A long time ago at a party in LA a young man told me I “wasn’t long for this world”. He was looking at my palm. He had no credentials and it was completely unsolicited. His tone was sober despite the Ecstasy and alcohol I had seen him ingest. To say I was uneasy is an understatement. I was glad when the woman beside me projectile vomited and hastened my date and I to call it a night.
In the following days I wondered about that stranger and his motivation to make such a dark pronouncement. I didn’t lose sleep over it but in the interest of my mental health I eventually dismissed him as a snide little troll and put the episode to rest.
Years later, well into my journey of self-healing and holistic wellness a Toronto teacher with excellent credentials and trustworthy motivations looked at my palm. I told her about the Hollywood incident. She warned me there are more charlatans than truth tellers and self-care is more than soothing soaks and body work. Being mindful of where I get my information is a source of self-care.
Over the past few weeks I’ve been reminded that nefarious intent lurks everywhere. Rogue opportunists set up fraudulent accounts in the names of #BreonnaTaylor and #GeorgeFloyd. Bots and trolls are hijacking the comments on IG accounts. Long needed meaningful discourse is being usurped by depraved instigators. I got caught up a couple of times before I realized what was happening. But each assault stokes the fire of outrage. I am losing sleep. I’m exhausted from insomnia and raw from resurfaced traumas.
And then I remembered that one of the tenets of sharing my voice was sharing self care. So without further ado some self care tips I am reinstating.
Firstly, it’s all about routines. Make self-care a habit. I will not leave my bedroom before I’ve sat still for 10 minutes. You can call it meditation, but you don’t have to if it’s going to deter you. Sitting is the only criteria. Every effen day. Closing my eyes and doing a little pranayama (breathing exercises) is the delicious bonus. And then just like that it becomes a full meditation experience, sometimes lasting twenty minutes or half an hour. Now I’m going to initiate the same routine in reverse – 10 minutes of sitting before lights out. And shutting down screens a good hour before bedtime is a must!
Move your body every day. If you’re not a fitness fiend or following some regular workout routine, find some gentle stretches or a yoga asana you can do for yourself (I’m happy to offer a simple routine tailored to you). Or simply take a walk. Walk around the block. Walk up and down the hall of your building. Walk up and down the stairs. And walking has the dual benefit of getting the blood flowing and changing your location. Even shifting the perspective for ten minutes can refresh and reset.
If you’re feeling overheated – emotionally or physically- running cool water over your inner wrists will cool down the pulse point immediately. Putting a cool facecloth on the nape of your neck will double the impact. Alternately if the heat is more internal, like your mind racing, a dab of peppermint essential oil on the pulse points can soothe. A deep inhale of the oil and a couple rounds of focused Shitali breathing are also super cooling for the system.
A favourite night time routine is abhyanga, a self-massage with warm sesame oil infused with herbs. Follow up with a hot shower and a good night’s rest. Sometimes there is no time and a simple foot massage with the same oil will do wonders.
If you’re inspired to try any of these Ayurvedic tips please let me know what you think. If you are curious to incorporate more Ayurvedic and self-care suggestions, I have a pdf I share with subscribers.
To our continued wellness and wellbeing.
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