“Contrology is based upon lessons learned from a life-long study of the principles underlying and governing the Laws of Nature. If followed, mental anguish and physical suffering would progressively decrease from generation to generation and people would understand the ecstasy of living!”
Joe Pilates’ writings consistently mention these Laws of Nature. By my accounts, he named 6. The Law of Action, The Law of Complete Relaxation (restorative sleep), The Law of Gravity, The Law of Equilibrium, The Laws of Mechanics as applied to the Human Body, and finally, The Law of Balance between Mind and Body.
Joe believed that the ‘simultaneous and co-equal development of one’s ability to voluntarily control one’s body and mind, was a paramount law of nature.’ He explained the balance of mind and body as “the conscious control of all muscular movements of the body. It is the correct utilization and application of the leverage principles afforded by the bones. It is a complete knowledge of the mechanism of the body and full understanding of the principles of equilibrium and gravity as applied to movements of the body in motion, at rest, and in sleep.”
Not exactly what we typically think of when discussing the mind/body connection. So often when describing Pilates, we hear that it is the complete coordination of mind, body and spirit, but what does that really mean? I’m sure there are many explanations of it in the Eastern traditions, but I wanted to delve deeper into Joe’s meaning and try to understand his thinking and perspective. I understood “conscious control” to mean fully present and mentally engaged to perform the exercises accurately in order to gain maximum results. This intense concentration enables the mind to instruct the body in a precise way, the body then learns something from doing the movements, that knowledge is sent back to the brain increasing your understanding of the purpose and benefits of the exercise but also learning something about yourself in the process, which in turn, will enable you to instruct the body differently the next time. So, to me, the study of Pilates is actually the study of your mind and body. He said, “know its good and bad points..eliminate the bad and improve the good!” You can only effect change when you first understand what needs changing. This constant conversation between mind and body is key in building a greater awareness of self. And, when you’re more in touch with who you are, you’re more connected to your spirit.
This coordination of physical and mental exercise is explained today as Cognitive Complex Physical Activity. This is basically any exercise that simultaneously engages the body and mind in complex, coordinated ways. For example, dance, wrestling, tennis, and of course, Pilates. Studies have shown that this type of exercise increases learning, memory, and neuroplasticity of the brain (creates new brain cells and connections). Joe said, “by reawakening thousands and thousands of otherwise dormant muscle cells, Contrology correspondingly reawakens thousands of dormant brain cells, thus activating new areas and stimulating further the functioning of the mind”. Walking, running and bicycling are great, but are NOT cognitively complex activities.
The next step in analyzing his definition of the balance of mind and body, is understanding the Leverage Principle. Not surprisingly, an ancient Greek mathematician and early scientist, Archimedes, is attributed with having been the first to uncover the physical principles governing the behavior of a lever. The physical attributes of a lever involve a beam, fulcrum or pivot point, load and effort. Depending on the location of each, determines the type and amount of effort needed to effect movement, but typically they are designed to allow you to use less force to lift or move objects. We see this in tools such as crowbars, wheelbarrows, and scissors, seesaws and of course, the human body. Our tendons and muscles move our limbs with bones acting as the beams, and joints acting as the fulcrums. Look at any Pilates exercise and you will see this principle applied. Changing the angle or length of the lever or the placement of the fulcrum, can change the difficulty of the exercise, it’s what can make a beginner exercise more advanced or how we can make a difficult exercise easier. We want to strive to use this to our advantage, learning how to use “less force”, not more, to accomplish the movement. Using the leverage principle, it is possible to balance 1,000 pounds with only 250 pounds of force. Joe used to say, “why use 10 pounds of effort for something that only needs 5”. Aiming for the path of least resistance leads to efficiency in movement, and less expenditure of energy. This explanation of leverage is based purely in Physics, but physics, philosophy and psychology are often linked. Pilates is a philosophy of movement, as well as a philosophy of Life. If we look at these next three statements explaining the philosophy of leverage, we can interpret them from its physical standpoint, or as mental attributes...
The ability to affect the insurmountable.
Understanding the potential consequences or outcomes of an action.
Small, well-focused actions can produce significant results if they are applied in the right way.
Metaphorically, we can see what happens in the body is reflected in the mind, and vice versa. Control, flexibility, strength, adaptability, and grace are all mental attributes as well as physical. The health of the mind is intimately linked to the health of the body.
Romana used to say there were 5 aspects of the Mind: intelligence, imagination, intuition, memory and will. We can easily see intelligence and memory as important in our Pilates practice, and imagination is used often, from the names themselves, invoking visualizations of a ball, swan, or tree, or in our cues as teachers such as, “imagine your being pulled in 2 directions like a rubberband”, or “fill the balloon”, etc. But, intuition and will are the aspects of the mind that correlate directly with our Powerhouse. One of my pet peeves is when people say Pilates is all about strengthening your “core”. To me, this is a superficial statement because it implies the core is only musculature, but the word “Powerhouse” invokes a sense of power from within, your intuition, gut feelings or deep sense of understanding, the core of your being (Spirit), your willpower. In this way, “core” is another physical and mental attribute. In Eastern philosophies, this area of the body, just below your belly button, is your place of inner strength and protection. It is considered your gravity center and inner energy pump. In acupuncture meridians, all your energy lines meet at your belly button. Your source of life in utero was your connection to your mother through the umbilical cord. So when we talk about centering your body, we’re talking about physically as well as mentally. When you are centered, you feel grounded and calm, the whole body organizes itself easily around this central axis, the muscles are released of tension and movements can be performed with ease.
Through the practice of Pilates, you can “restore physical vitality, invigorate the mind, and uplift the spirit.” Joe believed the ancient Greeks knew this best when they said, “the soul itself is inextricably bound up with the physical functions and mental manifestations of the human body.”
In today’s society where mental illness is so prevalent, where so many people suffer with anxiety, stress, lack of passion or motivation, and generally feel a sense of not being in control, then it makes sense to provide them with a method of training their mind through the ‘conscious control’ of their bodies. Thus, giving them a sense of accomplishment, renewing their vitality and ultimately elevating their spirit.
