A Day of Healing

I'm baaaaack! After feeling very not like myself for most of the week, I awoke feeling like...me. I'm not surprised after how I spent yesterday. I heeded the advice of my loved ones -- "take good care of yourself." That's exactly what I did yesterday -- I laid low, so to speak. I babied myself. I rested. I spoiled. I pampered. I did a slow yoga practice -- complete with candlelight -- with a focus on awareness, which did wonders for my body.

In fact, the focus of my yoga practice was my body and how I relate to it. After being sick, I realized that I'd lost touch with my body and I needed to reconnect. I lit a few candles last night and unfurled my mat for the first time since Tuesday. The practice was Phoenix Rising style -- or as I like to say, awareness yoga. It was slow and free form. The focus was listening to my body and relating to it in a new way. Despite the slow pace, I had to stop a few times and come down into Child's pose. My body needed to rest even though the practice wasn't vigorous. Rather than get impatient with my body's limitations in the moment, I listened and did what my body asked. I found the whole experience to be quite healing and surprising. I had no idea that my body was needing what it was asking for.

The question I asked myself at one point in my practice is how I can relate to my body in the way that I desire. What did I need to let go of? What did I need to do in order to relate to my body in this way? I realized I had to let go of wanting to change my body and I also realized that I had to take responsibility for my own care. I thought about the times in the past when I had looked to others for spoiling. Yes folks, that's the trap of expectation. I've been realizing slowly but surely that I need to take responsibility for spoiling myself. It's high time I stopped with the nonsense of looking outside. It's time to take control. That's why I practiced with candlelight -- my practice was like a little date with myself. I finished the night off with an extra long, hot bath (music and candles included). After all, if I don't take care of myself, who the heck will?

My pampering did the trick and I awoke this morning feeling energized and healthy (for the first time in 5 days -- yeah!!!!!). I didn't even hesitate -- I grabbed my iPod (I just created a December 2007 playlist yesterday -- perfect hiking music) and headed for the woods. I'm not sure what it is with the woods, but I just feel so alive when I'm traipsing through them. I walked for hours enjoying the cool, crisp air, the beautifully colored leaves, the feel of the roots and firm earth beneath my feet, and of course the doggies I had the pleasure of meeting along the way (there were some beauties out hiking with their owners today and I got licked by every one of them). There were no traces of the weakness that pervaded my body yesterday. It was as if my careful attention during last night's yoga practice had a positive effect.

One of the tunes I listened to -- Believe In You by Amanda Marshall -- was one that I hadn't heard in a long time. A friend of mine dedicated the song to me recently and it reminded me...it just reminded me. So to my friend who so graciously reintroduced the song into my life at just the right time -- thank you! Never underestimate the power of timing.

Ah, it feels good to feel good. But just because I'm feeling good doesn't mean that I'm going to stop spoiling myself. If I've learned anything this week, it's that the buck stops with me. In that spirit, I'm going to light a few candles and indulge in yet another evening yoga practice. I'm going to do another awareness practice because it's often these simple practices which carry the most benefits/insights for me. Tonight it's about taking care of me and treating myself the way I'd want others to treat me.

I suggest keeping this in mind this holiday season -- admist the shopping, the cooking/baking, entertaining, partying, etc. take time to celebrate something very important -- yourself. Because if you don't, how can you expect others to?????

Namaste!

Comments

[Rebecca]

This sounds absolutely delightful!

[bonnie]

You need to look after your self so you can keep giveing to others, through your blog and in other ways

[Know Yoga]

Thanks for the information. Please read more about Bhastrika Pranayam

http://knowyoga.org/tiki-index.php?page=Bhastrika%20Pranayam

[slpete42]

Glad you're back.

My "take care" expression to powerful Yogis includes the notion that by doing so they, as part of us all and as wells of generosity, serve us all at highest effectiveness. So it's giving to all, too.