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Blog, Pilates, Pilates Instructor Training, Refined Pilates, Yoga, Zoom

SOUL OF THE FOOT PART 2.

Check our my previous blog https://jennycolebourne.com/the-soul-of-the-foot-part-1/

SOFTENING THE SOLE OF THE FOOT

Have a look at my You Tube video https://youtu.be/JvlADcvaahU

SMALL EQUIPMENT

A humble tennis ball.

SUGGESTION

Make this exercise part of your warm up.

REPETITIONS

3-5 in each position.

RECOMMENDATIONS

This is an exercise, which is good for everyone.

It is very important a person has a lot of tension in the feet.

These exercises are excellent for people who have been through chemotherapy or suffer from numb feet.

Elders may need this exercise more.

Ballet dancers often need this work because of the effect of point work on their feet.

Pregnant women may find relief with these exercises. 

Stand on both feet in parallel and find the classic parallel position

Stand with your heels directly under the sit bones. (To find your sit bones (the Ischial Tuberosity), sit on the floor and rock from side to side. Feel those bones? They are what we dancers refer to as sit bones.)

Imagine two parallel lines. Use the line of your floorboards to align your feet if you have them, or use a ruler. Place the inside edge of the joint of the big toe and the inside edge of the heel against these parallel lines. Close your eyes and in a gentle, non-judgmental way tune into your body. How do your feet feel against the floor?

After tuning in to your body take the tennis ball and place it under your left foot between the first and the second toe. Gently roll the foot over the ball and as you do so feel as if you are molding the foot to the ball. Roll the foot over the ball using a medium pressure until you reach the middle of the arch of the foot.  If you come to a place on the foot, which is painful, stop for a moment and imagine that area softening. Wait until the pain dissipates and then move on. Your aim is to allow the spaces between the metatarsals to open and spread.

Repeat this process between the 2nd and third toe and then between the third and fourth and so on and of course on both feet.

After you have completed the exercise once again tune in to your body and notice how the soles of the feet now feel against the floor.

TOE CIRCLES

Look out for my You Tube video.

REPETITIONS.

3-5 in each direction.

RECOMMENDATION

This is an exercise, which is good for all.

Very important if you feel a person has a lot of tension in the feet.

These exercises are excellent for people who have been through chemotherapy or suffer from numb feet.

Elders may need this more.

Ballet dancers often need this work because of the effect of point work on their feet.

Pregnant women may find relief with this. 

Sit crossed legged on the floor or in any position that is comfortable for you. You can sit on a chair if you like. 

Take a hold of the left foot. Hold all the toes with the left hand except for the big one. Keep them still and steady. Take a hold of the big toe with the right hand and gently lengthen the toe and make 3 – 5 circles with the big toe first in one direction and then in the other. Explore the edges of the circle. 

Move on to the next toe supporting the other toes with the left hand and describing the circles with the right. Continue until you have done the exercise with each toe and then, do the exercise on the other foot.

Stand up and check how your feet feel against the floor.

ENCOURAGING THE SPACE BETWEEN THE BIG AND THE SECOND TOE

REPETITIONS

3-5 in each position.

RECOMMENDATIONS

This is an exercise, which is good for all.

Very important if you feel a person has a lot of tension in the feet.

Elders may need this more.

Ballet dancers often need this work because of the effect of point work on their feet.

Pregnant women may find relief with this. 

This exercise is particularly important for people with back problems.

Sit crossed legged on the floor or in any position that is comfortable for you.

Take a hold of the left foot. Hold all the toes except for the big one

Take a hold of the left foot. Hold all the toes with the left hand except for the big one. Place the right thumb against the joint of the big toe in order to support it and with the other fingers gently lengthen the big toe and encourage the space between the big toe and the second toe. Bring the toenail in a line with the joint and not past it. Keep the toes on the same level.

STRENGTHENING THE ARCH OF THE FOOT

Look out for my You Tube video.

REPETITIONS

3-5.

RECOMMENDATION

This is an exercise, which is good for all.

Pregnant women may find relief with this. 

This exercise is particularly important for people with back problems.

It is good for people with fallen arches or flat feet. 

STARTING POSITION

Start by standing in the classic parallel position.

Draw the toes towards the heels, and the heels towards the toes, as if you were sucking the arches up. Hold for a bit and then very deliberately and carefully place the feet back against the floor being very aware of the alignment and the 5 points.

STRENGTHENING THE ARCH WALKS

Look out for my You Tube video.

REPETITIONS

As much as you feel you need. I used to do this morning and night like cleaning my teeth!

RECOMENDATIONS

This is an exercise, which is good for all.

Pregnant women may find relief with this. 

This exercise is particularly important for people with back problems.

It is good for people with fallen arches or flat feet. 

Once again draw your arches up and then simply go for a walk for as long as you want like that. When you want to stop very deliberately bring the feet back into the correct alignment with a conscious awareness of the 5 points.

The alignment of the feet is very important. The feet support the weight of the body any misalignment will cause strain somewhere. If the feet are not aligned the rest of the body will not be aligned.

Copyright : Jenny Colebourne.

Blog, Refined Pilates, Yoga, Zoom

THE SOUL OF THE FOOT. PART 1.  

A MAP FOR THE FOOT.  

AN EXERCISE TO OPEN UP THE TOES.

The exercises, practices or meditations are intended to be for every day life movement © not just at the time of exercise, whatever that exercises may be.

Feet.  Honoring the feet.  Grounding.  Feeling and Sensing the Earth. Feeling and sensing the power of gravity and allowing it, to fully affect us.

SUGGESTIONS.

Try a reflexology treatment before exercising.

Walk barefoot as often as you can especially in nature. Feel with your feet different surfaces such as mud, autumn leaves and beach pebbles.

Paint each toenail a different color to become more conscious of each toe.

Bring your awareness to the space between the big toe and the second toe. Paint or decorate this space with henna or lipstick. 

Reiki your feet.

Stamp your feet as in African dance.

Read and practice the grounding meditation (page 147) in Faeriecraft by Alicen and Neil Geddes-Ward. 

Remember people bow down to the feet of the guru.

Remember that Mary Magdalene washed Christ’s feet. 

Feet are to be revered. 

Experience having your feet washed and oiled by your lover or friend. 

Choose a lover or friend to honor their feet. 

Wear shoes that are made of natural materials, that breathe and are soft and pliable. Think of the Native American Moccasins.

Essential oils related to grounding are Myrrh, sacred as one of the gifts from the wise men to Jesus at his birth.

 Guinevere frequently used patchouli essential oil for healing.  Vetivert is an essential oil, which in addition, assists in balance and offers protection. 

Frankincense, another of the gifts to Christ. 

Rosewood and Elemi are oils that teach us to grounding in order to move into the highest and most spiritual of centers, the crown chakra. 

I suggest you add a few drops of these very precious oils to base oil or cream and massage it into your feet and legs.

Athletes in ancient Greece oiled their bodies before exercising. Make sure your essential oils are pure and of good quality.

Crystals helpful to feeling the earth are garnet, ruby, red jasper, black tourmaline, and smoky quartz. They can be placed in the room where you exercise or worn. 

Clean crystals before using them and then on a regular basis.

INTENTION.

To use the feet more consciously in a balanced way, sensitive to changes in alignment. 

Toes placed on bar of the Reformer (Pilates Equipment) in parallel.

To feel the earth, and the support of the earth, through the feet.

To use the whole sole and soul© of the foot.

To allow the feet to have a sensitivity softness and pliability which allows you to listen to the earth, gives you strength from the earth and allows you at any given moment to take flight in any direction.

To enjoy and participate fully with gravity

THE ENERGETIC AND MENTAL BODY.

The energy of the feet and legs is governed by the root, foundation or first chakra. This energetic center is associated with our relation to this earth, family and ancestors, tribe and country. It represents our life path.

The color of this chakra is a poppy red.

ALIGNMENT AWARENESS.

Start by looking at alignment of the foot and leg in the parallel position.

Standing, have your heels directly under the sit bones. (To find your sit bones (the Ischial Tuberosity), sit on the floor and rock side to side. Feel those bones? They are what we dancers refer to as sit bones.)

Imagine two parallel lines. Use the line of your floorboards if you have them. Place the big toe and the inside edge of the heel against these parallel lines.

To check that you have equal weight on both feet rock gently from side to side until you come to a point of balance. I suggest you start with a slightly larger rocking movement and then make it smaller and smaller until it is minute to sense where your weight is equally on both feet.

We now need to notice whether the weight of our body is centered on the middle of the foot and not to far back towards the heels or too far forward. At the outside of the foot you have a small bump called a Tuberosity. Check out The Anatomy Coloring Book. The ideal is to have your weight evenly distributed between the front and the back part of the foot. The front part of the foot would be the toes and the metatarsals and the back the heel. Place your index finger at the Tuberosity and open your thumb over the top of the arch. This gives you an idea of where the metatarsals end and where the center of the foot is. Stand upright and this time gently rock your weight back and forward starting with slightly larger movement and ending with tiny ones until you sense where your plumb line is. 

Please be aware that we are focusing on the feet now. 

The posture of the rest of the body will have repercussions but we are starting from the base up. It is impossible for the rest of the body to be in balance without the feet being properly aligned.

THE MAP OF THE FEET.

Imagine you have 5 points on the sole of the foot.

Point 1 is underneath the big toe, point two under the small toe, point 3 is at the outside edge of the heel, 4 the center of the heel and 5 the inside edge of the heel. Each of these points should have an equal amount of weight or pressure on them. Imagine that and energetic line extends straight down into the earth from each of these points. Imagine them going very deep and color them red, the color of the base chakra. 

Study a reflexology chart.

EXERCISE FOR FOOT PLIABILITY.

Choose a sitting position, which is easy for you. I usually sit on the floor cross-legged. Sit on a chair if you find this position challenging. 

Always handle your body with respect. Take right foot in your left hand. Remember the right side of the body is governed by the left side of the brain and relates to the masculine line, your father, your grandfather, your great grandfather. Remember your male ancestors with total respect as you do this. The right side of the body is associated with male qualities; it is the yang side strength, the peaceful warrior, positivity, protection, and hunting. Thread your fingers through each of the toes so the second finger will go down in between the space between the big toe and the second toe. The third slots in between the second and third toe and so on. You may have to press the fingers gently down in between the spaces. Remember the Reiki law “just for today do not worry”! Each time you do this your feet and toes will become more pliable whatever your age. Softly bend your metatarsals first in one direction then in the other. Remember that energy follows thought. Gently focus with love and respect into the area you are working with. If you have worked with the anatomy colorings see the bones as you do the movement. 

You might want to pause as you move into the point of stretch. Notice where you may have resistance or perhaps even pain, have your tender focus there and breathe out visualizing the resistance melting away. You may wish to repeat this a few times.  Allow yourself to move into a new space in the foot. There is a continuous process of surrendering. The more you move into new spaces in the body the more joy reveals it self. 

The number of repetitions is not important. Deep work transforms and the memory of it stays in the body. Move into a timeless zone where anything is possible.

Usually I suggest that you notice simply the number of times you need to do this on the right foot and then do the same number on the left even if you feel one side less pliable for reasons of balance.

It is important not to judge any thing you feel but simply be with it. Judgment closes the door on new more profound information revealing itself as well leading us of in a direction away from our 100% attention on the body. Allow your body to speak to you. Allow your foot wisdom to reveal itself to you and in the process allow the body healing in motion©

Copyright Jenny Colebourne.

Blog, Illium Center of Light, Online Classes, Pilates, Pilates Instructor Training, Zoom

STAND OUT AS A PILATES TEACHER

Ξεχώρισε ως δασκάλα/ος Pilates!Eκπαιδευτικό Πρόγραμμα Refined Pilates μέσω Ζoom από την Jenny Colebourne. Έτος 1. Mat work.Η Jenny Colebourne διδάσκει Pilates από το 1975 και εκπαιδεύει δασκάλους Pilates από το 1984.Με αφορμή τις νέες ανάγκες της εποχής και τις προσκλήσεις της πανδημίας, η διδασκαλία έχει προσαρμοστεί έτσι ώστε να γίνεται σε διαδικτυακή μορφή στα ελληνικά & στα αγγλικά.Αν ενδιαφέρεστε, αφήστε μας το mail σας για να λάβετε αναλυτική περιγραφή του εκπαιδευτικού προγράμματος.

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Stand out as a Pilates Teacher!Year 1. Mat Work. Refined Pilates Teacher Training on Zoom by Jenny Colebourne,Teaching Pilates since 1974. Teaching exceptional teachers since 1984.

Languages: English & Greek.

Τeacher training has been adapted for the internet for this period that we are facing the challenges of the pandemic.If you are interested, leave us your mail in order to receive a detailed description of the Training Program.

Blog, Illium Center of Light, Online Classes, Refined Pilates, Zoom

THREE ONLINE REFINED PILATES CLASSES ON ZOOM

Αποκαλώ το Pilates που διδάσκω “Refined” (στα ελληνικά η πιο κοντινή σε αυτό λέξη είναι το «εξευγενισμένος»). Η μέθοδός μου είναι επηρεασμένη από τον Jerome Andrews, ο οποίος ήταν μαθητής του Joseph Pilates και δίδασκε μαζί του. Οι ασκήσεις του ήταν πολύ ακριβείς και λεπτομερείς, ενώ παράλληλα εκτελούνταν με χαλαρό τρόπο, χωρίς ένταση και σπατάλη ενέργειας.

Διδάσκω Refined Pilates, με έμφαση στη λεπτομέρεια, στη χαλαρότητα, στη σωστή αναπνοή τα τελευταία 46 χρόνια και πραγματικά το σώμα μεταμορφώνεται. 

3 τμήματα Refined Pilates μέσω Zoom: 

▪️Healing Pilates
▪️Stress Relief Pilates
▪️Αdvanced Pilates Class
Κλείστε τη θέση σας.


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I call the Pilates, I teach, “Refined”. My method is inspired by Jerome Andrews, who had spent 10 years with Joseph Pilates. I had, never, in any of Pilates sessions previous to meeting Jerome, encountered that level of precision and detail. Not only were the exercises very precise, they were executed in a relaxed manner, with absolutely no waste of energy, or tension.

Ι have been practicing Refined Pilates, emphasising detail, relaxation, proper breathing, the last 46 years and it really transforms the body. 

3 Refined Pilates Classes on Zoom:
▪️Healing Pilates
▪️Stress Relief Pilates
▪️Αdvanced Pilates Class
Book your place.

Illium Center of Light, meditation, Online Classes, Yoga, Zoom

HATHA YOGA AND MEDITATION ON TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS

Ο συνδυασμός της Hatha Yoga με τον διαλογισμό μάς επιτρέπει να χαλαρώσουμε και να αφεθούμε με συνειδητό τρόπο. Σκοπός της πρακτικής είναι η αυτοθεραπεία και η πνευματική ανάπτυξη.Ηatha Yoga με διαλογισμό. Τρίτες & Πέμπτες 18.30-20.30 μέσω Zoom. Κλείστε τη θέση σας.

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Hatha Yoga in combination with meditation allows ourselves to relax and let go in a conscious manner. The intention of the practice is self-healing and spiritual development. ?Hatha Yoga with Meditation. Tuesdays & Thursdays 18.30 – 20.30 (Greek Time) on Zoom. Book your place.

Illium Center of Light, Online Classes, Refined Pilates, Reiki, Zoom

SUMMER OF CHANGE


Αυτό το καλοκαίρι είναι περίοδος αλλαγής και κάθαρσης σε βάθος. Το Illium θα πάρει σύντομα νέα μορφή στο Μικροχώρι Αττικής, μέσα στα πεύκα, και θα είναι ανοιχτό για όλους εσάς, online!


Θα μου λείψει να μην σας βλέπω από κοντά, όμως μια νέα εποχή ξεκινάει! Τα μαθήματα Refined Pilates & Yoga και οι συνεδρίες Reiki & Κρανιοϊερής Θεραπείας ξεκινούν πάλι, 1 Σεπτεμβρίου, με ασφάλεια, μέσω Zoom.

Γεμίστε θετική ενέργεια από τη φύση και τη θάλασσα. Σας εύχομαι ένα αναζωογονητικό καλοκαίρι!
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This summer is a summer of change and a deep cleaning. Soon, Illium will take on a new shape in Mikrochori, among pines, and open up to the world, online!

I will miss seeing you all from close up, but a new era is about to begin! Refined Pilates & Yoga classes, Reiki & Cranial Sacral sessions begin again, 1 September, safely, on Zoom.

Take in positive energy from nature and the sea. Wishing you a rejuvenating summer!

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