Reclaiming the word Self-care.
Self care as a resource, not a commodity.
Self-care and wellness, two buzzwords used so frequently they have become tragically generic. Yet, in my work as a yoga therapist and ayurvedic educator, it’s impossible not to mention these as two key components in cultivating a happier life. At this point, self-care and wellness need a reframe beyond the confines of wellness culture consumerism. For a moment, forget the barrage of products vying for your attention with promises of younger skin, weight loss, and better curls. There's so much more to self care than climbing into the tub with a fizzy bath bomb or giving yourself a dead sea mud mask, though both are beautifully beneficial in their own way.
In the high intensity pressures of the world around us, it’s easy to push our body to its limits. We treat our body like a machine, then take for granted how long it is forgiving to our neglect. When we get the right nutrition, our brain has power and our body has energy. As we get enough movement our hearts get stronger and our heads get clearer. Every night we’re able to get enough sleep, our circadian rhythm yields a balance of hormones and optimal metabolism. When we claim a few minutes in nature our parasympathetic yields relaxation, beating chronic inflammation and immune deficiencies from the endless cascade of stress hormones. The energy and attention of what you put in amounts to the benefits of what you get out. As we give the body what it needs to thrive, in return we receive immunity, strength, and endurance. Reciprocity, the truth of self-care.
Self care as mental medicine.
The foundation of our mental health comes directly through our physical wellness. What feeds our body, feeds our mind. As we fall unconscious to the relationship of body and mind, we are more vulnerable to a mindset that sabotages our every move. Our mental wellness suffers in a blindspot without the nurturing quality that only self care can bring. Tending to our psyche through even the tiniest acts of self compassion yields a greater capacity for discernment. In a deeper awareness, the quality of our thoughts become transparent. We have a distance to see them for what they are, perpetual thoughts and stories in motion. Biased in misconceptions, not reality, fact, or truth. The reciprocal nature of self love is an essence that permeates the many levels of our being, nourishing our physiology and nurturing our psychology. In its rippling effect, we feel clear and steady in our emotions. There is a powerful relationship between our choices and our body, our behaviors and our mind.
Self care as social justice.
In recognition of how our own health and wellness is a valuable resource, we can see the greater disparity. Lower wages mean more time working in turn, longer days and a shorter night's sleep. Food deserts and grocery inflation mean less nutritious food on many tables. Urban environments mean the healing quiet of nature is less available. There is an unspoken privilege in concepts of self care. Investing time and money into a therapeutic massage, yoga class, or restorative week at the beach is not always afforded. Even simple nutritious meals can become inaccessible. Self care unjustly becomes a luxury with its reflection in every $120 pair of yoga pants or $300 spa day. In these terms there is an inequity. Self care becomes a commodity, but self care should be absolute. In understanding this deeper level of reciprocity, self love is immeasurable and the foundation to harmonious health.
Self care as a spiritual practice.
Our true well-ness rests not only in our physical body, but in the connection of our heads and our hearts. With deep attention to self care, our biochemistry is optimal and our nervous system fine tuned. As we build stability in our physiology, our superpowers are more easy to embody. The oxygen mask is securely in place for our own survival, we can extend ourselves to a place of caring. We can afford to share ourselves. We have something to give. Know that self care is sacred and each act a ritual in self love. The body is a temple. The mind is fertile ground. The heart, as the seat of the soul, is where we birth compassion. As we attune to our higher ideals, our altruistic selves are accessible. A desire to contribute to the world around us is amplified in a connection to our dharma, our mission, our purpose.
Reclaim and reframe. Take back the commercialized belief that self care is a luxury. Caring for yourself is your greatest responsibility. Our investment in ourselves creates an inner peace that is unwavering. Make a list of everything that fills your cup. Prioritize yourself as a means to support others. Self fill, it’s your most abundant savings account. Reciprocity, the exchange of vibrancy. Recognize the inequalities. Use your own inner strength as a catalyst for change. In operating from our highest good, contributions to a better world become our dharma. This is the legacy of a lifetime. To serve and contribute from the best of who we are. Embraced in wholeness, wellness, and health.
