especially self-care
Well-being of body is like a mountain. A lot happens on a mountain. It hails, and the winds come up, and it rains and snows… People leave their trash, and others clean it up. Many things come and go on this mountain, but it just sits there. When we’ve seen ourselves completely, there’s a stillness of body that is like a mountain. We no longer get jumpy… A thoroughly good relationship with ourselves results in being still, which doesn’t mean we don’t run and jump and dance about. It means there’s not compulsiveness. We don’t overwork, overeat… In short, we begin to stop causing harm.
-Pema Chodron When Things Fall Apart
Photo above by Ashley Mead at Sangha Yoga Shala in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Spending the majority of last week on the couch fighting a virus was the last thing I wanted during a busy time of teaching, prepping events, writing, recipe testing, and squeezing in a social life. Alas, there I was, fully succumbed to the vicious bug that has spread across NYC with merciless vengence.
As I finally began to feel more human-like this morning after what felt like an eternity, I recognized that the ways in which I, or all of us, can approach being unwell [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][even if we are in the wellness industry] is very similar to the yoga practice itself.
So although I wasn’t actively practicing yoga postures for most of this past week except for simple stretching [which drove me insane], I could still utilize the tools I’ve learned as I kicked my sickness. Shout out to yoga for pertaining to anyone at any moment [and to my boo for taking such good care of me].
I’ve quoted Yoga Sutra 1.14 before, which teaches that in order to secure a solid foundation for our yoga practice, we must practice for a long time, without break, and with sincere devotion. So how does this pertain to being ill, or to life in general? Let me break it down:
For a long time [dirgha]: If you’re like me, it’s difficult to let yourself truly rest for a long period of time. I get antsy and want to get on to the next thing, and when I don’t decide to chill, my body will force me to. As much as I yearned to heal quickly, all I could do was allow whatever bug I had to run its course by resting and taking care of myself for however long I needed to. It’s a true test of patience, but also of self-care. Embracing stillness, resting, or taking care of your body in general will show up throughout the rest of our lives, and when we forget to do that the universe will remind us in one way or another. So practice taking care of yourself for a long time. Like forever.
Without Break, continually [nairantaira]: I had no choice but to continually rest, drink water and tea and turmeric potions, take my herbs, and do it all over again the next day. If I had broken the healing chain by doing something I knew wasn’t good for me, like teaching a class and spreading germs [destructive for myself and my students], I probably would have suffered much longer. I stuck with my self-care regimens, checked in with my very thoughtful holistic doctors multiple times a day, and repeated the cycle. Practice treating your body [and mind] well continually.
With Sincere Devotion, reverence, respect [satkara]: I cursed this virus daily, but remembered there are lessons to be learned in every moment, so I eventually honored the bug and let go of my incessant pattern of doing instead of being. Once I respected my body in this way, I was able to practice healing with devotion instead of force: taking my herbs regularly, consuming fluids like it was my job [which it was for those couple days], and sleeping when my body told me I needed it instead of pushing past the fatigue. It turned into quite an interesting and compassionate practice to be with myself in this way, to comfort myself and respect my body’s experience in each moment. Even when I had pangs of anxiousness or anger toward being away from work for so long, I knew that letting go of that stress would allow me to heal in a more effective way [thanks to a sweet friend for that advice]. Practice your daily routine, whatever that may be, with sincere devotion and respect.
What personal life practices can you weave this yogic wisdom into?
Read the rest of the newsletter for two tasty breakfast recipes, music and more.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
No Comments