In this week’s article of our Rediscovering Ayurveda, we interviewed Adriana Lee.
Meet Adriana Lee
Adriana is a Yoga & Reiki practitioner based out of the United States. For someone who helps people get in touch with their bodies, minds, spirit, and purpose, Adriana possesses a rich list of certifications like 300 Hour YTT HIBS Yoga, Las Vegas, NV, 200 Hour YTT Frog Lotus Yoga Suryalila, Spain, 50 Hour Advanced Yoga Training CEUs Heba Saab Yoga School and 50 Hour Budokon Yoga Teacher Training, Miami, FL among others.
A Persistent Actor
Although Adriana had been practicing Yoga since she was very young, it became a regular and more meaningful part of her life at an impressionable age of 18 years. At the time, she was too young to understand the depth of what she was delving into, she realized it left an imprint on her heart and soul. The more she indulged in it, the better she got a hold of herself.
“It helped me get through a challenging time in life when was struggling through a volatile marriage and a difficult divorce. I found myself struggling with my eating disorders and felt a lack of direction. Yoga gave me purpose, or rather helped me get reacquainted with it.”
Adriana started teaching Yoga at a tender age of 23 and has never looked back since.
Finding the Balance
Incorporating some Ayurvedic practices into my life has helped me find more balance and coherence, she says. She once heard an Ayurveda practitioner say – “Ayurveda is the science of common sense,” and couldn’t agree more! Adding in a few daily practices and being more mindful of what we eat based on our Prakruti (inner constitution) can really change how we go about our day.
When asked about what keeps her motivated to remain healthy and spread the good word about Ayurveda & Yoga, she exclaims that she absolutely loves what she does and she wouldn’t trade it for the world. If she skips a few days of Abhyanga (oil massage), her skin appears to be drastically different. If she doesn’t perform Yoga for a few days, her body isn’t her best. So, the motivation is more into how she feels if she doesn’t do what she does because the difference is really noticeable. The ability to feel her best at all times through Yoga is what truly keeps her going.
An Early Riser
Like most Yoga practitioners, Adriana likes to begin her day early in the morning.
“I start each morning with tongue scraping, a short meditation, some movement and of course, abyanga. Throughout the day I perform pranayamas to influence how I’m feeling depending on what my mind and body needs.”
Abyanga, as Adriana says, has been the biggest help for her. She suffers from dry skin and living in the desert does lead to some skin-related problems especially in the fall and winters. Tongue scraping is also extremely important in removing Ama (toxins) from the body first thing in the morning and helps the agni (digestive fire). And for Yoga, even a relaxing twenty-minute something practice in the morning can really affect the way you look at the day that lies ahead of you.
On the relationship between Ayurveda & Yoga, Adriana is keen to emphasize their bond as of sister sciences. They complement each other perfectly, she says. Understanding your prakruti and vikruti (inner constitution) can help in understanding what type of Yoga one should practice. Not knowing that, one may end up practicing fast-paced power when what they may really need is a slower-paced restorative practice. Ayurveda is essential in understanding these differences.
Spreading the Good Word
“I think, especially in the West, we have great emergency medical care but zero preventative care. So, people have a sickness, pain and no idea what to do other than consult doctors and take medicines. Yoga & Ayurveda increase our wellness so we don’t get sick in the first place. We spend so much money on healthcare but it really is just sickness care. because it certainly isn’t making anyone “healthy” – just keeping them from dying. We desperately need to change that and I think yoga and Ayurveda can help!”
Adriana has a message for all the Ayurveda & Yoga enthusiasts – If you’re passionate about these practices, share them! Even if you only share them with one person, I assure you, you will change their life and that is how we start a movement.
A big fan of all kinds of malts, she is beyond thrilled to try the Brainkey Gold Malt from Amrutam’s list of products for its unparalleled benefits!
We are proud to have Adriana as part of our #AmrutamFamily!
