I would like to give special thanks to my teachers. Dr Deepika Rodrigo B.A.M.S and Dr. Wathsala Wijesinghe B.A.M.S, MSc, M.D, without whom I would not have this knowledge. I would also like to mention Jeffrey Allen. Although I had a strong meditation practice previously, his course really was a game changer for how I can tailor guided meditation according to many different situations.

Growing up in an Indian family, life naturally included Ayurvedic ways of living as it is a part of the culture. From those bitter tasting drinks, that my mum would make me down if I had a cold, to those strange tasting jams which were good for everything (apparently!). The basics of Ayurveda practiced in Indian homes guides the food you eat, daily routines and there are homemade remedies with simple kitchen herbs. If you had a disease that had manifested, this was when you would see an Ayurvedic Doctor. We did not have one available where I grew up. 

After years in the Corporate world of finance, my journey with Ayurveda started academically. I was keen to help my mother who had had many symptoms from years of taking allopathic medicines. Although not having access to Ayurvedic doctors nor Ayurvedic courses until this point, serendipity in the summer of 2018 meant that the Ayurvedic Institute UK in Purley Oaks, came my way. A course led by Ayurvedic doctors with an attached clinic for consultations and panchkarma (five actions) facilities was everything I had been searching for. 

Unfortunately, my mother passed away 6 months after I started studying. The clinic supported me with their kindness and love. Dr Wathsala treated me ayurvedically and gave recommendations for tools to help me, including prescribing a grief counsellor. Grief isn’t something you can heal but you can learn to walk with it as a friend instead of suffering in anguish. In Ayurveda, grief sits in the lungs. If emotions are unresolved or undigested, they can manifest into disease.  

My severe menstrual pain is also a thing of the past as a result of Ayurvedic treatment. My mum was passionate about India, Ayurveda and her culture. I would like to help alleviate other people’s suffering if possible, and spread the word of Ayurveda, authentically without diluting it.