Understanding Ayurveda
Ayurveda is hot (or pitta, in Ayurvedaspeak) right now. We talk to Tania Bardhan about the 5,000-year-old holistic healing system, and how to work its magic into your daily life
How to work the magic of this 5,000-year-old holistic healing system into your daily life
At the age of 17, Tania Bardhan was introduced to Ayurvedic astrology by her grandfather. “He was a brilliant mathematician and educator,” she recalls. “He had a deep interest in astrology, and he showed me that it wasn’t just about looking to the stars and foreseeing the future; it was about math and science, and you had to get your calculations right.”
Ayurveda’s growing influence in the world of wellness is hard to miss, as the healing system spreads its ancient roots to spa treatments, yoga studios, skincare products and even stylish teas. Last year, New York City It-man and frequent Wes Anderson collaborator Waris Ahluwalia introduced House of Waris Botanicals, a collection of teas and elixirs that draw heavily on Ayurvedic principles.
“We’re creating blends that give us the chance to be better,” Ahluwalia said from his Lower East Side studio just before the launch. “They address some very human needs: love, sleep, immunity, digestion, detox, clarity and beauty.”
Meaning “the science of life” in Sanskrit, Ayurveda’s holistic, all-encompassing approach is increasingly attractive to the wellness seekers of today who prefer solutions for long-term wellbeing over short-term indulgence. Similar to Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda emphasises balance, prevention and a deeper understanding of our body’s needs.
“For more than 5,000 years, Ayurveda has promoted dinacharya, or daily routine and self-care,” says Bardhan. “It teaches us to lead a healthy lifestyle and adjust to changing seasons.”
It isn’t an easy task to sum up one of the world’s oldest practices, but Bardhan manages to break it down for us.
“Ayurveda recognises that we are made of the same five elements that make up the universe: fire, water, earth, air and space,” says Bardhan, who is also a certified homeopathy and acupuncture practitioner.
Bardhan has been sought by some of the world’s leading spas for her expertise and modern, practical approach to the ancient healing systems of Ayurveda. These include The Leela Palace in New Delhi, the Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort in Oman, and the Four Seasons Hong Kong, where she is currently the spa director.
Here, she has introduced Ayurvedic programmes and treatments such as Shirodhara, the steady dripping of warm Ayurvedic oils onto the third eye chakra to soothe the nervous system, and chakra crystal meditation to promote balance of body and mind.
“My aim is always to bring outcome-based wellness programmes. Guests today are wellinformed and much more conscious about what they are looking for in their wellness experiences,” she says. “I can talk for hours about chakras and colours and symbols on both a mystic and scientific level, but unless the results are felt, you’re not going to come back.”