I went to college wanting to study alternative medicine, yet I couldn't find an area of study that matched what I was seeking. My sophomore year I started to study pre-med, convinced that I could study to be a doctor and than practice alternative methods instead. That was a funny attempt that dropped my name off the honor roll. I wasn't committed to learning physics and chemistry in large lecture halls where I could hardly understand or see the professor. I chose to study Anthropology. Mostly because it offered classes on a variety of topics. From biology to the social construction of the self, it seemed like it had it all. Plus, in most of my classes we sat in a circle. Still in the back of my mind I wanted to know more about alternative healing methods.
In my free time I volunteered. I volunteered with many public health organizations. I even had an epiphany! I didn't need to be a doctor, I could help heal people through preventative care. Help people before they ended up at the doctor's office. So I dressed up like a tooth fairy, wings and all, and went to elementary schools to talk to little people about dental health. I dressed up in slacks and went to elderly homes and talked to wise people about arthritis. I dressed in sneakers and talked to confused college people about sexual health. I was convinced, information would save the world.
Then I took a course called Meat and Drink in America (thank you Dr. Don Stull). And after an independent research project on the kosher food industry, I started to question where my food was coming from. Then I watched Food Inc. That was that. I was destined to be a farmer. And I had an epiphany. I could save the world by growing beautiful, nutritious food.
So I worked on an urban farm in Berkeley and learned more in depth about our broken food system and the social consequences of the system. I went to Alaska and learned how to care for a farm. And then I went to Kauai, mostly because I wanted to extend my growing season.
Here I am in Kauai, working and living at a place that practices Ayurveda. I didn't know a thing about Ayurveda before coming here. Ayurveda literally translates to the knowledge, wisdom, and spiritual science of life and longevity. Ayurveda is a holistic healthcare system, encompassing the mind, body, and spirit. It is an ancient tradition of healing. It is the alternative approach to medicine that I had been seeking. Now, as I am studying to become an Ayurvedic Counselor, I realized something. I can't save the world.
I can't save the world. But I can help heal it. I can help heal the world by teaching others, growing nourishing food, and practicing Ayurveda. Most of all, I can help heal the world by believing that the world can be healed.
As someone very wise once said...
Heal yourself, heal the world.
