The Paradigm Shift of Aging with Ayurveda in my Mind & Heart

What if…

What if we considered our ageing minds & bodies as wise and full of life experience that had meaning that was useful and valuable?

What if we knew that our ageing bodies were asking us to listen to this life of wisdom and experience?

What if we did integrate the wisdom of our life and experience and we felt valued for it?

I have been asking myself these questions. A lot. They have come from inspiration through you, the clients I get to work with. So often, I get to hear your stories. Your full life. Your experiences and your reflections. Honestly, it blows me away.

You blow me away.

You are wise and thoughtful. Your perspective is keen and sincere. You are smart and kind with extraordinary lives.

And…

There is often (just about every time in the perimenopause/menopause frame) a discussion that comes about that jumps off most page in any book under the categories of:

-signs and symptoms of menopause

-how to beat the ageing process

-do it all, have it all

The conversation is rich. It holds questions that are laced with golden wrapings of a lifetime of wisdom ripe for integration. But where does integration come from when we live in a society that values the latest, the greatest, the fastest, the shiniest and an image sold to us through consumerism and marketing campaigns fueled by creating fears that ageing is BAD? How do we value ageing as the center braid of a life that holds so much value?

From my perspective, I believe this time of life, the vast and rich plane of menopause asks something else of us. The shift in hormones, the movement and re-organization of time with an empty nest, retirement, health changes, awareness and understanding practices and other key aspects are outcomes from choices and decisions we have made. They can be clues that help us with a change. A paradigm shift.

A paradigm shift is necessary, in my opinion, to our natural ageing process so that we can see that center braid that has been woven through our lifetime as a gift and wisdom to be cultivated, shared and honored from within and without.

Consider moving away from the comparison of the “you” from 10 years ago and step into the presence of the “you” now. What does your body need to be healthy? What kinds of connections and commitments fuel you both for yourself AND for a valuable society? What do I want to center in my life now? Who do I want to center in my life now?

You might find that in the honesty and sincerity of the question, the answer matches back revealing something different than what you may have thought. The questioning, the listening, the attention given to yourself is in the paradigm shift. It lays the ground that offers a different way of being and of showing up to your life that might be more aligned and attuned to your needs as a naturally ageing person. Even though our modern society really doesn’t want us to believe any of this, there are people who know it to be true. I see it realized in my own life in bits and parts and in the lives of clients, friends, colleagues and others. Consider the way culture and society has sold you that ageing is to be fought, outsmarted and/or resisted. From exercise to fancy creams, injections and marketing, anti-ageing philosophy has been thread through our lives since before we knew what we were even looking at. Fast technology, online everything and a more “computerized” approach can easily take a slick and shiny cast. And while I do believe that there is good there, I also believe that it has done a number on us. It’s fast, convenient and enhances qualities that promote this. The subtlety of anti-ageing is vast.

Ageing is natural and is a gift sent to us from our future selves to take care, to be present, to show up for yourself and for others in a way that is sustainable, integrated and well, so many other good things. This is the mystery and curiosity for us to learn and understand. It is the ultimate love letter to ourselves. Embrace the wise you of continuing age. You will learn amazing things about yourself. I absolutely know it.

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Danielle Hanna is not a licensed physician nor is Ayurveda licensed by the state.

In Ayurveda the emphasis is not only placed on disease but also maintaining the balance of the individual’s constitutional nature, so Ayurvedic treatments are never one size fits all, but custom tailored for each individual.

All content is for educational purposes only and should not be replaced with medical advise.

Thank you