Ayurvedic – an interview with me
A while back my beautiful friend, colleague and fellow Ayurvedic Practitioner Linda Gobindoss of Satya Ayurveda interviewed me for a project.
If you are not sure why I have such a big interest and fascination of Ayurveda there is a little insight:
Who are you?
My name is Anja and I am the founder of Yogaembodied. I spend most of my days exploring all aspects of yoga and its sister science Ayurveda. I teach yoga and training courses in London, UK and around the World. Ayurvedic philosophy and Yoga are always closely linked – both in my private life, in my classes, workshops and in my consultations.
How did you come across Ayurveda ?
The first time I tried Ayurvedic medicine was in India around 15 years ago. I had a horrible sinus infection and the treatment I received was amazing. It worked and it made sense.
Many years later I rediscovered Ayurveda. I had been practising and teaching yoga for a while and went to a talk by Dr Robert Svoboda, an Ayurvedic doctor whom I deeply admire. This time something really clicked. I felt so passionate about the ayurvedic philosophy and lifestyle that I decided to study Ayurvedic Medicine as a degree course at Middlesex University in London. I am now an Ayurvedic Practitioner with a BSc and PGDip and travelled to Indian Ayurvedic hospitals as part of my training.
We know that Ayurveda and yoga are both coming from India, is there a link between them?
Absolutely. It shares a very similar philosophy. Both philosophies have the aim to attain Samadhi, Moksha or liberation in life. Indeed some scholars believe Patanjali, of the famous yogic text Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, and Caraka, the voice behind the Ayurvedic Caraka Samhita texts, is the same person. Both speak of Samadhi (Patanjali) and Moksha (Caraka) and the knowledge is thought to be from the same time period.
I love a quote by Dr David Frawley saying that “yoga is the spiritual aspect of ayurveda, while ayurveda is the therapeutic branch of yoga”. I do believe both have a therapeutic side as well as a spiritual side. They are both ways of exploration and transformation and thereby getting to know ourselves better. If not by becoming enlightened then by a sense of contentment and wellbeing.
You seem to be a specialist of Women. Generally what would be the ayurvedic approach to Women’s wellbeing ?
Ayurveda believes that everyone is an individual and unique. This means we also require different support or lifestyle routine depending on what stage we are in our life, where we life and what season we are in. This is especially true for women. As women we have many seasons. We have our monthly cycle where the doshas, hormones, energy and moods change. Both physiologically, emotionally and energetically.
During our monthly cycle we need to acknowledge that our lifestyle can be adjusted. Not to fit in with “society” but with where we are at that specific time. Are you full of energy, creativity, new ideas and ambition around your ovulation? Then embrace that time to create. Are you tired, introspective and moody around your period? Maybe this is the time to reflect and digest. Our lifestyle, daily routine and diet can be supportive to our monthly cycle rather than us trying to fit in with a standardised regime.
During pregnancy Ayurveda has specific advice to support and nourish the expectant mother and growing baby. A woman in her postpartum recovery will need rest, and easy to digest food. Ayurveda respects that it takes time to adjust to motherhood and to heal after pregnancy and birth.
Women also have the change into our wise women stage and menopause. We express these changes much more physically than men. Where younger women are full of fire and juice and possibly with a tendency to increased Pitta the mature women may start to develop more Vata. Women around and after menopause may need to pacify Vata in her lifestyle and diet. Finding ways to stay nourished, grounded and fluid.
An Ayurvedic lifestyle is here to support us and our changing bodies, mental and emotional health as well as spiritual being. We adjust our lifestyle to who we are rather than trying to fit in to something society or something external has decided. This is something very special about the Ayurvedic philosophy that everyone can benefit from