Rima Shah: Introduction to Ayurveda

Wellness and Holistic measures have interested many people before us, and has continued to grow in popularity ever since. Ayurveda goes beyond a basic trend—it is a way of life. It is taught and learned through years of experience and consistent personal application. Many individuals looking to relieve stress, connect better with themselves and others, and be more open to learning the interconnectedness that is in all of us, look to Ayurveda for their answers and guided knowledge.  

Rima Shah has been studying Ayurveda from a young age, and has dedicated her life to teaching others and supplying them with the necessary information needed to promote a more connected world. Not only is she an instructor at the Institute of Beauty and Wellness in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but an individual who lives and breathes Ayurveda. We wanted to reach out to her for her knowledge and understandings to better connect with new or returning members of the Ayurveda community.  

Click on the video to watch the full interview with Rima Shah as she dives into the foundational principles of Ayurveda.  

Q: What is Your Name, Education, and Background? 

I am Rima Shah and I am a Ayurvedic practitioner, I am a yoga teacher, meditation teacher, herbalist, and aroma therapist. I am a Northwestern University graduate, I also went to holistic periphery school, and I have done a lot of trainings in natural wellness. I always say that my intro to Ayurveda started with my grandparents because Ayurveda is a living wisdom kept alive. So, my family has taught me immensely and my love for Ayurveda really started at a young age.  

Q: What is Ayurveda, How Would You Describe It? 

Ayurveda, the tagline is, is that it is 6,000 years old. But we can really say that Ayurveda is as old as the cosmos itself. Because when the cosmos, whether we look at it through a scientific lens like the big bang theory, or we look at it more at a consciousness level, we need to figure out the story of creation. The story of creation is really the fact that we are all part of the elements.  

The five elements that exist outside of us and within us, those elements exist, and that is why we are in harmony with the universe that we live in. It is a medicine that uses ancient wisdom for everyday living.  

Q: What is the History of Ayurveda? Where did it Start? 

It really started in the Indian subcontinent. The Himalayas is a very spiritual region, some say it is the spiritual cradle of the universe. It is really said that 6,000 years ago it was the time of truth. The sages, and the rishis which are ancient sages, really meditated, basically all day long and they downloaded this incredible wisdom from the cosmos through meditation.  

What came about is creating a science that is actually a complete medical system that incorporates all holistic aspects and it has been written down. Ayurveda is part of the oldest scriptures on the planet which is known as the Vedas, that is considered a subtext to those ancient scriptures.  

Q: How did You Get started with Ayurvedic Practices?  

My mom’s family is Hindu, and my dad’s family is Jain, which is actually a religion. All eastern religions intertwine all of these Vedic knowledges. Ayurveda is not religious, it is spiritual science, but because everything in that region of India was intertwined, everyone followed the same practices. I grew up with this stuff.  

My earliest memory is meditating for hours and hours at the age of three with my grandparents, doing rituals all day long. I remember my mother constantly in the kitchen really using the medicines of our culture to feed us and to nurture us. My parents and my grandparents are a huge aspect. Anytime you go to India, you would relate to the philosophies of Ayurveda because it is just part of the culture.  

Tell us Your Experience at the Institute of Beauty and Wellness and being an Ayurvedic Instructor: 

I want to bring up that I actually taught at several institutions before here. I taught at and was one of the founding faculty members of Kanyakumari Yoga and Ayurveda which was a full Ayurveda school with a yoga teacher training too. Then, I taught at the Bhavana Institute of Yoga and Ayurveda in Illinois and I have held workshops all over the Midwest and all over the country.  

I came to this program, this is my eighth program, and we were actually part of an Ayurveda summit that Susan Haise got together so that we can talk about how we wanted to create this program. From the beginning step, the first step was really Susan asking people in the field, ‘how can we create something to reach a broader audience?’. One thing that I feel so happy about with this program is that we attract a diverse body of students. Many of them are young, but actually I have had older students, and the integration of having it be an Ayurveda Esthetics program, it is the only one in the country like this. I am very proud of the program because I think it is allowing Ayurveda out into the world in a more accessible way.  

The students are so willing and wanting to learn the language of Ayurveda because people are desperate to know about wellness. I feel like it's just really wonderful to spend some time with an 18-year-old or a 22-year-old and really see them transform. I tell them on day one, this is way more than just a normal program, this requires personal transformation. Everybody, no matter what they get out of the program, they better their lives.  

That is a wonderful thing to see, and then pairing it with the esthetician part of the program, they go out and get jobs, and they're changing the face of spas across the city and state and it is really amazing to see. I keep in touch with past graduates and it is so great to see where they are going. One person is in sun prairie and she is doing Abhyangas and Shirodhara consultations, another student just reached out to me and she just got a job in downtown Milwaukee doing Abhyanga and consultations. I mean that really says a lot, so it is wonderful!   

Q: How do You Suggest People Take Steps Toward Implementing an Ayurvedic Lifestyle? 

Great question. I feel like anyone can come in and sign up for a service. We are a country that is overworked, we are constantly striving for time, even though the catchphrase “work life balance” has been around for a long time, I think it is really hard to integrate. The fact that someone would sign up for an Abhyanga, which is a full body oil treatment, or a Shirodhara, where you get a continuous stream of oil poured over your third eye and it flows down your head. These are very luxurious treatments, they're extremely healing, and what it does it really allows people to get into that parasympathetic state where they can rest and digest their lives. So, treatments are an amazing first step.  

Signing up for a consultation too, you get to know who you are according to the cosmos. You have language to who you are, what triggers you, how you deal with stress, what is your digestion like. When you know those pieces, you cannot help but realize that you will be able to use your intuition more, and picking things in your life that are going to work for you.  

Click the link above to watch the full video on Rima’s insights to Ayurvedic practices and how they can be applied into your daily routine.