Rediscovering Ayurveda x Diana Damian
In this week’s article of our Rediscovering Ayurveda series, we interviewed Diana Damian.
Meet Diana Damian
A certified peristeam hydrotherapist, Diana Damian was born in Romania and currently stays in Berlin, Germany. Prior to being an Ayurvedic Wellness Coach and Practitioner, she worked as a listing writer and subtitler which she described was “fun, sometimes boring but actually not really satisfying”. It was only in 2020 did she find her calling of helping people achieve optimal health by offering customized Yoni Steaming plans and consultations.
In our conversation, Diana takes us to the start of her Ayurvedic journey. In November 2017, after experiencing a rheumatoid arthritis-like inflammation in her fingers, she underwent countless experiments with conventional medicine. When things did not work out, she decided to seek a holistic treatment from a naturopath a few months later in February 2018. The said expert prescribed her Boswellia Serrata also known as Indian Frankincense. “It turned out to be the only thing that worked!” says Diana.
Also read: The Ayurvedic Properties of Boswellia a.k.a the Indian Frankincense
“Later that year, I had an appointment with an Ayurvedic practitioner in Berlin for my painful cramps during menstruation. Little did I know that encounter will not only change my lifestyle but my whole life! From that consultation I understood how my diet (mostly raw and too much) and over-exercising had affected not only my menstrual health but also my rheumatoid arthritis.”
Introduction to Yoni Steaming
This instance piqued Diana’s curiosity and she began diving deeper into the Ayurvedic realm. She quickly began experiencing improvements in her health. So, when a year later a friend recommended her a one-year Ayurveda Program with Katie Silcox from The Shakti School, she just knew she had to give it a shot! “I joined in January 2020 mostly to learn for myself and not with the aim of becoming an Ayurvedic Wellness Coach,” explains Diana. But the program grew on her, and she grew fond of Katie’s unconventional pedagogy where she would invite different teachers for the students to learn from. This was when Diana first came across Yoni Steaming.
For anyone who is reading about Yoni Steaming for the first time, it is a form of inhalation but for the pelvic floor. You sit over a pot with warm herbal water and enjoy the steam. It is believed to work as a healing remedy that cleanses the vagina and the uterus. Having experienced severe pain and cramps during her menstrual cycles, the concept of Yoni Steaming came as a breath of fresh air to her. She learned from Dr. Zhaleh Boyd Phillips about Yoni Steaming with a customized protocol for specific ailments.
Also read: Yoga in the days of Menstruations
While Diana had learned about steaming as a healing practice from her grandmother, who cured her bladder infection with it, she was fascinated about the right steam duration and frequency having a bigger impact that the infusion of herbs.
“In June 2020, I enrolled in the Level 1 of the Peristeam Facilitator course by Keli Garza from Steamy Chick. Not only did I heal my recurrent infections following a personalized steam plan, I also stopped having painful period cramps! I was in total disbelief that it was even possible. Steaming had been my missing piece.”
Deepening the knowledge
With the increasing improvement in her menstrual and reproductive health, Diana’s faith in Yoni Steaming was getting stronger. She decided to share her wisdom by offering holistic approaches for ailments regarding the reproductive system for both men and women by putting together Ayurveda and customized Yoni Steam plans. Her knowledge began to deepen and expand as she enrolled in the Level 2 of the Peristeam Hydrotherapist Certification and Ayurveda course. She was learning through courses online – from the Samhitas first with Nidhi Pandya and then with Dr. Rekha Radhamony.
Also read: Rediscovering Ayurveda x Nidhi Pandya
Inspired by the human body and its myriad abilities, Diana was inclined to train her pelvic floor with belly dancing so she enrolled into a teachers’ training course with Essence of Bellydance by Coco Berlin. “It was such an enriching experience. Getting to learn about the pelvic floor health and how it connects to the whole body,” she adds. Diana believes that belly dancing is the most healing and empowering training for the female body.
Since her training, Diana has helped women get pregnant, manage endometriosis and fibroids, dissolve polyps, cysts and trauma, balance painful periods and cycles as well as infections. She has also assisted women with labor prep steaming for giving birth with much more ease and pleasure and during their postpartum window for a quicker recovery. You can learn more about her work here.
“All these experiences enrich my life in a way I cannot explain! I feel like all my suffering was worth it and finally makes sense. My latest project combines Yoni Steaming, Ayurveda and Belly dance which is a 5-month intense program on how to get naturally pregnant which I offer with my doula, belly dancer and fertility coach Madeleine.”
Following a routine
When asked what keeps her motivated to do what she does, Diana says there is simply no other option for her out there. “I just can’t imagine doing anything else,” she says. Her clients and the positive impact she has on them are her biggest source of motivation.
Also read: 9 Ayurvedic Instagram Accounts You Need to Follow NOW
A typical day in Diana’s life involves rising early in the morning and giving her body a good stretch and enjoying her morning drink followed by oil pulling, brushing and scraping. She places immense importance on having clear bowel movements every day. Diana believes it is important to normalize conversations around gut health before it can develop into a serious health problem. Doing Abhyanga and some type of movement also form an intrinsic part of her morning rituals. The rest of her day involves eating seasonal foods, working with clients, indulging in delicious creamy soups and retiring early to bed.
“I find Ayurveda much easier to understand and incorporate in life. I love dancing and feminine forms of movement or the ones I grew up with. Yoga, to me, at times seems too geometric and I don’t really understand it. I feel it takes time and a lot of cultural background learning to really incorporate it in your life. While the awareness regarding both has increased a lot, it’s rather the right and authentic type of Yoga and Ayurveda that we need to focus on and talk more about or else it might get lost in translation.”
Diana's message
Diana believes that both Ayurveda and Yoga are much needed practices to slow down and, because they enable us to pay attention to our emotional and physical needs. However, maintaining a healthy balance is always crucial. “My observation is that people take it too far and get obsessed with their practice and supplements, especially in the West. And as a result, no one is looking at the real cause. Ayurveda is a serious practice; herbs are real medicine. They should be taken seriously as their abuse or misuse can severely harm you. Always consult a professional before taking any supplements,” explains Diana.
Her message to the readers is to keep is as simple as they can and not become obsessed. To continually ask, “Am I really enjoying this? Am I doing this for myself or only because someone said it?” To use your own discernment. In the present time, we are all overstimulated and feel like we MUST do and achieve a thousand things and by doing so, we create our own prisons – both in our mind and in our bodies. Just try and really enjoy your life. Look at nature, look at kids. They both have so much to teach us.
From Amrutam’s holistic list of recipes, Diana is enthusiastic to try out our Nari Sondarya Oil which is a comprehensive solution for women’s skincare needs. It moisturizes the skin and leaves it with a subtle glow!
We are so thankful to Diana Damian for the wonderful work she has been doing and are beyond grateful to have her as part of our #AmrutamFamily!
