For years, countless brands have reconstructed the narrative around health to being synonymous with wealth.
I immediately made the connection between what I ate and how I felt, she says.
I came across homeopathy to manage health concerns and have been drawn since.
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This grounding ethos is in sync with Lennons approach toward slow, thoughtful living.
She adds, The mood is always optimistic, soft, and simple.
She adds, The information is out there.
And most of it is free.
By removing the fee to cover studio space, she enables more people to access this medium as well.
The nectar is to really look past the preconceived image of a leader in the wellness space.
People dont hold themselves accountable because its easier, says Lennon.
Redirecting blame allows them to save face and avoid shame, guilt, or admitting the wrong.
A certain amount of self-denial allows people to carry on.
All human beings are showing up in this space, but we’re just not shown that way.
What happened with Sporty & Rich is a teachable moment that everyone can learn from.
Out of genuine concern for the well-being of young girls, they immediately pulled the product off their shelves.
That they are acknowledging on the surface that something they did didnt necessarily sit right with people.
Siman falls into the category of being a student of life.
No one is telling you you need a million dollars.
What I find most problematic is how people glamorize like Here’s my plate of vitamins.
Tara Thomas, executive chef, treats food like medicine.
Even though Thomas is vegan, she doesnt attempt to convert anyone into committing to a plant-based diet.
In general, how did it come about to you?
Your divine sovereignty is being able to be whole, she explains.
People haven’t had to hold themselves accountable because [wellness is] such a new industry.
It’s in its infancy and there are no ground rules.
Because people are unwell, they follow the map.
Elite whites with intergenerational wealth have more access to (OUR) resources and (OUR) knowledge.
Self-care and wellness is nothing if not ethical.
This is uncomfortable work its not glamorous, its painful, she says.
Thevarajah also surrounds herself with spiritual elders for guidance when she seeks it.
However, she does believe that change is coming.
Community spaces are a reminder that consumers have the collective power in the pursuit of gaining optimum health.
The level of ignorance in this wellness content makes me angry.
These days Im often focused on eliminating anything I dont need, she says.
Thevarajah views the commodification ofself-careas an issue of racial capitalism, colonization, and cultural appropriation.
We are all here to learn to become the best versions of ourselves and how does that happen?
It’s through understanding that life isn’t the same through everyone’s lens, Siman says.
My objective is to make it as welcoming, inclusive, warm, and nurturing as possible.
Tell me so I can work on it.
How can I be better?
I honestly don’t feel like I’ve mastered anything, she says.
I don’t want to claim that in any way.
I think anyone that’s claiming to be the best at something needs to take several seats down.
Sign up for their courses, support their workdon’t steal their work.
A lot of people will just screenshot, take the words of other people, and not credit them.
Divesting from wellness spaces that are dominated by whiteness is the first step.
Decolonizing wellness is about decolonizing the mindits a movement and a lifelong commitment.
Northwestern University.Eight dimensions of wellness overview.
