PK Day 3 | Perfectly Imperfect: The Scales of Balance

Tuesday was the Lunar New Year. Energetically, shifting from the Year of the Snake into the Year of the Fire Horse felt aligned with the spirit of Panchakarma. We were figuratively shedding the snake’s dead skin to release what no longer served us and creating space for the fire horse’s dynamic forward motion.

Morning: The Rhythm of Rest

I began the day by choosing the rest my body was requesting. I skipped the morning Homa and yoga and slept in.

After joining my friends for a warm breakfast of muesli porridge with orange and cinnamon, I headed to my Total Body Serenity treatment, where I gave Angela and Abigail origami hearts I had folded for them. They were pleasantly surprised by the small token of gratitude, and their appreciation inspired me to continue folding and sharing more hearts.

The Heart Thread: Connection Through Creation

The afternoon unfolded into an unexpectedly beautiful sequence of shared creativity. After my morning treatment, I taught Becca and Sandy how to fold the paper hearts. It was during this quiet moment of creation that Sandy asked if I would be willing to film a video to share the practice with others. My heart said yes even before my voice confirmed it.

The “heart thread” continued as I shared origami hearts with Suhanee during my check-in, and with Locke and Ami from the kitchen team at lunch (a nourishing meal of sweet potato and kale). By the time Sandy and I met with Phillip (the photographer) to film the tutorial, the message of the video (watch it here!) felt clear:

We as humans are perfectly imperfect. If your origami heart is not perfect, embrace it. The physical hearts in our chests aren’t perfectly symmetrical either. These origami hearts are a lovely token you can create for yourself to remind you of whatever affirmation you’re looking to call in, such as ‘I am love,’ ‘I am enough,’ or ‘I am at peace’.

Afternoon: Golden Vision and Firelight

Following the video, I moved into Netra Basti for my right eye with Meredith (the left eye would be the next day). Having warm ghee pooled over my eye was a surreal – and surprisingly pleasant – experience. It temporarily causes a literal softening of your vision, filtering the world through a golden lens.

Afterward, with sunglasses on to protect my eyes, I joined Sam, Priya, and Sri, at the outdoor fire pit by the cedar soaking tub. There is something about the combination of mountain air and a crackling fire that makes conversation feel effortless.

Evening: Integration and the Hum of Connection

Evening brought a communal dinner of spaghetti squash casserole on a cilantro base. We reflected on the potential meanings of the oracle cards that Sam and I had pulled from the Isis Oracle deck in the living room, including the Scales of Balance – a reminder to honor the relationship between the shedding skin of the snake and the forward motion of the horse? Or the “wabi-sabi” balance of perfectly imperfect origami hearts? Or something else entirely?

We closed the day in the yoga room with Yin and Nidra led by Melody. It was a final, grounding breath before the “Fire Horse” energy of the coming days takes hold.

I felt vibrant and alive, buzzing with the balanced energy of grounded roots and limitless possibilities.

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In my next post, the internal work intensifies as we reach the mid-week peak of the protocol. I’ll share the physical and emotional release of Day 4, which caught me by surprise and required all my newfound energy to navigate.

Read part 7: PK Day 4 | Care, but Don’t Carry: The Release

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