Acorns, autumn leaves and woolly catepillars....

    I absolutely love autumn. I love everything about it, and I especially love autumn in Western Pennsylvania where I grew up. Over the years, I had promised myself that someday I would go back during this special time. Two years ago, I did just that. I went home for a ten day visit. The weather was beautiful, and the colors were glorious!

    I spent every morning and afternoon with my parents. But, when it got close to three o'clock I would speed dial my sister. "Hey, can I pick up the kids from school today? Can I take them to the park to play?" After all, I needed to get outside, and I didn't know anyone else who was available at three in the afternoon. I also didn't know anyone else who had the energy to keep up with me.

    I would race to the school and impatiently wait for my playmates. We went to the park and I always found something new and exciting. "Acorns!" I beamed at the kids. After all, I hadn't seen acorns in years. "A woolly caterpillar!" Really, when was the last time I saw one of those? By the time I was skipping through the leaves, I couldn't help but notice the way my young companions were nudging each other and giggling. Hmmm....I wondered what they found so amusing.

    One afternoon the park was uncharacteristically crowded. It appears that the trails are used for the local high school track meets. It was a perfect day and I was in a particularly playful mood, so we skipped and sang as we maneuvered around the crowds to find an open spot just for us. We balanced on logs, played Ninja games and I entertained them by doing cartwheels. Just about the time we had a cartwheel competition going on, I noticed a man staring at us a short distance away.

    I remembered seeing him earlier when we separated from the crowd. As a matter of fact, he was close behind us when we pretended to train with swords using big sticks that we found on the ground. I gathered the kids close to me and headed off to another section of the park. He followed us, and even picked up his pace until he was directly behind us. Quietly, I took the stick out of my niece's hand. I stepped in front of her and my nephew, and positioned myself for his next move.

    "Hi," he said. "I am a photographer for the Times. Can I take your picture for the paper?" I was speechless. After all, I was ready to clobber him with my stick, and he was asking to take our picture. "I can't guarantee it will be in the paper, but it might make the online issue. You can check tomorrow." I finally regained enough composure to notice the large camera he was carrying. I found my voice. "You mean the Beaver County Times?" At least he wasn't a stalker. I hoped.

    The next day people all over the County were greeted with a picture of the three of us on the front page of the Times. My niece and nephew were local celebrities. I was their Awesome Aunt Cheryl from Colorado that picked them up after school, knew how to do cartwheels, taught them how to be Ninjas, and got their picture in the paper. In the meantime, I was kicking myself for wearing a T shirt that afternoon instead of the pretty pink blouse I wore the day before.

    My ten day visit lasted a lot longer than I had planned. Four weeks later I was still there. I still walked all over the woods and the park, and I still picked up my playmates from school to play with me, even though the days were getting shorter and considerably colder. By that time, the acorns, autumn leaves and woolly caterpillars had lost their magic, but that's a story for another day.

    Out of all the people that crowded into the park on that beautiful fall day, I don't know why the photographer chose us. Maybe because we looked so happy and were having so much fun together. Maybe because he never saw a middle aged lady do a cartwheel before. Or maybe he was tired of photographing the high school track stars.

    The point is, sometimes you just have to let yourself go and be silly. It's important to retain your child like spirit and curiosity, no matter what else is going on in your life. You never know what will develop, so to speak. Remember to walk softly and carry a big stick, especially when you are responsible for the health and safety of young children. Finally, when you go out to play,  you might want to wear a pretty blouse instead of a T shirt. You never know who's going to see you!

Be healthy!
Cheryl Ilov, PT, GCFP

Open the gate....and let the learning begin!

   
    During my journey as a Feldenkrais Practitioner, I have had the opportunity to teach to a wide variety of populations in many different and sometimes challenging environments. One of my favorite experiences took place two years ago, when I was invited to teach a workshop for a friend of mine who was also a psychologist who specialized in Equine Therapy.

    It sounded interesting as well as intriguing, so I agreed, even though I reminded my friend that I have very little (if any) experience with horses. He assured me that it didn't matter; he simply wanted me to give a workshop to a small group of his colleagues regarding Feldenkrais. Okey-dokey. Now that is a subject I am comfortable with and have some experience.

    I met the group at my friend's ranch high in the Rocky Mountains. What a perfect learning environment! I guided them through two Awareness Through Movement(R) lessons. After the lessons, we had a discussion regarding our experience as well as how the Method could be applied to the practice of psychology. It was great, and the workshop had concluded. Or so I thought.

    Just when I was gathering up my materials and about to make a graceful exit, I got a surprise. A really big surprise. My friend announced that we were going to take the workshop to the horses. Giddy up. I hadn't planned on that little development. I love animals. I love all animals, including horses. I just prefer to admire them from a distance.

    My apprehension about getting up front and personal with horses was exacerbated by the knowledge that I know nothing about horses except that they are big. I was way out of my league, and I simply didn't know what to do with them. What in the world did this have to do with Feldenkrais, anyway? Since my friend was a highly trained therapist, he was acutely aware of my discomfort, but he erroneously thought I was afraid of the horses. Okay, so maybe he was half right.

    In an attempt to reassure me, he said, "You'll love Jake. He's a really gentle horse. Just don't stand directly behind him, because he'll kick you. And don't let him butt you with his head, because he'll knock you flat. After all, his head weighs twice as much as you do." For some reason, I did not feel reassured. Now I had even more to worry about above and beyond my ineptitude and inexperience with these huge, beautiful beasts.

    I looked for a way out, but there is no back door at a ranch. I took a deep breath and reluctantly followed the small entourage through the gate. Three horses walked toward us, and the biggest one made a bee line right to me. I involuntarily stepped backwards. He stepped forward. We repeated this little routine until I ran out of room and he had me cornered. To take one more step back would have put me up against the electrical fence that I had also been warned about. The horse lowered his head. Uh-oh, here comes the head butt.

    I braced myself. But instead of knocking me over, Jake gently nudged me with his head several times until I finally reached up to pet him. He solemnly looked into my eyes and I felt my nerves and my heart melt. I started to pet him and he pressed his enormous head against my arm, just enough pressure to give me the equivalent of a horse hug, but not enough to knock me over or into the electrical fence. What a sweetheart!

    Satisfied that I was now at ease, Jake backed away and gave me a look. It was time to get to work. I swear he was winking at me. Suddenly I knew exactly what to do and how to progress the lessons and apply it to the horses. A magical transformation took place within me, and information just effortlessly flowed out. I don't know where it came from. I never faltered, and a few times I noticed Jake looking at me and nodding his head. That's when it hit me; which one of us was teaching the class? Suffice it to say, it was a collaborative effort.

    When we were done, I was simply overwhelmed by the experience, and so grateful that I walked through that gate and discovered what was on the other side. I knew I had a new best friend for life. I was even rewarded with horse kisses at the end of the day, which was certainly another new experience for me.

    I said goodbye and drove down the mountain toward home with the smell of horses filling the car, and I had plenty of time to reflect back on that remarkable afternoon of teaching and learning. What a shame it would have been if I had given in to my insecurities and stood on the other side of the gate that day.

    The point is, sometimes you just have to through caution to the wind, step through the gate and see what's on the other side. You never know what experiences are waiting for you. You may even make a new friend or two along the way. I still get all warm and fuzzy when I remember that day and I think about the magic of being with the horses, especially Jake, my new BFF.

    Most of all, I keep returning to the same question that pops into my head after a rich and rewarding teaching experience. Am I learning to teach, or teaching to learn? I'm pretty sure it's a little bit of both. What do you think? 

Be healthy!
Cheryl Ilov, PT

Hurry up and relax....

    I live vicariously through other people's vacations. I hear them make their plans, see their photos on Facebook, and listen to how much fun they had and how relaxed they are when they come home. I listen wistfully....I want some of that. Vacations are a distant memory; I haven't had one in over 5 years. I would love to sit on a beach, or at least go somewhere for a change of scenery.

    My husband travels a lot. My schedule is unpredictable. We have to plan ahead just to go out to dinner. Then a miracle happened. I looked at our calendar and realized we had about 36 hours of free time over the weekend. An idea began to form in my brain. If we planned carefully, and if we timed everything perfectly, we could head up to our favorite mountain town at the foot of Rocky Mountain National Park for a 36 hour vacation.

    I had to teach a class on Saturday morning. We could drive up on Saturday afternoon and come home early Monday morning. I planned to get up early, pack my bag, teach my class, and be ready to leave as soon as class was over. My husband was going to get up early, take the dogs to Little Doggy Paradise, pack his bag, take my class, and be ready to go as soon as class was over. Our strategy was carefully planned.

    I overslept that morning. Frantic, I realized I wasn't adequately prepared for class. As I gulped coffee, I reviewed my notes at record speed while I multi tasked. I studied, cleaned the kitchen, packed my bag and started some laundry. It appears I had forgotten about that as well. My husband tried to help, but he had slept in, too. So much for our well laid plans.

    Several chaotic hours later, we were finally in the car and on our way. As soon as we arrived and unloaded the car, I sat in the sun in front of the cabin. I kicked off my shoes, leaned back in my chair and soaked in the feel of the sun, the smell of the trees, and the sound of the birds and the river. I could feel myself relaxing already!

    Suddenly I heard a dreadful noise coming from the window behind me. My husband had turned on the TV, cranked up the volume, and opened the window. I was dumbfounded. I yelled over the sound of the TV,  "What are you doing?" He answered, "It's college football. I thought you would like to hear the game." I was speechless. Once I found my voice, I answered, "Mike, in all the years you've known me, when have I ever wanted to hear college football?" Well, you can't blame a guy for trying.

    He turned off the TV and joined me on the patio. For the next 36 hours, we had a great time. We went into town, did some window shopping, grilled outside, and even watched a little football. We went hiking, relaxed and just plain enjoyed the mountain air. We even found a sandy little beach next to the river high in the mountains.

    When we drove home Monday morning, we both marveled at how relaxing and restorative 36 hours could be. We recounted all of the activities we did, including the fact that I managed to sit on a beach without leaving the state. And I didn't even have to put on a bathing suit! We had such a good time, I wondered if we could do it again. Hmmm, I'm looking at the calendar and I notice we have a weekend coming up with 28 hours of free time available. Maybe, if we plan carefully.....well, you know how that goes!

Be healthy!
Cheryl Ilov, PT, GCFP

Investing in gold....Colorado style.

    With the current economy, we hear over and over again that we should invest in gold. I don't know much about finances, but I do know that sound investments can reap huge rewards. Thirty five years ago I invested in gold, Colorado style. As far as I'm concerned, I'm getting a fantastic return on my investment. What do you think?

    It's important to choose your investments well.

Be healthy!
Cheryl Ilov, PT, GCFP

The Feldenkrais Method(R) and the simplicity of plasticity....

   I love neuroscience, and anything that has to do with the brain. My neurons fire into overdrive just thinking about the subject. The Feldenkrais Method(R) is based on the scientific principle of neuroplasticity, which simply means that our nervous system is inherently flexible, malleable and able to change during the course of our entire lifetime.

    I could describe in some detail the physiological changes that occur on a cellular level, including the chemical reactions, cascade of neurotransmitters and hormones that are released during Feldenkrais lessons that allow for these changes to occur. However, it just sounds like "blah, blah, blah....blah, blah blah." I believe it would be more effective to translate all the science babble into practicle application. Here it is:


      THIS IS YOUR BRAIN.

                                                                THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON FELDENKRAIS.

ANY QUESTIONS?




Be healthy!
Cheryl Ilov, PT, GCFP

Self employed, self respect, and the measure of success....

   
    Being self employed provides a rare and wonderful opportunity to unleash your creativity and express yourself through your work, without the constraints of a boss, co-workers, productivity demands, staff meetings, etc. It's wonderful, and I love it. However, along with the freedom, flexibility, creativity and job satisfaction comes the understanding that you are always "on the job," 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

    When I am not working directly with clients, I am working on marketing, networking, budgeting, short term goals, long term goals, organizing lessons, classes and workshops. I am constantly taking continuing education and advanced trainings. Vacations are a distant memory. There is no such thing as sick days or paid time off. There is no benefits package. When you are self employed, you don't measure success by how much money you make. You measure it by the satisfaction it brings to you.

    Most people are impressed when I say I'm self employed. But, sometimes I get a different response. Recently a friend asked me about my business. Before I could begin she interrupted me and said, "Well, it doesn't affect you and your husband." Confused, I asked her what she meant. "You don't have to make any money. If you do, it goes right back into the business." I explained that this was my livelihood, how I earn my income, and how I contribute to the family budget. She was shocked, and said, "I didn't realize that!" Sheesh. At first I was amused. Then I was annoyed.

    A few days later, a colleague asked to meet with me, stating we needed to discuss something important. When we met, he asked me to move my practice from my office to his. I politely declined. He kept talking, explaining that he was losing business because he spent so much time out of town. He needed me to run his office, schedule new clients, and grow his business. What about my business and my clients? He told me they wouldn't mind moving. I knew they would. Besides, my office is large, bright, and beautiful. I designed it, and I have a lease. At first I was amused. Then I was annoyed. Finally, I started to worry.

    What was I doing wrong? Was I not working hard enough to present myself in a professional manner? What could I do differently? I went back to the drawing board (so to speak), which happens to be my dining room table. I poured over my mission statement, my business plan, my long term goals, my short term goals, etc. Maybe I needed professional help to evaluate my plans and my approach. Why else would two people minimize my accomplishments?

    Suddenly, I had an epiphany. I wasn't doing anything wrong; I was doing everything right. I was making all my hard work look easy and effortless. It was actually the highest form of praise I could receive. I guess that is another way that you can measure success, when no one else can see the tremendous amount of hard work and sacrifice that goes into being your own boss. Just in case you were wondering, I still love it! And no.....I'm not moving!

Be healthy!
Cheryl Ilov, PT, GCFP

Martial arts, ninja tricks, and travel trauma.....

  I don't like to fly; as a matter of fact, I hate it. However, I recently believed I was becoming more zen about the whole process. Just when I thought it was safe to go back to the airport and fly the friendly skies, travel trauma strikes again.

  It's funny how my martial arts training keeps me from embarrassing myself. I recently went to Pittsburgh for a long weekend. I was okay on the flight out, but the return to Denver really tested my patience and my perseverance. For some reason, TSA always plucks me out of the security line to go through the naked scanner. It only happens in Pittsburgh, and it happens every time I go through that airport. It' s as if little bells go off every time I enter the terminal announcing to the security team, "She's baa-aa-ack!" It irritates the heck out of me to be hand picked (so to speak) and be ordered to go through the scanner or face a pat down in front of hundreds of gawking strangers. 

    Just a nanosecond away from a major hissy fit, I faced my opponent and prepared for battle. I found my composure, slowed my breathing, stepped into the offensive machine, and assumed the position. Through my training, I developed the skill of a cold stare. Okay, who am I kidding....I have had that since I was a child. I used that stare as I looked directly ahead of me and continued the laser look at the TSA when they finally waved me through. I probably ought to be a little cautious with that, but I just couldn't help myself. Besides, I was raging inside.

    By the time we boarded, I had calmed myself down and managed to find a happy place. Of course, the glass of wine I had at the bar before boarding helped considerably. We settled into our seats for our connecting flight. My natural good spirits restored, I cheerfully started the countdown to getting to Denver, seeing my dogs, and being in the comfort of my own home. Ahhh, home. I only had three short hours to go.

    Then came the dreaded news: we were number 23rd in line for take off, but no aircraft were able to take off due to storms in the area. For two hours we waited while I sat squished in the middle seat. I again practiced my composure, my breathing, and dodged the elbow strikes that kept coming from both sides. At least it kept me moving. I got the opportunity to practice my ninja disappearing act  when the gentleman next to me tried to make eye contact and engage in conversation. Now if only I could master the disappearing act the next time I go through the naked scanner, maybe it won't bother me so much.

    We finally landed in Denver. As I was getting off the plane, one of the flight attendants apologized for the delay and for taking so long to get us to our destination. I thanked him and said, "At least you got us here in one piece....I give extra points for that." He smiled back at me and said, "What a positive way to look at things." Well, I do prefer looking at the bright side of every situation. But it's going to be awhile before I get on a plane again. At least until I get a bit more proficient at  disappearing. 

Be healthy!
Cheryl Ilov, PT, GCFP