This is one of my favorite times of year.

After celebrating another great year with all of you at the PilateZone, I wonder what’s next?
One of the things I have pondered as I make my goals for the coming year, is how to take better care of myself.
I know that is something we share.  That is why you come to the studio.
Enough with the “doing, doing, doing”?  How do you want to feel in 2013?

What if your purpose in life is to take impeccable care of yourself so that you have the energy and joy to serve others?

Let’s work smarter, not necessarily harder this year. Let’s eat better and be kinder.

Set an intension for your Pilates practice.  Something to come back to, keep you focused and take you deeper.
I love going back to the six Pilates Principles (as set out by Joe in his book “Return to Life”):
Concentration: awareness, knowing what’s going on in all parts of your body at all times
Centering: moving from your core
Control: complete control of your mind over your body
Precision: executing the movement exactly as it was meant to be done
Breath: breath as you move, rather than holding your breath, breath is movement
Flow: transition, how you begin and end an exercise are important

As I have always said, you are your own best teacher.
Now, don’t get me wrong, we have some amazing teachers at the Zone, but we are only as good as your attention.

Set some Pilates goals for yourself and let us know how we can help you achieve them.

We are here to serve (and have fun doing it).

My love and best wishes for a happy, healthy New You in 2013!
Maya

Look what I got for Christmas!

The Vitamix
(or as Marlyn Seckler calls it, a blender on steroids)
I’ve been looking for a way to get more fresh, whole fruits and vegetables into my diet, one of my goals for 2013. This way I can eat a banana, pear, cucumber and kale in an easy, portable way.  Just warning you in case you see me with a green mustache during class.

Chai time

For those of you who got to try the Chai in the Friday class before Christmas, just wanted to share the website where I get mine in bulk:
spiritvoyage.com  (go to “shop”, “tea”, “bulk yogi tea”)

This is an ayurvedic herbal blend of cinnamon bark, ginger root, cardamom seed, clove and black pepper.  I’ve been drinking it since I was 15. It helps to purify the blood, lungs and circulatory system.