A Home Designed for Wellness

“Your home should be yogic,” were one of the last words he told me. I thought about this over the years and I think the energy from your practice distributes in your home. Over the years I did up my flat consciously with awareness and for inner growth.

I did up my small flat to be the perfect little home for the family. Marble Urlis surrounded my home and a large vase lotus flower with tuberoses that were always filled. I bought furniture from Jaipur for the girls’ room and got it painted white so it looked fresh and bright, mirrors and dressing tables and a Jula an Indian Swing that had all their toys on.

I brought all their soft toys from London, the soft quality ones that they will carry them through their lifetime. I often saw them hugging them and night. Kisses were the pink rabbit, huggers were the pale blue elephant, Huggies was the mother pale blue elephant. It looked so beautiful in their room. I put large silk flowers roses on the blinds and painted the room an off white. Bought rattan furniture locally and painted it white to make bookshelves and painted a small part of the wall black for a blackboard. It looked like a sophisticated girls room. They had a large pink bespoke cloth fairy tent with intricate detail that I bought in London. Inside they had wooden furniture, a cooker, all the wooden foods, pans pots. Was I reliving my ideal childhood again? Is that what we do. I made a four-poster bed in my room and put a lovely local viole on. I bought lots of baskets for storage. I love baskets. I remember my mum telling me she loves them as well, for magazines, in the bathroom, bottles, and fruits. I bought yellow orchid flowered fabric for my blinds. We already had a wooden floor so the place had some warmth. My home had a soul and I think somewhat kept me attached to being in Pune even after guruji’s passing. I think it kept me grounded and at peace.

I had a large varnished tree stump for a table I put the glass on it, a perfect workplace for me to write in my room. I love colours in a house and flowers. We put bright orange magnolias in our large ornate silver bowls, which my youngest daughter and I would put together and fish out the caterpillars that we would find. She was thrilled to find them and we would design the large lotus shaped marble urns in yellow and orange designs of magnolias. These always felt fresh, alive and yogic. I was attracted to using green and someone told me it was the colour of the heart. I had a wall painted pale green and cushions of my living room were green and auberge with acted with silver leaf woven on.

My study was a large wall of green-leaved paper that I got from Bali and. My side table lamps were barks of trees. It had an organic earthy feel. Buy all our bedside tables were a and simply designed copper tray, copper jug and glasses, copper changes the quality of the water, keeps the water fresh for many more hours than glass and at the correct temperature to digest as well as many other health benefits. My home always had aromatherapy burning in a turquoise ceramic burner I bought, the smell of jasmine, Rosemary, yang a Lang or Rose. Smells change your chakras and therefore shift, open, quieten or balance different energy. I took a photo of him so I remember that Image always but misplaced the hard copy. The photo will always be with me. I think that is the point also of taking photos, who really print them now or puts them in albums. Just the act of taking the photo is a re-enforcement of the image. Just taking notes, we remember that much more. Harmony, cleanliness and peace were important factors for me.

– Extract From My Book: ‘A Love Letter to My Guru’