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Day One:
Dawn Mercer: I have struggled to write this diary for a few weeks or so due to being away so much, which has seemed to disrupt my routine. Camping, late nights and children’s’ needs have tended to take over! And last thing at night I just flopped into bed!
Dr Donn Brennan’s comments: Pitta season brings energy which is well spent enjoying life. But as soon as Vata season kicks in there is less energy and more need to rest. Also there is more joy now in doing the things that balance Vata.
Day Two:
Evan has returned to school today and I am quite honestly feeling an overwhelming fatigue in my whole self after weeks of travelling, organising and constant attention being given. We have had the most wonderful summer sharing and enjoying beautiful things, we are very blessed.
Today I have felt wonderful doing my massage. I was drawn to use the Sesame Oil instead of the coconut as I have been feeling like I could do with some real warmth rest and nourishment.
I am aware of how being out of routine allows for old patterns of behaviour to return in the form of bad habits/ choices relating to food.
Interestingly I have noticed a dullness and heaviness has begun to pervade my body after many late nights and not so light foods. I am observing my ability to really be able to sense and notice that this is the case.
Donn’s comments: When imbalance occurs the imbalance affects thinking and feeling, so that we start to make wrong choices – choices that create further imbalance. But the good thing about Vata is that it is quick to return to balance, on doing the right things, if we were previously balanced.
Day Three:
Today I have enjoyed a real treat. I have been to have a One Day Wonder at the Maharishi Ayurveda Health Centre. I have been waiting for a day that’s all to myself so I can enjoy being pampered and just surrender and let go into my body.
I first had an appointment with Dr Donn Brennan who checked my pulse and he gave me advice for the type of treatment he felt would be good for me at this time. We talked about things and the joy and adventure I had experienced over the Summer, which I was now feeling the effects of. Donn said this was all fine and that the Summer is Pitta time its natural to be up later having fun and enjoying the delights of this freedom time. So..I forgave myself!
He commented that I was obviously really practising Ayurveda as my body had already sensed the change in season from Pitta to Vata and that I wanted a warmer feeling to my massage with the sesame oil… this gave me a sense of comfort in that, although I’ve felt out of routine, somehow I’m still in tune!
I was given Vata balancing treatments. First a massage by two ladies, which I’ve never experienced before. I was amazed by how in tune they seemed to be with one another, whilst applying the same pressure and movements at the same time.
I found this wonderful with all the warm oil and the silence feels so natural and always invites me to just surrender to the moment and draw my attention inwards only to myself and my body.
After 10 minutes or so, quiet on my own I was then given a Shirodhara treatment. This is where you have warm oil poured over your forehead. Yum! I have had this before and I love it.
This time though I noticed that I did not go out to it as much as I have before and I could only identify with this the fact that possibly my psyche was in a different space after the summer holidays and the different things in my personal life I have been digesting lately. I found it deeply soothing nonetheless!
After my treatments I went home and relaxed for the rest of the day. I felt very beautifully subdued. Like I was immersed in meditation for the rest of the day.
I have noticed that after each visit to the clinic for treatments I somehow feel there is a very subtle change in me. It’s like the experience shifts something inside me and brings an other aspect of my pure self to the surface; as if I move into a deeper wholeness of who I am and what I feel is right for me and who I am in my heart. I guess something I could never really describe to someone I can just feel it very deeply.
Donn’s comments: The purpose of this Spa day treatment was to restore Vata to balance. Because vata was a little out of balance the sublime experience of the treatments were not fully appreciated. But the effects were there for the rest of the day as vata had been settled. This helped Dawn to quickly get fully balanced as the next two days show.
Day Four:
A day of feeling thoroughly grounded and happy. I have enjoyed some space and quiet time with myself. I’ve been totally in the moment and my own thoughts, which I feel is very important.
I have been following Donn’s advice to drink warm boiled water and I have surprised myself how I am enjoying drinking it! My mum has told me to do this for years and I have always rebelled and had lemon or honey in too, but have taken those out now to see what happens!
Day Five:
Today I got up at 5;30am and drove up to the Lakes to work. I’m feeling cool calm and very collected for the day ahead.
This seems to have been the first day I’ve felt no tiredness for a while, so I have thoroughly welcomed that! I so loved today driving through the sheer loveliness of all the hills and the beauty of the enfolding countryside.
Day Six:
I worked today from 8:30am until 10:30pm! Very busy but rewarding to share with others. I drove back to Lancashire after this so was totally shattered.
Ive really enjoyed my boiled water today at work and have been observing that I am reaching for a cup of tea so much less. I even got to 3pm and noticed I had not had a cup of tea yet. That is a big big thing for me as for years I have drunk Tea about 5/6 cups a day with herbal tea too. I am feeling a huge shift and change wow!
Donn’s comments: As it is Vata season, vata goes out of balance quickly and we have less stamina. So Dawn is shattered after having to overdo it. However because she is now balanced generally she recovers quickly on getting a good rest, as we see with her joy on day seven below.
Day Seven:
A beautiful day of rest and time with my gorgeous boy and mum. We went to Southport to smell the sea air and had some tea out. Noticing today a real need for lots of fresh nourishing food that feeds my soul 😉
