A main struggle of yogis on the path is narcissism. The same struggle goes for vaidyas (ayurvedic practitioners).
The paths of yoga and ayurveda intrinsically invite us to greater and more subtle degrees of self-care (eat a sattvic, high prana diet, practice yoga asana, pranayama, meditation, study, inquire and contemplate … the list goes on. Add daily practices like tongue scraping and foot massage before bed and your day is just about booked, especially when juicing your kale-apple-ginger-celery zinger takes 15 minutes with clean-up time.
And how is all of our self-care showing up in the world? Are we so concerned with getting our own pristine nutrient intake that we forget to calculate the carbon footprint of the zinger?
Does our self-massage (a daily Ayurvedic self-care practice) get in the way of rubbing our own mother’s (sister’s, daughter’s, lover’s, neighbor’s) feet?
After reviewing the reviews from my Living Ayurveda Courses something grabbed my awareness. While students
reported an outstanding 100% increase in knowledge in seasonal routines and knowledge and an outstanding 100% increase in knowledge of daily routines and knowledge due to the course, students only reported a 50% increase in knowledge around improved ability to help their aging parents and nurture their children.
Well, I design my courses, so clearly the onus is on me. I’m aiming for 100% increase in knowledge around how to assist our elders and our dependents in terms of holistic wellness. And I’ll extend the family definition to our global family.
So, do You rub your mother’s feet? Please comment.
(p.s. Lord praise online survey tools.)
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Ashley Dentino
Posted at 01:23h, 29 JuneI’m so glad to see that you’re putting a voice to this aspect of Ayurveda. I think lineage is so important. It’s a thread that weaves through time and space.
Now I’m wondering and contemplating how my dosha has been affected by my parents? What is the connection there? And on a more basic level how do I invite my parents and family OR give them the opportunity to open up to this unique approach to physical health, mental clarity and spiritual fulfillment?
For me, thus far, it seems easier to engage and attract those people in my family that are around me everyday. They’re witnessing me shift, watching my capacities grow and SEEING the change. However, my mother and father live in Arizona almost 1000 miles away. It seems more difficult to engage with them on this level when our relationship has shifted to seeing each other on special occasions and short family trips.
I’m looking forward to taking the Ayurvedic Living Course this year to see how the group lights a fire under the ability to help aging parents and nurture children.
admin
Posted at 18:30h, 29 JuneWe get into your constitution (prakruti) and how it’s created in the first month, including what our parents contribute.
Great questions about the “how” do I open this up in my family. Culturally, we have some emotional blocks to nurturing our elders (just think of nursing homes). Checking these out will also be part of our discovery into how to integrate what we will learn from the self-care practices! Often the shift simply begins with inquiring with your mother, how did she nurture her mother through the process of aging or death? You might discover a new intimacy and depth simply over the phone lines!
Glad you’re joining the next ALC. We have a potent group forming!
Ysha Oakes
Posted at 23:04h, 29 JulyI love your potent reality checks Cate. Yes, when I visit my mother, I rub her feet and legs. It is unfamiliar to how she lived most of her 93 years, but the last few years she has opened to it in the blissings of forgetting the past and being in the present moment more. Gently, very oily, and adding essential oils (organic) to enhance her respiratory function and to calm her brittle nervous system.
admin
Posted at 23:09h, 29 Julyso beautiful and inspirational. We’ll talk more about this intergenerational approach to healing on our next call!