RACHEL COX
BIO: Rachel Cox is the founder and creator of Om and Bass festival. Om and Bass is a festival that draws upon the discipline of traditional yoga and combines it with modern music. The festival prides itself on being zero waste, single-use plastic-free, plant-based, and cruelty-free with 150 expert-led workshops. Rachel is both a qualified yoga and dance teacher with a background in freestyle and hip-hop dance.
Follow Rachel:
Website: Om and Bass
Instagram: @omandbass
“Ayurveda is so vast yet there's so much for everyone.”
What does Ayurveda mean to you?
Ayurveda means healing and health. It is an incredibly holistic and integrative form of being well in relation to nature and ancient practices.
When did you discover it? How long have you been practising it?
I heard about it 15 years ago when I was learning to be a yoga teacher in India. Then, around 8 years my mum got diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and was subsequently disabled because of it. I was incredibly depressed and unsure of what to do to help us both. We both looked into Ayurveda; the rest is history.
What drew you to Ayurveda?
My mum is homoeopathic and has always been a natural healer and we didn’t want to go down the medical path to heal her Rheumatoid Arthritis. She was offered cancer drugs for her condition and we thought there has got to be something else that can help - and that’s where Ayurveda came in.
Has it helped you with anything major?
My mum first of all as it completely transformed her life. After I was diagnosed with several mental health diseases, I went to India and they gave me the full Panchakarma treatment. After having the treatment, I came off my medicine and it also helped with my gut health issues. I have also found the diet is incredibly helpful in itself and I have gone back to India twice to top up and I will go again in three years’ time.
Is Ayurveda part of your everyday life or just for your medicine cabinet or fall-back routine?
Ayurveda is part of how I choose to eat and operate in my life, aggravating Vata is something I have to be incredibly aware of, so if I travel I look after myself before and after. I rarely have cold drinks, sugary drinks or processed food. I don't eat any raw food and it’s just a part of my everyday life.
What are your top 3 Ayurvedic tips that have worked for you?
1 - Drinking hot drinks.
2- Only eating cooked foods predominantly with root vegetables and spices, and stepping away from any raw or processed foods.
3 - Taking the right movement or exercises - such as Tai chi, qigong and yoga.
What surprised you most about Ayurveda?
What surprised me the most was how powerful the intention is in terms of your healing and when they make ayurvedic medicine. They make it with prayer and intention - beyond being intangible, which the Western mind doesn't grasp.
Did you integrate it gradually or overnight for any particular reason?
I integrated it overnight, it was too undeniable to mess around with in my eyes. Also learning about biodynamic foods which take into account 8,000 years of wisdom, along with moonlight and organic as key points of its method changed my whole perspective too.
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?
100% they eat an ayurvedic diet, the main thing they eat is a mung bean dal. I live with my mum and we both eat a mono diet to reduce inflammation. We eat a mung bean dal at least once a day.
What is your favourite Ayurvedic recipe or go-to ingredient?
It has to be the mung bean dal, with a blend of trikatu spices.
How does Ayurveda fit into your day-to-day routines?
I have beef bone broth every morning, it is something my doctor said I needed to have and I did. It is the first thing I put into my stomach every morning.
What do you wish was easier in our society to make an Ayurvedic lifestyle more accessible?
Awareness. If people knew how easy and quick it was to make ayurvedic recipes, such as daal and broth, or even a 10-minute breath practice it could change so much.
Do people around you/in your circle of friends know about Ayurveda?
Yes, my mum, sister and friends - everyone I know, knows about Ayurveda.
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?
Diet is everything. Sleep hygiene is everything. Having those two sorts out so much. Ayurveda is so vast yet there's so much for everyone. Once you take the dosha test it allows you to understand so much about how you feel.
Anything else you’d like to add?
That we need to slow down in our everyday lives. Also, for anyone Pitta/Vata who struggles with being hot-headed and stressed, the best Ayurvedic medicine is laughter if you want to counteract it.