Nourishing Myself
I recently read Good Morning I Love You: Mindfulness and Self-Compassion by Shauna Shapiro, PhD. In it she says:
“The most important discovery in brain science of the twentieth century – neuroplasticity – has found that our brain is constantly changing throughout life. No matter how old you are, you can actually sculpt new healthy pathways in the brain and prune away old, unhealthy ones.”
She reminded me of what we work with every day in Ayurveda – the knowledge that we are a complex system of mind, body and spirit, therefore what we do for one aspect of ourselves affects all the others. Every time I do something to nurture myself, as in feeding myself with good nutritional food, I also improve my clarity of thought and uplift myself spiritually. I create a new healthy pathway and this helps me and inspires me to look for other nourishing actions I can take. I was nice enough to feed myself well today, next, I think I’ll take the time for a quick walk outside, clear my mind, lift my spirits, and strengthen my body.
Each morning I start my day with meditation, writing, exercise (big or small) and something nutritious to eat. These gifts I give myself are golden treasures that nourish and support me. They create a base for my day that is wholesome, loving and kind. They strengthen my new healthy pathways. Regardless of what your life has been up until this point, one small action, one act of kindness toward yourself, can set you on the path to vibrant health. This doesn’t have to be overwhelming, just one small baby step will do. One simple act that makes you feel good. A warm cup of water with lemon or your favorite herbal tea. A quiet walk in the park. A 10-minute meditation. I am committed to learning how to nourish myself on every level ,and I believe strongly that small, purposeful, incremental steps have farreaching and powerful effects.
