Hello,

Welcome to The Healing Root blog.

My name is Maria Praeg and I am a South African plant-muncher with a very deep set passion to share my love for all things to do with health, healing, vitality & nourishment. I am a plant based chef and yoga instructor living in the hustle and bustle of a little village town called Grahamstown. A small town where the idea of a mall consists of the grocery store and a pharmacy, but my home town none the less. I believe in the concept of nourishment; nourishment on all levels: physical, mental, emotional & spiritual. I believe that there are many roots/routes in order to really embrace and live a lifestyle full of vitality, longevity and overall wellbeing. Life is the journey and process of uncovering what those roots are and what they mean for your life and those around you. For me, those routes are YOGA and all that yoga entails (meditation, pranayama and asana being the foundation of my practice both personal and what I teach) as well as wholesome, life-supportive FOOD. 

My approach to food is quite simple really, focusing on: HEALING FOODS. Foods that are nutrient dense & energetically balanced. Both YOGA and the creation of plant-based foods allow me to tap into a deeper experiential understanding and exploration of the inner world of energy & unity within myself and the world at large. And so, it is one of my biggest hopes to be able to share that with as many people as possible. 

I have been practicing yoga for 7 years now and between yoga and my passion for healing cuisines and modalities like Macrobiotics, Ayurveda and Raw & Living foods I was able to begin my healing process. A process of healing from both physical and mental illnesses such as Psoriasis, incredibly painful muscular spasms, migraines, and an eating disorder. Living consciously and in awareness saved my life and allowed me to strip many layers of untruths that through a process of inquiry and inner exploration allowed me to uncover the deepest essence of who I am.

Having disclaimed my incredibly deep recognition and love for the healing potential of plant-based foods and healing cooking techniques I am an even firmer believer that health and wellbeing goes far beyond what you eat (even though this is a primary means/channel to starting on the path of health, and really is the cornerstone to living a healthy, vibrant life) but is also about how you eat, how you live, being mindful, and living from a place of gratitude and presence. And so, this blog is a medium and platform through which I share my experiences, beliefs and tid-bits of information and nuggets of plant-based insights to try and make the concept and reality of living a healthful life more accessible to people. I am no expert, and am learning as I go, too. So all things I share here, are things that I believe in, have learnt, have been taught, have experienced and are not prescribed ways of being but rather suggestions into living a more conscious, sustainable and ethical life. 

This lifestyle has given me so much life. It literally changed & saved my life in more ways than I can say, teaching me the beautiful art of nourishing and respecting myself, the people around me, the relationships I hold dear and the world at large. That, is a gift. This transition completely shifted my entire way of being and engaging with my world: my consciousness and understanding of living a life of caring also resulted in an expansion of my awareness of the importance of being a conscious consumer in other areas of life: using glass over plastic, being more eco-friendly, saving water, being mindful of every action & lifestyle choice I make. This has allowed me to live a life of intention and care. And this has been one of the greatest gift from myself, from the world to myself and to the world. 

It has allowed me to recognize that every single sentient being from an ant, a cow, a chicken, a dog and us humans deserve to and have the right to live. Every sentient being has the right to thrive and experience joy and to know what it means to love and be loved and valued. This way of living: with care, love, understanding, compassion and intention, an openness and explorative essence allows one to explore and discover what is below the surface of the skin, all of that which goes beyond form. It has awakened me from the foggy slumber that life used to be for me: walking through life like a shell, avoiding emotions & feeling, avoiding my true nature, where I used to coast around in a haze of being driven and dependent on my psychological states to being more ROOTED IN BEING.

Namaste, loved ones. I hope that you can find & take away something from this platform that inspires internal & external positive growth & change.