EVA DUSCH
“It’s a beautiful dance between knowing the manual of my own earthly vehicle and sticking to my self-care routines, and the nature of life that’s very fluid and moving with the ever changing currents of it. Ayurveda helps me to adjust to what life is serving me at any moment.”
After years of working as an editor and writer for different women’s lifestyle magazines, life had a different plan for Eva Dusch. It was time to water another seed to bring to fruition: Ayurveda.
What started ten years ago as a personal journey and experience with Ayurveda has developed into a new field of work for Eva as an Ayurvedic Practitioner and health educator. In 2019, she signed up for the four-year bachelor studies at the Academy of Ayurvedic Studies in Amsterdam, to fully immerse herself in this beautiful holistic health science. Additionally she’s studying Vedic Astrology (Jyotish) with her Vedic teacher in Bali. This new life and career path provides a beautiful cross-fertilisation between her studies and carrying this ancient knowledge forward through her writing and communication, while also offering one-to-one consultations and Ayurvedic diet and lifestyle advice.
As a reborn and more conscious storyteller, she writes articles on health, Ayurveda, spiritual development and other sources of harmony and wellbeing in this life. It also includes the birth of her platform and content agency Spice First, aiming to bring back the forgotten knowledge, wisdom and quality of spices. This time not only with words, but also through hosting small and intimate gatherings, workshops and dinners.
Follow Eva:
Instagram: @evadusch
Website: Spice First (Ayurveda and culinary joy)
Website: Cosmic Cocktails (Ayurveda and Jyotish)
“I always joke and say, ‘I breathe Ayurveda’ because that’s how it feels to me.”
What does Ayurveda mean to you?
Ayurveda is about living your fullest life. Not only in terms of living a long time, but the quality of everyday living. And not just for yourself, but everyone and all living beings around you. And for that purpose, it’s teaching you the language of nature, your own nature and finding your own truth in this. As my Jyotish teacher once said: “It’s better to align with nature before nature aligns with us.”
When did you discover it? How long have you been practising it?
It was in 2012 when I was fed up with suffering from daily digestive issues. I couldn’t really see why I was having these issues, because I thought I was doing so well with my big green salads and raw juices. I didn’t know better, until I was put in touch with an Ayurveda practitioner through a dear friend and yoga teacher. I had no real clue about Ayurveda and what it meant or would do for me, but just trusted this move. Before I knew it, I was learning how to make my own ghee and use spices on a daily basis. From that very first consultation and hearing about Ayurveda, something clicked as it spoke to me on a very deep level.
Ever since, I have been integrating more and more of Ayurveda into my life. I don’t recall the steps very accurately, but I do remember it was first mainly about understanding the Doshas and my own constitution and changing my diet accordingly, which already made a huge difference. Then slowly I started changing from Ayurvedic cookbooks (Jasmine’s was my very first!) and culinary sources to the more “raw material” of deeper knowledge about Prakriti and Vikriti and especially Dinacharya with the Ashtanga Hridayam and teachers like Dr. Vasant Lad and Dr. Robert Svoboda. Soon I realised that my appetite for this ancient wisdom was endless and I wanted to do more with this, not just for myself but perhaps also for others — there is this natural flow of interest, excitement and curiosity that keeps guiding me. So in 2019 I started my official four-year studies at the Academy of Ayurvedic Studies in Amsterdam to take it a step further, and it has been the best decision ever.
What drew you to Ayurveda?
I was recently listening to the Vital Veda podcast with Dylan Smith (highly recommended!) where he was talking with the renowned Ayurvedic doctor Vaidya Aditya Raju. They talked about finding and following the path of Ayurveda with full dedication even when living in a modern Western society. The Vaidya explained it as: “What is within you that made you so certain to dedicate your entire life to Ayurveda and to this kind of ancient tradition, it can’t just be you in the sense of body, mind and ego of ‘I-ness.’ It is something within that ‘I,’ in you, that is guiding you towards this direction. It’s not about where you are born but who you are, and coming into recognition of that and knowing that this is your path and your purpose.” I thought that was beautifully said and that’s also how I experience and feel it.
Has it helped you with anything major?
Yes, in the first place with my digestive issues. But slowly more and more things came into light and it turned out I was suffering from lots of Vata and Pitta complaints that I thought were just “part of my fabric,” like extreme perfectionism, stress, fear, a weak nervous system, dryness all over, disturbed sleep, etc. Sure enough, I learned more about Ayurveda and my own constitution and came to understand that all of these symptoms were clear signs of imbalance. Knowing this ancient wisdom and the daily tools and remedies to balance myself at any given moment has been a huge thing for me in finding peace within myself, mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Everything that first seemed so “random” now makes so much sense and it’s very empowering to be able to heal yourself. My digestion is almost where it needs to be. Now it still mainly comes down to taking care of and soothing my nervous system, which is a beautiful challenge.
Is Ayurveda part of your everyday life or just for your medicine cabinet or fall-back routine?
I always joke and say, “I breathe Ayurveda” because that’s how it feels to me. It’s part of my everyday life, how I experience and look at life and how I go through my day. The Dinacharya or daily routine is the backbone and foundation for all else that’s happening in and around me, so it’s very important to me. Even from an Vedic Astrology perspective — something I am studying in parallel to Ayurveda — I’ve learned that having a steady routine is very important for my health and wellbeing. Yet it was not something I had figured out straight away, but something I’ve been moulding and creating for myself step by step up until today. It’s not always easy and sometimes I still fall off the routine wagon because the “Vata winds” take me on a journey and blow me in different directions, only to pick my routine back up again some time later because it really feels like coming back home. It’s a beautiful dance between knowing the manual of my own earthly vehicle and sticking to my self-care routines, and the nature of life that’s very fluid and moving with the ever changing currents of it. Ayurveda helps me to adjust to what life is serving me at any moment.
What are your top 3 Ayurvedic tips that have worked for you?
1. Daily Abhyanga! It’s been a life-changing thing for me as a Pitta-Vata type, and my teacher always says it’s your best life insurance. Nothing feels better to me than oiling my skin every morning with warm sesame oil infused with medicated herbs, sitting in the sun for a while or doing some exercise and then taking a shower. Making yourself smoother and juicier also makes life smoother and juicier.
2. Using spices on a daily basis as food, drinks and remedies. I use them in every meal, drink CCF tea almost daily, have some fennel and cardamom in my handbag for after-lunch moments, and when I’m dealing with indigestion or other complaints, I know which spices to use for relief.
3. Living aligned with my menstrual cycle — knowing when to be active, sporty and social and when to slow down, take rest and retreat. I also adjust my diet to it by keeping it light, warm, easy to digest and slightly cleansing. It’s very important for women to do so. And through Vedic Astrology, I’ve learned that I am Cancer rising, a zodiac sign that is ruled by the moon, so for women like me it’s even more important to honor our moon cycle.
What surprised you most about Ayurveda?
It’s so earthly and practical yet it has incredible depth! What I love about it is that it teaches us that our emotional and spiritual nourishment are equally important, often even more important than what we put into our mouths, like all the right foods for our Doshas or the so-called superfoods. I’ve learned and experienced through my teachers that it’s very important to feed our spirit in order to reestablish our roots and become more “Swastha” (my favourite word in the Sanskrit dictionary). The more we feed ourselves from the inside (spiritual practice), the less we need to be fed from the outside, through our senses. So we will have less hunger for outside sources of nourishment, even food. That realisation and practice brings me a great sense of rest, peace and wholeness.
Did you integrate it gradually or overnight for any particular reason?
Even though I did radically change my diet after my first Ayurvedic consultation to heal my digestive issues, everything else went quite gradually. I first wanted to read and understand a lot (my Pitta nature) before implementing it. And it takes time to really feel into it, see what resonates, make it your own and to also establish this discipline (hello, Vata side of the coin). It’s very tempting and easy to copy-paste all of the classic principles and procedures as prescribed in the Vedic texts but the beautiful gift of Ayurveda is the growing awareness of who you are as an individual and to follow your inner nature and make this the leading force. Four years ago, when I started my official studies, marked the beginning of a new and way deeper level of integration for me, going from the more gross and practical levels (diet, exercise, sleep, yoga) into the spiritual and philosophical aspects of Ayurveda. Learning Jyotish deepens this process even more. For ten years, Ayurveda has been part of my everyday life, but I'm continuously integrating new things and moulding my life according to the Vedic principles and what’s living inside of me, because Ayurveda is a living thing. It cannot be something rigid.
What is your favourite Ayurvedic recipe or go-to ingredient?
Ghee has been a total game changer for me! And the use of CCF spices (cumin, coriander, fennel). I use them every day to support my digestion and keep the channels clear and open. I use them in my cooking, for making my own masalas (season-based or for my dominant Dosha), sprinkle toasted fennel on my breakfast and drink CCF tea almost on a daily basis, especially after lunch or when doing a kitchari cleanse. And I always carry a little pot of fennel (and cardamom) seeds in my handbag when I go out for lunch or dinner.
What do you wish was easier in our society to make an Ayurvedic lifestyle more accessible?
That it’s OK to eat early, have a proper meal and take the time for it, prefer tea above any other drink, to be in bed on time and to retreat when on your period. It doesn’t mean you are a boring person or not cool or fun enough. In this day and age it takes great courage to stand up for and follow what you need.
Do people around you/in your circle of friends know about Ayurveda?
Yes, more and more! Especially with close friends and co-students I share a lot. It took me quite a while to talk about it more openly and share things, because Ayurveda was like this “strange” thing for many and it was also very much an internal process for me. I was getting to know myself on a whole new and very deep level and it was confronting as well as exciting. Since I started my studies in 2019, I’ve been talking more openly about it, online and offline, and kind of became that “go-to-friend” for Ayurvedic tips and remedies, especially when it’s about food and spices. I often bring spices to my friends because I notice how little people actually know about them, let alone their medicinal benefits. But they are magic tools in the kitchen!
What’s the one thing you would encourage everyone to try or you think would benefit the majority of people’s health for the better?
To take care of your digestion (Agni) the best way you can because it determines the quality of your life. Ayurveda teaches this on a whole new level, which I find mind-blowing. It shows you on a general but also on a very personal level what digestion really is about, because it is not just about the food we eat, but also what comes in through our senses (and that’s a lot nowadays!) and how we transform our thoughts, feelings and emotions. The state of our gut is deeply connected to how well we digest all of life.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Ayurveda is not something you need to believe in or something that’s true or not, it’s all about learning a Darshana (view). Through what lens are you looking at yourself and life? What filters are you using? It’s a continuous process, continuous search and continuous way of being. Ayurveda is about observing yourself. Always stay the observer. It gives you the opportunity to look at a situation and take the right action.