רעיונות מהמקור- ציטוטים של ג'וזף ה. פילאטיס 

ציטוטים

כאמור, פילאטיס לא השאיר כל צוואה ממנה ניתן ללמוד על הלך הרוח שלו, הפילוסופיה ורצונו כיצד תמשיך להתקיים השיטה לאחר מותו. פילאטיס טען כי הקדים את זמנו ב-50 שנה וכי השיטה אשר הולכת יד ביד עם עקרונות הטבע תשרוד לעד. פילאטיס נפטר כאשר הוא מאוכזב כי לא זכה להכרה אותו רצה לקבל עוד בחייו. כיום עם פריחת השיטה ברחבי העולם כולו ניתן לאמר כי שני ספריו וציטוטים מרכזיים מתוך ספרים אילו הם שמוליכים ומובילים אותנו המורים והתלמידים.

להלן מס' משפטים וציטוטים חשובים מפי פילאטיס. משפטים וציטוטים אילו נבחרו משני ספריו

Return to life

"Contrology is not a fatiguing system of dull, boring, abhorred exercises repeated daily "ad-nauseam." Neither does it demand your joining a gymnasium nor the purchasing of expensive apparatus. You may derive all the benefits of Contrology in your own home."

"As the spring freshets born of the heavy rains and vast masses of melting snows on mountains in the hinterlands cause rivers to swell and rush turbulently onward to the sea, so too will your blood flow with renewed vigor as the direct result of your faithfully performing the Contrology exercises. These exercises induce the heart to pump strong and steadily with the result that the bloodstream is forced to carry and discharge more and more of the accumulated debris created by fatigue. Contrology exercises drive the pure fresh blood to every muscle fibre of our bodies, particularly to the very important capillaries which ordinarily are rarely ever fully stimulated once we have reached adulthood."

"The science of Contrology disproves that prevalent and all-too-trite saying, "You're only as old as you feel." The art of Contrology proves that the only real guide to your true age lies not in years or how you THINK you feel but as you ACTUALLY are as infallibly indicated by the degree of natural and normal flexibility enjoyed by your spine throughout life."

"The acquirement and enjoyment of physical well-being, mental calm and spiritual peace are priceless to their possessors if there be any such so fortunate living among us today. However, it is the ideal to strive for, and in our opinion, it is only through Contrology that this unique trinity of a balanced body, mind, and spirit can ever be attained."

"...the millions of dollars today foolishly expended in the purchase and maintenance of gymnasium equipment, etc., could be more wisely expended for the purpose of training teachers, living examples of normal health, not mere preachers of what normal health (if they really knew) should be."

"...What is balance of body and mind?
It is the conscious control of all muscular movements of the body. It is the correct utilization and application of the leverage principles afforded by the bones comprising the skeletal framework of the body, a complete knowledge of the mechanism of the body, and a full understanding of the principles of equilibrium and gravity as applied to the movements of the body in motion, at rest and in sleep."

"...Man should bear in mind and ponder over the Greek admonition - Not Too Much, Not Too Little."

"However, in order that one may receive the maximum benefit and resulting normal health from one's daily activities, one should understand at least some of the more rudimentary underlying principles governing the mechanism of the human body in motion, rest and sleep. For example, the leverage possibilities of the bones composing its skeletal framework, the range and limitation of proper muscle tension and relaxation, the laws of equilibrium and gravity, and last but not least, how to inhale and exhale; i. e., how to breathe properly - normally. A knowledge of these are essential if we are to benefit from any exercises."

"The first lesson is that of correct breathing.
Children must be taught how to take long, deep breaths, sufficient to expand the upper chest to capacity. They must be properly instructed how to draw the abdomen in and out at the same time holding their breath for a short time. Then they should also learn how properly to fully deflate the lungs in exhaling."