Wholehearted Healing
A gentle path to health and emotional balance
By The Team at Plantation Villa
Reading time: 4 minutes
When life gets noisy, busy and a little overwhelming, our bodies and minds start sending signals. A tight chest, an aching back, scattered thoughts, or waves of emotion — we’ve all been there. But rather than just treating symptoms, what if we could listen to what our whole being is really asking for? Traditions like yoga therapy (inspired by T.K.V. Desikachar), Ayurveda, and Buddhist wisdom invite us to slow down, tune in and take a more compassionate, holistic approach to wellbeing, one that honours both body and soul. If you find slowing down is difficult, why don’t we take a look at nature and reflect: does nature ever rush itself? When Mother Nature works fast, she is destructive…like a storm or a tsunami.
Yoga Therapy: Meeting you where you are
T.K.V. Desikachar, a pioneer in yoga therapy and son of the great Krishnamacharya, believed that yoga should meet you exactly where you are. His approach was not about fitting yourself into a perfect pose, but about shaping the practice to fit your life, your body and your emotions. Yoga that listens. Through tailored movement, breathwork, chanting and meditation, yoga therapy gently restores balance and harmony. Desikachar emphasised the power of breath to shift not just physical tension, but emotional stuckness too. A few slow, conscious breaths can work wonders, quieting anxiety, softening grief, or simply bringing you back to yourself after a hectic day. At the end of the day, no one can do the breathwork for you; you must believe in your innate power!
Ayurveda: Living in harmony with nature
Ayurveda, yoga’s ancient sister science, reminds us that we are not separate from nature — we are nature. This beautiful system teaches us that health is all about harmony: with our unique constitution (dosha), with the seasons and with the rhythms of day and night. Feeling off-kilter? Ayurveda might suggest a warm oil massage (abhyanga), a calming cup of spiced milk, or just getting to bed a little earlier. It is full of small, loving practices that help us reset. Emotionally, it understands that feelings, like food, need to be digested properly. Ignored emotions can build up and cause imbalance, but gentle, daily routines and awareness help clear what we no longer need.
Buddhism: the wisdom of self-awareness
From the Buddhist tradition, we learn the power of simply paying attention with kindness. Mindfulness teaches us to be present with what’s here, without needing to fix or change it right away. Whether it is a tight shoulder or a racing heart, noticing with compassion already begins the healing.
This awareness also gives us space to pause before reacting. By cultivating a broader perspective, we can see things more clearly, responding with wisdom rather than instinct or emotion. It is not always the unpleasant experience itself that causes suffering, but often our reaction to it. When we understand this, we begin to loosen the grip of discomfort and meet life with greater ease.
Practices like loving-kindness meditation (metta) help us soften towards ourselves and others. When life feels rough around the edges, this tenderness can be a balm. Combined with yoga and Ayurveda, mindfulness weaves it all together — movement, breath, diet, and emotions — into a grounded, loving awareness of what it means to be whole.
It all belongs
Healing does not have to be hard. Sometimes it is a gentle stretch, a mindful exhale, a warm meal, or simply sitting with how we feel. These traditions remind us that every part of us — body, mind, breath and heart — deserves care.
When we embrace a holistic path, we don’t just ‘get better’ — we come home to ourselves. And from that place, everything starts to shift.
For more information visit: www.plantationvilla.com
Om Magazine
First published in November 2009, OM Yoga magazine has become the most popular yoga title in the UK. Available from all major supermarkets, independents and newsstands across the UK. Also available on all digital platforms.
