The quest for health and wellness is an ancient pursuit. People of all ages and all walks of life have always searched for ways to maintain vibrant health and find fulfillment in life. Teachers, in their places of sanctuary, speak in the language of their time and culture but they all share the same purpose: to demonstrate that the opportunity for reclaiming and rejoicing in our wellness lies within each of us.Wellness may be defined as a state of being in which ease in the body and contentment in the mind connects us graciously to the world around us. In this state, we experience ourselves truly connected to our own unique path. Our engagement with the world is harmonious; flowing with its changeable nature.Most of us are familiar with such a definition but we tend only to seek it at a point in our lives when our state of discordance becomes intolerable. It may present itself on a physical level, in acute or chronic pain or the threat of disease. At other times it may present as an emotional crisis - personal or professional - leaving us to question our identity in this world. Sometimes life may simply feel unmanageable, stemming from conditional predispositions or habitual behaviors. Any one of these concerns is commonly accompanied by a sense of great vulnerability. And yet in reaching a junction like this we have also given ourselves the impetus to reclaim our wellness and renew our connection with ourselves. It's as if we are instinctively listening to an inner voice of truth. We open our receptors by taking advice from trusted friends, searching the Internet and contemplating alternatives. We sift through the information at hand to find a teacher, guide or healer who resonates with our needs.Whether they are found at a retreat, in an ashram or behind a desk, they all serve as bridges back to finding ourselves. They are people who, often through crises of their own, have found their own paths of wellness and are inspired to assist others to do the same. Their approaches may vary and sometimes even appear conflicting. Whether working at the level of the mind, body or spirit, the purpose behind their methodologies is often the same: to bring us back to our natural state of ease.Detox and fasting is one such approach and its history dates back to biblical times and beyond. The lightness of a cleansed, detoxed body reflects itself in a clear and calm vision of ourselves and our lives. By releasing unwanted toxins from the body, we begin a process of letting go deep within ourselves. Hunger pangs dissipate quickly. Along with specific movements or exercises to boost our physical and biological functions, we soon feel energize and revitalized.Hands on, manual therapies or specific yoga postures address the stress and tension stored in our bodies as a result of past injuries, traumas or conditioning. Healers with extensive knowledge, experience and a highly developed intuitive understanding will work at all levels of the body mind, drawing us back to remember our neutral state of ease. With the right practitioner, the deepest holding patterns within the myofascia, storing our most guarded tendencies, are revealed and encouraged to release. They may have served us at some point in our lives to safeguard against perceived danger. Over years or, sometimes, decades, these constrictions or areas of misalignment become instinctive, disrupting the smooth flow of energy through the body.Therapeutic dialogue is a liberating tool to use in conjunction with bodywork and detoxing. Being able to verbalize core issues provides another means of letting go as well as an explanation for effects it may have in the body. This allows us to leave the past behind and step more fully into the present.Breathing exercises are a fundamental aspect to this approach to healing. Awareness of our breathing patterns reclaims and restores our full range of breathing capacity. This not only restores posture and alignment, it also enhances self expression. We know that our search for wellness is on the right track when at each turn of the road we find ourselves again with a renewed connection to our inner world and our possibilities. Here we also have access to our deeply held longings, desires and passions, the keys to fulfilling our life's purpose. It is through the expression of these that we manifest what is held deep within our hearts. It is when we are open in this way of self expression and open to respond to the world, that the whole universe opens itself to us to embrace and claim us as its very own. Finally, we feel well.
