"What Heals Me" Gii Kamolrat Grimes
Thailand-born Gii Kamolrat Grimes knows a thing or two about adapting to challenging situations. She has had Dengue Fever, internal bleeding, and was medevacked out on three separate occasions while stationed in Asia. But it was a fall while spring skiing in Colorado that really took her down.
Gii first came to the United States in 1995 for graduate school. It was there she met her husband. After graduating, the two began working for the U.S. Embassy, living in six different countries; New York, Colorado, and Washington, D.C.; Bangkok, Thailand; Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Seoul, South Korea; Colombo, Sri Lanka, and Tokyo, Japan.
Gii was nearing her retirement from the federal government and opted to take the day off to go skiing. “It was the first run of the day,” says Gii. “I think it was ice, I caught the edge of my ski. I feel down and broke my right shoulder bone.” Because of an incorrect initial diagnosis, the surgery to repair Gii’s shoulder didn’t happen for another two months.
Photo of Gii Kamolrat Grimes
“I couldn’t move, and I couldn’t drive. If I didn’t move, I was okay and could function but if I moved it would feel like it was dislocating my shoulder. I was retiring in October (seven months away) and I wanted a healthy retirement. I was so mad at myself, and that was the biggest thing. I was going to do yoga teacher training. I’d tried to do that so many times throughout my career but never had time with a full-time job and kids. Now the time had come and I’ve just broken my shoulder.”
Gii eventually had surgery which was successful. She met her physical therapist, and it was then she decided that she was going to make herself better. With her therapist’s okay, Gii signed up for a 200-hour yoga teacher-training class in Thailand. “Just setting that goal changed me,” Gii says tearing up.
After several months of physical therapy, Gii was healthy enough to go to Thailand. She received her yoga teaching certificate in April of this year. “Because of my injury, I can relate to the students more,” says Gii. “Everyone has limitations both physically and mentally. I never understood that because I could always do everything. But now, I can’t do certain poses as well. That gives me the perspective to understand the student more. Having a goal is important as well as knowing your limitations. You want to be able to listen to your body and enjoy the bliss of yoga. Now, when I share my yoga practice, I get more than I give. That heals me mentally and physically.”
Beautiful photograph and biography.