Ayurveda for the Modern Day with Sonja Shah-Williams
I first met Sonja, an Ayurvedic Medicine Practitioner, at a wellness space for women in London back in 2016. Continuously driven by development, Ayurveda had always been a practice I had been intrigued to learn more about given the critical role it plays in our gut health, and Sonja had a beautiful way of teaching the fundamental principles with ease. It’s safe to say that since then, I’ve been hooked! Ayur in Sanskrit means ‘life’ and veda means ‘science’ or ‘knowledge’; thus ayurveda is the science of life which makes perfect sense when you realise how much it can help to benefit your energy levels, aid sleep, relieve digestive problems, boost immunity and more. The beauty of Ayurveda as the world’s most ancient medicine system, is that beyond all the layers, it can be simple to feed elements into your daily rituals to make life that much easier. Read on as we chat with Sonja, a true thought-leader in Ayurveda and how it has enriched her life. - Sophie Greenwood.
Sonja pictured next to a Tulsi (Holy Basil) plant in her cousin’s garden in India. Tulsi is a revered Ayurvedic herb that is kept in every Indian home. It’s fantastic for the nervous system, it’s detoxifying, anti inflammatory and so much more - it’s widely known as the ‘Queen of Herbs’.
What is your background and how did it lead you to your current work in Ayurveda?
I am of Indian origin and was brought up with a doctor father and mother who, although she never termed it such, raised us with Ayurvedic principles. My parents were born and brought up in Gujarat, northwest India, which is historically a vegetarian state, and where much of the population is Jain. Jainism, an offshoot of Hinduism and very similar to Buddhism, is a way of living well through non-violence and striving to be the best version of oneself. The key is self-discipline, self-reflection, and learning lessons through experiences.
Ayurvedic medicine is woven into the fabric of the food eaten in India, and spices are used for their therapeutic properties as well as for their taste. I was always incredibly particular about healthy food and lifestyle choices, and have inherited my mother’s self-discipline about routine in one’s daily and seasonal regimen. I guess this is what eventually led me to retrain and doing my degree in Ayurvedic Medicine, after having run a successful recruitment business in London’s West End for 17 years. My work no longer fulfilled me after I had my second child, and so once she was settled in secondary school, I found I had the time to look at my long term goals. I knew I wanted to help others to improve their health, but it had to be something more holistic than allopathic medicine.
If you had a great tip that everyone could easily implement into their daily lives to help improve their health through the practice of Ayurveda, what would it be?
Eating home-cooked food using a balance of nutrients, at regular mealtimes. This is one of the best preventative health tips I can give.
Do you have any specials rituals around looking after your own health that you swear by?
I mentioned about my self-discipline, and this is something I find comes very easily. I am a great advocate of the regularity of one’s daily routine, including bedtime and waking time. I absolutely swear by this, but obviously there are occasions when one cannot stick to it. I always tell clients that once our mind, body and spirit become accustomed to a beneficial routine, the occasional lapse has no negative impact.
Have you observed any themes or trends within your industry or practice area within the last year or so? If so, please describe them and explain their consequences.
Ayurveda has certainly become more known since I first began practicing. I know that this can only be a good thing, but I am slightly concerned about the ‘trend’. There seem to be various courses available for people to train as Ayurvedic lifestyle consultants, and more and more articles about the benefits of Ayurveda. However, the reality is that it is a complex, deep medical science and philosophy, and should not be seen as the latest health and wellness trend that anybody and everybody can give advice on. I am concerned that health itself has become a fad, rather than something that each individual, no matter what their background, needs to learn to manage. This is only going to happen through education. My consultations aim to educate individuals so that they become more attuned to their own bodies and minds.
Is there a piece of advice that you have received, or that you’d give, that has been helpful for doing your job well?
My late father, whom I loved dearly and hugely admired, was a ‘seer’. He saw beyond the surface of people’s health issues, both physical and emotional. My advice is his advice to me; to work as a clinician you must be able/want to help the whole person, not just to put a plaster on the wound. That takes a lot of time, energy, knowledge and commitment, but that is how it is.
Is there anything in particular you’re working on at the moment that you can share?
I am excited to have been asked to author a book which will be published by DK Books in December this year in the UK and internationally soon after.
It will offer a glimpse into Ayurveda’s amazing, deep wisdom, and offer practical solutions to physical, emotional and spiritual imbalances that can be easily incorporated into people’s daily lives. You can now pre-order on Amazon!
I also recently created my Anala Morning and Anala Evening body oil blends to capture the ancient Ayurvedic ritual of anointing the body after bathing in the morning or evening, and to transport it to a modern setting.
The importance of oil in Ayurveda cannot be underestimated. It rebalances the skin, massages the deep tissues, nourishes the cells and calms the mind. It is important to love ourselves before we can possibly attempt to love others, and pampering our skin with exquisite and highly prized sensual essential oils not only nurtures, but also heals us. We do not allow ourselves enough time nowadays to be alone, to reflect, and unwind. Taking a few precious moments in our day to nourish the body, and replace the moisture lost from our wonderful skin, is incredibly grounding.
What does the art of anointing mean to you?
Anointing the body with beautiful, pure oils replenishes the skin's natural oils that are lost through pollution, dry climatic conditions, air conditioning, stress, smoking and drinking, lack of sleep, overuse of clogging, thick body products, and the natural aging process. It also replenishes self- love, which is often so lacking in modern life. Loneliness, isolation, fear, or dissatisfaction with one’s life, can all create a ‘drying’ effect on the mind, body and spirit. In Ayurveda, this is excess VATA DOSHA. Anointing with oils reintroduces the lovely oily, unctuous, soft, grounding and healing qualities that are missing. The word for oil in Ayurveda is SNEHA, which is also the word for LOVE. Acceptance of Self is crucial to feeling contented in life.
I use my own pure Ayurvedic flower oils every day. I alternate the Morning and Evening oils- so if I am going out in the evening or taking a relaxing bath before bed, I will use Evening. After showering in the daytime, I will use Morning. The exquisite flower oils penetrate deep into the muscles and tissues, offering therapeutic and aesthetic benefits that last throughout the day.
What’s the piece of culture that has had the biggest impact on you and why?
I grew up very close to the Yorkshire Moors, where the wonderful Bronte sisters lived and wrote. I utterly adored and still do, Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte. I think of Jane as another ‘seer’; caring, compassionate, kind, and utterly true to herself. Her quiet confidence in her core belief system allows her to ultimately be where she wants to be in her life. She is a healer of herself and others, just as we can all be, if we seek the best version of ourselves and follow our true path. Her tenderness and humility as a human being has a ripple effect.
What’s the favourite part of your role?
I absolutely love to heal people holistically and to show them the importance of being the managers of their own health. I help them through my knowledge, so that they can then help themselves.
Finally, how do you like to best spend your Sundays?
Sundays have changed so much in recent years. There was a time when there were no shops open on a Sunday, and it was considered to be a day of rest for everyone. I remember when I was a child, the feeling of Sunday being quite different from the rest of the week.
Now everything is usually open on Sundays, and it is a day for spending time with friends and family, which I love to do, but I equally like to have quiet Sundays to potter, take a walk, cook, or just sit and reflect.
In our current situation with Coronavirus, we are all being forced to stop and reflect. Whilst there is a longing to meet up with friends and family, and to socialise again, we are also finding a sense of peace and contentment in our enforced stillness. I think that this is a great opportunity to find value in precious moments to ourselves to nurture and nourish our mind, body and spiritual health. Once we are back to our old normal, we will hopefully be able to bring more balance to our lives by ensuring we include some lovely stillness in our Sundays.
To find out more about Sonja’s great work in Ayurveda with her one-to-one consultations, supper clubs, guest teachings, her beautiful body oils and delicious Ayurvedic recipe inspiration, visit her website, www.anala.co.uk and be sure to follow her on social @analaayurvedichealth.
