Sharp Edges & Soft Reminders

The other day, my son said to me, “Mom… I don’t mean this in a bad way, but… you’ve been kind of sharp today.”

And he wasn’t wrong.

There were a lot of tabs open in my brain. I was juggling a few too many roles, stretched thin between my family, my day job, and my own business dreams. My words were short. My tone was clipped. My nervous system felt jagged and tight — and I could feel it as it was happening.

These are the moments I’ve come to think of as sharp edges — and this month, I’ve been working on offering myself soft reminders. Not to pretend it didn’t happen. Not to be perfect. But to notice, and then gently ask myself: What would support me in softening right now?

Understanding “Sharp” in Ayurveda

In Ayurveda, one of the foundational tools we use to create balance is something called the gurvadi gunas — ten pairs of opposites used to describe how we feel and what we need.

One of those qualities is sharp. When this quality is elevated, in the body or in the mind, it can feel like inflammation, intensity, agitation, or overstimulation. That might look like an overstimulated nervous system, a short temper, a flood of anxious thoughts, or simply feeling overwhelmed.

And one of Ayurveda’s simplest teachings is this: Like increases like. Opposites bring balance.

If I’m feeling sharp, what I don’t need is more intensity. What I do need is… Soft. Smooth. Calm. Stillness. Space. Ease.

Yoga & Ayurveda: Seeing and Soothing

This is one of the reasons I love combining Yoga and Ayurveda — because together, they offer such a full-spectrum way of healing. Yoga helps you see how you’re showing up — in your thoughts, your movement, your breath, your energy. Ayurveda helps you name what you’re experiencing, without judgment, and teaches you how to bring it back into balance with nourishing practices that fit your real life.

This is what I’ll be teaching in my upcoming Yoga & Ayurveda Training : how to recognize the qualities at play in your own life, how to meet yourself (and others) with more clarity and care, and how to build a practice that supports healing, growth, and joy from the inside out.

The training will be offered both in-person and online. There’s no set start date just yet — but if this speaks to something in you, you can learn more here and stay close for updates.

Loving Kindness (Even for the Prickly Bits)

As I’ve said before, I’m not perfect — but I am practicing. And I really believe that’s what this work is about: Noticing the sharp edges. Offering soft reminders. And learning to love ourselves, even the prickly bits.

This week, that reminder came from a little cross stitch I keep above my altar. It’s a blooming cactus that reads: “Learn to love all of you. Even the prickly bits.”

May that be our practice, too.

With love and metta,
Michelle 🌵