I remember, for the very first time when I visited a Yoga Shala, the room was all full of fit, beautifully muscular, energetic people. The vibe of the room was very different & high from any environment I had ever been in. Each one of them looked fresh, happy, radiant & beautiful souls inside-out. I felt like becoming a part of this radiant community instantly. That energy just clicked! This is my very first memory of observing people who dedicatedly practice yoga & live a simple life rooted in Ayurveda.
As I delved deeper into yoga & studied about legendary yoga gurus, there were so many hidden esoteric practices that I came across, that are meant to keep body & mind in its best shape, muscular structure strong, skin glowing with inner radiance, nervous system calm like a calm sea, hormones balanced, digestion strong & steady, body internally clean & thoughts crystal clear! Probably that reflects a state of inner balance & calm that Yogis redirect towards their practice to build on, & that makes the yogis age really slow! Yogis surely age differently!
Ancient yogic texts give a one-liner ultimate definition of yoga that translates everything in 4 words about aging gracefully.
योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः
Yoga Chitta Vritti Nirodha
This means yoga causes the cessation of fluctuations of the mind. Today, science is proving the fact that how our disturbed nervous system, causes fluctuations, disturbances in the mind. A disturbed mind creates psychosomatic health conditions in the body lowering our immunity, weakening our inner defense mechanism & directly impacting our Ojas - the inner radiance factor. So, in many cases when people turn to me asking for solution for their dull skin, sensitive skin or chronic skin conditions, I do recommend them Svarasya products that can be soothing for their skin, however, I also guide them on shifting focus on strengthening their immunity & learning to calm the nervous system, as the root of the problem lies there.
In modern approach to beauty, we look at things very superficially, just at the layer of the skin. However, there are gaps often missed in western modern beauty culture that Yoga & ayurveda deeply emphasize on, which is a reminder that healthy aging embraces physical, mental, emotional and spiritual components.
This write-up is an effort to underpin a fresh perspective on aging rooted in Yoga & Ayurveda. In Yoga and Ayurveda, beauty is never separated from consciousness. Your radiance is the reflection of how you breathe, rest, nourish, think, and live. To age like a yogi is to age with awareness, softness, and tied in the discipline of daily rituals.
So, what does it mean to age like a Yogi?
You Live in Your Body, Not Outside it!
Yogis do not outsource their beauty. They listen to their body’s inner language, tension, dryness, heaviness, dullness and in the moment respond to these inconveniences of the body & mind through mindful breath, movement, and nourishment. The body becomes a sacred home, not an entity to be handed over to the third party for fixing imbalances.
You Age at the Rhythm of Nature, Therefor Focusing on Culture Does not Count in Yogic Understanding of Aging!
Modern beauty culture is obsessed with speed, fast anti-aging solutions, fast routines, fast fixes. But yogic aging is slow, rhythmic, and cyclical. To slow down aging, yogis follow the principles of nature & adjust accordingly, they honor the hormonal phases and slow down or pick-up pace according to the monthly cycle phases, they soften & deeply honor the lunar shifts & they map their routines to their dosha type.
You Treat Aging as a Spiritual Practice, Physical Body Becomes the Vehicle to Nourish the Soul
Yogis know that wrinkles are lines of expression, the less you react to outer environment, the more you stay away from wrinkles. Yoga teaches the tools to create that inner strength from within. Yogis know skin changes are signals of inner transition, and on the onset of any skin conditions, they know it's time to adjust diet, lifestyle & relook at the body imbalances building up. For Yogis, slowing down serves as a beauty therapy as the nervous system slows down, the energy that nourishes our skin frees up and supplies nutrition, blood & oxygen to the skin that makes us glow internally.
Deep Yogic Understanding of Aging
The three terms in Yoga & Ayurveda that are at the root of youth & beauty are 'Prana', 'Ojas' & 'Sattva'. Prana that enters the body through our breath is the root to cultivating timeless beauty. When prana flows freely, skin stays bright, mind stays clear, and the tissues stay nourished. Shallow breath ages the face rapidly. Deep, diaphragmatic breaths keep the rasa (fluids) circulating and lifts the natural glow. Ojas is the essence of all dhatus (tissues). It is the subtle glow behind clear eyes, soft skin, calm presence and stable energy. Your ojas builds when you rest, nourish, oil, and love yourself. You deplete ojas when you overwork, overstimulate, and rush through life. Sattva is the state of deep inner stillness that creates beauty by slowing down each & every part of the body thus preserving energy. A sattvic mind expresses itself through relaxed facial muscles, soft eyes, and a peaceful presence. To 'age like a yogi' is to cultivate sattva, clarity, gentleness, compassion, stability.
Ayurvedic Wisdom for Yogic Aging
Oiling - Oil is the antidote to aging. Vata, the drying energy increases with age. Dryness, fine lines, thinning skin, stiffness, are all signs of rising vata. Daily Abhyanga with warm oil is Ayurveda’s most potent anti-aging ritual. It nourishes the tissues, balances the nervous system, improves circulation, and slows cellular degeneration.
Svarasya products that you can use for grounding and rejuvenating:
- Kumkumadi Kesara Serum for enhancing glow & fading pigmentation
- Shata Dhauta Ghrita for deep nourishment & cooling
- Madyati Kaya Tailam for dryness and grounding
Rasayana - Rasayanas are the yogic way of rejuvenation and regeneration. It is not just one herb or supplement, it is a lifestyle of nourishment and replenishment. Rasayana practices include sating warm, fresh, prana-rich foods, maintaining a regular routine, daily oiling, ample rest, gentle movement and herbs like Ashwagandha, Shatavari, Amla, Brahmi.
Optimizing Digestion - Beauty begins in digestion. If agni (digestive fire) is weak, skin dullness, puffiness, and premature aging follow. Yogis keep their gut light, warm, and active. Simple digestive habits include sipping hot water throughout the day, avoid cold food, include ginger, cumin, and coriander in diet, keep a gap of 3–4 hours between meals and avoid overeating at night.
Yoga Practices to Slow Down Aging
Yin Yoga - Yin Yoga supports collagen production, hormonal balance, adrenal rest, and parasympathetic stability, which are all the deepest roots of youthfulness. Yin postures that support beauty include Butterfly for lymph flow, Sphinx for collagen stimulation, Caterpillar for calming the nervous system and Melting Heart that opens the chest and softens face tension. Pranayama leads to cellular youthfulness as the breath expands vitality, slows down cellular aging, keeps skin oxygenated and alive. Best anti-aging pranayamas include Nadi Shodhana that helps balance hormones & calms the mind, Bhramari that helps reduce the stress lines, Ujjayi that helps improve circulation and Sheetali that soothes inflammation.