Archive by Author

My apprenticeship, India

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 […]

June Update and Latest News

This Saturday, 15th June, we are offering a free taster yoga day at the Universal Yoga centre in Camerton near Bath. Everyone is welcomed. The day starts with a yoga class at 9:30am followed by a healthy Ayurvedic lunch at midday. Renowned coach and astrologer Dr Michael Geary will then be giving a talk from […]

Our spring friend: the artichoke

There is no vegetable I find as useful as the artichoke for internal cleansing purposes. Well prepared, the artichoke can be a truly therapeutic dish. I’ve loved it since childhood, when my mother used to prepare it as soon as spring arrived. She would cook it in many different ways, all delicious and tasty. Not […]

Licorice- Boost your immunity

Licorice (Glycyrrhyza Glabra) Yastimadhu Licorice is the sweet root of a plant that has been used for thousands of years as food and medicine. It is an outstanding gift of nature given the plentiful medicinal properties it has. Many ancient civilizations including the Indians, Chinese, Greeks and Egyptians used licorice for its powerful healing effects […]

Is there time for health?

The year is drawing to an end. Whilst I reflect on its highlights, it stands out to me how fast it has gone by. It seems like yesterday that 2012 began. Interestingly everyone that I’ve spoken to has had a similar experience. A friend of mine recently mused whether time’s quality has changed, the minutes […]

December Update

It has been many busy months of preparing for the website launch. It is therefore with great pleasure and joy that I can now announce we are live! This autumn is turning out to be quite remarkable. In October we had the lovely couple from “music of yoga”, Sudevi and Kishori Mohan, visit Shekina Ashram […]

Is there any evidence for Ayurvedic medicine?

You may have this question about the safety and efficacy of Ayurvedic medicines if you are interested in trying these out, or you may just want to know where Ayurveda stands on this matter. Ayurveda is a systematic, scholarly tradition with time-tested medical protocols. Its appearance on this side of the globe, however, is rather […]

Vital meditation

Breathing, relaxing and letting go

There is nothing like some time away from home, under the sun, feeling the warmth and fresh breeze coming from the sea. I sit and contemplate the wonderful retreat I’ve had, and I can’t help but wonder how it is that life back at home becomes so stressful. Bath is a lovely city, a beautiful […]

To drink or not to drink… Milk

I know these days deciding whether or not drink milk can be a difficult choice to make. We are surrounded by many positive and negative arguments. These can leave us confused, wondering whether to happily pick the white bottle or carton out of the fridge, promptly abandon the habit and find a replacement, or fluctuate […]

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis) Kumari Aloe Vera is a fascinating plant with many healing properties. It is also an Ayurvedic remedy widely available in the UK, and is therefore ideal as the first plant in this monthly series. Aloe Vera is a very short-stemmed plant that grows up to 100 cm tall. It has thick […]