|
|
Reflections
|
 This is my great-grandmother, Anna Christina Jansdottir Pil Olson. She immigrated here from Sweden at age 21 with her mother and siblings, a few years after her father Jan died in a blizzard in a Swedish forest. Anna Christina (“Annie”) married, had two children (one of whom died at age 16), a couple husbands, a farm, and a long life. She died at age 91.
I’ve heard a lot recently about “intergenerational trauma,” and how our body stores trauma experienced by our ancestors. That idea led me to invite my family members, descendants of Annie Olson, to gather via Zoom and talk about how she lived her life. Annie had her share of trauma but also happiness. Clearly, she had some secrets to healthy aging and resilience, even if it wasn’t something she “worked at.” She was active and engaged. As I prepare for my workshop on June 13th, “Healthy Aging through a Yoga Lens,” I’ve been researching some of the factors in aging. What is genetic and what is “epigenetic”? (epi = “on top of” or “in addition to”). Can we be agents in our healthy aging, through mindset and actions? So I’m thinking about the genes I inherited from Annie Olson, but also the mindset and attitudes I may have inherited. And how I fit into the long line of humans that are behind and ahead of me. What my legacy will be and what healthy aging has to do with that. My daughter Katie recently gave me a book called The Good Ancestor, by Roman Krznaric. Here’s a quote that I have found meaningful in this context: “A legacy is not something that we leave but something we grow throughout our lives. It is not just a bequest written into a will, but a daily practice.” Join me for this workshop as we explore what it might mean to age well and how a slow, mindful yoga practice could support you. Comments are closed.
|