Ayurveda

Ayurveda found me through my father, Arun Deva, who is an Ayurvedic practitioner and my main teacher. However, I spent most of my young life not aware of the practices of Ayurveda because as a first-generation American, with divorced parents, my main intention was to fit in. Fitting in meant eating poorly, running on stress, and not sleeping or exercising regularly. Many years of this lifestyle left me with significant anxiety, digestive issues, and eczema. There was something deep within me that kept suggesting they were interrelated, but no doctor could tell me how or why.

This began my journey back into Ayurveda and its three pillars: food, sleep, and energy regulation. I began changing the way I ate and lived and could feel the immediate change, but it wasn’t enough. I had to do something more. I left college and attended Kerala Ayurveda Academy to study this art and science on a deeper level. This journey has taken me to India and all over the US to study with different doctors, practitioners, and healers.

Over a decade of study, I have found many modalities of healing that I integrate into my practice, such as Western herbalism, self-compassion practices, meditation, yoga, and most importantly, the understanding of trauma-informed care. Growing up in a home with an addicted parent and eventually losing my mother to her addiction has taught me firsthand the impact that traumatic events and environments can have on all systems of the body. Healing trauma takes time, and Ayurveda can play a pivotal role in this process.

The most impactful change was the art of using food as medicine. Our guts are our second brain, an enormous part of our nervous system called the enteric nervous system, and are deeply interrelated with every process in the body — including immunity, inflammation, stress, mood, and emotion. If we learn to eat mindfully, whole and plant-based foods, and eat for our constitution (because we are all unique expressions), our imbalances can be healed. We are given chances daily to heal our bodies with the food we eat, making our kitchens medicine cabinets. Ayurveda gives us a language to help us understand taste (rasa), digestion (agni), and undigested food (ama), so the process of digestion becomes less complicated and more identifiable. I grew up in a family that loved to cook, and it is my passion to help others find joy and innovation in their kitchens.

In addition to food, Ayurveda promotes dinacharya (daily routines) to help us sleep and regulate energy more mindfully. I have found regular bedtimes, morning routines, daily yoga, and meditation practice integral to healing. In my journey, dietary changes aided in changing my digestion and eczema, but anxiety was still a daily enemy. Through learning more about integrative mental health and Buddhism, I have found practices and understandings that have deepened my knowledge of well-being.

Ayurveda has a pharmacopeia of herbal medicines that are treasure troves in themselves. Herbal allies are integral to our growth as humans and can aid in so many imbalances that we experience in the body and mind. Using herbs to help the body form new patterns as it heals is a fascinating and magical process. Learning about herbs and how to implement them for one’s unique constitution is a passion of mine that I hope to share with others.

Lastly, the process of panchakarma, or Ayurvedic detoxification, was a major tool in my healing journey. By eliminating toxins or unhealthy bacteria, as well as stored memories and emotions, panchakarma offers us healing through gentle rejuvenation and thoughtful cleansing.

After suffering through so many years of my life, I was determined to meet Ayurveda with self-awareness and compassion. I have learned, and am still learning, how to care for myself honestly, and I hope to share what I have learned with you.

I believe we are all walking a healing journey together, and I would be honored to accompany you on this trek.

-Anjali

This is Danger. Danger is Anjali's sidekick and Ayurvedic companion. Since the age of 3 months, Danger has been training to be a guide on your Ayurvedic self-care journey. He specializes in unconditional self-compassion and embracing joy through food. As a proponent of walks in nature, he inspires us all. Though his blissful nature shrouds his disdain for ginger, he is a one-of-a-kind healer ready to be at service during all sessions.