I was reading this blog today and this line really struck a chord with me:

"Stress trumps all. Even when the diet and movement are right, you can be undermined by a mind that's bearing a heavy load."

Isn't that true? Every time I've had a major injury, it's been during a very stressful period in my life. I've taken to preemptively doing energy work before a stressful event because my body manifests stress so strongly physically. When I last sprained my ankle, I was a Graduate Teaching Assitant, was completing my Masters, was teaching full time, and completing the highest level of Pilates certification. So was it the movement in the ballet class that injured me? No, it was the heavy load I was carrying in my brain and in my heart.

So, how are you planning on taking care of your mind this year? How can we lessen the load for each other?

This may be my New Years Non Resolution .

Kathi Martuza began her Pilates practice at the age of 14, as a young aspiring ballerina. She then went on to have a successful 15-year long career as a professional ballet dancer with the San Francisco Ballet and the Oregon Ballet Theatre. Kathi attributes her ability to achieve and maintain a successful career to her continued Pilates practice. Kathi found Pilates to enhance her body awareness, strength, coordination, flexibility and balance, thus helping her both prevent and recover from injuries.

Kathi’s early experience with Pilates led her on a life long path of exploring the connection between the mind, body and movement and the capacity for movement to promote wellness and healing for the mind, body and soul. She began her teacher training at reFORM in 2008, and continued to apprentice with Pilates teacher/trainer Patricia Collins in 2013. In 2014 she began working towards her PEAK Pilates certification.

In addition to teaching Pilates, Kathi teaches ballet at Da Vinci Middle School, does Health Coaching for girls and women out of her home, and conducts True Body Project workshops around town. When not teaching, she enjoys spending time with her husband and 2 and half year old son, playing in the dirt (gardening), jogging through Laurelhurst Park, and sleeping in.