I can vividly remember my early learning years with Dr Liladhar Gupta back in India. The days were hot and dry, filled with sunshine and an unquenchable eagerness to learn the secrets of Ayurveda—the hidden knowledge I felt was not available at school. In this quaint little village of Vrindavan where I lived, scents of incense and spices from every home and street stall permeated the environment. Bells, chants and shouts blended at every corner, along with food and clothes of every colour, a hard-to-escape sensory stimulation as I daily walked the village’s narrow streets. Every morning with a spring in my step, I enthusiastically headed  to my mentor’s clinic on Old Market Road, from where we would drive to the treatment centre for morning sessions.

I distinctively recall one of the first mantras from the classic Sanskrit texts that Liladhar intoned and taught me: ayuh kamayamanena dharmarthasukha sadhanam ayurvedopadesesu vidheyah paramadarah, “Those who want to live a long life, to successfully accomplish meaningful purposes and to be wealthy and happy should hear and apply the teachings of Ayurveda with great care and attention.”
“The knowledge of Ayurveda is perhaps one of the most valuable there is,” Liladhar would remark. “Those who honour it can realize and integrate the sacred wisdom of this tradition in their life, which is key to successful living in every way.” “Health is wealth,” we say today. This Sanskrit mantra implies that Ayurveda shows us how to tap into our potential and increase it exponentially, so we can attain not only longevity but a healthy and prosperous life.

For the past ten years, I’ve deeply appreciated every teaching on Ayurveda that I received from Dr Liladhar Gupta. Whilst following these hasn’t always been easy, I’ve found that it has given me a deep and solid sense of how to navigate today’s challenges with strength and security. I’ve observed that even if we employ a minimum of Ayurveda in our everyday life, it goes a long way in creating positive transformation in our health and personal wellbeing.