Intentional vibrations: healing through art and Ayurveda with Veronica Paige
Veronica Paige is a health coach who incorporates elements of Ayurveda, movement, Traditional Chinese Medicine & integrative nutrition to help her clients find balance and love their bodies. When I met Veronica in the virtual world, I learned how much we had in common in the ways we both see art, and especially music, as part of our healing journey!
I am honored to share this interview with Veronica, and hope you’ll be inspired by her daily healing practices of movement, art and Ayurveda. There is so much juicy wisdom here!
How do you see the relationship between health and creativity in your own life? Does one affect the other?
The two absolutely go hand and hand in my life. Whenever I allow the space and give energy to expressing creativity throughout my day, I have brighter energy and make healthy choices. Alternatively, if I put my creativity on the back burner and overwork myself, I start to make poor habitual choices rather than choices rooted in intention. I also very quickly start to notice my thought process become more negative rather than lighthearted and optimistic.
How would you define a “flow state”? When in your life do you feel most “in the flow”?
Flow state to me is living wholeheartedly without fear in the present moment, moving through each choice grounded in your true values, true essence, true nature. I feel this flow when I dance and sing to music that makes me feel something. This can range from Kendrick Lamar live outdoors with people I love, to Quantic on my laptop while I work, to Local Natives on my ukelele before going to bed! Intentional vibrations help keep me rooted in my highest self.
Do you currently have any creative or artmaking practices that are important to you?
Written poetry, spoken poetry, face painting makeup artwork, acrylic painting, and cooking Ayurvedic meals are my favorite artmaking practices. No matter the modality there will by color, there will be unexpected sparks, and there will be warmth and love.
What inspires you to create? Can you describe a time in your life when you felt most creative/inspired? Are there any practices that help you get to that state?
When I prioritize my inner child’s needs at least 2x a day I feel inspired to not only create, but also hold very deep and sacred spaces for my family, friends, and clients. This prioritization could look like waking up early to savor my morning routine, or it could mean closing the laptop at 6 pm sharp no matter what! As long as I am feeding my true essence’s needs, I am gifted the ability to be fully present through the day’s ebbs and flows.
A time when I felt most creative was during my dance competition days where I would choreograph pieces for myself and for a team. Today, creating yoga flows spontaneously to music or to my body’s needs helps me get into this state. What also does the trick really well is shuffling my music until something lights me up at that moment. I then clear space and let my body speak, move, and release anything we may have been holding in.
What does your Ayurveda practice look like right now? What has been the most helpful thing Ayurveda has taught you, or a shift it’s made in your life?
My Ayurvedic morning and evening routines have made the biggest shifts in my life. Waking up around 5:30 am, journaling, brushing + tongue scraping + oil pulling, netti + neysa when necessary, meditation, hot water + lime + pink sea salt, then movement, all allow me to drop into my highest self so the rest of the day I can process the world around me from a place of self-love rather than reaching out of lack. In the evenings, having dinner by 6 pm, ending blue light when the sun comes down, lighting candles for dry brushing + self oil massage, then have a warm shower, all carry me off to welcome a deep and nourishing sleep.
Ayurveda has taught me that genuine self-love and self-care is the foundation for creating the change I want to see in the world. Before Ayurveda, I thought I had to overwork and be perfect in order to be accepted – in order to have the chance at making an impact.
This led me to eat the standard American diet, drink excessively, binge & purge out of anxiety and weight obsession, suffer from chronic eczema, amenorrhea, allergies, and digestive pains. Now I see, in order to make the world a better place, a place rooted in love and connectivity with the Earth, I must embody loving nourishment fully and in turn gain the energy to spread it out to others. Once I started to recognize, name, and attend to MY body needs, I started to live in a body that I truly LOVE, am healed from ailments, and am energized every day to keep elevating and bring as many others along with me as possible.
It’s been a very strange year! Do you have any tips that have helped you adapt, grow or change during this time?
Besides the easy answer of eating healthy at least 80% of the time in order to keep your body and mind properly functioning, it would be creating non-negotiables! For me, this is movement & music vibes 5x a week as well as journaling & meditation in the morning. For you, it may be taking a 10 minute walk every day, having meals without any distractions, getting greens at minimum 1x a day, or singing out loud every day! Whatever you choose as your non-negotiables, let there be something that creates a feeling of calm and something that creates joy. Ask yourself right now: What did you want to do during break time as a child? How can you incorporate a little of that into each day? What makes you feel present and connected to your body? How can you incorporate a little of that into each day?
And finally – what brought you pleasure today?
RL Grime’s Halloween IX! Hahaha! I was actually having a bit of a slow day after a very fulfilling yet dense week of Health Coaching. Then, some close friends let us know this DJ Dance set was up for Halloween! I have not danced to a DJ set in a veryyy long time but it immediately transported to an outdoor show with all of my loved ones, dancing, and releasing without shame, without fear. Please remember, to live the life you want we must be our full authentic selves. Then we connect with those who care about your truth and see the world through a similar lens as you do. Together we will keep elevating the vibration of this planet!
To connect with Veronica, find her on Instagram or at her website.