I have been dedicated to a lifestyle of health, fitness and beauty since my early teens; and with three older sisters, probably even before then. However, my story of holistic health started in my twenties, when I began to experience stress, anxiety and some health concerns. At the time, I was committed to working out, power walking and even taught aerobic classes. I had a healthy diet, and was pursuing what we now call a wellness journey. In the process, a shift happened, and I started to experience unexplained fainting spells and mild depression. It was weird. I was living a healthy lifestyle, had a respectable job in Corporate America, and yet I started to feel rotten all the time, both physically and emotionally. Extreme fatigue became my new norm.
By chance, I found a flyer in a health food store for a holistic practitioner, who became first wellness consultant. Her name was Elizabeth Martin, and I was fascinated with her dedication to conscious living. I worked with her for a long time, which launched my lifestyle transformation. Together, we improved my gut health and refined my eating habits. We added a slew of nutritional supplements to my regime and fine-tuned my fitness and natural beauty routines. Before long Elizabeth had me reading Marianne Williamson and lulling myself to sleep with guided meditations ala Dr. Bernie Siegel. Perhaps the most life-changing ‘homework’ assignment I received from her was to take a yoga class. And that is how my lifelong commitment to yoga began. Now yoga permeates every aspect of my life. What started out as a tool to relieve stress and tone my body has evolved over time into an enlightened way of living, where my physical, emotional and spiritual beings harmonize in miraculous ways.
There are many inspiring tribes of yoga to explore; but for me, yoga without a devotional influence is just a great workout. As a beginner, I would watch the clock during class and impatiently wait for the physical benefits to kick in. Initially, the ancient wisdom of yoga eluded me. With consistency, I have ditched the clock watching and acquired a greater awareness of the class sequence and unlimited potential for peace and for healing. Every time a class ends, whether I am the teacher or the student, I am always a little bummed. That’s how much I love living yoga. Fortunately, there are endless ways to practice yoga after I pack up my gear — and my personal mission and ministry is to share that passion with the world.
Namaste all day,
