I learned Hug the Midline from a Pilates teacher
Hug the Midline is a really good cue for staying connected to your core. In Pilates and Yoga (where teachers also talk about this), Hug the Midline teaches you to bring your focus to your center. It teaches you to stand tall, imagining a line drawn right down the center of your body, and drawing all your muscles and bones in, wrapping them around this line. This physical hugging adds to your balance, gives you soft, sustainable, connected strength. It’s a sensation I can tap into any time. Standing. Walking. Dancing. It really really helps my partner dancing!
When you connect to the strength of your core energy to support your body from within, you’re hugging your midline.
What a powerful image to use for the way you take a stand for yourself, not only in your body, but in your business, in your work/life balance, in your relationships, in your creative expression, in all of your life.
When you are standing tall, with the consciousness of your hugged midline, not only are you connected to the deepest core of your strength, but you are also connected to your core passion, your core mission, and your core purpose. You know your truth, you know what you really are meant to do. Standing tall, rooted to the earth, suspended from the heavens, head up, heart open. This is strength, the kind of strength that will sustain you through the days when things are difficult, challenging, not so easy. I know I have days like that, I think we all do. Makes every minute of developing this practice worthwhile.
I’d love to hear about your experience with this. Is Hug the Midline something you already work with? Is it new to you? Talk to me in the comments.
I am a grateful woman.
- I am grateful for getting to see my east coast Mastermind buddy, Sharon, at the hotel where we were each attending a business event on Saturday. Hugs, laughs, dinner. Perfect.
- I am grateful for my new client. I get to work with another healer to bring her work and her message to the world in her brand, and website and social media marketing channels. I am blessed!
- I am grateful for dancing! I went dancing for the first time in many months. And it was exhausting and so much fun! Two charleston classes and four social dances. Dancing brings me so much joy!
- I am grateful for Yelp. I found reviews for a pedicurist who specializes in fixing ingrown nails. She was terrific.
- I am grateful for a powerful lesson learned at the business training over the weekend. When I expect to hear a Yes I get more Yes responses. (Or the opposite, when I expect No, guess what I get?) Simple. Powerful. Exciting to own this!
- I am grateful for seeing Fruitvale Station on Friday. Opening day, second show. The theater crowded with locals. Seeing this movie about the Oscar Grant tragedy right here in Oakland, with my neighbors, hearing the weeping. Such a powerful experience.
- I am grateful for getting the home page fix done on Friday. Difficult, but do-able with the support of my WordPress crew.
I’d love to know what moves you to gratitude today. Please jump into the conversation, leave a comment. Thanks!
Barbara Petri says
July 15, 2013 at 8:15 amWhat a beautiful and inspiring post, Sue! I’m so grateful that you wrote it!
Today I’m hugging my midline. Embracing the energy in my core with my attention and love. Thank you for reminding me of doing this: my yoga teacher will be very happy with me. 🙂
Much love and appreciation,
Bárbara
Sue says
July 15, 2013 at 9:52 amBárbara, embracing the core of you with attention and love! So beautiful. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Love!
Sue
Cindie Chavez says
July 15, 2013 at 9:42 amGood stuff!!! I’ve practiced yoga for 20years and yet I’ve never heard the term, “Hug the midline”. You expressed it so clearly and it is JUST what I needed to hear today. THANK YOU…and Namaste. 😉 xo
Sue says
July 15, 2013 at 9:51 amCindie, thanks so much! I’m glad you find it useful.
Love and magic,
Sue
Callie ~ Playfull Genie Muse says
July 16, 2013 at 5:54 amI’ve never heard of hug the midline before, either – what a beautiful metaphor – especially needed when in business with you, yourself & I!!
Thank you!!!
Sue says
July 16, 2013 at 8:04 amHi Callie, Thanks!
I’m glad the image resonates. Sometimes these teachings arrive fully formed in the early morning and I just have to jump out of bed and write them. So relieved that it’s useful for you.
Thanks for letting me know.
Love!
Sue
Donna says
July 17, 2013 at 2:54 pmI hadn’t come across that term either…although my yoga teacher teaches the concept. I love that way of expressing it. x
Sue says
July 17, 2013 at 3:58 pmThanks, Donna! I love how so many things I learn in a class serve me in my work and life.
Blessings!
Sue
Karen J (Kay Emjay) says
January 20, 2018 at 5:26 pmHello, Donna!
Fancy meeting you here, half way ’round the world! LOL
Thank you, Sue, for this ~ ‘Hug your midline” is a very helpful mind-picture!
Blessings to you ~ Kay / Kharmin
Chris Hilbert says
July 18, 2013 at 8:31 amSaw this link thru PJ Van Hulle’s, share your Blog…I learn, teach, perform belly dance as a hobby, and one of the things I teach is “dancer position”….sometimes I refer to it as being a tree trunk.
The “hug your mid-line” fits right in with that! You are right, when you say it makes you stand tall, it gives you great strength and power to move, and (for me) also gives me a positive feedback that I’m strong and capable.
I really love this article…thank you!
Sue says
July 18, 2013 at 8:47 amHi Chris, welcome!!
Love the tree trunk image, I can feel that!
Thanks for taking the time to join the conversation. I appreciate you!
Love and light,
Sue
Nicole Suzanne Brown says
July 19, 2013 at 12:42 amThank you so much Sue! I NEEDED this post this week. After feeling totally disconnected, your Hug the Midline was PERFECT! I hugged, and breathed and felt so much more connected.
Thank you thank you thank you!
*squishy hugs*
Nic
Sue says
July 19, 2013 at 9:10 amNicole, I am so glad to hear this, I celebrate you! Thanks for taking the time to let me know.
Love and magic,
Sue
Tanja @ Crystal Clarity says
July 19, 2013 at 12:43 amGreat post, Sue. I’ve never heard the “hug the midline” phrase before, but it makes so much sense to me! Sounds like something I could do with focussing on!
Blessings
TANJA
Sue says
July 19, 2013 at 9:09 amThanks, Tanja.
It’s so powerful to share what I’ve learned and continue to learn in life and know that it landed meaningfully for you. Thanks for letting me know.
Love and blessings,
Sue
Julie says
July 19, 2013 at 5:01 amI receive a similiar message while sleeping. I saw in my dream a painting. On the left was a pair of old raggedy tennis shoes, on the right side of the picture was a pair of spiffy dress shoes. I heard in the dream “wear casual shoes and walk the middle road”. So it’s the same message, just with a different story! Thanks for sharing the “Hug the Midline”! 🙂
Sue says
July 19, 2013 at 9:11 amJulie, I love this! Wear casual shoes and walk the middle road. That’s frickin’ beautiful. Thank you!
Love!
Sue
Dawna says
July 19, 2013 at 9:33 amI’d never heard the expression until now, Sue. I have already written it out on an index card and am giving it a space of prominence on my desk. I like it and will continue to hold onto it in the future. Thank you so much for sharing it!
Sue says
July 19, 2013 at 10:05 amDawna, I’m glad to read this. Hope it continues to remind you to wrap to your center and stay connected to your core. In your body, in your life, and in your beautiful work!
Love and light,
Sue
Kendy says
July 19, 2013 at 10:26 amI love this! I have never heard of hugging your core before. I love where you wrote:
When you are standing tall, with the consciousness of your hugged midline, not only are you connected to the deepest core of your strength, but you are also connected to your core passion, your core mission, and your core purpose. You know your truth, you know what you really are meant to do.
This is something that really resonates with me and something I’m going to incorporate into my daily life. Thank you!
Sue says
July 19, 2013 at 10:38 amKendy, thanks! As one of my heroes (Derek Jeter) says, “I live for this!”
You’ve made my day.
Love and light,
Sue
Lorie Roberts "The Clarity Coach" says
July 19, 2013 at 11:32 amYes, this is something I try to remember to do.. that is the trick for me… remembering.. but it does make a big difference. I have not heard it called hug the midline before but staying centred. I have found along with yoga that meditating on the chakras helps with this one as well. Great post. Grateful for other like-minded, heart centred teachers like yourself!
Sue says
July 19, 2013 at 12:50 pmLorie, exactly! Another context for staying centered. I use chakra work as well, so useful! Grateful for you!
Love and magic,
Sue
Tess The Bold Life says
July 19, 2013 at 12:07 pmHi Sue,
Never heard “hug your midine.” But I like it. I’m grateful for new friends online, my family and love.
Sue says
July 19, 2013 at 12:48 pmGlad to hear it, Tess, and glad to share gratitude with you.
Love!
Sue
april says
July 19, 2013 at 6:59 pmi love this analogy, sue! (and i hadn’t heard the phrase “hug your midline” before either.) in my coaching, i often refer to one’s essence or core. what a beautiful way to tangibly illustrate that idea. thank you for a lovely post.
Sue says
July 19, 2013 at 7:47 pmApril, thanks for taking the time to comment. I’m so glad we get to expand our vocabulary and imagery as we deepen our service to our tribes.
Love and blessings,
Sue
Deanna Heiliger says
July 26, 2013 at 2:35 pmWhat a great post! I really need to work on hugging my midline…I now have a great visual, thank you!
Sue says
July 26, 2013 at 2:44 pmDeanna, great to hear! I find so many opportunities to pull up that image, myself.
Thanks for jumping in…
Love and light,
Sue
A. Lynn Jesus says
August 7, 2013 at 3:17 pmI LOVE this idea – hugging the midline. It’s a great reminder to allow ourselves to be grounded. Thank you for sharing this post!
Sue says
August 7, 2013 at 3:43 pmLynn, thanks!
I appreciate you taking the time to comment. May this groundedness stay with you.
Love and blessings,
Sue
Amber Elkin, Health Coach and Owner of Potent Health by Amber says
August 7, 2013 at 3:26 pmI love it. I am going to focus on my center, today. Thank you for the great post.
Sue says
August 7, 2013 at 3:44 pmAmber, thanks! That’s a great focus to have.
Love and magic,
Sue