I didn’t choose Pilates
because of a big decision,
or because someone strongly recommended it.
One day, a very simple thought
came to my mind.
“If large muscles move well,
and breathing is done properly,
it must have a positive effect on the brain.” [1]
____
Notes
[1] Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF): Regular physical activity increases BDNF, a protein that supports the growth of neurons and the formation of synaptic connections in the brain.
____
That was all.
I didn’t start Pilates
because I wanted to make my child a genius,
nor because I wanted to force him
into the same developmental path as everyone else.
Rather, it was the moment
when years of reading neuroscience books,
quiet observation,
and accumulated thoughts
connected into a single sentence.
In fact, when my child was attending an international school
in Malaysia,
we were told several times
that it might be a good idea
to have him evaluated for autism spectrum disorder.
He did not repeatedly show
the very specific behaviors
commonly associated with children on the spectrum,
but there were clear differences
between him and his peers.
Looking back now,
I believe the teachers had their own reasons
for thinking that way.
To be honest,
even to me,
he did not look like a child
following a typical pattern of development.
That said,
I never thought he needed to be fixed.
What I wanted instead
was a way for his brain
to feel more at ease,
and an environment where his body
could learn how to regulate itself.
That answer, for me,
was Pilates.
”Once his body lived in tension.” “Now, it stands on its own.”