sometimes sleeping up to 36 hours at a time. To do Hapuna — I cannot even explain it. On paper, it was nearly impossible.
When you go into something and tell yourself you can’t do it, you’re not going to do it. In the years I was able to do Ironman, I did not train as much as I should have, but never told myself I couldn’t do it. When I did train, I wouldn’t wear a watch or heart monitor because I didn’t want something to telling me what my limits were. I just go by how I feel, regardless of time or numbers.
I think the way I make it through the rough patches is with consistency and not giving up. I do what I can do, but make the effort to get up and do it. Movement is what keeps me alive.

 

In addition to not giving up, being present, and believing in himself, Sean told me he simply does what he needs to do to keep his body absorbing the nutrients he needs the best he can. This means daily injections of B12, hormones, daily Noni juice(if you do not know what this is, look it up! It is magic), and lots and lots of protein shakes as he regurgitates most of what he eats.  He also continues to exercise daily, I see him almost every morning at the Kailua-Kona pier swimming out to the 1.2 mile buoy. Most impressively, he is kind, compassionate, caring, and has an expansive heart. He is not ashamed to share his story, his struggles, and also work hard to fell better. He does not let his pain and all his daily upkeep prevent him from keeping a positive outlook on life. I love it! He is no victim to his pain and knows that life is to be lived and also shared. He is definitely an inspiration to me and how I want to live my life.

 

What do you hope people take away from a Peaman event?
SEAN- I would say the beauty of Kona and the giving nature of the people here.

I always hope people experience aloha in its purest form, which is when people come together and celebrate the day. I really get perturbed when people talk bad about Hawaii and say the aloha is gone. There is always aloha, you just have to find it.
Our slogan is, “Live, Laugh and be a Pea.” All these people who are so called “adults” love a kids party better. People are big kids and just want to have fun. That’s my belief.

 

I hope you can all find and see the Aloha in yourself and share your incredible ALOHA with the ones around you.

Aloha,
Brooke

If you travel to Kona and want to participate in one of Sean’s events, please click here!

 

The more you hear, the less you SEE!

by lebureauetc, posted in Uncategorized

I am writing to you now as a Graduate of THE WORK. I am so grateful for having been one of the few chosen to participate in this wonderful graduate program. Thank you Jay and Vintage Pilates!

I have been teaching Pilates since 2005, originally certified through a Power Pilates comprehensive training, based in New York. Since that time I have continued to deepen my study having being exposed to many different approaches and styles of the Pilates method, and also became certified with a more rehabilitative contemporary approach to Pilates with Balanced Body back in 2010. Having experienced the 2 very different approaches in addition to my own study of many other varying styles, one would think that I felt grounded in the method of Pilates, however, at times, I felt overly stimulated with too much information.

Participating in The Work, has encouraged me to take a step back, relax, and literally SEE more; see more of myself, see more of the method as a whole, and also see the person in front of me.

Let me explain. Have you ever been instructed to do something that conflicts with another person/teacher/doctor etc…? I do not know about you, but I have!:) My point is, everyone will SEE differently and possibly different things in you, and as a result, different things will be emphasized depending on who your teacher is that day. This could frustrate and confuse you if you are not aware of the “bigger picture”. Not seeing the “bigger picture” narrows your perspective and you could become “stuck” not knowing what to do, and which way to turn, as every teacher is telling you something different. OR, perhaps you will instead welcome that other perspective and approach as you know that it is just another set of eyes showing you what they see that day. Approaching things differently in my opinion is not a bad thing. However, it is necessary that the practitioner understand the bigger picture and continues to root themselves in the essence of each exercise. Too much information, with various styles and approaches, could over stimulate the practitioner and even the teacher. The more you hear the less you see!

For me, being in The Work has allowed me to re-connect to the heart of pilates and given me the tools needed to filter the feedback and instruction I have given that day, thus helping me me connect. I credit my time in The Work for building my trust and self confidence in myself to consistently SEE the bigger picture and the method as one.

Personally, the opportunity to learn and witness Jay teaching the way Joseph Pilates would have taught the exercises himself has been so wonderful because it is so straightforward and direct! There is nothing complex, no additional props, no extra modifications. YOU have an opportunity to think less, move more, SEE more, feel more, and connect fully to what you are doing.

It was a sweaty old gym, Jay said often. You did not make an appointment, you just showed up and did the work you knew how. When Joe or one of his helpers saw that you were ready to add another exercise they would, but not until you showed you were ready! The gym was not a social either, people were working out! You were taught an exercise or exercises and were supposed to remember! You would not be talked through the exercise once they were taught…. You would maybe get a poke or a push/pull sometimes but that was it! There was also no props(pillows, foam rollers etc,,). In fact, If there is one thing that Jay dis-approves of it is the use of PROPS. He says, props take away the WORK. Its not supposed to be comfortable! You need to learn and grow and comfort is not going to help you! Also if you came into the studio to work out and there was no equipment ready, Clara, Joe’s wife would point out a small wall space you could start your practice.:)

Having gone through this simple, yet very challenging program, my understanding of how the entire system works together is so much richer and deeper than it’s ever been. We were encouraged to watch and “SEE” and worry less about what we knew. The use of simple themes in the exercises was one thing that helped me connect and see the bigger picture. Some examples of themes were…seat connection, back connection, low body reach, 2 way stretch, spinal shapes. Using the ‘themes’, I could find the exercise for myself more and negotiate what feedback that was given worked for me without feeling as if I did not get it because the teacher did not approve! I had to do the work and dig deeper into myself and my own awareness to find the answers I was searching for ….I definitely understand why they named the program The Work!

The Work, cannot be compared to any other Pilates graduate program available. It is for teachers who are interested re-connecting to the heart of Pilates and who yearn to be grounded in the original work. The intense study with regular lessons, assessments, and workshops gave me just enough structure and focus to do this and more. I reconnected more to the method and I also reconnected to myself literally and figuratively. I learned less is more and also that it’s important to observe and be quiet so you can see the body and have it tell you what it needs.

Moving forward, I will practice keeping my eyes open and mouth shut (as Jay would say) and allow myself to SEE more. In my teaching, I will contemplate what your body is telling me, staying rooted to the original teachings, and I will do my best to help you experience better connections in your body. Just like in Joe’s sweaty studio…I hope to inspire you all to keep moving! Be mindful of what you do, listen and observe what your body is telling you, and I will continue to help you grow in the method and give you a little poke, push and pull when you need it! I hope I can carry the torch of Joseph Pilates on to all of you and keep his amazing authentic method alive…it’s so much more than just exercise!

Happy Thanksgiving,
Brooke

I will leave you with the lyrics to this U2 song –
“CITY OF BLINDING LIGHTS”

The more you see the less you know
The less you find out as you go
I knew much more then than I do now
Neon heart, day-glo eyes
The city lit by fireflies
They’re advertising in the skies
For people like us
And I miss you when you’re not around
I’m getting ready to leave the ground
Oh, you look so beautiful tonight
In the city of blinding lights
Don’t look before you laugh
Look ugly in a photograph
Flash bulbs, purple irises the camera can’t see
I’ve seen you walk unafraid
I’ve seen you in the clothes you’ve made
Can you see the beauty inside of me?
What happened to the beauty I had inside of me?
And I miss you when you’re not around
I’m getting ready to leave the ground
Oh, you look so beautiful tonight
In the city of blinding lights
Time, time, time
Time won’t leave me as I am
But time won’t take the boy out of this man
Oh, you look so beautiful tonight
Oh, you look so beautiful tonight
Oh, you look so beautiful tonight
Yeah, the city of blinding lights
The more you know, the less you feel
Some pray for what others steal
Blessing’s not just for the ones who kneel, luckily

BUTTOCKS…BLOSSOM or SQUEEZE?

by lebureauetc, posted in Uncategorized

 

Has anyone seen the movie, Notting Hill? If so do you remember the following…
Spike comes in after being photographed by the press being seen in only his briefs. He says, “How did I look? (looking in a mirror) Not bad, not at all bad. Well chosen briefs I must say. Chicks love grey. (clenching his bum) Nice. Firm. Buttocks!”

If you have no idea what I am referring to please check it out and watch the whole movie too!!

“Blossom your buttocks” is a common cue you will hear at an Anusara Yoga class. It generally means for one to inner spiral their upper inner thighs, apart from one another to broaden the buttocks and create space in their hips and low back.

“Squeeze your bottom” is a common cue you you may hear at a Pilates studio. I hope most of you can agree that I refrain from saying “squeeze,” but still note the role and importance the buttocks play in integrating the lower and upper body.

The point I would like to make is that one cue (left alone) is not better than the other nor is one cue(left alone) more correct than the other. Both could be good if used appropriately according to an individuals needs. This is why I always recommend private classes before taking group classes, especially if you are new to the method, otherwise you may find yourself doing more harm to learn your tendencies instead of what you should be focusing on!

The differences between cues struck me this past Friday afternoon after my conversations I shared at my happy hour. My example above clearly shows the difference between Pilates and Yoga. Now, please also understand, that I only stated ONE CUE. I truly believe both methods are trying to bring about similar results in the body and mind; they are just going about it differently!

The quote I put on my Le Bureau shirt says, “do it right, keep it tight.” My good friend, also a pelvic floor specialist, whom I have known since teaching yoga classes to the medical students at Des Moines University in Des Moines, Iowa(15 years a go), was going to buy my Le Bureau shirt and then quickly changed her mind after she saw my quote! She told me, “my duty is to relieve my clients “tightness” not to keep it tight!” I understood her perspective and how she perceived my quote and said no worries (another shirt without the quote coming soon!); she said she would wait. In our conversation she also told me that Pilates and Cross-fit practitioners keep her in business because they get so tight in their pelvic floor. Hmm

Adding on to this, I know several Pilates teachers and practitioners alike that have painful tailbones, and although they love Pilates, it sometimes makes their symptoms worse. Personally, I have struggled with Pelvic floor tightness, and can understand how the method of Pilates could make matters worse. If one is not practicing with an underlying understanding of how to integrate and lengthen through their center. Should one squeeze or should one blossom? That is the question!

I questioned the Pilates method along with everything else I was doing. I was in misery and also embarrassed as a Pilates teacher. As embarrassed as I was, I knew that “nothing lasts forever” and instead of giving up on the method itself and my teachers I decided instead to look deeper and investigate why I was struggling and to also find a way up and out! I firmly believe there is always a way if you have the will. I must have been doing something wrong…(guess what! I was!).

Before discussing whether I personally needed more blossom or squeeze I also would like to mention that when I was experiencing significant tightness, I would also have to say that my life was tight as well! The feeling of space was as non existent in my life as it was in my pelvis. There was a time when I was teaching close to 30 fitness related classes a week; 7 of which were intense 60 minute spin classes, in addition to trying to be “super woman” to my family. Currently, although no longer struggling with significant tightness, I still battle with finding space…it’s very challenging for me to simply let go! Even if you do not understand why you believe in something, NEVER GIVE UP trying to understand.

Back to whether I needed more blossom or squeeze…what do you think?:)

For me, I was extremely good at performing both. I could blossom and create much needed space and I could also squeeze and feel integrated at my center. My problem was that I could not perform the 2 actions simultaneously! In isolation of one another I was a pro, but I believe, looking back at my situation, that I was simply too tired from all my other activities to integrate the space and length and sustain the 2 while I moved! I resorted more to squeezing as it held me together, but my squeeze was not supporting my inner space and length that I needed so much in the movement.

How about you? If you were to take a step outside yourself and observe you, what would you see? Maybe you need to practice with a little more blossom to integrate more space? Or perhaps you have plenty of space, but you instead need to share the goodness and streamline your body with a little squeeze to pull to your midline(of course integrating the whole body in that squeeze!) Or if you are like me, maybe you find that you are good at both but sustaining the work is just too much work! Therefore, maybe consider rearranging your life agenda!

 

The bottom line is that we all have our OWN work to do and it is ultimately up to us to figure it out! Take former professional dancers as an example, if there is one thing that they know how to do, it is TO STAND TALL, however from all that squeeze, I know several now that suffer from low back pain from the consistent and persistent “squeeze” they would have to maintain to perfect their art. I would say that they would benefit from a little blossoming! They also have other issues with their hips and knees from all their turn out.

I, myself, was not a trained dancer/ballerina and never had a great baseline postural awareness and long lifted posture. I broke my back when I was 7 and was told to focus on swimming. As a swimmer, although easy for me to stretch my body long….I also could sink and collapse just as easy. I have had to learn to prioritize my length and my space and then work to integrate my squeeze, if you will, without crushing my space that I created. It is possible to be too strong for no good reason! For me in particular, a balance of strength is required to keep me away from the extremes of being a “slinky” or too “squeezed out” that there is no more juice left!

I hope my above reflection will inspire you to NOT GIVE UP if you are currently dealing with an uncomfortable situation yourself and catch yourself questioning whether to blossom or to squeeze. I think its easy for people to blame their ailments on a method (pilates, cross-fit, barre, cycling) or also an individual. However, it is not the fault of the method or individual. Instead it is simply a challenge and a great opportunity for you to dive in and learn something to better your experience with something that you love to do. NEVER GIVE UP!

I strongly believe the Pilates method will do MAGIC and absolutely has the capacity to not only make you feel good, but also to HEAL, TRANSFORM, and create more function! However, one should not expect any magic unless they are also consciously aware of their BIG picture as well as their posture of course! Cues are a simple suggestion to get you in a better position, but you are the one who feels your body and therefore the one who should make the ultimate decision if that cue suits your body as well as how much you should negotiate with it! You have to want to feel better and therefore set yourself up for success! Pilates is WORK and requires one to use their muscles to stabilize their bones and joints so they can create length, and space where they need it most. So go out there and squeeze that blossom out of your buttocks!

Ciao bellas,
Brooke

Pieces

by lebureauetc, posted in inspirations, Pilates

Pieces

Trusting myself enough to let go, in an effort to better connect and grow.

 

I returned from LA a few weeks ago.  What a fantastic time with The Vintage Pilates staff, and other “Work” participants.  I feel so blessed to be a part of this beautiful like-minded yet diverse community. My understanding of how I can use the method of Pilates to better myself in “The Work” is coming together and I know this is just the beginning.  In this post I will be reflecting on the idea of connection; how can we better connect all our pieces to what or whomever we are interacting with, to better understand ourselves?

Jay Grimes, Pilates elder, along with the amazing Vintage Pilates Teachers for “The Work”, will usually never end a session without first saying; “do not neglect your ‘partner’” (meaning the apparatus; whether that be the reformer, the chair, barrels, cadillac, guillotine, ped-a-pul, etc).  Jay would then typically follow this statement by saying “KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT and JUST MOVE.”

Although not a Jay Grimes nor a Vintage Pilates saying, this next quote(also a favorite of mine from the movie “EAT, PRAY, LOVE”) complements what I believe Jay and my teachers for “The Work” are saying…

“People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that’s what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that’s holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life. A true soul mate is probably the most important person that you will ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake. Soul mates, they come into your life to reveal another layer of yourself to you.”

I think Jay and my other teachers of “the Work” would agree that their idea of a ‘partner’ is our ‘soulmate.’  We should then treat the apparatus we are using with that awareness and allow it to teach us something about ourselves.   The more connections  we make with our ‘partner’ the more lessons we should receive.  Hopefully, we come away from our workout or our interaction having learned something about who we are.  Perhaps also discovering something we need to work on.  Can’t have one without the other.

I believe finding more connection is different for everyone.   Perhaps for some of you, the struggle lies in concentrating on connecting to your “partner”; for others it is trusting what your partner is revealing to you and giving in to this trust as you continue…   Personally, after this past trip to LA, I am discovering that when I trust more in my “partner” and act more instinctual I am able to make stronger connections and learn more.  Listening and trusting what I feel is right and acting accordingly is definitely hard work, but I believe a challenge worth fighting for.  Be persistent and listen to yourself!

How about you?   How do you stay connected to your “partner?”  Do you need to trust more in yourself to connect all your pieces like me?  Maybe you just need more of a steady effort?  Some need more of one than the other.   We all need to find our own ratio.

I hope you all can trust your “partner” and continue to strengthen and make new connections that bring meaning to you.  Every day is a new day and another opportunity to expand your awareness and your connections and put the little pieces together one by one.  If you feel disconnected and loose your pieces trust your partner more!  Can you trust and listen to what your connections are telling you and act accordingly?  Takes a lot of courage to follow through!   You can do it!  I believe in you:).

Do it right, keep it tight!

Brooke

ps – check out the song “Pieces” by Andrew Belle

 

I’incompris and Le Bureau?

by lebureauetc, posted in inspirations

 

l’incompris?

I first came across this beautiful french word, while tasting a bottle of muscat named “l’incompris” at a cellar in the french town, Chateau Neuf du Pape. I was instantly attracted to this bottle of wine for its’ english translation, “mis-understood.” It was love at first sight! It possessed unbelievable undertones of white currant and had just enough spice to keep you guessing. Delicious? Complex? YES! However, I will always love this wine more for it’s name.

I think we all can relate to being misunderstood. Can’t you? Daily arguments, conflicts, and disagreements, in my opinion, are simply a miscommunication. As a Pilates teacher and movement lover, I also believe, the issues and conflicts that reside within us are also a miscommunication. Take exercise, for example, many of us, may think we are doing an exercise properly and should be getting better results. Unfortunately, maybe you find that there are no shifts, no little transformations, no results! Worse, maybe you feel as if you are creating more tension and un-ease in your body. What is the problem? Is it because you are simply getting older or is there an underlying reason? That is for all of us to decide and figure out for ourselves as we create our own story.

What do I believe? I believe as we age, yes, we will need to be more accountable for what we do and also value how we live and live our lives with purpose. The earlier we start this process the better. I try to incorporate things in my life that support me to live better, feel better, and fill me up with joy.

So, getting back to my question of why a strong willed practice may not yield any positive results…maybe chew on the following:

-Perhaps, you are not executing the exercise in your body the way you should be?
-Maybe, you are performing an exercise too much and creating more imbalance rather than balance in your body?

I have been really good at the above! I am guilty of creating a lot of my own imbalances in my body and in my life. It has taken me a lot of practice to learn and better understand my nature and to navigate my body. Looking back I can say it was part of the process, but maybe I could have streamlined the process:)>. Imbalances that I have contributed to are a cause of not doing the ‘right work’ for me! Maybe you can agree with me when I say, it’s fun to be good at something, and in my case, I have been good at “doing” and “doing more.” I rarely paused and asked myself, if what I was “doing” really necessary? helpful? In fact, I can say that I have been good at overdoing things all my life. Not just with exercise, but with many aspects of my life. I call it the “Bendock (maiden name) phenomenon”. I am sure my brother and sister may get a ‘kick out’ of this statement! Luckily, I am also very strong willed and persistent, and I do not mind humiliating myself sometimes in search of the truth.

Reflecting upon and becoming more aware of my unique tendencies and who I am, I know “my work” is to be aware of my tendency to overdo something (just because I can) and instead pull back. With this self-knowledge I have been able to unravel and untangle myself from some of my own messes. Although, I would like to say that I am done with all the listening and practice, I know that this is a process that will continually challenge and inspire me to learn more as there is always more ‘right’ work to do.

If you ‘step outside’ yourself and reflect on your nature, habits, and movement patterns what does it tell you?

Le Bureau?

My studio name is Le Bureau (the office in french). Why a french name? I love France, the language, the people, the food, the smell, the Gauloises, the je ne sais quoi. I lived in France for a year in college and it was a time in my life that I was on my own, out of my comfort zone. I had no choice but to get to know myself and more importantly believe in myself so I could navigate in a foreign land. In France, I discovered that I was the only person in charge of me, and that I should worry about myself instead of being so concerned with what others were doing! Being in a foreign land is very similar to building a rapport with oneself. It takes steady fluent communication and a lot of persistent WORK to know yourself….what a task it is!

I hope that my clients can feel safe to “work” on themselves in my “office” and be certain that they are doing what is right for them. I hope to help in your efforts to streamline your process of knowing yourself. It takes work to listen and be aware of your own sensations and neither I, nor anyone else, can feel the sensations you have, nor do your work for you! I hope I can be somewhat of a translator for you as you continue to deepen your own self discovery and, yes, steer you back to the midline if you stray off course.

Ultimately, as you continue to practice at Le Bureau, I hope you continue to listen to yourself and feel more and more self-reliant in your practice. My hope is for you to be able to unravel your own mis-understandings within you and learn what feels right and what you should and should not do!

“Do it Right, Keep it Tight”

Brooke

BE COURAGEOUS…

by lebureauetc, posted in inspirations

Desiree Rumbaugh, one of my favorite yoga teachers always says, “LOVE IS STRONGER THAN FEAR.” Although sometimes this statement may not always be easy to live by, I do know that if I stay connected to my heart and to the people and the things that truly inspire me, I find that I can agree whole heartedly! I know from my experience that when something ‘feels wrong’ it probably is! Just how when you have unease in your body, usually everything in life is somehow also troubled and uncomfortable. These sensations tell you that there needs to be a change! However, I also know that it is fearful to change and simply easier to keep up the same routine. However, is ‘staying’ really serving you, if you feel it’s not right? What could happen if you have a little more courage and follow your heart?

Recently I withdrew my commitment to teaching at a club I had been strongly part of for over the past 4 years.

Just to give you some background….Over the past 14 years I have worked in several fitness studios and fitness health clubs from Des Moines, Iowa, Toledo, Ohio, Redondo Beach, California, Salt lake City, Utah and also here in my home town, Seattle Washington. At all of these places I had magical experiences! I met incredible people, learned amazing things and for the most part enjoyed the ride. I strongly believe magic is always present and ready to show itself if you are allowed to breathe, are passionate about what you do, and also, are not confined to the “clock in and clock out” mind set!

Uprooting and rerooting myself with all the moving has given me great opportunities to start anew several times! What a gift that has been! This has supported my transformation and growth in becoming a better person and teacher. I am passionate about teaching (and always have been and always will be), but also having the opportunity to enter a new community with a different environment challenged yet also allowed me to fine tune my skills as a teacher. Having many different teaching experiences has empowered me to know when to adjust and also how to accommodate different situations and different people.

My most recent change is actually the most exciting one. I am not moving to a different state and I do not need to say good-bye nor am I changing my position and moving to a different gym/studio facility. Rather, I am choosing to focus my teaching solely out of my home studio, Le Bureau! It’s my studio, I make the rules, and there are no procedures such as “clock in, clock out”! Most importantly, I felt it was time to move on. It did not ‘feel right’ to stay at the club any longer. I could give several reasons why I should have stayed, but it was not ‘right’ for me any longer.

I feel very lucky and fortunate that I can choose to work out of my home studio. After having more time to reflect after my recent neck surgery I learned that I wanted to streamline my efforts as a teacher and teaching out of my home is the best option for me now. This is the next step to opening a studio on larger scale which has been a dream of mine for some time. This change, I know will bring many new challenges for me, but I know it is worth the effort as long as I stay connected to my heart and what ‘feels right.’

Change can be exhausting with all the unexpected circumstances it may bring. However, when change is a result of listening to your heart I argue that one will gain a better understanding and brighter perspective that definitely makes up for any feelings of unease! Personally, I have learned that it is best to be humble and open to experience new ways of doing things. I know that if I do not listen and treat every person and situation with respect I will miss out! Every new place and experience has taught me something more about who I am and the importance of being courageous and taking time to listen.

I hope you all have several opportunities in your life to be courageous and allow you to do the things that make your heart beat and your eyes smile. Maybe ask yourself, ”does it feel right”?

Life in Control?

by lebureauetc, posted in inspirations, Pilates

How was my last experience with THE WORK in LA?

Besides being a nice excuse to get away from my daily routine, soak up some needed warm sunshine, and reconnect with some wonderful inspiring people, this time I was not so thrilled to be doing “The Work…” I left Seattle in pain and knew I could not cancel my trip, and still stay in the program due to my pain. It would also not be sufficient to just go and observe. I know that they expect to see us participating, moving, and working! If I did not go and experience first hand the work in my body I would have to drop out of the program. I have worked hard to get in and stay in the program thus far, and their philosophy, which I also believe in, is that you have to experience something if you want to teach it.

What was my pain?

I had intense pain in my left neck, trapezius, and shoulder. At the time I did not know that my pain was due to a big herniation between C6 and C7. Just found out this past week (1 full week after completing my week in LA).

How was my experience?

One word can sum up my last trip to LA for “The Work,” “OOOUCH!”

How did I get my herniation?

What can I say? It’s always a dynamic! As we all know, life is just that, one messy but beautiful dynamic. Whether we like it or not it usually makes sense, if not right away then it will down the road of life. Personally, after contemplating how I got so badly injured, I would have to say that its my own damn fault. For starters, my injury has been accumulating all my life and I have done my fair share of slouching! Also, having broken my back when I was 7 at L1/T12 (another story) does not help either. I have always felt an unrelenting stickiness in my low back that I constantly try to pull out of. Maybe that’s why my love for yoga grew at such a young age? Unfortunately, my stretching efforts to get out of my low back usually only manifest up at my neck. My husband can confirm this as he hears me crack my neck every night before I get in bed after my nightly yoga stretch routine. He always warns me often that I should not crack my neck so much and that “cracking” was not a ‘good’ thing but it felt good to me and I never thought I would be where I am now.

More recently, around the beginning of February I also fell on my head. It was a nice fall, but none the less, it did have some impact and I felt the consequence in my low back and my neck the following day. If any of you Pilates Enthusiasts are familiar with an exercise called the ‘squirrel’, I was doing a variation of just that on the Cadillac with my feet in the fuzzies, except I was in a backbend and to what I recall a bit twisted. I cannot even remember how I got in that position to be honest. I was in my bi-weekly pilates session and at this particular moment I was just playing and having fun. My Pilates sessions, to be honest, are usually my “recess”:). Simple fun!

Almost 2 months after my fall, and I was still feeling a nagging tightness in my neck and upper left back. Part II of The Work was soon approaching and I was a little nervous because I knew my body was not feeling the best. I was convinced that it was just a rib or part of my upper thoracic that needed to be adjusted back into alignment. My husband, Pontus, as most of you know is a Doctor of Osteopathy and can help me time to time if i’m nice of course! I was nice(he’s usually nicer), so he did try to help me on several occasions. He was not able to manipulate what I was sure I needed to be manipulated and was blown away with how tight my left trapezius muscle and levator scapula had gotten. He advised me not to mess with it any more and just do gentle stretches and ice as he thought I had a nerve pinched.

I however, being stubborn and wanting “a fix” decided to go to a chiropractor I had seen before for iliocecal valve difficulties when I was having trouble with digestive issues. I was able to make 2 appts back to back right before I were to leave for California for The Work. I was so happy that I was able to get in and I thought I would finally be able to get some relief before the MAT portion of The Work(the most challenging module as you do not have any support from the apparatus). I had worked hard on my homework and felt prepared but I also wanted to feel better in my neck and shoulder before going into the big demanding week ahead.

My first chiropractic appt went well. The chiropractor was able to adjust my low back and also my upper thoracic. I felt some relief, but still had the nagging pain in my upper neck and left shoulder. I went back the following day and before I left Pontus said to me, “do not let him touch your neck!” However, when I arrived at the chiropractor, I said I was still feeling tight and stuck in the same places. He listened and told me that he thought he could help as he just returned from a course that was all on the neck and upper traps so I said, “ok, see what you can do.” Well, I know now that saying that was a BIG mistake! Right away I felt and heard a huge ‘POP.’ I did not know what to think…so what did i do? I continued with my day in auto pilot and even went to a yoga class and did Headstand(how stupid am I?). I should have iced! That night I was in so much pain I barely slept as my left trapezius and neck were hurting more than ever.

I left to teach that morning before I left that afternoon and was in pain the whole time and realized I even had a hard time bending over and tying my shoe laces! I called Pontus at work and asked him, “what should I do?” He said, “Brooke you will be okay, just take some pain meds, turmeric, anything to reduce inflammation and ice.” I am thinking, okay, I will be okay, just take it easy.

IN LA…

The following day, my demanding schedule was looking straight at me! On average I had 3 Pilates sessions/lessons a day. On Saturday and Sunday it was an all day MAT workshop with Jay Grimes. We must have performed the Mat sequence at least 5 times each day. It was actually okay when I was warmed up and moving and continuing to reach and create my own traction and length, but very painful to just lie down and put pressure on my back or the transition from lying to seated to standing etc. IN between moving I iced and lathered on arnica gold cream and red tiger balm like never before! Everyone knew I was not feeling the best and asked me if there was anything they could do, I thanked everyone for their concern. There were several others who were also going through some their own issues they were working out as well. One individual had a torn rotator cuff and there were also some other interesting cases! We were all in it together and I think just knowing I was not alone helped me in addition to just continuing to breathe, believe, ice, and take epson salt baths in between my sessions as I counted the days till I could go back home!

So what got me through probably the most painful week of my life(beside child birth of course)!

I know I was in pain and I needed to come up with a plan to hep myself get through the intensive week and Mat workshop with Jay Grimes. Besides reminding myself to “take one day at a time” and also calling my husband and hearing him reassure me “that everything will be okay”…I knew it was important for me to start my day off right. Some of you that I teach may here me say, do not rush, take your time, and most importantly set yourself up for success! I used this for myself and this helped me in my misery! Here’s a look at my morning routine and how I set my day up for success.
-literally rolled out of bed at 6am. Sat and on my bed and breathed deeply to create and find space in my back and neck.
-Drank my morning ritual of warm lemon water and and also some l-glutamine as I caught up on the morning news briefs and iced my neck.
-I followed with my bullet coffee(I brought my inversion blender with me) and my berries and a coconut chocolate drink with bone broth to kick start my day with sustained delicious energy. UMMMM, so good.
-I would then normally do a 15 minute full body yoga routine to help wake me up and uplift my body from the nights sleep. Unfortunately, the routine was too painful and instead I did some light stretches targeting my upper back, chest, and neck all while I held and gently lifted my head to create traction for my compressed hurting neck. I usually stood up against the wall in my room just breathing and lengthening my back in and up against the wall. This would help me align myself so I could work on melting my front body into my back and the wall to give me support all the while lifting my spine and creating more length in my neck out of my shoulders.
-9am – walked 1 mile to the studio listening to some Hawaiian happy reggae to continue my beautiful day.

Some of my mantras that were particular useful to me were…
take care of me
start with a good position
be present and observe
less is more
work smart
control and contain self
release
let go

We cannot always control the ‘life’ that is presented to us whether that be a particular situation, disagreement, argument with family or friends, problem at work, or personal challenge possibly with the state our body is in. Regardless, if there is a reason, deep down we know that there always is (whether we like it or not)….we do have a choice to control our mind and our actions to help better our situation. This in a nutshell is Pilates….the art of Contrology. THE ART OF CONTROL. I hope, that I can continue to fine tune my Pilates in and out of the studio to better serve my life and as a consequence the lives that surrounds me. I am so grateful.

LOVE,
Brooke

stay tuned on what comes next…:)

SQUEEZE THE JUICE OUT

by lebureauetc, posted in Uncategorized

Jay Grimes, a Pilates elder and my teacher of “the Work,” often says, “Keep your eyes open, mouth shut, and the body will tell you everything you need to know, the body doesn’t lie, people do, the body doesn’t!”

I was recently in LA to perform my second assessment for the program “The Work.” My second assessment was on the mat portion of the Pilates system. I needed to perform the “mat repertoire” in 30 minutes showing the ‘2 way stretch’, ‘my seat connection,’ ‘my back connection,’ in addition to maintaining a flow and a rhythm that allows the movement to integrate. If done well, someone watching would be able to see the wholeness of the work; instead of seeing someone performing many separate exercises. Jay, wants us to use and be able to show how the previous exercise helps us lengthen and deepen into the following exercise and so forth. The back, therefore, would ideally continue to open, lengthen, and find more space and as a result the practitioner, would find more and more freedom in their body.

After completing my assessment I realized I was not as prepared as I should have been. Going into my assessment, I felt a bit anxious and I was ready to get it over with! Reflecting back on my performance I realize that I was not integrating myself fully in the movement, instead, my mind was too busy thinking of the next exercise and how many reps etc I had already completed. I was also too concentrated on hitting certain “ta da” points in my exercises even if that meant I had to sometimes ‘throw’ myself into an exercise just to be sure I hit the ‘ta da!’ Unfortunately, as I now realize, my ‘ta da’s’ were not coming from an integrated and supported place that would reflect what I needed to be showing for my Pilates assessment. Debbie, my teacher, who assessed me saw what I felt and asked me, “Brooke, do you think you could have been more ready for the assessment?” My face turned bright red as I looked right back at her and said “YES!”

Although embarrassed and upset at myself for not committing myself more fully to my work, I know that it is okay for me to ‘fail’ sometimes. Like I was staying in my last post… “Can’t appreciate the sunshine if you never see the rain.”:) I have committed to being more aware in my own practice and thinking of the whole instead of the ‘pieces’ even if that means I do not hit the smaller “ta da’s”; the whole practice should be one big bang!

I know I can go through the movements of Pilates…

Just as I am sure many of us, are talented at going through the motions of our day to day stuff! However, can we also truly stay integrated and ‘squeeze the juice out’ of what and how we do things in our life and show up fully? Maybe even with a BOOM! 🙂

That said, I hope you can all take a deep breath and get your juices flowing with whatever you are up to.

Brooke

Perfectly Imperfect

by lebureauetc, posted in Uncategorized

 

Dear beautiful friends,

I just completed module 1 (out of 4) of ‘The Work‘ with Jay Grimes and the amazing staff at Vintage Pilates. My husband asked me when I got home, “aren’t you happy to be home?” I said, “well, not really.” Don’t get me wrong, I love my husband and my 2 lovely girls; however, having an opportunity to study the method of Pilates and converse with a like-minded community of people is just so rewarding! My Mother in law asked me what I learned? Now that is a BIG question. I said I needed to reflect as there were so many lessons I experienced over the past week. I am so passionate about the practice of Pilates and how our body can teach us so much about ourselves and who we are. My week was simply full of “play”, self discovery, reflection, and trying to let go of habits that do not serve me well… The more I understand about myself the more empathy and awarenesses I hope to bring to people I am with on a daily basis as well as those I teach.

One lesson I will share with you:
“How do you teach a kid to swing?” Jay asked us. He followed that question by saying, “put the child on a swing and give them a push!” We should move, feel and practice to learn a skill/movement to get good. We do not get good by trying to be perfect. If we correct every imperfection and movement without allowing mistakes to happen how will one ever learn what wrong and right movement feel like? We have to be “bad” before we get good. Do you allow yourself to be bad and make small mistakes? Do you allow those you are with and the ones you may teach to be Bad and make small mistakes? Do you allow yourself and others to move, feel, enjoy the experience for what it is, and trust that we are all perfectly imperfect?
-Having also just recently vacationed on the Big Island of Hawaii I updated my “happy hawaiiawn reggae” music and found a song that complements ‘my lesson’. Its on iTunes, if you want to listen. Want more happy music? I have many fun happy songs, just let me know and I would be happy to share some more:).

“Perfectly imperfect”
– Ryan Hiraoka on itunes.