My nineteen-year-old daughter has spent the last three summers working as a lifeguard.
On hot afternoons, the community pool is full—lap swimmers, children splashing, inflatable slides, parents chatting in lawn chairs.
The lifeguards watch.
Last summer she saved someone’s life.
She didn’t think to tell me until two weeks later. I remember being stunned by what she had done. As her mother, I don’t think I’ll ever look at lifeguards quite the same way again.
A few days ago I read about a lifeguard in Santa Cruz who saved a life.
Large waves were pounding the shoreline. A 10-year-old child was caught in the surf. The young lifeguard reached him and held on. For more than two minutes, wave after wave crashed over both of them before they made it safely back to shore.
The lifeguard was sixteen years old.
As a yoga teacher, I’ve been reflecting on that word: lifeguard.
In our culture, we reserve that title for the young men and women who stand at the edge of oceans and pools, watching over strangers and protecting them from drowning.
But who guards our lives the rest of the time?
Who notices when we’re being pulled under by stress, overwork, fear, or simply moving too fast to hear ourselves think?
Ultimately, we have to learn to do this for ourselves.
That is the deeper purpose of practices like yoga, meditation, and Ayurveda. They teach us how to become the guardians of our own lives.
A lifeguard doesn’t spend most of the day rescuing people. They spend most of the day watching.
Watching for the small movements.
The subtle changes.
The moment when someone might need help.
The wisdom of Ayurveda begins with observation. Before changing anything, we learn to notice the small signs before they become large ones:
Fatigue before burnout.
Digestive discomfort before chronic illness.
Irritability before resentment.
Restlessness before anxiety begins running the show.
Ayurveda teaches that health isn’t something we chase. It’s something we uncover. In other words, we learn to guard our own lives.
An Ayurvedic Practice for This Week
For a few minutes each day, become your own lifeguard.
Don’t try to fix anything.
Just watch.
Notice your breath.
Notice your energy.
Notice your hunger.
Notice your thoughts.
Then ask yourself:
What do I need today?
Don’t rush to answer. Take a little time. Sometimes the answer comes in quietly.
Sometimes it’s a glass of water.
Sometimes it’s taking a walk.
Sometimes it’s calling someone you love.
Becoming healthy isn’t only about eating better or exercising more.
It’s about paying attention.
Lifeguards know this.
They watch before there’s an emergency.
Perhaps that’s what we’re being asked to learn, too.
This is the work I love sharing with others—helping people reconnect with their own inner signals and discover simple practices that support health and balance.
Curious about how Ayurveda can support your health? I’d love to meet you. Book a complimentary discovery call and we’ll explore what’s possible together.
If you’re local to the Bay Area, join me for Yoga & Meditation every Thursday from 7:30–8:30 p.m. in San Francisco. It’s a beautiful way to slow down, reconnect, and practice becoming the guardian of your own life.
With warmth,
Marisa
Founder, Sheltering Skys Ayurveda
If you enjoyed this article, check out this blog on travel: Ayurveda For Summer Travel.
