3 Powerful Lessons from My Ayurveda & Yoga Journey (That Changed Everything)
In this blog post, I’m sharing 3 powerful lessons from my Ayurveda & Yoga journey that you can start integrating today to feel a real difference in your practice.
If you feel overwhelmed by all the information and rules when starting Ayurveda and Yoga or even if you’ve been practicing for a while, you’re not alone.
Ayurveda and Yoga come with many principles, practices, and do’s & don’ts, which can sometimes feel restrictive or frustrating.
This overwhelm can even make people give up before they truly experience the benefits.
I’ve been practicing Ayurveda and Yoga for over a decade now, and my approach has evolved over the years.
Through trial and error, experimentation, and learning from my mistakes, I’ve found ways to make these practices work for me and I now teach this to others.
So here are 3 powerful lessons from my Ayurveda & Yoga journey.
Lesson #1: Yoga is more than just a physical practice
Like many, I started practicing Yoga as a physical exercise.
My first 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training was in the Ashtanga Vinyasa style, which focused primarily on the physical aspect, with little emphasis on Yoga history and philosophy.
For years, I dedicated myself to mastering advanced Yoga poses even when they didn’t feel good in my body (especially with my scoliosis).
Why?
Because I believed that mastering these ‘advanced’ poses was the key to being an ‘advanced’ Yoga student and teacher.
Yet, despite attending Yoga classes 3–4 times a week, I often felt exhausted, miserable and something felt off in my life.
Until I started studying more about Yoga philosophy and started incorporating Yamas and Niyamas from the 8 Fold Path in Yoga philosophy (Patanjali’sAshtanga Yoga).
When I started practicing Yamas and Niyamas, I started feeling like I had a purpose in my life again. My mission in my business felt clearer and more meaningful.
I now teach Yoga philosophy in my signature program Pathway to Dharma.
Because Yoga isn’t just about attending classes (or watching YouTube videos) a few times a week.
It’s a way of life. And you can start small like practicing Ahimsa – the first Yama which is often translated as ‘non-harming’ or ‘non-violence’.
You can start practicing Ahimsa in your daily life by taking care of yourself, being kind to yourself and being compassionate towards yourself.
And you will naturally do the same for those around you.
Lesson #2: Ayurveda & Yoga are most effective when practiced together
When I was practicing dynamic Yoga vigorously several times a week, I would get a burst of energy and feel good for a few hours afterward.
But most of the time, I still felt exhausted and struggled with a sense of chaos in my mind and life.
It was like the temporary satisfaction of tidying up your home.
Everything feels neat and in order for a while, only to become messy again, forcing you to start over.
That changed when I discovered Ayurveda and the circadian rhythm. I realized I had been practicing the wrong style of Yoga for my specific Dosha and at the wrong time of day and season.
I was practicing dynamic Yoga late in the evening when I should have been winding down for bed.
Plus, as a Pitta-Vata, dynamic Yoga is not ideal not just before bedtime, but also during summer and autumn.
What I actually needed was a slower-paced, strengthening Yoga practice.
It’s not that I can never practice dynamic Yoga – It’s about timing, the season, my menstrual cycle, my stage of life, and, of course, my Dosha and any imbalances.
Since making this shift, my Yoga practice has completely transformed. It no longer gives me just a temporary burst of energy. It has a lasting impact on my life, especially practiced together with Yoga philosophy as I shared in my previous lesson.
If you don’t know your Dosha, take my free Dosha quiz and discover your Ayurvedic Dosha (natural constitution) to find out the best style of Yoga and Yoga poses for your specific Dosha type.
Lesson #3: Adapting Ayurveda for today’s fast-paced world
For the first few years after discovering Ayurveda, I followed it to the letter.
I would have consultations with an Ayurvedic practitioner and try to follow the recommended diet and lifestyle. I even quit coffee (and I love coffee!) and switched to herbal tea.
My morning routine became longer because I was doing meditation, Pranayama, and a Yoga sequence I was supposed to practice every morning.
My evening routine also became longer. I was preparing a freshly cooked dinner and preparing lunch for the next day, every single night.
Plus, I was buying all the herbs and oils they recommended, ending up spending far more money than I would have liked.
Instead of feeling better, I only felt more miserable and stressed.
Trying to follow everything my Ayurvedic practitioner recommended just wasn’t feasible with my busy schedule.
But I believed that if I didn’t follow it perfectly, I wouldn’t see any benefits.
Ayurveda was discovered over 5,000 years ago in India. And while I love its principles and philosophy, some of them aren’t always practical in today’s modern world.
When I realised this after experiencing burnout (it wasn’t just Ayurveda, it was also my job), that’s when I decided to adapt Ayurveda for a modern lifestyle.
That shift changed everything – for me and for how I teach and coach my students and clients.
This is why I focus on implementing Ayurveda and Yoga in a way that works for you.
I also encourage my students and clients to follow the 80:20 rule.
The goal of Ayurveda is balance — not perfection or overwhelm.
If you’re new to Ayurveda or even you have taken a Dosha quiz before this one will reveal something new – I promise 😊 Take this quiz and discover your Ayurvedic Dosha (mind-body type), uncover your strengths and weaknesses, and find out what might be holding you back from living your best life.
Please feel free to forward this to a friend, colleague or family member who you feel could benefit.