After spending the last couple of weeks in the lush land of Sri Lanka I notice that the peeps here are all yogis, whether they practice asana or not. Just being here and absorbing the deep wisdom of this Buddhist island that sits just below the southern tip of India has anchored a inner peace that has nothing to do with what is being thrown my way externally.
Let me share with you, 5 things that come naturally to Sri Lankans that us western yogis could use a good dose of!
1. Stroll
Have you ever had that moment, when you arrive in the tropics, straight from the city, and you realise how frickin fast you are walking? May we take a leaf out the Lankans book and slow the F down. As you walk, whether it be on the beach or between office buildings, bring your attention to your feet.
Feel your heel land.
And your toes connect to the earth.
Look up.
Breathe.
2. Drink Tea
This is code for daily ritual. Mmmmmmm can we just take a moment to soak up how good those two words sound. In Sri Lanka, tea has been a major part of the land, the culture and the flow of the day for ages.
Carve out 10 minutes to sit and have a cup of tea (or coffee or water or whatever) and do JUST that. Nothing else, no phone, no multi-taking. Make it a mini-date with yourself, check in with your inner world and taste this moment.
3. Smile
If you ever wanted some inspiration to get into oil pulling, Sri Lankan smiles are enough to stir up some white teeth envy. There is a uncomplicated enjoyment that runs through every interaction, there are smiles with no agenda. Not smiling to look nice, or to get something, smiling to smile, to appreciate this short sweet life.
4. two meals a day
Thank you Ayurveda. Although originally pouring our of South India, ayurveda has also trickled through the Sri Lankan lifestyle. Its all about prevention, optimising vitality and creating balance within every body and mind. This includes eating with the natural cycles of the day and harnessing the times where the agni, digestive fire is at its peak. To eat like this means you are working with your natural energy levels, rather than trying to manipulate them with stimulants and sedatives (like sugar, caffeine, alcohol and heavy, sleep foods)
Depending on your constitution, where you are geographically and what season you are in - you generally want to eat your biggest meal of the day around 11am, as the sun reaches its peak. A lighter second meal is eaten before sunset.
Also - take 100 steps after dinner for killer digestion. Just do it.
5. Collab
You never see a Sri Lankan person chipping away at a job on his own. There is huge, unspoken emphasis on team work, community, collaboration, basically helping each other out without needing anything in return. . Let us remember that we are all in this together, we are all on the same team and to quote Lupe Fiasco "We only as fast as the last one straggling, so help 'em out"
Did you like this post? Would you like to see more of this kind of thing?
Let me know by hitting the love heart below!
Love
Mandy