Its about to be November and I can’t believe where the time has gone, I swear I was just on my summer vacation or “holiday” back in Colorado, hiking beautiful mountains, even hiked a “14er” and enjoying the summer weather. Being on Maui we lose concept of what season we are in, and even what time of year it is…well at least I do. I came originally from New England where growing up on the east coast really sticks the seasons into you. I loved the changes the weather getting cooler and warmer, the leaves changing colors to falling off to budding then bright colors again. Our bodies go throughout this change constantly and we have to Nurture ourselves to provide for the flows of life.
We just had a storm, a big storm that literally took out the power from the entire island. It is/was wet, moist, dewy, grey, rain was coming down sideways, and windy, so windy that the branches falling on the roof sounded like they were going to break open a hole (or Puka as we say it in Hawaiian) in the roof. When I looked outside I could feel the feelings of fall and winter is coming and loved it…even here on Maui I can feel it, even though stepping outside the air is still warm, but you can still “feel” the seasons changing…I even thought at one point the rain looks like snow. I starting feeling the coziness in my body of what the winter feels like. Then I got a cold. My first cold in a few years, and it again reminds me of where am I not taking care of myself, and what needs to be nurtured? At all times of year, and in every seasonal change the body ebbs and flows through its own natural rhythm and needs attention, a sometimes little more at times. I had just finished my fall cleanse of ridding the body of parasites and heavy metals, even cleaning out the G.I. tract and then a cold hits me. My husband asks, if you just did a cleanse then why did you get a cold, aren’t you “clean”? I thought to myself, good point, isn’t my immune system good to go and super clean? But I realized something, even though I was clean, and healthy internally, I hadn’t taken any time recently to nurture myself. My meditation practice had completely stopped, I started playing on my phone constantly. I noticed I started to get really irritable and short tempered with people. I had family and then friends come to the island right after each other (which was so fun) but I didn’t take any down time for myself. My workouts didn’t exist anymore…and sleep started to get less and less….Then boom a cold hit me. I got a big wake up call that even though my body was getting the incredible clean foods…but my body also needed me to take care of itself. We are the body, mind, and spirit. not just one and the rest follow along, each part of us likes to have attention, care, and nurturing. I needed to get my mind and spirit up to par with the rest of the body.
My philosophy with starting Jewel was to nurture your Jewel (your being) inside as well and out…and I forgot the outside part of me. (which is also internal, just not internal like digestive system internal…but mind and spirit) So my meditation practice is coming back, and I have even gotten a few massages, (and actually dosed off in the one I had yesterday.) And I’m jumping back in my infrared sauna to sweat, and I even made it onto my spin bike! Today I feel rejuvenated, and my cold isn’t so “coldy” anymore. I have a tickle in the throat and still sneezing, but my energy is fabulous from just a few reminders to take care of me and nurture me. The winter is coming and the weather is changing and our bodies will feel more cold, and need more sleep. We can easily help ourselves out with the warm nourishing drinks and food. But also finding a practice that brings you into your body and feeling rejuvenated everyday. Finding a massage that you can get on a monthly, weekly basis, and/or tuning into yourself with meditation, or mindful walking, or even turning the phone off for 1/2 hour, 5 minutes will even do and just listening to what’s going on around you. Finding the practices that make you “your Jewel” and who you are…what makes you tick so you and your being can live the most happiest life possible…and yes that maybe mean sometimes spending some money to do this, but also spending the times with yourself and finding that great book and getting cozy next to a fire (or fake fireplace) or putting socks on after a foot massage, and maybe adding a little almond milk to the hot cacao to make is creamy and dreamy….singing in the shower…nurturing you doesn’t have to look like what others do…to you make it personal and just knowing you are nurturing yourself is what will help you become your Jewel beaming bright into this beautiful world.
“Nurture your Jewel inside as well as out”
Much love and light…
Jen
