In this week’s article of our Rediscovering Ayurveda series, we interviewed Sujala Roy.
Sujala describes herself as a Yogini, dancer, explorer, and Youtuber! A real foodie at heart, she is also a certified Yoga Instructor who can’t imagine not indulging into some kind of disciplined practice, be it physical, mental, or spiritual. After every session, she feels transformed – the quality of breathing, improved focus and awareness, restfulness in her thoughts and the general feeling of being able to connect her mind with her body are testimony to the fact that Yoga is for Sujala and she is for Yoga.
Yoga was introduced to her when she knew close to nothing about it and was dealing with humongous stress and mental turbulence. Having had no background of Yoga, Sujala first experienced the power of Yoga at Yoga sessions at a gym that she had joined to distract herself from her otherwise mundane daily routines. Slowly and gradually, she began to look forward to these sessions and started showing up without fail even when she could hardly pull herself together to engage in anything else. “The changes I could feel in my physical and mental space were indescribable,” says Sujala, who by then started practicing asanas at home and reading about Yoga which led her to pursue a certification course in Yoga and teach Yoga full-time.
When someone tells you to do something because they think it is good for you, it doesn’t necessarily last as it feels fabricated. However, when you try something yourself and see the results, you actually become engaged. “Why Yoga?” a lot of people ask Sujala to which she simply responds by asking them to practice something as simple as the Yogic breathing practice which involves long, abdominal breaths.
A number of life-changing things happened when Sujala started to practice Yoga on a regular basis. She developed a sense of direction and could ground her thoughts which helped her ask all the right questions. This new-found clarity is what she believes to be her biggest win from Yoga.
“I was able to understand my body better, I started taking care of my diet. Things started getting simpler and more natural and increased focus on healthy and Saatvik diet followed and I began to feel better than ever!”
Sujala believes that everything is related and interconnected. For example, if you wish to awake early for a Yoga session, you will sleep early. Gradually you will ensure that your dinner is light and because of your physical practice, you will sweat more leaving you with clear and more radiant skin. Your metabolism will improve and so you will eat at right intervals and practicing proper asanas will improve your cardiovascular system. Yoga provides holistic wellness to the human body that no other practice can provide.
Like most practitioners, Sujala also falters from her Yoga-inspired lifestyle. She occasionally indulges in unhealthy eating or misses practice on some days but then her body comes calling. When she doesn’t give her body all that it needs, it becomes a source of motivation for her to go back to her healthy routine. “When I practice, I am in space where nothing else matters. My body sweats and tires so my brain will not waste its energy on any unnecessary thoughts which will leave me with nothing but peace,” says Sujala. Her day starts with some herbal tea followed by asana practice which can be quick or long depending on the plans for the day. Sujala prefers eating whole foods or freshly cooked home food which she cooks herself. Post dinner, she spends some time on social media and makes mental plans for the next day.
In general, the Yogic-Ayurvedic life tells you something that may seem simple but has a deep meaning – always prefer natural over the alternative. The three most significant and impactful habits that I have cultivated are:
1. Hydrate – sipping small quantities of water at regular intervals throughout the day goes a long way in making you healthy inside out.
2. Eat fresh – buy your food fresh and eat it while it is still fresh. Do not overcook or undercook as a lot of nutrition seems to get lost if the food is not cooked well and properly.
3. Meditate – it is not a cure for some ailment but rather is meant to enhance the functioning of your brain. Even five minutes of meditation goes a long way!Sujala believes Yoga and Ayurveda go hand in hand as both of them are inspired by nature. While Ayurveda embraces medicine and self-care, Yoga manifests healthy lifestyle. With the foundations of both Ayurveda and Yoga firmly rooted in nature, it is not surprising that they’re being re-invented as fields of science and study.
“I think true awareness comes when one gets to see and experience the effects. A major part of the world is still largely unaware of what Yoga and Ayurveda can do for them. Having schools introduce students to these fields will surely be a major step. Ayurveda can be taught as a parallel alternative to Medical Sciences. An alternate path to the same goal – human well-being.”
Upon asking what advice would she have for the natural life enthusiasts, Sujala opines that most of the teachings are based on nature and observations from nature and the human body. It is important to learn to listen, to understand your body’s signals and take your health and well-being’s decisions based on that. What may work for you may not essentially work for someone else. It is significant to keep in mind what your body needs.
Sujala was looking for an Ayurvedic solution to her relentless hair-fall. And since she’s read a lot of good things about Amrutam’s Kuntal Care Series, she cannot wait to try it out!
Follow Sujala at @barefoot.suzie on IG
At Amrutam, we take pride in having Sujala as part of our #AmrutamFamily!
