“Working with Adena helped me to really walk my talk. I am in the wellness industry and practicing what I preach can be tricky at times. Adena has inspired me to create a morning and evening routine that support how I want to live. She has guided me to a spacious place where it’s easier to hear and tend to my bodies needs. Just being around Adena inspires one to want to take self-care to a whole new level.” – Kate Read
I’ve learned from experience that it can ‘take a village’ to practice what I preach. In my last post, I rapped on sustainability. What that means, and if that’s all we really want – because in reality, we want to feel that our lives and our health and our place on the planet is more than sustainable, but thriving! And I gave a shout out to those of you in the health service industry (the industry I consider myself in, for sure!) because I want to let you in on my secrets – well, not secrets, but the tools from Ayurveda and Yoga I couldn’t live without.
It’s not as simple as telling you in a bullet-pointed blog post. It’s a journey – one I’ve been on for 5 years. And it’s on-going. Never ending. Cyclical. Deepening my connection with the natural world, and my body and mind, as I go.
Put your own oxygen mask on first
I went to a restorative yoga class last week, and the teacher used a metaphor I really like. She said, “There’s a reason the airline stewards ask you to put your own oxygen mask on first.” That made me think. Also to note, I was the only one in the class. And I stayed, and I didn’t worry about any awkwardness, I just stayed as present as possible, because I had invested the time and money in myself, and knew it was what I needed at that time.
Also, I have been many, many times, and teacher to one yoga student – whether private or not-intended-to-be private classes. I understand where the teacher is coming from, and how she might feel. And that whether it’s one person or 40, most of her energy does not come from talking, or teaching, but from holding the space.
Does that resonate with you? Where do you feel like you spend most of your energy working with clients? Holding space is what comes to me, in my work. Whether it’s for a yoga class, a massage, or an Ayurvedic consultation, your attention and presence is what can be the most taxing – but of course, is also the most important for the healing of your client. Your allowing for that to happen, just by creating the loving container.
Self healing and self realization
I work mostly with women – and it happens to be mostly women who are massage therapists, yoga teachers, and health coaches these days. We are natural caregivers. The women I work with usually have one thing in common – they are giving more than their reserves allow. Much of the imbalance we’re tapping into Ayurveda to use for their healing is about nourishment, replenishing those reserves, and building what we call ‘ojas,’ and balancing Vata dosha.
So many of us in the service industry that I meet, who are doing great healing service to others still struggle immensely with healing their own digestion problems and balancing stress levels. It can feel very hypocritical, on their part, for them to be helping others when they can not help themselves.
IMPORTANT: This is no place for guilt to come in – but action and self love. I think (know) self-healing is super hard. That’s why even with all the skills we might have, having guidance, and someone else to talk to and support you (save you from the tyranny of your own head…) is a necessity.
Clients can tell when we’re practicing what we preach – whether consciously, or in the subtle energies we’re putting out. Or how affective our work really will be for them. And how authentic and whole we will feel doing it.
We are social creatures, it is our nature. We are influence by our environments, in so many ways. Whether that’s eating with the seasons, due to those changes, astrology, or our mental tendencies when we’re around certain groups of people – make it easy on your self.
I’ve been seeking out connection with positive women over the past couple of years – it’s something that keeps me on my path, and helps me listen more strongly to what my own intuition is telling me. And these are skills which are beneficial for all parts of living.
So basically, I want you. I need you.
To be part of my community. To be together to support each other. To have good conversation and explore the natural world through food, nourishment, rhythms of nature in relation to our own bodies.
If this resonates with where you are at right now, and you know you’re in need of self care and nourishment (and maybe want to do the double whammy and improve your business on multiple levels) I want you to be a part of the Spring program, The Healing Diet.
Learn the invaluable skills of self care and healing digestion from Ayurveda, so you can show up with more authenticity in your work, because you feel better. And then share what you learn with your clients. It’s a new way of looking at nutrition. Supplement what you already know with the practical body wisdom found within.
Yoga teachers, health coaches, massage therapists, nutritionists, caregivers in all ways. I want YOU to thrive. I know, if you’ve been scoping around – this is an investment of time and money.
So to help a bit, I’m giving a special one-time $200 discount when you register for The Healing Diet beginning March 8th.
I don’t know what I would do if I did not have the self care tools I have learned from Ayurveda.
Register now and save $200. I’m forgoing to usual application process for you guys to get you right in.
Use the code ALILSELFLOVE15 when you check out.
Check out all the details, and the FAQ.
When you register, I’ll email you to set up a free phone consultation, if you would like one. And if you would like to meet before you register, fill out the application here. You can still apply the discount when you decide.
I love you.
PS: Happy Valentine’s Day 🙂
