Elders sound like playing cards, who ever has the most elders wins.

 

Pilates is something more than subjective interpretation by those who studied with him. The attitude that you have to preserve your place in history is one that assumes Pilates doesn't have an essence of it's own, which would be convenient because then we would matter much more and we don't have to pay any attention to what Pilates really is and direct all our attention to what we egotistically and self-deludedly believe we are free to make whatever we want.

 

It's true, Pilates is a tradition, and many views of the method are already lost. The essence of Pilates can never be lost because it is well recorded.

 

Incorporating personal experience into your Pilates practice does not make that Pilates.

 

Proponents of variations, are just that--variations, and wouldn't be if there weren't one pure unadulterated expression of the method.

 

If Pilates weren't something in and of it's self,

We would be constantly be bothered by incestuous strife for recognition and validity.

 

There's a lot of ways to do Pilates, but only one way to do it right.

 

Sorry, if that's a ego deflating prospect, but it's how I feel.

 

Speaking about feelings, when I'm dead and gone and everyone who knew me claims to know my mind, forget them, LOOK AT MY ORIGINAL WORK! Many people who know me, have worked with me, and studied my stuff, still can't claim to know me like anyone who has my original work and what they can make from it. I want you to take my art directly from me, my words, my pictures, and my film.

If I feel that way, how do you think Joseph Pilates felt about his work?

 

Finally, in the image accompanying the article of scissors hips up...

the demi-point is missing. I guess that's another of those proponent things.

 

(And is what I have to say any more valid if I have 4 elder cards in my hand?)