Perspective: Part 2 -“Depth of Perception”
In Part 1 of this article I spoke about perspective – our points of view. We all have our own, some of us share similar opinions, but at the end of the day we individuate with our point of view on things, thankfully, freedom of speech and thought.
When I was a budding Pilates teacher (years ago) I took pride in learning as much as I could about the leaders in the industry. I ordered as many books as I could afford, videos too, printed out articles etc, you name it, I did it. I wanted to get my hands on as much as I could to learn, support and honor my choice of profession. Complacent I was not.
Back in those days, to learn new concepts, material, to see and feel the hands on cueing and teaching, one usually had to travel to conferences and workshops. This was difficult at times – yes. Costly, you bet! Convenient – not always, but I prioritized this because it meant I was applying myself and growing as a Pilates professional, I was watering my garden, if you will. Although I valued my initial education, I wanted more and I knew that if I wanted to matter in this industry someday, I needed to pursue my education deeply and wisely. It could have been easier to “just be a Pilates instructor”, but for me, it was much more than that. It was about education, investment, quality and teaching. I wanted to be an educator that people would trust and look up to one day.
The tides they are a changin’. In a world of quick and easy information acquiring, we can get what we need in a fraction of the time it used to take. But learning isn’t a quick endeavor, especially movement skills, motor learning and re-patterning. This is Pilates after all. I feel the younger and newer teachers today are desperate for the information they’re seeking. But are they willing to do the work, the hard, invested work it takes to teach this movement system? It’s difficult sometimes, and it’s not a road that everyone wants to travel. In this accelerated world, why would anyone want to expend more time than needed to get what they’re looking for when they can just hop on and get a quick fix. Social media is handing out visual bites at an alarming rate, and offering inta-learn opportunities for the masses it seems. But I must ask – is this helping or hurting our industry? Social media can be disruptive, a constant comparison and a false perception of what Pilates is.
However, there are still a few deep roots that the “interweb” cannot cut through or pull up, and that is the time spent – in person – with an educator. The Internet has got nothing on this personal experience. It cannot replace the invaluable offering of this unique encounter to hear the teachers voice, to feel their resonance, to watch their hands adjust a body into an ideal alignment or position to make the most out of the exercise, or to see the look in their eye when a student has an “A-Ha” moment --- that could change their path of learning for years to come. The personal and physical experience is where it’s at, always. We must feel to learn new movement patterns. It needs to be personal, a felt sense.
As we look at the bigger conversation in the industry, it’s clear the perception is changing also. Instagram and FaceBook are here to stay and the daily bombardment of crazy, unsafe exercises, video clips of randomness and things being poorly done and represented frighten me. This will continue to happen, so will the challenge for our consumers, possible new students/clients and future teachers to discern or perceive skilled teachers.
Perception:
“A way of regarding, understanding or interpreting something, a mental impression”
Don’t get me wrong, I see some incredible skill and talent on social media, faces and bodies of tenacious and courageous educators who have put their time in and are being recognized for it. But just as many imposters are out there also, demonstrating unsafe and illogical movement sequences that do not represent the Pilates that I know or that is. Herein is a question: How do I, as a seasoned teacher, accept and acknowledge the new teachers coming into the ring---even though some of their work is not the Pilates I know and learned? How can I/we support them and their endeavors but still hold true to our roots? It’s easy for me, and probably you as well to answer this: it’s because I’ve/we’ve done the work to know the difference, which takes time. There is no Insta with Pilates; it doesn’t work that way.
However, how does a general consumer searching “Pilates”, or “Pilates Teacher” on social media discern between skill or otherwise? Do they even care? Do they know they should? Do they research anything, or do they just perceive these images and make their decisions based upon them? They may, and they do. Just seeing a bendy body doing some crazy exercise doesn’t mean they are a good teacher. But perhaps people aren’t looking for teachers? Please, can we all agree that more education in this department needs to be done? How can we as experienced professionals continue to support the new teachers, promote them and guide them whilst also informing our consumers of what’s quality Pilates, and what they should steer away from. Or is that for us to do at all? What’s our part in this big ocean of movement education? Perhaps this is another article.
Nothing changes, if nothing changes though, right? The industry is changing; our perceptions are too. People are getting their education in different ways and we are starting to accept this as a new normal. But I feel strongly that we need to help guide the new teachers as well as the consumers as to what the original work was, and how things have evolved so the consumer can then discern as to what they truly want. It’s our responsibility to keep the spirit of Pilates alive and to educate on what the method was in the beginning (and still is) and what they may see today, because, things have certainly changed. To all the newer teachers out there striving to be seen and recognized, some words of advice from the tree upon which you will someday have a branch – if you so wish –
Slow down, feel, notice, be here. Plant your seeds with enough space between them for sufficient growth, expansion and survival, water them daily. Take this precious time to nurture your own Pilates practice often, without expectations or strictly for self-promotion. Don’t be in a rush – there is plenty of time and plenty to go around.
Learn, reflect, question, study, respect this profession please. Pilates has a depth worth waiting for. As Mr. Pilates said himself, “Rome wasn’t built in a day”. I believe he was referring to the building of body, learning new movement patterns and skills and changing postures, but it can apply here too. What’s the rush, the push, the urgency? What’s the message you are trying to communicate? How are you being perceived?
To be a good teacher takes time. You need this time to learn how to teach with efficiency, quality, an eye, an ear, hands, patience and love. Have no expectations and understand that teaching is a huge responsibility, and things change and grow, with time. Teaching requires a dialogue, a conversation. You can’t have a conversation with an image. Pilates is not an image-based system, it’s a movement system.
Tend to your education as you would to a freshly planted garden, wait, water it often, observe it, pick the dead weeds, till the soil, cultivate freshness, Roll Back and relish in your depth of perception.