One benefit to being sick

There has been a stomach bug being passed around my house for the past two weeks. When you live with small children there always seems to be something being passed around! By last Friday evening I was on the couch with a stomach ache and a fever. And I didn’t feel good at all.

The rest of the weekend I felt extra tired and the stomach ache was hanging on and on. Even though I didn’t feel well I still somehow managed to do a little bit of Pranayama on Saturday morning. My asana practice the rest of the day was not possible. On Sunday I couldn’t manage to get up for Pranayama but I did lay on a bolster (in Supta Virasana) for a long time.

One of the benefits to being sick is that you can see clearly how the poses help you feel better.

Whenever I am still recovering from sickness, but well enough to practice, I can see immediately the work the poses are doing to make me feel better. Each time I am always pleasantly surprised to be able to see so clearly that the poses are helping my ailment.

Last Sunday when I did Supta Virasana, which is known to help with digestion, my stomach ache became less and less. As the stomach ache became less I was able to breath better and relax more. This allowed me to stay longer and receive more of the benefits of the pose.

I started thinking about what a shame it is that more people cannot experience this type of relief. Most people are taking medications and waiting until they feel better before they consider moving their body. Even students who come to yoga class regularly might not think of doing restorative asanas while they are not feeling well. Either way it’s a shame.

The poses are there for me any time, for free. I don’t have to go to the store and wait in line to buy a pose. I don’t have to wait until someone else tells me to do it. I can decide all on my own to do a pose or not. They are always waiting for me to feel their transformative and curative powers.