Consciously Indulging
“What would Ayurveda have to do with Netflix?”, you might ask.
I have recently been experiencing the need to indulge. I have been curious about how I can honor this need. And I am also aware of wanting to choose indulgent habits that will have a long term positive effect rather than a long term negative effect for my well being. I want to wake up the next day feeling great both physically and mentally about the choices I make. Know what I mean?
Watching Netflix feels like an indulgence for me. Most of the time, I don’t watch TV/movies because I feel inclined to prioritize other habits and frankly, watching shows usually gets in the way of me doing these habits such as getting to bed early, tidying up the house, taking an evening walk with my husband, or planning meals for the next day. But on occasion, my body and mind say, “I really need to put my feet up and be entertained.” My guess is you can relate.
How can I go about listening to this need and meeting it in a way that feels mindful and in alignment with caring for my priorities for my wellbeing? I decided to look to Ayurveda for guidance since it’s the health system that has supported me so much already on my wellness path.
Ayurveda is a system of holistic health that emerged in India LONG before Netflix . But it is considered a living science, meaning that it is meant to roll with the times and adapt to meet the needs of current life circumstances.
So how can Ayurveda apply in this situation regarding the desire for indulging in Netflix?
Well, I reached out to my Ayurveda and health coaching community of colleagues and friends to ask for their input. And here are a couple of answers I really appreciated.
First of all, both Ayurveda and yoga work with the concepts of rajas, tamas, and sattva. Rajas is the “go, go, go” energy of action, determination, and effort. Tamas is the heavy and slow energy of rest and inertia. Sattva is steadiness, peace, and balance.
For me personally, after an excess of rajas energy, a need arises for me to indulge as a means to let down and relax. This brings in the tamas energy. The principle goes that it is a balance of rajas and tamas that lead to sattva. With that in mind, I understand that my desire for indulging in Netflix is a way I am seeking balance. I am seeking sattva. I can approach my Netflix experience with this intention now of creating more sattva in my life. That feels empowering.
Another Ayurvedic principle that can help me be mindful about my Netflix experience is the idea of treating with opposites. Ayurveda explores qualities and their opposites like hot/cold, dry/moist, mobile/stable, etc. If you are always cold, you will want to eat warming foods and make sure to wear a hat to keep warm. If you are feeling scattered and overwhelmed, you will want to incorporate grounding practices like self massage or standing barefoot on the earth.
How about the idea of working with the desire to watch Netflix as a way to treat with opposites? If you are feeling sad, watch something uplifting. If you are feeling anxious, watch something calming like a nature program. If you are feeling lonely, watch something that expresses meaningful connections between characters. In this way, the act of watching a show can be done with mindfulness and self care and hopefully result in a long term positive effect.
How do you like to indulge? What's happening with the energies of rajas, tamas, and sattva currently for you? And how might you approach your desires for indulgence by treating with opposites for the long term benefit of your wellbeing?
