My Decade of Wellness

The place was at the end of this narrow road next to the railway crossing. As I walked closer, I saw a steep narrow staircase going up to the first floor. I could see no sign or promise of wellness whatsoever. I entered the room right on the edge of the staircase, looking more like an alcove. I met this lady sitting calmly behind a table. She greeted me with a smile asked me a bunch of questions, no selling yet of anything. Then I was introduced to this gentleman sitting in the next room, who had a white kerchief tied around his head. He reminded me of the drummer Shivamani. No drums in front of him, but some books, a smile and a lot of interesting posters around. They were not selling me anything. I was not sure if their employer gave them the right manual (well I did not know the org structure then! 😊 ). I told myself, “Never mind what they did not say, maybe I will join yoga for a month and we will see.”

See, I did! The yoga sessions were not about asanas or frenetic instructions on how to stretch or heave ho. There was calm all around. The gentleman’s step approach beginning with breathing allowed the body to wake up and move the energy and build momentum slowly, then he ended with a calming process to center that energy. That first session had a great impact. I went back for more, I kept going back again and again and I’m still going. I looked back a few days ago and I saw that my journey is now in its 10th year. My body feels well-travelled on this journey and well healed.

While yoga allowed me to understand my physical energies and how to revitalize it, I had also been introduced to something else during this journey. Something that created a paradigm shift in my life. The Let Life Work For You (LLWFU) program. Before joining this, I always thought I knew what I was doing and that I was in control and then this happened. These gurus made me realize that I was a human “doing” while I was supposed to be a human “being”. I had so much fun with life after this program and continuing to see the joy in the journey and explore my potential, unfolding in so many different ways.

During this journey I realized that breathing is at the heart of one’s wellness. When you breathe deliberately you are stopping momentum, you are slowing the train of your thoughts, you are in the now and you are all that matters. I have been told that these are love notes to yourself. Love notes they are, indeed. They both helped me find the joy of breathing. Add to that, meditation and the Allowers Meets, the concoction is heavenly. All wonderful sips I take, from time to time from the elixir of wellness they make.

That gentle lady I met on the first day is our Yolanda and that gentleman is none other than Mr John G. Both grand masters at their craft, and the beautiful place that became synonymous with home for us is Shalom Wellness.

I now see wellness not just as a word, but I feel it, enjoy it, drink it up, soak in it, breathe it, soar with it, stay with it, play, dive, swim and leap with it.

May you inspire more wellness for a million more. Keep the “well” going and mold more human “beings.”

Signing off with love, Ravikumar PVN (a life member ) CEO, Dexler Energy, Bangalore