Absolute Serene-dipity

Not a fancy facial, not an expensive skin cream, not a fabulous hairdo; sometimes what works, is bliss. The calm within, casts a spell of glory and radiance on the skin. Spiritual cleansing, diet detox, meditation and yoga can be life-changing, making you beautiful naturally. Seeing is believing with these five women who vouch for it!

I believe in the theory that what you eat is what you are. I have been practising as a nutrition expert for more than 10 years now. I try to follow everything that I tell my patients to do. When it comes to diet, I feel one must include nuts, as they are the biggest source of proteins, especially almonds, pine nuts and pistachios. Also, one should eat a lot of vegetables and avoid fried food, meat and dairy products. I like to catch-up on my sleep, and I don’t go out much. I use Vitamin C serum for my hair, and let my skin breathe.

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I have been meditating for more than 10 years. I don’t have a very strict routine, but there are a few things that I do every day to stay fit. I begin my mornings by drinking lots of water infused with cucumber and lemon, which makes the water alkaline. I am a vegetarian and I have a wholegrain organic diet with brown rice and amaranth. I try to include as many vegetables as possible in all my meals. I keep my makeup minimal.

I have been practising yoga for 18 years now. With years of figuring out what the human body wants, I’ve realised that the secret lies in balancing different energies. The human mind and body is a combination of hard and soft. If you exercise less or more, you age faster, so one has to be judicious. I teach yoga five days a week. I don’t use commercial SPFs. I use a natural one made in India. I have stopped using artificial deodorants because they clog the lymph glands.

I practise sãdhana every day for three hours in the morning, which is my me-time. I don’t allow my mind to think about work or anything that can be distracting. I have been practising meditation for 25 years, and my mantra is to focus on the good things in life which keep me happy. I swim every day and I detox with steam and sauna. I like to keep my makeup natural and use an Ayurvedic oil on my face.

Almost 13 years ago, I had my first child and that’s when my life changed drastically. I had developed acute pain in my left shoulder due to stress, and to cure that I started yoga. That’s how my intense journey began and now I teach others. I went to Rishikesh in 2007, to attend the International Yoga Festival, and that’s where I learnt Kundalini yoga that opens up your chakras. Over the years, I have understood that one has to systematically channelise energies within, to stay fit. I am not rigid about food, but I try to eat a lot of raw veggies till noon. I don’t overdo anything, because it affects your body adversely. Also, I try and take out time for myself every day to connect with my inner self. When I go out I just wear an SPF moisturiser and kajal as I am not a big fan of caking up.

Hair and makeup by: Aakriti Kochar, Beauty and Makeup Expert, Oriflame India. Fashion assistants: Garima Gupta and Devica Sharma. Location courtesy: GreenR café, Nimai, Shahpur Jat, New Delhi.

Photographs by Sagar Ahuja.

From the July 2016 issue of L’Officiel India.