“Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know.” ~Pema Chodron
Over the past few weeks my body has been incredibly sore. My knees are unstable and uncomfortable, my wrist sends sharp pains with every movement, and my back hurts if I don't sit perfectly aligned. These are all signs of my old gymnastics injuries returning to play. While discomfort is never fun, it is through this discomfort I have learned so much.
These injuries gave me the space to realize that I need to SLOW DOWN. There is such a thing as too much yoga + cycling + weight lifting. Through my pain I have cultivated self-compassion. Every night I practice abhyanga (Ayurvedic self-massage) as a way to stimulate circulation to help my joints heal and to give my body and mind a rest. I've watched self-defeating thoughts arise as I constantly need to "modify" in yoga classes and in daily life. By watching these thoughts, I've been given the opportunity to practice self-love and self-care.
I believe Pema Chodron is right: my pain did not go away until it taught me what I needed to know. Only after I listened to my body did I begin to heal. My body told me that I needed to slow down and take time to self-nurture. I needed to make space and time to just be - to simply relax. Body, heart and mind are all connected. Thank you body for teaching me to make time to take care of my heart and myself.