I do not have much knowledge of Ayurveda, but the impact in my life of the little bit that I did get to understand is great.

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Nature has always been my refuge, my sanctuary where I could find connection and balance, dissolve accumulated waste and be nourished. Just being still in nature with my bare feet on the ground, listening, not doing anything, or whenever I could find a crystal clear mountain stream I would immerse myself in the vital waters, relaxing into the cold, cold embrace, letting go….and lying upon a sundrenched rock, soaking up the sun, I would experience space again in the body, in the mind, in the heart. The space where I can hear my own nature resonating with Mother Nature. The space where I can listen to the voice of my own spirit.

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I would sit for some time, sometimes for hours, just sitting on the streams edge, resting my eyes in the green, not even intending to listen, nor wanting for anything. By the time I walked back into the world of my everyday business I would feel healed, healed by Nature.

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I would not have been able to sustain myself in my extremely busy life without those (frequent) times out, but still on the other hand I did hollow myself out with too much, work and responsibility, go, go, go, not listening to my needs nor following any rhythm.

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I have been suffering from insomnia for about 25 years and tried every allopathic and naturopathic approach without significant success.

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When I met Umā I got to see for the first time how my sleep/wake pattern was completely out of sync with the natural rhythm of the body (I would go to sleep way after midnight and get up late next day) and how my busy lifestyle habits during the day where contributing to my imbalances. By and by I am gaining more understanding of her recommendations, learning about my constitution and becoming more attentive to it. Changing my bedtime hours and taking care not to keep busy all through the day (and work in the evenings) has brought me a much greater balance, sensitized me to my needs for down time and allows me to hear and follow suit when I need to stop doing.

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Slowly, with ups and downs I have established a rhythm in my life, something I never was able to manage before. This brings with it a calmness, which enables me to be more connected to what I feel and experience and make more conscious choices in the moment. It builds a base and helps me to get more attuned to my great sensitivity instead of been driven crazy by it.

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Cecile, France
Former Children’s Rights Activist