Melanie Phillips built up loss over her lifetime, as everyone does. When her partner committed suicide, however, she found that all of that loss and grief she never dealt with became exposed. She came out of her struggle with loss with new knowledge of the grieving process and with a profound desire to help other deal with loss.

Melanie and Cate discuss the importance of building up resiliency with good habits before life gets tough. It is so much easier to establish those habits when we are at a good place in our lives. That way, when the going gets tough, we are better prepared to handle our losses. The beauty about loss is that it gives us a great time to really get rid of what is not working.

By decluttering and seeing the essentials, we can restructure our lives to better fit our needs. Melanie speaks to the power of relishing in the time that we have available to us, and really cherishing our precious and delicate lives.

 

What you’ll get out of tuning in:

• How to overcome grief and loss
• How to build resilience
• Why solid habits help address grief

 

Links Mentioned in the Episode:

• Melanie’s Book
• “We are a Microcosm of the Macrocosm” Preview
• “Living After Loss” - Preview
  

 

Common Links:

• Melanie’s Book
• “We are a Microcosm of the Macrocosm” Preview
• “Living After Loss” - Preview
• Body Thrive Book
• Banyan Botanicals 

 

 
Show Highlights:

• 3:10 - Over time we find that our grief accumulates. When life and loss happens, and we aren’t prepared with the tools to understand or navigate the process, we will break down and not necessarily break through.
• 6:00 -  When we are addressing health issues with Ayurveda, we can look at it as a bucket of doshas that can accumulate in the physiology. It can overflow with disease, and Ayurvedic medicine can find many points to address that accumulation of disease through minute changes in our habits.
• 7:30 - The way that we unravel our grief really impact our experience. By establishing a moment-to-moment awareness we can better address our habits and really understand what we are feeling.
• 18:05 - It is important to recognize how delicate and precious life is every day. That way we can revel in the moments and enjoy them for what they are while we are present in this life.
• 21:20 - Address grief really involves addressing what we truly need at that time. Whether it be sleeping early, or eating only when we are hungry, these habits provide structure and foundation for the healing process to take place.

 

Your Favorite Quotes:

• “In terms of the daily and seasonal process there is such an emphasis on digesting what’s arising.” - Cate Stillman
• “There is an experience that as a human being you are designed to have and it has so much to do with clarity of your consciousness permeating through your cells.” - Cate Stillman
• “Stay open to what you need not what you think you need.” - Melanie Phillips
• “Every time we are resisting reality - what is - it creates suffering.”  - Melanie Phillips
  

 

Guest BIO:

Melanie Phillips (BFA, E-RYT, CAS) is a certified Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist with advanced training under the direction of Dr. Vasant Lad, one of the leading pioneers of Ayurvedic Medicine in North America.

Having immersed herself in ashram living and study at the Bihar School of Yoga of India, and having taught since 2000, Melanie’s embodiment of Ayurveda, yoga, and a multitude of energy modalities has earned her excellence in leadership, teaching, and mentorship for those seeking a way home to their intuitive and brilliant nature.

Having walked a real and vivid healing path through chronic illness and extraordinary loss, Melanie embraces the philosophy that we can all reemerge from darkness and remember that we are all “the light” in our own lives.

Melanie is the co-author of "Your Irresistible Life: 4 Seasons of Self-care through Ayurveda & Yoga Practices that Work." Her recently released Best Selling book, "Living After Loss: A Soulful Guide to Freedom" is now available on Amazon.

Melanie works out of her practice in Vancouver, British Columbia. She shares her workshops, retreats, and Ayurveda Yoga Teacher Trainings internationally, and also offers remote Ayurvedic Spiritual Coaching and online trainings.
Connect with Melanie on her website,  Facebook  and Instagram.