The Four Pillars of Health

One of the most impactful things that I took away from my time at Mii Amo in Sedona was the concept of “The Four Sacred Pillars of Life.”

I learned about these pillars from an Ayurvedic practitioner in an effort to try to figure out WTF I need to do to feel as good as I can possibly feel. The thing (and Silver Lining) about my health post-FBC is that after feeling as horrendous as I could possibly feel, I now find myself firmly committed to feeling as good as I can possibly feel.

The concept of the Four Pillars stresses the importance of taking care of the four fundamental and sacred pillars that support every aspect of our life.

These pillars include:

• Sleep. To repair and fuel. To energize and enlighten. I think that sleep is like a ship docking. Even machines need rest and fuel.
• Nourishment. The truth is that if we feed our body well, it will serve us well. When I do a face plant in a tub of ice cream, within an hour, my face breaks out (I look like I have a bright red poppable goatee) and I am assured of a food hangover the next day.

In addition to the importance of healthy eating, nourishment refers to friendships and joy. How great is that?  I mean isn’t that what friendships and joy do? They nourish us. I love that.

• Movement. Our bodies are built to move. If I don’t do some form of physical exercise every single day, I am a bit of a basket case. This doesn’t necessarily mean going to the gym. Rather, it means taking the stairs whenever/wherever I can or parking my car an extra 3 blocks away just to get my body moving. When I do this, I feel my body hummmmm.
• Sacred Space. This refers to that time when you can focus solely on yourself, alone. I’ve always been a big fan of alone time. My body, mind and spirit crave it. Here’s the thing: 5 minutes is enough. In fact, a mere 5 minutes is often all I need to reconnect with and center myself. That’s it. The Silver Lining of my morning is that I am guaranteed 15 minutes of alone time after I drop Suddenly Seven off at school.

It pretty much goes without saying that balance is the key to our mental, physical and emotional health in many ways. I hope that you’ll consider incorporating these pillars into your life. They sure have helped me think and feel differently!