Pole Therapy

Who needs a therapist when you have pole dancing?

I wasn't too sure if I was going to go to class or not. Wasn't sure if I was up to it, but I am sure glad I did. It was a rather cathartic experience. Once I got past the shaking legs that is, I was able to unknowingly allow myself to feel – something I have been fighting as of late. (It has been nearly 3 weeks since I have gone to class since I have been on bed rest and such, so my legs were shaking uncontrollably during the first hour – when we do the more yoga, Pilates, abs work). Thankfully, my pole work was on, and I didn’t have to feel behind. Although I did miss some tricks, next week is pole week (and I am taking 2 make-up classes in addition to my normal class), so I should have them down by then. It made me feel good when I tried a new trick and my teacher showed me some more advanced tricks since I had the one we were learning down.

Well, I didn’t bring any clothes (I was wearing clothes, but what I mean is that I didn’t bring a specific outfit or boots or stiletto shoes or anything) to dance in. Didn’t feel like getting THAT into my class, although now I wish I had. I danced 3 songs, and midway into the second song started crying. I just continued to dance and just went with it. I NEVER do that. During the second song, my teacher noticed that I was crying, so she came over (I was on the floor) and hugged me while I cried. She then told me to keep moving and go with it. This was my therapy. Boy was she right.

When I talk about my class people don’t understand why I am so into it. They get stuck on the pole dancing part. To be honest, it’s not about the striptease and pole dancing. I mean that is a part of it for sure, but it is about the bond of women, supporting each other…allowing ourselves to be vulnerable, emotional, sexual, open. It’s about shedding the outer coverings that we create to shield us and protect us from the world. It’s a place where I am learning to be me, and knowing that that’s ok…I am ok. It’s a place where judgment does not exist…where I have companions on my quest for truth…the truth of who I really am, not the me the world wants me to be. I enjoy the women and the camaraderie at the S factor. I enjoy the friendships. There is no competition; there is only appreciation for what each person brings to the process…to the class. We are all important. We are all contributors, and we are all worthy.

Beyond anything else, the S is my stress relief. It is what keeps me going. It ‘s the place that I CAN break down and cry and I have a group of women that support me and understand me…because they have been there too. It is exactly what I needed.