EMILIE BERGER
“It felt like all the pieces of the puzzles of my life and my health came together in a meaningful, logical way, and that finally, I had effective and appropriate tools to take care of my unique health challenges. ”
BIO: Emilie is the Ayurvedic Health Counsellor, Yoga & Breath-work Teacher and Aromatherapist behind The Holistic Initiative, a company that helps women thrive in their personal and professional lives.
Emilie advocates Radical Health by offering a truly holistic approach that involves body, mind and soul. She guides her clients on a personal journey of unconditional self-love, acceptance and a state of physical and mental well-being they have never experienced before.
She is unapologetic and relentless when it comes to supporting women to claim the life and wellness they deserve.
Emilie is anchored in the lineage of Dr Vasant Lad, having studied with him and his students, including Kara Aubin, Kathryn Templeton, Ali Cramer and others.
Follow Emilie:
Website: The Holistic Initiative
Instagram: @theholisticinitiative
Facebook: The Holistic Initiative
“I don’t think about fitting Ayurveda into my routine, I think of it as my routine, as my lifestyle.”
What does Ayurveda mean to you?
Ayurveda means a peaceful, loving relationship with myself. It means committing to honouring the truest, most sincere Me in the world. It also means taking care of my body, my vessel, in the best possible way, so I can continue to show up for others around me.
When did you discover it? How long have you been practising it?
I discovered Ayurveda in 2015 during my Yoga teacher training. My mind was blown! It felt like all the pieces of the puzzles of my life and my health came together in a meaningful, logical way, and that finally, I had effective and appropriate tools to take care of my unique health challenges. From then on, I dove deep into study and exploration, then finally trained as an Ayurvedic Yoga Specialist, and then Ayurvedic Health Counselor in 2019.
What drew you to Ayurveda?
The practicality of it, and the connection I was encouraged to build with nature and natural rhythms. A lot of tools in the wellness world can be abstract, but Ayurveda is concrete and relevant: get up at this time, use this type of oil on your body, cook with these spices, etc. You see immediate changes because you are given concrete ways to take action and do things that serve you, rather than harm you.
Has it helped you with anything major?
Yes! My nervous system has always been very sensitive, and in addition to that, I had made lifestyle and food choices for a long time that were very triggering and aggravating. There’s been a definite feeling of groundedness, anchor and reliability I have felt for a while now when thinking of my body and mind. The tools I use are curative and they are also preventative. I still get out of whack with fear, worry and anxiety, but it doesn’t take me into the deep end anymore, the pendulum swing is much less intense than it used to be.
What are your top 3 Ayurvedic tips that have worked for you?
Tongue scraping first thing in the morning is my absolute favourite way to start the day
Eating a warm, nourishing meal at noon, making dinner a lighter meal
Nasya and Abhyanga… give me all the oil!
What surprised you most about Ayurveda?
That you continue learning, deepening your understanding, and seeing more nuance every single day, every single season if you show up with curiosity. That you only need to know what you know now, be grateful that you do, and then enjoy the lifelong process of continuing to learn more. I’m so excited for the next 40 years of my life!
Do your children/family eat an Ayurvedic diet? And if they do, do they know it’s Ayurveda or do they just think of it as home cooking?
Right now, my husband and I are busy city dwellers, and I am in charge of most of our meals, so it’s one-pot Ayurvedic meals all the way! That is also what I love about Ayurvedic cooking, which is that it is incredibly accessible, both financially and logistically.
What is your favourite Ayurvedic recipe or go-to ingredient?
Ghee had changed my life! Can we talk about how amazingly delicious and nourishing ghee is? I love making a fresh batch when I run low, I love the smell, the texture, and the incredible loving vibrations ghee has… It really is a love story! I don’t think I could eat or cook without ghee anymore.
How does Ayurveda fit into your day-to-day routines?
The truth is, I don’t think about fitting Ayurveda into my routine, I think of it as my routine, as my lifestyle. It’s not something extra I am adding to my day, it’s become how I live my day and my life. I see everything around me through the lens of Ayurveda, through the lens of the gunas, and I feel connected to a rhythm that supports me. The biggest thing for me is really to tune into the weather, my schedule, and how I feel, and to see what is present and how I want to balance and adjust so I can stay joyful and grounded, and continue to lean towards Sattva.
What do you wish was easier in our society to make an Ayurvedic lifestyle more accessible?
I really, truly feel that living an Ayurvedic lifestyle is accessible, that it’s actually easier than our current experience. What often gets in the way is mostly a desire for change or lack of: we’ve been used to the way things are for so long, we’ve convinced ourselves it’s not that bad, change can feel like a big task, we may not have the support system we would want, we take the path of least resistance, which is to stay where we are and keep doing what we’re doing. We need to know we can access a different level of wellness, that there is more available to us, in order to even want to go for it in the first place. So maybe what I wish was different is that we could easily connect to that deep inner knowing that tells us we deserve the absolute freaking best life experience!
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?
In my opinion, what would make the biggest difference in today’s world, in western societies, is to eat less processed and packaged food. It’s challenging. Most of us live busy lives and cut corners as far as food is concerned. It’s what we would need to prioritize the most, and what goes down the drain first when life gets the best of us. I guarantee that if you could have lunch be a nourishing, stewy, spicy delicious meal every day, your life, mood and body would feel very different.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Start small. Implement one thing. You don’t need to do it all, actually, this will be the reason why you don’t follow through. Start by scraping your tongue in the morning. Eat less junk food, one day at a time, and see how it impacts your digestion and your mood. Find a breathwork practice that brings you into balance. Ask for help, and work with an Ayurvedic counsellor. Just keep coming back, adding one thing at a time, and have fun with the process.