I will begin by sharing that without my auntie who was taken away by Cancer nine years ago, I would have never been in a quest for so many questions. Why couldn’t any doctor cure or properly treat my aunt’s illness? I accompanied my aunt to the hospital when she was still a bit strong and I could see the pain in her eyes as she squinched each time the doctor poisoned her with chemotherapy. As young as I was then, I could see how these treatments kept swallowing her dry and taking her soul. Yet, what continued to saddened me was to see my family trusting in her doctor to save her life. Instead, he sentenced her to a hospice care where she would be surrounded by family as we observed her final breaths. Throughout the years, I have come to learn that drugs and medications do not heal the sick because if they did, pharmaceutical companies would not profit nor continue to have control over the diseased. They push doctors to prescribe all sorts of drugs to their patients therefore, maintaining them dependent on drugs and worsening their health.
The first two years I practiced yoga I knew instantly there was something more than just the physical practice or asana (pronounced AH-sah-nah). Maybe, it was because during my practice I could always feel a connection with a deeper layer of myself. Anytime I would find a class, there would be a well-connected instructor who could always teach me something new about the physical, the mental and the spiritual aspect of Yoga. As I shared my experience with other practitioners of yoga, I realized they too shared the same experiences about their practice and self-discoveries. I was clinging on to something.
After my big move from Miami to New Jersey, I came across this lovely Yoga studio and spa near my new home. I took my first class with faith that I would continue my spiritual journey and growth no matter where I went. It was here, at this Yoga studio where the magic sparked and awakened me to a whole new phenomenon. For weeks and months, we practiced meditation, chanting and breathing exercises for half an hour followed by an hour of the physical asana, more breathing exercises and more meditation. I walked out each time feeling highly connected with a higher force and inspired by a beautiful and well knowledgeable teacher. With practice, life continued to make more sense and I made wiser decisions without doubt and without fear. I began to sit back to observe the world in front of me gazing and noticing people being carried by anger, aggressive driving, impatience, drugs and alcohol abuse, injustice, war, natural disaster, pollution, suffering, illnesses, infidelity, greed, power and so on.
At work, I began to notice why many of my new clients came in suffering from arthritis, reconstructive heart surgery, asthma and other illnesses. I did my best to ask them questions about their past to help me understand how they got to develop their disease. Stress, trauma, grief, greed or other traits lead them to become ill or distressed. It was through deep scanning of their past why they were able to look deeper and reconnect with themselves to remember how their symptoms began. Knowing I had found the answers to help my clients, encouraged me to pursue a study in Yoga and I began to read Yoga as Medicine by Timothy McCall, M.D. As a physician and board-certified specialist in Internal medicine, Dr. McCall studied and researched the benefits of yoga and has found scientific correlation between therapeutic yoga and Ayurveda, the ancient system of Indian medicine.
I also had to find and analyze why I kept suffering with seasonal allergies. The doctor reassured me I would have to live under antihistamine drugs for the rest of my life! That idea brought me down, because I couldn’t imagine a life dependent on drugs. I knew then in my heart that there had to be a more natural way to help me alleviate my symptoms… I never would have imagined that after three consistent years of practicing yoga, I no longer suffered from allergies; with the exception of still reacting to dog and cat hair, but that’s something I have to continue focusing on now that I’m (dust, pollen and seasonal) allergy free. Aside from braking thru my allergies, other health issues I suffered had also disappeared. Observing and eliminating certain foods from my diet such as meat and dairy products, also helped to improve my health. Studying and reading more about herbs and spices, encouraged me to begin drinking tea and add spices to my foods. Furthermore, after reading Dr. McCall’s benefits from practicing yoga, I was certain that we shared the same experience and many people had yet to discover this powerful healing tool. This was another reason for me to become more ambitious of deepening my studies in Yoga and holistic medicine.
The practice of Yoga has allowed me to come in tune with my soul helping me understand my body better and allowing me to be in control of my own life. It is through self-discovery why I chose to take the path of Yoga and continue my studies in Ayurveda. We all have a purpose in this life and mine is to heal the sick through holistic practices, allowing them to connect back with their soul so they too can take control of their own lives. We all deserve to live a rich and prosperous life. I pray that we may all find peace and contentment in our hearts to live an immortal life inter-connected to the divine.
Fit Lotus 