Holistic Wellness: Exploring Ways to Wellness

Exploring Modern Ayurveda with Kaz

Sarah Gorev Season 2 Episode 7

Ancient Wisdom for Modern Life: Exploring Ayurveda with Karen Conville | Holistic Health

Discover how 5,000-year-old wisdom can transform your relationship with stress, seasonal changes, and daily rhythms. Join me for an eye-opening conversation with Karen Conville from Urban Zen about Modern Ayurveda - a profound system I knew absolutely nothing about before this chat.

What You'll Experience:

  • How Ayurveda helped Kaz navigate chronic migraines, endometriosis, and seasonal affective disorder
  • The three doshas (constitutional types) and how they influence everything from digestion to emotions
  • Simple principles like "like attracts like, opposites balance" for instant rebalancing
  • Why your evening sweet cravings might not be about food at all
  • How to work with daily energy cycles and seasonal rhythms rather than against them
  • The concept of "crimes against wisdom" - why we sabotage ourselves even when we know better

Episode Highlights:

  • Why conventional medicine left Kaz feeling unheard while one Ayurveda session understood her completely
  • How daily routines can transform your energy and wellbeing
  • The difference between eating strawberries in season vs. flown in from abroad
  • Why winter calls for rest and reflection, not pushing through
  • How to satisfy all six tastes in your meals for complete nourishment
  • The deeper meaning behind food cravings and what your body is really asking for

Timestamps: 

00:00 Introduction - What is Ayurveda anyway?
03:00 Ayurveda basics: science of life and longevity
06:00 Kaz's journey from chronic illness to ancient wisdom
10:00 The fundamental principle: like attracts like, opposites balance
13:00 "Crimes against wisdom" - why we self-sabotage
15:00 Modern Ayurveda vs ancient texts
20:00 The three doshas explained: Kapha, Pitta, Vata
24:00 Daily rhythms: when to work, eat, and rest
27:00 Seasonal living and working with natural cycles
32:00 How to discover your dosha type
35:00 Daily routine changes that transformed Kaz's life
37:00 The six tastes and complete nourishment
39:00 Why that sweet craving isn't about food
42:00 Where to learn more about modern Ayurveda

Perfect for anyone feeling out of sync with modern life, struggling with seasonal changes, curious about ancient healing systems, or seeking practical tools for understanding their own patterns and rhythms. Kaz makes this complex system beautifully accessible for complete beginners.

Links discussed in the episode:

www.karenconville.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarenConvilleUrbanZen

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/karenconville

Lots of dosha quizzes online, such as this one: https://www.joyfulbelly.com/Ayurveda/body-type/Dosha-Quiz

Emma Newlyn instagram

Ayurvedic Institute: https://ayurveda.com/ayurveda-a-brief-introduction-and-guide/

Thanks for listening.

Modern Ayerveda with Kaz

​[00:00:00] 

 What if thousands of years of ancient wisdom could help you understand why you crave certain foods when you're stressed, why you feel scattered at particular times of the day, or why you struggle with seasonal changes?

Welcome back to Exploring Ways to Wellness. Today I'm joined by Karen Conville from Urban Zen to explore modern ayurveda. And as you'll hear before this conversation, I had absolutely no idea what ayurveda actually was beyond hearing the term mentioned occasionally. what I discovered is a profound system that translates as the science of life . Kaz shares how this ancient wisdom helped her navigate chronic migraines, [00:01:00] endometriosis, and seasonal affective disorder when conventional medicine left her feeling unheard and misunderstood,

but it's not just used as medicine. You'll learn about the three doshas that influence everything from how you digest food, to how you process emotions. We'll explore how to work with daily rhythms, seasonal cycles, and beautifully simple principles. Plus Kaz reveals why that evening sweet craving might not be about food at all.

Whether you are feeling out of sync with modern life's demands, curious about ancient healing systems, or simply want practical tools for understanding your own patterns and rhythms,

this conversation offers ancient wisdom that's actually both timeless and surprisingly relevant to our contemporary [00:02:00] challenges.

Sarah: Hi. Welcome back to Exploring Ways To Wellness. I am thrilled that I have Karen Conville from Urban Zen with us today to talk to us about Modern Ayurvedic Wisdom. So welcome to the episode, Kaz. 

Kaz: Thank you. Thank you for having this chat with me and yeah, I'm excited to share.

I don't know if it's my wisdom, but it's definitely, you know, wisdom that everybody should be tapping into. 

Sarah: Fantastic. I mean, the obvious big question for me is what is ayurveda because I have no idea. I've. Heard the term banded around a little bit, but no idea where to start with that one.

So could you, uh, fill me in? 

Kaz: Yeah, absolutely. So Ayurveda is, um, you'll have heard of the Vedic texts, you know, from thousands of years ago. And yoga is the sister or [00:03:00] part of Ayurveda. So Ayurveda is all about. The soul, the body, the mind, how interconnected we are, how we're all weaves together. And it translates as the science of life or the knowledge of longevity.

It's basically wisdom. These texts describe how we can use our lifestyle, our unique makeup. 'cause we're all different. How we're all, um. Made up of the elements and how we can work with that and work with the seasons and the cycles and the rhythms and the, and the land. It's basically the nature of who we are uniquely and the wisdom as to how we can bring ourselves into a balance and live well.

Wow. So it encompasses so much. Absolutely. I mean, I've been studying this probably for about 15 years now, and it's one of those [00:04:00] subjects where the more you know, the more you realise you know nothing because everything seems new and it's a constant practice with yourself. But not to put people off looking into that because you can never really know it all.

And that's not really the point of being human, I suppose. But more to inspire and motivate you, because for me, when I found it, what it gave me was more self knowledge. And the more I understood about myself, the more I could work with that and tune in and take responsibility for me. So if they say knowledge is power.

Then knowledge about yourself is where the self-empowerment comes in, right? So having that that ayurveda being about, who we are, how we are in the world, how we can get out of balance, [00:05:00] which would cause any illness or disease or overwhelm or whatever it is. There's always some answer for you to bring yourself back into balance.

And like I said before, it's not about getting overwhelmed or getting lost in it all and thinking you've got to know it all because actually with just a few simple principles, you can apply it at any moment in your life. And it can help you become unstuck. 

Sarah: Amazing. So these principles, are they something that once you learn them, you find you follow them for your life?

Or are there certain ones that you pick and choose depending on the situation as it arises? 

Kaz: Yeah, I 

think, I think the key with with Ayurveda is it's. It's not that, it's the, these principles are anything that we don't know. And for me, I know when I found it, what really hit me here was that [00:06:00] I felt it as truth, right?

It was like finally being understood and seen. So, I mean, I was really interested in it for, for a long time, and I would just be reading books or watching things on YouTube or. Finding stuff out online. But at the time I had, you know, I was chronically ill, I had chronic migraine. I suffered really badly with endometriosis.

I'd had multiple instances of skin cancer, so there was a lot going on in my life. Wow. I, so I'd be in the conventional medical model and go looking for help and support and. Saying to multiple doctors and consultants, look, I can't be the only one that's been through this. There's got to be something that can help me.

And other than pharmaceutical intervention or surgical intervention, there wasn't really a, a lot that was [00:07:00] promoted, um, even going to, to things like migraine. You know, it can't, food can't possibly have an impact on that, or the stress or the work that you're doing can't possibly have an impact on that.

It's simply genetics or it's simply a chemical imbalance and, right. What I knew to be true was that actually there's epigenetics, you know, that's the latest. The latest science on how we can influence our genetic makeup. So there might, you might have this blueprint, but how it expresses itself is largely down to how you live your life.

Mm. And what you are consuming in mind and body. So seeking all of this, all of the answers from systems and people that w eren't aligned with the natural laws. Yes. Felt really hard. So, [00:08:00] uh, tuning into finding somebody who could help me. I did a search and there wasn't a, a lot of Ayurvedic practitioners out there.

Obviously. It's kind of a it's something that you'd find more in India, it's okay. It would originate from over that week. And trying to find something in this world was hard, but obviously there's people interested in it. Yoga's very popular. So there, there had to be someone and I eventually found someone who wa who was local, and she did this, this report for me.

I, I went and had a session with her and I'd done the online quizzes at the time. So you have something and I ayurveda called your dosha, which is your. Your makeup. Um, okay, so there's, there's three doshas and I'll talk about those in a second and I remember she sent me these recommendations and it was like she knows me. We had an hour session maybe. And I've been to all of these medical [00:09:00] practitioners and nobody understands me as much as this woman does from me answering a little quiz, telling her what's going on for me when it started, what was happening in me life at that time.

And there's something there that feels very tangible and that feels like truth to me. So. She's connected to this, this wisdom, and she can offer me some suggestions for what to do, then I'm gonna listen to that and I'm gonna give it a shot. 

Sarah: Yeah, 

Kaz: I remember for some reason, I dunno why this always sticks in my head, but I remember reading in the report, she said something about not eating night shades or, you know, like peppers and potatoes.

Really, really love them. I eat loads of those, and one of the for me, an Ayurvedic principle is the only one really that I believe you, you need to remember to have some impact in your life is like attracts like and opposites [00:10:00] balance.

If you've got some fire in you, right? Mm-hmm. You might crave things that are fiery and sharp, like a vinegar or something like that. Okay. That's what you naturally like, that's what you gravitate towards. Yeah. But actually in order to, if you've got too much fire and you're wanting to dampen that a bit and to feel a bit more balanced, you would have something opposite to that.

So you would have, instead of a pickled onion, and you would have a cucumber. So it just makes sense, doesn't it? Just that one simple thing 

Sarah: you 

Kaz: think it does? 

Sarah: Yeah. Yeah. One, one will take you on that continuous spiral and the other will bring you back to balance. I, I can see that. Amazing. 

Kaz: Yeah, so it's really simple because at any point in your life, if you, and I'd imagine the people that listen to your podcast and, and follow you are the type of people who are already quite self away and have a habit of tuning into themselves, and they're looking for some sort of way [00:11:00] to return to wholeness and to wellness.

Then quite often, you know, when you're becoming out of balance. Yeah. And if you can just stop and go, hang on a minute, what am I feeling here? And really listen to your body or your mind or what's going on. What is it that I'm feeling in this moment, and noticing where that is, and simply going with that thing of like, actually I'm feeling like my head's all over the place.

I'm feeling really scattered and unfocused. I don't know what's going on. Right. Okay. So the quality of that then. Is movement. There's a lot going on. There's too much there. There's a lot of overwhelm. The energy's up here. What's the opposite of that energy down there? What can I do to get grounded? Can I go outside?

Can I take some breaths? Can I put my feet on the earth? Can I pull that energy back down? What is it that I can do? Have I eaten yet? [00:12:00] 'cause sometimes when we're in that space we're, we're too busy and we keep going with a lot of stuff and, um, everything's very fast. How can I slow life down? So it's just a very simple phrase that really works.

Sarah: Yeah, that sounds amazing. So just taking that precious pause to appreciate what's going on and then. And then doing what, what would naturally make sense to bring you back to that place of balance? I love that. 

Kaz: Yeah. So when you were saying before about, is it like all of these principles and these wisdoms that, that you live by is that how your life goes?

The thing is, it's also about being human, which is what all of my work is. It's about remembering our humanness and our interconnectedness. And one of the, one of the sayings in [00:13:00] Ayurveda, which I love is Prajnaparadha, and it basically means crimes against wisdom because human, so sometimes you know what the right thing to do is, or what's going to make you feel better in the long run.

But you go against that. 

Sarah: Yeah. 

Kaz: Whether that's. Really need that cream cake or whether it's I should be walking away from this relationship, whatever it is, you've got that wisdom there. You know it's there, but you're choosing something different. 

Sarah: It's interesting, isn't it? Yeah. How, how we can kind of self-sabotage.

We, even where we have awareness of this isn't what is good for us. We can still choose that route. I wonder why we do that. 

Kaz: Yeah. We know that it's, it's part of our makeup as well, isn't it? It's very much tribal.

Everything's about safety and security and having that [00:14:00] tribe, having that clam, um, knowing who we are, knowing we have the support and the love of the community around us, which thousands of years ago, when this Vedic text was written, was that's the way that it was. And that's how we knew how to rely on each other and, and really honour all parts of us, all of these parts.

That express themselves at different times and in different seasons and, and all of that. And what's true now is that this is where the difference is. And with the modern Ayurveda is that we have all of these ancient texts, we have all of that wisdom that's there, that's ready to be passed down. But the world that we live in now is very different to the world that we lived in then 

Sarah: yes.

Kaz: That sense of safety and security, I believe isn't really there anymore. We're very much more consumer driven now. There's the, it's very easy to feel quite separate from [00:15:00] each other, for them to feel like there's a sense of competition that you don't belong. There's a lot of this these phenomenons around where everybody is trying to connect online.

Just desperately clinging for some sort of connection. 

Yeah. 

And even if you were to go and read these texts and you know in your heart that's true and you think, right, well, if you were talking about nutrition and you were thinking about what foods you could feed yourself. Actually, our soils aren't the same as the way thousands of years ago.

Yes. So what would've given you the nutrients or what herbs and spices you might have used then to bring yourself back into balance won't necessarily have the same impact now because everything's sprayed with glyphosate or the soil's being depleted through over farming. So modern ayurveda is how do we bring that wisdom into today's world?

Yes. [00:16:00] Where it can feel like. We're not supported by the land, but that's because of human intervention. You know, we're doing that so we can feel like we're not supported by nature. We, we forget that we are nature and actually we're, we're a living organism and we need all of this diversity and all of these uh, all of the nutrients and, and everything that's in the soil and the wisdom that was in the soil as well.

And now we don't have that. And we live a very different life where there's a lot of stress. Everyone is pushed. Basically we're in a constant state of trying to do and achieve. And it's not the way we're supposed to be. 

Sarah: Exactly. 

Kaz: So when, when we think about, going against that wisdom, the crimes against wisdom and why we do that.

I think it's because we've missed the point. Somewhere along the line we've [00:17:00] been, conditioned into thinking that our worth or our wellbeing has to be a certain way. The biggest lie that we've been fed is that we need to just, you know, go to school, go to college or university or whatever, get yourself a lot of a lot of debt.

Go and get a fantastic job. Pay a mortgage off. And then when you retire, maybe you can go and do something with your life then that's not living. 

Sarah: Yeah, and that's all external, isn't it? And we're always looking for sort of external things to provide us, but actually. Internally, as you say, we, we know more than we realise.

We know, but we, we switched off to ourselves, aren't we often in the modern world and got absolutely all those pressures to deal with. So that's really fascinating how we can draw on ancient wisdom, but bring it into the modern age and really understand, what can we draw from this?

We can assume that ancient wisdom, is something that [00:18:00] we can't relate to anymore because. It's not relevant to us anymore, but actually it sounds like it is relevant.

We can still take those sort of principles or teachings and translate them into the modern world. And that's, that's what you've found that you can do? 

Kaz: Yeah, absolutely. Because that wisdom that knowledge that's there for us hasn't changed. It's not that it's wrong or, or anything like that, it's just.

If we eat a carrot now, compared to what we would get from a carrot all of those years ago, I mean, you can get organic, you know, but, but then who can afford to eat everything organic? Yeah. So we might need extra support with that. We might need some sort of supplement. But supplements actually, and, and and there's a lot of Ayurvedic herbs and medicines out there because it's, it's nature.

She provides for us [00:19:00] what we need. She's got the antidote to everything. And there's a, there's a lot out there, but actually it's the last thing that you look at in Ayurveda, 

Sarah: oh, really? 

Kaz: It's always lifestyle that comes first. Yeah. So what's out of balance in your lifestyle? Where is it that something's not working In your environment?

Yeah. Or 

in your work or in your play. Where are you depleted somewhere. So 

Sarah: have you got any examples of where you personally have used these principles to make a change in your life? 

Kaz: Yeah, loads. So I just realised, I said before I was gonna tell you about doshas. I'll tell you about that now. Oh, yes. And then I'll tell you about how it kind of, a great way that it's, that it supports you in life.

So the doshas is, there's three main doshas and Okay. There's kapha, which is a mix of the element of earth and water. So if you imagine earth and water mixing and [00:20:00] you've got kind of that cold, muddy kind of texture it's the qualities of kind of binding, binding together. And it's it can also translate to your digestion.

Your digestion might be slow and sluggish, but also. You can feel very grounded and nurturing and like an earth mother, very steady and stable and, and easygoing. Yeah. So the, the pitta is a mix of fire and water. So that would be quite steamy or firey, like a, like a hot oil.

Okay. So those type of people might be, um, quite competitive, not always with other people. Sometimes that competitiveness can be with yourself, a strive to be doing all of the time. Always gotta be busy and focussed. You might go really hard at the gym and enjoy that. You might have inflammation in the body.

You might be quick to [00:21:00] anger. So there's, there's different qualities that weave the way through, and that's a lot about digestion how they digest things. And then there's a Vata, which is the elements of air and Ether. So they're both up here. They're very creative. You know, it's a lot about movement and how things move through us.

And, they would be the, the type of people who might tend to think a lot or overthink, okay, yeah, they've got those creative tendencies. Things might move really fast for them and they tend to feel quite cold, they might have irregularities. In the makeup. So there's different qualities that go through that.

But these qualities as well are present in just life. So the kapha, which is very much around building and bonding and things coming together is the earlier part of life. And then the pitta is like the doing part of life when you're an adult [00:22:00] and you, you're on the go and you've got your career or whatever.

And then the vata part of life would be when your, uh, things start drying out. Your body, you know? Yeah. You start slowing down a lot, um, and things tend to dry up a bit. And then it's also linked to seasons, so Okay. Kapha season would be kind of spring you think about how nature presents at that time.

It's, it's often quite damp. Outside. You've got that earth and that water mix. It feels like it's grounding, it's providing that nice fertile soil for things that are to come in the summer. So in the summer you've got the fire, so the sun and everything's kind of blooming and there's a lot going on.

There's a lot of social activity. And then you move into the autumn and the vata, and if you think about the movement and all the, the leaves falling off the trees and, and it feels like a real transition and a time of [00:23:00] change, then that's really, it Makes sense. 

Sarah: Yeah, it's absolutely amazing, isn't it?

How there's all these layers and yet at every layer it fits. Yeah. 

Kaz: And then if you take it into a day, you've got certain times of the day as well in Ayurveda. So you've got between two and six in the morning is a vata the time. So where this is moving, this is how you, how you're kind of moving things through your body, you know, your body's doing what it needs to do.

And then between six and 10 is the kapha time. So this is where you'd get up and you'd start moving through your day, and you'd, you'd be like building on what it is that you need to do. Between 10 and two is the pitta of time. So this is when you would try and have all of the chunk of your work done within that time, but also right in between 10 and two you've got midday, which is, you know, that midday sun and also the fire in your belly.

So it's the perfect time for you to eat the biggest meal of the day. [00:24:00] Okay? So it's great for digestion. And then you go back into the two to six, which is the Vata time of day, which is again, is all about, um, creative. So if you've had the hard work of the day done, this might be where you start to wind down a bit more and make that transition between that do and part of your day back to the kapha time, which starts at six, which would be when you'd be back home.

And that building and that bonding and that bond and connection is all about. Your family and how you spend that time. And then you want to be in bed ideally before 10 in Ayurveda world because it, once you get to 10 to two a day, which is the pitta time that digestion starts, but this time it's about the mind.

So, you know, sometimes you can get that second wind late at night and you start thinking a lot. So where this has made a huge impact for me is that year on year it gets better and better because I start [00:25:00] applying these principles and it's probably taken me about five years, if I'm honest, to get into a flow seasonally because I've lot, for a long time, struggled with seasonal affective disorder and winter I was a

completely different person. I used to say I'm, I'm solar powered, you know, I've got no energy at all in winter. Oh, I love 

Sarah: that. Yeah, yeah, 

Kaz: yeah. And, but rather than going with what the seasons ask of us, because we are nature and using it as a time to go within and to rest and reflect.

I would still be pushing on and trying to push through this and think, well, what's wrong with me? Why can't I do all of these things in winter that I can do in summer? 

Sarah: Yeah. 

Kaz: And actually there wasn't anything wrong with me. I was just going against the wisdom. It was like crime against the wisdom of nature.

Sarah: Yeah. That's really key, isn't it? Having that knowledge in the first place and then being able to [00:26:00] work with it rather than against it. '

Kaz: cause once you tune into that and listen to yourself and go, hang on, where am I out of balance here? Mm-hmm.

And what can I do to bring that balance in? Just that simple shift is enough for you to think, well actually, if my body's telling me that I'm really tired and I need to rest now, instead of pushing against that and going, well, I've gotta get this finished. I actually listen to it and have that rest when it is the right time and I'm going with the flow, everything's gonna work out much better than if I just keep going with this model, which we've put has been put upon us in the modern times to constantly keep going.

Yeah. 

Sarah: It's that pushing through all the time, isn't it? And just, mm-hmm. Just gotta get to the next bit. Just gotta get to the next bit. 

Kaz: Yeah. 

Sarah: Without 

those moments to just. Stop. 

Kaz: But it's so powerful. I mean, I brought that into the retreats that I do and I did, I've got the Elevation Soul Sanctuary, and it is [00:27:00] always one of the most useful things in there because we have a.

You have that basic knowledge. You know, we do a, we do a bit on it when we're away on the retreat, and then for a year afterwards, we practice actually living seasonally and living in sync with the seasons and the cycles and, and all of those rhythms, but also with our own personal rhythms, 

Sarah: right?

Kaz: So instead of looking to anybody else, you become your own best expert. You become more in tune with your intuition, and you begin to trust the nature of you and the nature of everything else.

So people have found that by doing this and just having a focus a month going through the seasons and the cycles. So now. Where in July, and it really, nature tells us this is a time for being, it's the height of summer. And if you think about what that means for like a typical person or a typical family, it would be about [00:28:00] being out there and shining and connecting and being really social and just being, yeah.

You know, in September we might be thinking about releasing because you're moving into that autumn, right after all of this heat. How do we start to bring the energy back down and flow and let things fall away? And if we just tune into how we can do that over the course of a year or the month, you know, it's particularly for women with the monthly cycles with or with the day.

You, you get that empowerment for, you know what can I do in the modern day? To connect to this ancient wisdom from our ancestors and what they knew about living in, in sync with nature. 

Sarah: Yeah, fascinating. And as you say, it makes sense, doesn't it? I mean, why would we try and sustain the fire of the [00:29:00] summer all the way through the year when actually we're cyclical beings and having that knowledge to know, well actually this is the sort of activity I need to get done when in the day. Does that make sense? When in the month, when in the year can I plan those things in to sort of take, take back control of, of my body and, and what my body is telling me would be the right time to do that.

I love that. 

Kaz: I know it's so simple as well, right?

And a lot of the people that, that tend to come to me and work with me, it's like, it's the simplest realisation for people, um, particularly women. Women, but for men too. When you get to a certain point in your life and you're like, I don't know what's wrong with me, I can't go out drinking all weekend and do me full-time job and have the kids, and sometimes by, you know, if you're thinking about my age, you could have grandchildren now as well.

And just like this used to [00:30:00] be so easy. Thinking in terms of Ayurvedic wisdom. Of course not. You're kind of coming to the end of that doing period and you just, you need to be in the being period expecting to, to still have all of those qualities of summer eternally until we die. It's crazy. 

Sarah: Yeah. 

Kaz: No wonder there's all the heat, people are menopausal and scattered and, and all of this, no wonder.

Sarah: Yeah, and I guess it's looking at the opportunities in the next season as well and, and embracing what that season has to bring you and how to get the best out of that, rather than necessarily just thinking, oh, okay, so that part of my life is gone. So. It's all downhill from here. 

Kaz: Yeah, absolutely. I love that.

[00:31:00] So that's looking at the qualities of what each each season is really. Yeah. And also there's something around there's something about if you were to do so, if you had to think about winter. And how you would be supported by that season. It's usually what you've done in the time leading up to that that affects how you are.

You know, um, it's it really is better for you the more that you can stay aligned with, you know, your true nature and nature's nature. Yeah. Yeah. 

Sarah: Then practically, how can we bring that in?

Um, so just to try these things out. Yes. Um, on an initial level, I mean, obviously you think about seasons, you think maybe eating seasonal foods, would something like that be included? 

Kaz: Yeah, absolutely. So anyone can just, you can just Google, there's loads of tests [00:32:00] online, you know, that will tell you your, um, your dosha And the thing to remember is that you quite often, you're not one, you are a mix of two or sometimes you're even a bit of all three.

So it might be that you have more of a kapha body, actually a pitta kind of personality, but actually a vata mind. You've got the creativity, but you're actually quite hard on yourself and you. And you keep striving all the time to keep doing, but actually a body can be more of a kapha type. You can do these tests online, but the important thing about working with somebody who does this or you know, reading more into it yourself, is that actually we don't work on that.

It dosha means fault, but it doesn't, it's not a fault. It's kind of where your tending to getting an imbalance. But how you can. Work with that is to look into it and to just get a simple idea of what the qualities of each, element are. Okay. And then [00:33:00] think about how they are within you, and to do it on a moment by moment basis instead of getting overwhelmed about all of the things that you might think you have to know.

Going back to the start when I said like, attracts like an opposite, brings balance. If you were to just think right in this moment, how can I do that? So there's a lot of information online if you just put in Ayurveda. Mm-hmm. I highly recommend people follow the lady who I, I trained with, who's called Emma Newlyns.

Okay. And she does, if you wanted to really deep dive, she does some online courses with modern Ayurveda. So she does three levels and, um, yeah, she's, she's amazing. But even just her posts on social media are fantastic. For just simple wisdom for what you could be eating at this time of year, things that might be really common for you.

She links it with tr traditional Chinese medicine as well, and also that functional medicine, the energy medicine that way [00:34:00] we're all using nowadays. So, yeah. So there's a lot of stuff that you can just find online, but then working one-to-one with a practitioner, you can get more of an idea around how you can support yourself and how you can make changes to your lifestyle, your environment your eating, because it can be about the time that you're eating as well, or how you are eating, if you're eating, really rushed, if you're sitting at work, eating, rushing your dinner down next to somebody who you don't particularly like.

Can have a huge impact. Wow. So simple small changes can have a massive impact on your life. 

Sarah: Yeah. You might not think about the environment you are in while you're eating or while you're doing certain tasks that, um, could have that big impact.

And do you have any, any examples of things that you. Have changed as a result of ayurveda and, and the impacts that they've had on your life? 

Kaz: Yeah. For me, uh, daily [00:35:00] routine is a, is a big one. So making sure that I'm, I'm up and I'm making the most of that early part of the day. It's a huge one for me. And again, going back to that sense of me having a bit of pitta with the, with the, in competition with myself, got no competition with anybody else, but I am really hard on myself.

So if it was coming towards the end of the day, I. Particularly when the, the kids were younger and I'd be like, right, I've gotta get stuff done. So if I was learning anything or I was studying and I'd sit and I'd be on the computer and it would go into the night, and then I've gone past that 10 o'clock window.

So now I'm very uh, I'm very in tune with when I, when I need to be going to bed. And I'm, and I always try to be in bed before 10. I mean, the odd time. Doesn't really make that much difference. Yeah. Because on the whole, then you're living more in balance. So definitely a daily routine has really helped me.

And also just that simple thing of eating seasonally [00:36:00] and things that are seasonal to us in the land where we live. Okay. Yes. You know, now we can get we can get anything any time of year because it's flown in. From other places, and that's not really supportive of, so we might think we're eating strawberries that are really good for us, but actually if they've been flown in from somewhere that we are not originally from, then they're not local or seasonal to us.

Yeah. It's not actually what our body needs. So just things like what, have a look around at what nature is naturally providing in the area that you live. I guess that's quite a nice 

Sarah: excuse to go around the local farm shops and see, uh, see what they've got on offer rather than your supermarket, as you say, with items from all around the world.

Kaz: Yeah, absolutely. So yeah, eating, eating, um, local and seasonally and organic obviously, if you can, [00:37:00] is. Has made it made a huge change, but thinking about how you can satisfy all of the tastes within what you're eating as well. So in ayurveda the six, six tastes, so you've got sweet, sour, salty stringent, pungent, and if you can try and accl include them in, in every meal, the likelihood is that you're going to be, your body's gonna get all of the nourishment that it needs.

Where now, I just had this conversation with somebody yesterday actually, which we're talking about. He is like, I'm not hungry. I am, I'm not hungry for like something healthy. But this is a habit that we've got into. Yes, I have a cup of tea and some toast and like your body's screaming at you for this nutrition.

It's saying I need some nutrients here. There's something I'm depleted in. But it would be easy for someone to say. I'm depleted in salt, so I'm gonna go and get a packet of ready salted crisps. No, no, no, no. How can you nourish yourself with what nature can give you? Because that's gonna [00:38:00] be absorbed and it's gonna satisfy your, your body and your mind, and your and your soul.

It's gonna get what it needs. So it's very much around listening to yourself. And becoming aware of when you are going against that wisdom with the prajnaparadha, those crimes against what you know to be true. 

Sarah: Yeah. Wow. That sounds really powerful. But that, it's that key piece, isn't it? About understanding yourself and understanding your needs and not just thinking, oh, I'm hungry, saying, well, my body needs some sort of nourishment.

Yeah. What is it that you craving? Should Mm, 

Kaz: yeah, I love that. So like, for me personally, a kapha thing, you know, so kaphas by nature are typically sweet people. Kapha is so, every dosha has tastes that go with it as well. So Sweet is one of the Kapha ones. So there could be a tendency to seek something [00:39:00] because like attracts like.

You want something sweet. But then if you think about the times when you are needing something sweet, so going back years when I was thinking about, right, so after tea and everything's done and the dishes I've done, I'd sit down with a cup of tea and search for something sweet. And if I just thought about it in terms of where am I missing sweetness in my life and what is it that I want at that time?

Complete shift up here. Yeah. Because actually part of me from all of the other work that we do, and the, and thinking about that, like actually a part of me, maybe the, uh, the younger part of me is wanting some sort of acknowledgement and validation for, I've just made this delicious meal for my family and done all of the dishes not being hard at work.

And I sit down and actually I really deserve that. And the sweetness that I'm wanting is a pat on the back. Wow. So 

Sarah: it's not even [00:40:00] necessarily the food. You don't necessarily need more food. You're just looking for that sensation. 

Kaz: You're looking for. Some sensation doesn't 

Sarah: necessarily have to come from a particular type of food.

Wow. 

Kaz: Yeah. Yeah, so the food and the supplements is actually the last thing that you deal with, um, is particularly if you work with somebody who, who does this kind of work, it's like. What is it underneath it all? Where, what is that quiet whisper? That wisdom with you trying to get you to acknowledge, to witness, to work with.

Where's it saying, look, there's a little bit of an imbalance here, or This isn't, this isn't the way that we should be going now. But you just keep doing and keep going on, or you, you know, you, you, you become outta sync and outta tune with your own innate wisdom. Yeah, which is the ancient wisdom that's been, it's in your DNA and it remembers the truth.

Sarah: Incredible. Oh, Kaz, I could talk to [00:41:00] you forever about this. This is absolutely fascinating. I know, and this, it's so much deeper than I was expecting. So I really appreciate you taking the time to go through it with somebody who had not got a clue and knows now. Even more so she didn't have a clue about what was involved.

I, for one, want to continue finding out, uh, more so I would, I have no doubt that some of my listeners will want to do exactly the same. How can we find out more? I mean, I'll put in the show notes some of the things you've mentioned already, but you have services you offer as well, don't you, working with clients and having retreats and things, I'd love to hear a little bit more and then we can, again, I'll put in the show notes if anyone wants to contact you or get involved.

Kaz: Yeah, so my website is karenconville.com but be warned that one of my, um, qualities. It's not [00:42:00] really dealing with websites. Fair enough. But you can get in touch with me and, um, yeah, you can work one-to-one. So, uh, we do like whole health coaching. We could, you could do that as just a one-off session or as a block so that you really get the opportunity to build on those small habits and to, to find out more about yourself.

I do retreats are in retreats and I work with a number of other modalities, which basically they all say the same thing, you know, that you have. That, uh, unlimited potential within you and you have that power and you are human. So there's a lot of, there's a lot of stuff that I do that's all interlinked and it's all about bringing more balance to your life and taking responsibility for that.

Yeah, but not in a way of it being very heavy. It's about. The humour of that and the tribe of that, because as I said before the [00:43:00] identity thing and the belonging thing is huge. Yeah. Um, and when you find this kind of work whether it is one to one or any groups or any online courses or anything that I do, you, you're likely gonna be connecting with with other people who are working on their stuff, which basically.

Stops you from trying to fix them because everybody's doing what we're supposed to be doing and returning back to that ancient wisdom, but thinking about how can we support that in ourselves and how can we support each other in these modern times? How can we be that example and how can we remember what it is to be human and to be nature at the same time?

Love it. 

Sarah: Absolutely love it. Thank you so much, Kaz. Thanks for joining us today and being so eloquent in talking us through what is clearly a very layered practice. I've really enjoyed today. Thank [00:44:00] you so much. 

Kaz: Thank you. 

 What an enlightening conversation with Kaz today. I went into this knowing virtually nothing about Ayurveda, and came away looking at everything differently from my daily rhythms to my seasonal struggles, to those evening food cravings that I've never quite understood.

The wisdom that really stays with me is that simple principle of 'like attracts like, opposites balance' such a practical tool for any moment when you're feeling out of sorts. I loved Kaz's insight about winter not being something to push through, but a natural time for reflection and rest. That completely shifted my perspective on seasonal challenges and how we can work with them.

Rather than against. I [00:45:00] keep thinking about her insight that supplements and specific foods are actually the last thing you address with Ayurveda, that it's really about lifestyle, environment, and understanding what's underneath our patterns and cravings. That evening sweetness she described wasn't about needing sugar, but needing acknowledgement and appreciation.

The concept of crimes against wisdom. Those moments when we know what's right for us, but choose differently anyway! that also felt so relatable and Kaz's emphasis that this isn't about perfection, but about becoming more attuned to our own nature. It was so wonderfully reassuring. In fact, there's something deeply comforting about a system that recognises we are nature not separate from it, and that working with our natural rhythms rather than against them isn't lazy.

It's wise. [00:46:00] If today's conversation sparked your curiosity about Ayurveda, you can find Kaz at karenconville.com where she offers one-to-one coaching, retreats and deeper explorations into this ancient wisdom. I've also included extra details in the show notes

should you want to follow up with more information on modern ayurveda Remember as Kaz so beautifully put it, you have unlimited potential within you and power to return to balance. Sometimes it just takes drawing on the wisdom that's already in your DNA. Until next time, take care of yourselves. And remember, there's many paths to wellness, and sometimes they're found in the most ancient wisdom

translated beautifully for our modern lives.

 [00:47:00] 

People on this episode