As a physician assistant for several decades, I found yoga as both a way to decompress from work and family stress but as a way unlike any other to manage the costs of caring for patients. The costs can be high. While I still feel privileged to share in many crucial moments in a patient’s lives but the truth is that it can deplete us physically, emotionally and spiritually. I also had the sneaking suspicion about so many problems that could be avoided if we could get people more active and more mindful. Based on this I began teaching yoga 8 years ago.
We teach patients every day, educating about anatomy, physiology, why things work or don’t work. Part of this is teaching how to alleviate one’s own pain. We interact with disease, pain, loss, sadness and injury. There is much bad news to share and support people through. And yet patients become my teachers: people I would never otherwise have known share a piece of their lives with me and trust me in a way I take very seriously. In a small but real way I hope to contribute positively to the experience patients have with this health care system, to feel heard, to be known and maybe leave my exam room just a bit lighter than how they arrived. Using lessons from yoga, meditation and mindfulness can we help each other bridge differences and foster more love and kindness in our community?
As a society we have unlearned how to emotionally nurture ourselves: how can we teach our children to do so without practicing this ourselves? We need to learn and then practice these skills, find time for play and for laughter and fresh air. Join me, would love to hear comments and reflections !