Hey! It’s Lisa here, and welcome to my ramblings on Yang Sheng.
My interest in longevity started one rainy day when I was on my way to the gym to get in my ‘exercise’ for the day, when I thought, surely this isn’t the only way? Do I really have to live a life of pumping out a gym exercise to be healthy? When I thought about this more, I wondered if all cultures idealised exercise and working out on the pursuit of wellness like we do. I’d always enjoyed moving my body and having an active lifestyle, but I was in frequent battle with my willpower when it came around to gym day.
Thus ensued my quest to decipher whether it really is necessary, how did our ancestors approach this? Well, a lot has changed in the last 100 years, but with a bit of tweaking, we can certainly still apply this wisdom to our modern lifestyles.
In my journey I investigated the ancient wisdom of longevity, and my findings have been absolutely fascinating. From exploring different traditions, storytelling, and ancient medicines, my mission is to treasure and preserve the knowledge that has been passed down in all areas of health.
Deep in research, I came across the Blue Zones. These are areas around the world where communities of people have been commonly found to live to 100 years old! Not only do these centenarians live long, but they are engaged in communities, healthier, and generally happier until the end. Sounds glorious, right?
These communities are vastly different in location, climate, traditions, and history. However, research has found a common theme in these blue zones. They honour and cultivate the four main pillars of health.
These are:
Eating real food and having a connection to it. Local, homegrown, made with love and shared with family and neighbours.
Movement is included in their daily lifestyle. “Movement” over our modern-day term “exercise”. Being intentional and aware of the appropriate activity.
A strong sense of community and connection. Having a relationship with neighbours, big families, and being plugged into the community.
A strong sense of purpose. Using your unique skillset, life experience, and passion to contribute to your community in a way that adds to the greater good, also known as Ikigai in Japanese culture.
This simple wisdom has been profound and brought a new perspective to my daily life. I’ve found so much joy in sharing the art of yang sheng with my clients. Along with my trusty needles, herbal medicine, and lifestyle adaptations, I have incorporated these four pillars of health in my sessions.
When clients come to me, we work through their physical and mental health issues and identify how they have been disconnected from the basic pillars of health. By clearing the distractions, they can refocus their time and energy on cultivating their pillars of health. This ultimately creates a fulfilled and fun life, the secret to longevity.
I hope this info has been enlightening. If you don’t know where to start, I always encourage my clients to pick one habit and be consistent.
Good luck lovelies, you know where to find me if you need support!