Self-Care During the Holidays
Bethany, owner and teacher at Pranayama House, met with us to discuss the importance of prioritizing self-care during the holiday season (outside of it, too), and also provided us with tips on how to incorporate mindfulness into our daily routines.
Keep reading to be inspired by Bethany’s insightful wisdom.
What does self-care mean to you? How do you incorporate this into your daily life?
“To me, self-care means loving yourself through action. I spent years attempting to define and identify specific acts of self-care and what I found is that not only do the acts themselves seem to shift from person to person, but they also shift in my own expressions of self-care from season to season. In order to fully understand what self-care looks like for me at any given moment, I get to practice listening to my physical, emotional, and mental bodies and allow the knowing that comes from that to lead me towards the practices and habits that best support my ability to care for myself in that season. Some questions that I pause and ask myself are:
How does my body feel in this moment?
What is my body asking me for right now?
What is the root of my current pattern of words? Thoughts? Actions?
These are just a few examples, and the answers give me insight on ways in which my mental, physical and spiritual bodies are seeking to be loved. The response is self-care. I love myself, therefore I eat foods that serve my body in this season, I rest to serve my body in this season, I meditate to clear my mind in this season, I do nice things for myself in this season. The ways in which we may choose to show up for ourselves is limitless, the common thread is that the response is rooted in love. ”
What helps you to remain grounded during the craziness of the holiday season?
“The ironic thing about the chaotic holiday season is that it happens during the fall and winter which are the seasons to ground, to root, and to take the gaze inward. This is the time of year that I move less and rest more. The colder temperatures and darker days call for us to spend more time inside and I utilize that time to focus on my meditation practices and to eat comfort foods! Root veggies are a beautiful way to ground our physical bodies during the fall and winter season and can be made into a number of different soups to keep our bodies warm. I’d say meditation, root veggies, an active practice of gratitude for every season, and an abundance of holiday lights have kept me grounded over the past few holiday seasons.”
What would you recommend to someone who does not currently have a self-care routine/form of self-care and may not know where to begin?
“If someone does not currently have a self-care routine but doesn’t know where to begin I would encourage them to start by practicing some sort of mindfulness practice. Whether that is meditation or yoga, the practice of awareness gives us the gift of being able to notice the sensations that tell us that we need a sound bath, a run would serve us, or that a spa day is a must, immediately!”
Looking to experience Bethany’s wisdom in person? Visit the Pranayama House website to find available class times. All classes are held in the upstairs loft space at our Myers Park location!
May your holiday season be filled with mindfulness and an abundance of self-care.
Warmly,
Team Toccare