The thought of exercise, movement, activity, or becoming physically fit doesn't need to conjure up images of pain, fear and frustration. When your doctor suggests that you exercise to help improve your fibromyalgia, you don't have to panic. Now you can visualize the feeling of peace and relaxation you get from yoga, the graceful moving meditation you experience while doing T'ai Chi, and the strength and balance you build as you do slow, precise stretching on the Pilate's equipment.

"Exercise" no longer has to be thirty hard and fast minutes on a treadmill. It can be a very personal experience, involving a mind-body connection that helps bring mental, emotional and physical balance, which is essential to overall well-being and health.

Try one of the techniques below to "exercise" your body and mind without killing yourself in the process.

T'ai Chi has been described as "mediation in movement." The basic concept of T'ai Chi is to be grounded in your feet with a relaxed "puppet like" attitude, sporting a straight spine - like a string of pearls. It's described as a, "standing, slow moving dance."

Practicing T'ai Chi today, you are working toward "being in the present," which will lead you "to joy in the movement." As your body follows your breath, your mind stays still and you will feel relaxed and more aware. Through your movement, you are aligning your body in order to enhance the flow of energy. As you "dance" you become aware that your feet are grounded and that your eyes are aware but not focused. When practicing T'ai Chi you are in the now, yet you know everything that is all around you. The movement is not about thinking or trying, rather it is about letting go, letting go of the resistance. Your movements are soft and fluid. As you gently move, the tension falls away and you become a part of the movement of the universe.

It is important to note that everyone can practice T'ai Chi. There are even classes for people who are in wheelchairs or who have limited range of movement. For those with fibromyalgia, T'ai Chi can teach a very valuable lesson. You don't have to "endeavor or struggle" with your illness. Try to envision how soft and fluid water is and yet remember - it is so powerful that it can wear away solid rock and create the beauty that is the Grand Canyon.

The Pilate's method is not just a set of exercises but a complete approach to developing body awareness. It is a conditioning program that focuses on subtle movements to improve muscle control, flexibility, coordination, balance, strength and tone. Its application will strengthen and stretch the body's core muscles. By taking weak abdominal muscles and strengthening them, the body becomes aligned. Since these core muscles support the spine and protect the body's organs, as they become stronger the body as a whole becomes stronger. This result is reached over time as part of a natural evolution rather than other exercise programs that force the results.

By practicing Pilate's a person becomes more aware of their body as an integrated unit. By also practicing proper breathing techniques, as the body becomes more aligned you develop an increased efficiency of movement. The final result is a heightened sense of awareness.

Unlike weight bearing exercises, Pilate's is designed to stretch and strengthen the muscles, open joints and release tension. Thus, the muscles grow longer and leaner. Blood flow is increased and energy begins to stream into specific areas of the body. Those who practice Pilate's feel more energized and find their movements less restricted.

One aspect that differentiates Pilate's from other forms of exercise is that it takes a commitment on the part of both the student and the teacher. Pilate's requires more personal supervision, but it helps to insure that it is safer and more effective. If the teacher and student create a trusting relationship, you both will enjoy what you are doing and it will therefore have remarkable results.