Jesi Says--Make it Easy

So many good conversations came about because of my flare blogpost.  Being an oversharer means that we have those difficult or uncomfortable discussions (oh, if you could have been a fly on the wall before our 6pm classes yesterday!  It was a TMI doozy!).  I’m definitely not that studio owner who pretends that my life is perfect and my health is always robust.  One of our students loves to say that she chuckles when I share all the menopausal changes that have occurred.  My physical practice looks very different today than 10 years ago; this has also made me a kinder teacher (I give WAY more options for modifications!).

This whole flare (which, thankfully, is SO much better!) got me thinking about why I’ve been so lucky to be virtually pain-free in 9 years.  Many of my doctors believe that I have daily pain.  Daily difficulty with my hand mobility.  Daily struggles with not being able to do the things that I want to do.  None of this is true.  99.9% of the time I go about my daily routines not even knowing I have an autoimmune condition.  Why?  Why am I one of the lucky ones who doesn’t have daily pain?  Is it because I happen to respond well to the meds that I’m on (yes, I take meds for my Rheumatoid Arthritis)?  Is it because I practice yoga (not just yoga on the mat, but yoga off the mat)?  Is it because I have a good diet 80% of the time?  Is it because I’ve learned to say no and not feel guilty?  Is it because I’m on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for menopause?   Is it because I love my job?  Is it because I’m middle class and don’t have to worry about money?  Is it because we live in an area which has good health care?  I’m sure it’s all these things, and more.

I was listening to one of the Ayurveda docs I follow on Instagram and she was doing one of those “this or that” segments.  The interviewer was asking her about what Ayurvedic practices she would recommend over another.  Here were some of the questions+answers:

1.       Breakfast first or movement first? – Movement first.  Because your disgestive juices (agni) are not awake.  So you need to move before eating breakfast.  Jesi says do a few Surya Namaskars (Sun Salutations) and then have breakfast.

2.      Oil first or shower first? – Oil first and then shower.  Jesi says it protects the skin and Ayurveda loves when we’re oily.

3.      Tongue scraping or oil pulling? – Tongue scraping because it’s easier, but oil pulling has more benefits.

4.      What is the most underrated nighttime routine that everyone should be doing? – Legs up the wall.  Lowers blood pressure and resets the nervous system for a good night’s sleep.

I wanted to jump up and down with joy as I heard her responses because she hit the nail on the head: your wellness routine should be easy to incorporate into your schedule.  It shouldn’t be another thing to add to your list and it definitely shouldn’t cause resistance.

I had an aha moment when I was nodding to her answers: my autoimmune disease has been in the background because I have so many easy routines that I incorporate into my everyday life.  Positive thinking, mantras, diaphragmatic breathing, Pranayama, yoga, nasya, tongue scraping, warm foods, living with the seasons of the day, year, life.  Yoga and Ayurveda have given me a roadmap to navigate my autoimmunity so that I can live the life I want.  Pain-free.

THIS is the gift that Blue Door is giving our community.  A few examples:

1.       One student started daily nasya oil (nasal oil) along with tongue scraping and she’s already seeing a big difference in her breathing.  Ayurveda believes oily=healthy, so we like to oil everything.  Using nasya keeps the brain, nose, ears, eyes, and throat healthy.

2.      Another student who has been having trouble sleeping started to put her legs up the wall at night while listening to a guided meditation and she slept well for the whole night.

Easy and accessible are what your practice and routines should be.  Taking systems that can seem complicated or time-consuming and making them fit our everyday, American schedules is the key to maintaining health.  Start one thing and incorporate it into your day and let me know what shifts.

Xx

Jesi