It seems like 2020 has just begun and we're already far into this new year. It's almost February...seriously?! Resolutions are abundant this time of year and for many, their ambition has dissipated by now.
For me, 2018 and 2019 were both years of true finite resolution. I was able to finish many things that I had left dangling in my life, including my Bachelor's degree which I did not technically complete because of one measly course - a course that wasn't even in my major. But, still, there is no good excuse why I didn't finish it until four years after I walked in my graduation ceremony. When I did finally complete it, it wiped a slate for me. I felt so pure, so good, and so hopeful that I could do anything.
So, because 2018 and 2019 were years of endings for me, I decided that 2020 would be a year of new beginnings. As I am a student of ayurveda and I feel it is my divine objective to learn and spread this knowledge, I wanted to honor my life's purpose and begin to follow a vegetarian diet (which ayurveda teaches is ideal). Though I had known for years that this type of diet would serve me better than the meat-heavy culture I had been raised in, I could never disconnect from that lifestyle permanently. I loved meat just too damn much. Upon learning in my ayurvedic studies that eating meat actually creates karma, it really forced me to come to a crossroads and make a decision on what type of lifestyle I wanted to follow and eventually, promote. I feel good to be able to say that beginning January 1st I became a vegetarian, and I have stuck to that goal so far. I feel a lot lighter physically. My sleep has improved a lot and I haven't been really experiencing any acidity after my meals (was a norm for me). I am able to focus when I meditate much better and I feel like I am less angry overall. But, it's not easy. In fact, there are times when I smell meat and I almost give in. I have dreams of rib-eyes and burgers once in a while. No, really. There's also some people who don't necessary understand why I'm following this new lifestyle and it's difficult to explain the spiritual side of things sometimes, because I understand how far fetched or silly it might sound to someone who is not spiritual or religious. One of my biggest desires with ayurveda is that I will be able to present it to the Western world, even the most skeptical of people, in a way that will leave them open to learning more about it and eventually incorporating it into their own lives. I believe that its teachings can benefit and heal every single soul on this planet and I hope that I can be a fountain of information of it for others. I guess I'm starting here.
Another beginning that I have embarked on in the past couple of months is yoga. Yoga is actually the sister science to ayurveda - the physical side of ayurveda. It is around 5,000 years old and some say even up to 10,000 years old (like ayurveda!). I have practiced it in the past since my high school days but I never would call myself anything but a beginner. I did understand that the practice of yoga focused mostly on the breath and its importance in helping to maintain balance in the physical and subtle bodies. After gaining a very significant amount of weight after my teenage years (110 lbs), I felt scared and ashamed to attempt something that usually featured advertisements of long-necked gazelles posing in ultra-flexible asanas. I found a local yoga studio as I was driving home one night and it caught my attention because it had the word "ayurveda" in its business name. I reached out to the owner and, lo and behold, she has attended the same ayurvedic school as me. Fast forward a couple of months and I now attend yoga class two-three times per week and am even hosting a couple mornings a week at this amazing little studio. It's incredible to think where I am compared to even just six months ago when I wasn't sure what direction my life would take me. I kept wondering if I would ever be able to pursue a career which I truly loved and which gave me joy and purpose everyday. When I met with the yoga studio's owner in the beginning, we had a very interesting talk about dharma. In Hinduism, dharma signifies behaviors that are considered to be in accord with the order that makes life possible. Essentially, the simple way to look at it, is if it's meant to be, it'll happen for you. She mentioned that she would sometimes find herself in situations where things looked dire or hopeless, but that right in the nick of time, something would happen that would allow things to progress. It's like verification from the Universe that things are on the right path. That you're on the right path. And here I am, things happening, joy occurring! It's been great and I feel blessed. Onward and upward!
But, let's look at yoga from the Western perspective, too. Is it actually healthy? Is it just a good workout? Does it do anything besides make you to stretch and breathe in cool positions? Well, according to modern medical science, it's very beneficial not only physically but mentally as well. According to the American Osteopathic Association, yoga can help to reduce blood pressure and insomnia. In addition, it also "increases flexibility, increases muscle strength and tone, improves respiration, energy and vitality, helps to maintain a balanced metabolism, aids in weight reduction, improves cardio and circulatory health, improves athletic performance, and even helps to protect from injury". The biggest mental benefit is that it helps to reduce stress, which can be devastating on the body. Many autoimmune disorders can even be caused by stress. So, overall it's a win-win.
Yoga isn't always easy, especially for me. Because I'm still carrying quite a bit of weight, there's a lot of modifications I have to do and sometimes I can't even stay in a pose as long as others. But I believe that my persistence will pay off. As of yesterday I am about 6-7 inches away from being able to touch my toes while standing. Quite an improvement from when I started when I was at least a foot or more away! So, off I go to put my ass on the grass. Or, the mat, you know, whatever.
(Additional yoga post to follow).
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