Staff Spotlight – Bhavna Mehta, AHC, RYT-500

This month at the Village, our featured workshop is The Art of Healthy Living through Ayurveda and Yoga, where you’ll learn how to incorporate each into your daily routine and the therapeutic benefits they can provide.   We were able to sit down with the teacher of this workshop, Bhavna Mehta, and find out a little more about how she got started in holistic therapy as well as more about using Ayurveda in our daily lives.

1.       How did you get started in Ayurveda and Yoga practices?  What was your inspiration?

I was born in India and was raised by Ayurvedic doctors within my family.  Spirituality was not something separate, but rather a way of life.  Yoga was always practiced in our family as well.  Having grown up with those values, after moving here, I wanted to study Ayurveda and Yoga at a higher level, share those values, and teach those values.

2.       What is your approach to holistic therapy?

There are many schools of thought.  The most common form of therapy focuses on only the physical body. I like to understand each person on a mental, physical, and emotional level to help identify the root causes of imbalances.  Rather than a one size fits all model, I focus on an integrative approach and focus on what that person individually needs.  My goal is to use combinations of predominately yoga, Ayurveda, herbalism, and massage to heal that person.

3.       Tell us more about your upcoming workshop featuring Yoga and Ayurveda.

My workshop has two parts, a combining of the sister sciences, Yoga and Ayurveda, to demonstrate the benefits of a holistic approach.  While yoga has many different aspects, (spiritual, meditation, etc.), I will demonstrate the therapeutic value of yoga.  For example, we will learn about which poses are good for back pain and which poses aid in digestion.  In the second part, we will focus on the Ayurveda diet and lifestyle.  We will discuss which foods are good to eat in each season, and which foods are good for each body type.  We will also enjoy an Ayurvedically prepared meal at the end of the session.

4.      How can we incorporate Ayurveda into our daily lives?

Setting up and following a daily routine is essential.  To do this, start with one thing.  For example, having lemon water in the morning, eating heavier meals earlier in the day, or by avoiding mixing incompatible foods.  While Ayurveda as a whole is much more complicated, I will have handouts during the workshop with a list of items that can be incorporated into your lifestyle that you can build on step by step.  When you go at your own pace, even starting with just 5 minutes a day, you can make a meaningful impact in your life. 

If you want to know more about how Ayurveda and Yoga can benefit you, join us for Bhavna's workshop, February 26th at our West End Village location.