It’s not Pilates! It’s not Pole-dancing! It’s Polarity!

by Meredith Zelman Narissi, M.S., RPP

It’s not Pilates! It’s not Pole-dancing! It’s Polarity! I chose this quirky title to illustrate the confusion that occurs when people ask me

“What do you do?”

If I tell them I am a Polarity Therapist, they say “Pilates? Is that like Pole dancing?”

Perhaps they don’t always add the part about pole dancing, but as an attention getter for a library speech it definitely added some interest!

I used to answer “Polarity, not Pilates”…finally I took up the title “Mind-Body Polarity Therapist”…or better yet, I add “Mystagogue;”  even on my business card. A mystagogue is one who guides others into sacred mysteries! If you are seeking healing, in the true sense of the word, this implies dealing with some deep spiritual concepts. Polarity explores this…mind, body, and soul.

The lecture room was filled when I presented my power-point presentation; pilates and pole dancing pics included!  The kind woman who hired me said many library attendees were interested in mind-body topics. Most of the audience turned out to be women between 40 and 70 something years old. They were very engaged and receptive to learning about Polarity. Even the few men who showed up were very attentive.

I began by asking them questions about the meaning of “mind-body.”

“What is mind/body anyway? If I asked you to send your body up here next to me without your mind could you do it?  Could you send just your mind? What happens if instead you send your mind into your body? What can you learn by doing that? These are some of the questions that might direct us toward sacred mysteries. I call them sacred because they include the spiritual components of healing and health!”

I introduced history on the Caduceus symbol with its snaked winged image, spinning wheels of chakra energy, the balanced flow of life energy, the union of opposites, and the positive, negative, and neuter poles and currents of energy that flow through the body. I addressed how Polarity Therapy concerns itself with the flow of a very subtle high-frequency energy which in the East has been called pranayama or life force, and how we are essentially energy, and that everything around us is energy!

For vibrant health we need to be in harmony. We tend not to think of our bodies as energy, but everything is made up of vibrating molecules and even smaller particles of energy. As these concepts were shared, I asked: “What if we could help guide these energies toward greater balance and health.”

These were some of the concepts including information on Dr. Stone, and some of his quotes. Dr Randolph Stone believed that we lost some of the central themes of life by focusing on matter more than our relationship to the universe or source. Matter is only the encasement of spirit. Polarity therapy focuses on the idea that the body is an expression of consciousness. Have we forgotten about the unseen energy?

Along with lofty questions, I also engaged the audience in interactive games that they could “play” with each other. I believe that play is serious business!! For further knowledge of my interactive games, feel free to email me, or check out my website at Meredithnarissi.com.

After that I did a demo of Polarity “touch,” with a volunteer who sat in a chair facing the audience. It seemed that all were experiencing the flow. Then my power-point displayed some benefits, explanation of what to expect, and experiential points of a Polarity session, which was followed by lively questions and answers.

So if you are inclined toward public speaking, I invite you to take some of the anonymity out of Polarity Therapy by engaging in presentations in your local community, and beyond. As you share your passion, it can be a pleasant way to help get new clients. and also, to offer further insights to open-hearted lovers of learning and life.

WWW.Meredithnarissi.com  
Meredithsmessge@aol.com

Meredith Zelman Narissi, M.S., P.T.P., a mystagogue who welcomes others into the knowledge of sacred mysteries; is a mind-body polarity therapist, an international presenter, dancer, meditation/yoga instructor, and feature writer for magazines. Her new book 7 Veils: Mystical Secrets of a Feminine Path to Enlightenment is currently available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Play is serious business, and Meredith uses creative joy in her lectures, workshops, and retreats to share her message: “Who you are, is the presence of love; the one love that exists for all.” Her polarity therapy practice combines insightful wisdom, with healing touch and compassionate listening. She lives in Long Island, N.Y. with her husband and two Persian cats. She loves to dance in the spiritual realm.