• In :
• Sep 2020 LP

Stepping closer towards holistic wellness
A first-of-its-kind umbrella platform for ayurveda and holistic wellness of the body, mind, and soul, AyurDNA, was launched in a virtual ceremony from its headquarters in Bengaluru on July 14, 2020, through a webinar which was attended by more than 200 people. The founder and president, Gopinath Nair, began the event by narrating the story of the genesis of AyurDNA with his co-founder and partner, Suma Nair. The inauguration and website launch was done by the chief guest, Dr Issac Mathai of the globally famous holistic wellness destination SOUKYA.

Discussing the increased relevance of ayurveda and traditional healing in today’s world in the first panel, Dr Mathai emphasised the need for the world to recognise the importance of ancient healing systems of India. He spoke about the need for genuine and authentic practitioners to be identified and recognised for the benefit of mankind. He also delved on the need to explore the highly effective preventive properties of ayurveda for boosting the immune system and going back to the basics of Dinacharya (daily routines) and RithuCharya (seasonal discipline) for a healthy life. Mr Madhavan Nambiar, a renowned former civil servant and a yoga practitioner, trained under Swami Rama Yoga of the Himalayas, lauded the initiative saying that India needs organisations like AyurDNA to look at standardisation and accreditation of practitioners so that people can stay away from shady setups to ensure one’s well-being. Prominent personalities like Ms Shailu Suresh, the founder of Om Vedic Heritage Centre in Singapore; Ms Nithya Rajendran, an Indian classical singer and the founder of MusicVruksh; and Mr Aneish Kumar, an expert on medical research in traditional medicine, also presided over the first panel. 

The second-panel discussion on corporate wellness saw other eminent personalities discuss the crucial need for mental and emotional well-being for organisations and employees alike. Panellist Maj. Gen. Anil P. Dere, Indian Army veteran and advisor, AyurDNA, said that work-from-home has blurred work-home boundaries, leading to physical, mental, and emotional issues and that employees need to learn how to find discipline and routine in everyday life. Ms Vasundhara Das, a singer, facilitator, and partner, asserted that India has abundant traditional healing methodologies that can be used to beat the challenges of emotional, physical, and mental stress. Dr Rathi Jafer, director, InKo Centre (The Indo-Korean Cultural and Information Centre), and Anita Belani, the co-founder and director of Emotionally, also presided over the event. 

AyurDNA aims to be the undisputed leader in the wellness and healing industry.

Vacation in the time of corona?
Sipping a glass of Pinot Noir in the South of France, eating a wood-baked pizza in Italy, or floating down a gondola in Venice sounds like the ideal vacation we all need. Unfortunately, the global pandemic has converted a leisure trip into a minefield of risk and uncertainty. Someone put it wisely—“It’s better to be safe than sorry.” To forewarn yourself of the perils of your next adventure, here are a few things to consider and keep in mind if you are planning to travel after all.

Your age: The elderly, especially those over the age of 75, and children are the ones most vulnerable to the complications of coronavirus disease.

Your medical history: Those who suffer from any respiratory or cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, etc. should reconsider travelling.

The country you will visit: As a precaution, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has warned against travel to the hot zone countries unless it is essential. Moreover, self-quarantine is mandatory for two weeks for those returning from a high-risk country, regardless of being uninfected.

Local restrictions: While special flights have resumed allowing people to travel to certain countries, travel and other restrictions can vary from state to state. Save yourself unpleasant surprises and delays by checking for restrictions and requirements at your destination and anywhere you might stop along the way. State and local health department websites are your best resource.

Packing list: Grab any medicines you may need on your trip and include essential safe-travel supplies such as cloth face masks, alcohol-based hand sanitisers (at least 60 per cent alcohol), disinfectant wipes (at least 70 per cent alcohol) for surfaces, and a thermometer.

CDC recommendations: Follow the steps recommended by the CDC while travelling to protect yourself and others when you travel:

• Maintain a distance of 6 feet (2 meters) with others, wherever possible, and avoid crowds.

• Wear a cloth face covering.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

• Cover coughs and sneezes with your elbow.

• Wash your hands often with soap or sanitiser. It’s especially important after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose.

But remember, safety comes first. If you feel sick before your planned travel, stay home except to get medical care from a doctor or hospital. It’s always better to open a bottle of wine sitting on your couch at home and eating homemade pizza rather than ending up in the hospital. 

~Dr Vijaita Syngle,
Obesity Medicine, Harvard Medical School

Shiva of sound meets Shakti of emotion
While doing healing, if guided meditation and spiritual mentoring are done in alignment with the yin-yang paradigm, transformation and healing become much faster, fuller, and deeper. This paradigm has also been called male-female energy and the coupling of Shiva with Shakti. The use of this force-multiplying paradigm is the foundation of Zubin Mistry and Meherpoonam’s healing and transformation practice: Shiva Shakti Soul Awakening Sessions and S.T.E.M. (Shamanic Trance Energy Meditation), which was started by them in 2017.

Meherpoonam started her healing journey in 1998 when she found that she could heal the emotional clutter of people naturally to help in health, relationship, financial, and career-related issues. Zubin comes from a lineage of seven generations of drummers in his family, and to further explore his interest in sound healing and other healing methods, he travelled around the world and learned shamanism, breath healing, ancient tantra practices, nada yoga, sound healing, transcendental meditation, aura healing, heart counselling, and many more such practices.

Inspired by ancient and mystic  wisdom, as well as contemporary scientific research regarding the power of sound and its therapeutic effects, Zubin began to understand that we are, ultimately, vibrational beings by nature and are constantly affected by our environment. He says, “Music is a universal language that can bridge cultural divides and bring people together in harmony and unity.”

Combining their energies, Shiva Shakti Soul Awakening Sessions and S.T.E.M. help people go into deep states of meditation through channelled sound frequencies for their healing. Shiva Shakti Soul Awakening Session is a blend of best spiritual modalities combined with the pure energy of sound to help release past traumas, stress, depression, and anxiety from one’s intracellular memory and help live in the now and manifest the future. It is a channelled process that works on all chakras, helping one find their true divine light in awareness and live in gratitude of all that is.

Their national award-winning modality entails a journey from the recognition of duality in nature within us and honouring it, to space where the realisation occurs of the non-dual represented in the image of Ardhanarishwara, who is at once Shiva and Shakti. The duo has awakened and transformed thousands of lives, guiding and healing people across the globe. During current times, when travelling is not possible, many of their followers are experiencing the change within through their online sessions.