PURAVI JOSHI
Puravi Joshi is an ex-banker turned yoga teacher and women's holistic health coach, celebrated as one of the best breathwork teachers on Instagram and one of the Top 10 South Asian Yoga Teachers to practice in London. Puravi is the Founder of community and connection inspired Mysa London, with its newest offering “The Meditation Library” launching soon. Teaching a vast variety of clients, from children to athletes, Puravi’s passion lies in bringing yoga and mindfulness to school curriculums in the UK, and will soon announce her first Children's Yoga Teacher Training this Spring.
Follow Puravi:
Instagram: @puravijoshi / @mysalondon
Website: www.puravijoshiyoga.com / www.mysalondon.com
“LEARN TO LEAN INTO YOUR INTUITION, YOUR BODY IS ALWAYS TRYING TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOU BUT WE’RE SO GOOD AT NOT LISTENING.”
WHAT DOES AYURVEDA MEAN TO YOU?
Ayurveda, to me, is this incredible ancient science that brings balance to our lives in the most natural way. It's all about learning how to calm our body's response to stress and soothe inflammation, using nothing but the goodness of nature's ingredients.
WHEN DID YOU DISCOVER IT? HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN PRACTISING IT?
Ayurveda has been weaved into my upbringing without labelling it as Ayurvedic practice, it’s part of Indian culture - tongue scraping, hair oiling, yoghurt and turmeric face and body masks, turmeric milk in the winter - as rituals passed down to me via my mother and grandma.
WHAT DREW YOU TO AYURVEDA?
Before I became a yoga teacher I worked in the Investment Banking & Hedge Fund industry for ten years, my stress was at an all-time high and Ayurveda became my go-to tool, it was turning back to these rituals and natural herbs that helped to alleviate some of the stress I was subconsciously holding on to.
HAS IT HELPED YOU WITH ANYTHING MAJOR?
I’ve suffered from migraines since I was 12, and when I was at my peak with stress my migraines became so bad I would frequently lose my eyesight during an attack. I went on an Ayurvedic retreat in Sri Lanka and it was the first time I was able to be off medication and without a migraine. I knew then that I wanted to incorporate Ayurveda more into my everyday life.
IS AYURVEDA PART OF YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE OR JUST FOR YOUR MEDICINE CABINET OR FALL-BACK ROUTINE?
I try to incorporate Ayurvedic practices into my day-to-day as much as I can, making these subtle changes such as drinking tepid water instead of ice cold make such a difference and so easy to implement.
WHAT ARE YOUR TOP 3 AYURVEDIC TIPS THAT HAVE WORKED FOR YOU?
My top 3 tips that I swear by are:
Fennel seeds in hot water after meals, it helps with digestion and I quite enjoy the taste.
Hair Oiling - I use a family recipe that has been passed down through the generations and I use it weekly to help keep my hair healthy and shiny
Tongue scraping, it’s so easy to implement and provides many benefits, including better oral hygiene, enhanced taste, reduced bad breath, better digestive health, a boost to the immune system, and a healthier-looking tongue.
WHAT SURPRISED YOU MOST ABOUT AYURVEDA?
What truly amazed me about Ayurveda was realising that many practices I've been following for years align with its principles. Delving deeper into Ayurveda and learning how to harmonise with my dosha has been an incredible journey. Discovering imbalances and understanding that lifestyle and dietary adjustments—many of which are surprisingly simple to adopt—can restore balance, has been an eye-opening experience.
DID YOU INTEGRATE IT GRADUALLY OR OVERNIGHT FOR ANY PARTICULAR REASON?
Lots of Ayurvedic practices have been integrated into my upbringing without me knowing it was Ayurveda, but Ayurveda has grown with me gradually as I've been more open to grow with it, I started to seek out Ayurveda in my early 20’s mainly to help with my migraines, but that was just an entry point into learning about how to work intuitively with Ayurveda to create balance in my body.
DO YOUR CHILDREN/FAMILY EAT AN AYURVEDIC DIET? DO THEY KNOW IT’S AYURVEDA OR DO THEY JUST THINK OF IT AS HOME COOKING?
I try to eat as much of an Ayurvedic diet as possible but just consider it home cooking. Although as a pitta dosha I tend to crave foods that are more spicy and tomato-based, things which I know I should be avoiding.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE AYURVEDIC RECIPE OR GO-TO INGREDIENT?
My favourite Ayurvedic recipie is khichari, it reminds me of childhood, it’s a simple dish of rice and lentils. It’s a nourishing dish that helps restore balance to the digestive system and it’s my go to when I’m craving something soothing and wholesome.
HOW DOES AYURVEDA FIT INTO YOUR DAY-TO DAY ROUTINES?
I implement Ayurveda into my day to day with simple things that fit into my busy lifestyle.
My non-negotiables in my day-to-day are, tongue scraping, fennel seeds in hot water after every meal for digestion and as a yoga teacher, I practice every day in the morning when it’s a bit cooler which is recommended for my dosha type.
WHAT DO YOU WISH WAS EASIER IN OUR SOCIETY TO MAKE AN AYURVEDIC LIFESTYLE MORE ACCESSIBLE?
Access at a younger age! Making mindfulness and meditation part of school curriculums, there has been a rise in focus on children's mental health, especially post Covid and implementing these practices to help young people learn about managing stress as well as self-care.
DO PEOPLE AROUND YOU/IN YOUR CIRCLE OF FRIENDS KNOW ABOUT AYURVEDA?
Yes, the majority of my friends know about Ayurveda through seeking a more holistic approach to their lifestyles and most of my friends in some way or another incorporate Ayurvedic principles into their day-to-day.
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?
Learn to lean into your intuition, your body is always trying to communicate with you but we're so good at not listening. Also learning about your dosha's and where your imbalances are and just how much food plays a part in that, when you delve into it, it all makes sense and your body finds its balance.