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Is Taking The Easy Way Out Hurting You?

Uncategorized Oct 24, 2013

I have a good friend who practices Ayurvedic medicine.  When asked about things I could do to maximize how my body functions, she told me to begin my day by doing a whole body self-massage with warm coconut oil followed by a warm bath.  This is apparently, a traditional Ayurvedic treatment to nourish the body and clear toxins and stagnation.  Although it initially meant I had to get up a bit earlier than usual, I have found that this simple routine has brought more energy and vitality to my day in a wonderful and powerful manner. The significant change I received from such a simple treatment reminded me of how often we eschew methods and processes that require a bit of work on our part for more seemingly expedient paths.

In reflecting on this, I have recalled how many times patients have told me that they could not possibly eat regular meals, or drink adequate water on a regular basis because their schedule could not accommodate it or they had a general distain for water. In other examples, many, including myself have happily complied with recommendations for a multitude of supplements, herbs, and homeopathic but found the idea of home hydrotherapy, small amounts of meditation or deep breathing, regular meals, and reasonable bedtimes to be impossible due to lifestyle. Prompting me to wonder how often do we entangle our lives so significantly that we find the mere act of nourishing ourselves to be a task beyond our capabilities?

This lies at the heart of why we get sick in the first place.  We willingly forego caring and loving ourselves to work harder and longer.  We adopt lifestyle patterns that leave no room for and give no credence to nourishment, even on our most basic levels. Obviously, many consider alterations in schedule or routine to be laborious and hard, even when our routine does not support our basic vitality. It is time to return to basics in medicine and life, slowing down just enough that we are capable of soaking in the blessings and gifts all around us, creating space into which healing and recovery can enter and being grateful and present to the many ways in which this happens. None of this has to be difficult, much of what I believe is missing can be found by doing less, literally. My simple bath has come to mean the world to me, it is a time where I sit in stillness, sometimes with a book I am reading, sometimes just letting my mind drift.  By beginning my day with presence I am better able to bring awareness into the rest of my day too.

 

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