From Ancient Wisdom to Modern Empowerment: How One Woman Is Helping Professional Moms Reclaim Wellness Through Ayurveda

Surbhi, founder of Poorna Wellness, shares how reconnecting with 5,000-year-old wisdom transformed her approach to motherhood, and how she's empowering overwhelmed professional women to find harmony in chaos.

What does a 5,000-year-old healing system have to teach modern professional moms juggling careers, kids, and the crushing weight of "doing it all"?

Everything, according to Surbhi, founder of Poorna Wellness.

As part of my Detox Diaries series, I sat down with Surbhi, an Ayurvedic wellness expert, and change leader—to explore how ancient wisdom is answering the very modern crisis of overwhelm, disconnection, and burnout that so many professional women face today.

Her story isn't just about discovering Ayurveda. It's about rediscovering herself, and then empowering an entire community of women to do the same.

If you've ever felt like you're drowning in conflicting wellness advice, stretched too thin between work and family, or worried about what patterns you're passing down to your children, this conversation is for you.

SECTION 1: THE REDISCOVERY

"I was a fish in the water and I didn't even know I was living Ayurveda"

Surbhi's journey with Ayurveda didn't start with a dramatic health crisis or a moment of enlightenment. It started with forgetting and then remembering.

Growing up in India, Ayurvedic wisdom was simply life. Her mother preparing fresh rotis with love. Ginger as an instant remedy for stomach aches. Daily rituals woven seamlessly into the fabric of family life.

"I didn't even know that was me immersing in the culture and the way of life," she reflects. "It was only when I moved abroad that I started to feel this lack, this something missing."

But the longing didn't become urgent until she conceived her daughter.

The Motherhood Catalyst

"When I conceived, I started looking into what do I want for this little being? How do I want to raise her? What do I want to feed her, what do I want to apply on her skin?"

Every answer led her back to Ayurveda.

She rediscovered a system that spoke of living in harmony with ourselves and nature. Eating pure. Living in a more loving and nurturing way.

"Everything led me back to Ayurveda, which I rediscovered and fell in love with," she says. "And I was like, this has to be shared with others."

SECTION 2: WHAT MAKES AYURVEDA DIFFERENT

"You are whole and complete, the medicine is already within you"

So what exactly makes Ayurveda different from the "clean beauty" and "non-toxic living" movements flooding our social media feeds?

According to Surbhi, it comes down to one fundamental philosophy:

You are already whole.

The Problem with External Dependency

"Where marketing and capitalism begins," Surbhi explains, "we as consumers become dependent on the external. We think we need something from outside to complete us—whether it's a cream, a pill, a magic formula."

But Ayurveda teaches something radically different:

"You are a universe on your own. What exists in the external world—the elements, nature—is also within you."

This isn't about rejecting products or modern solutions. It's about understanding that anything we consume or apply triggers something within us—and our bodies create the healing.

"The mind is our biggest ability to make something work for us or not work for us," she says. "We are our own saviors."

Ancient Wisdom Meets Modern Science

Surbhi isn't advocating for rejecting modern medicine. Far from it.

"We have modern medicine and science to thank for having diseases under control," she acknowledges. "But there's been a total disconnect from the traditional systems that worked for centuries."

She points to doctors like Mark Hyman who are championing integrative approaches—blending modern medicine with traditional wisdom for prevention and holistic treatment.

"How do we take the innovations and take it forward?" she asks. "That's where it makes sense to do what's best for people—rather than looking at what's going to make money."

SECTION 3: WHO AYURVEDA SERVES BEST

"High-functioning women whose bodies are screaming: We need change"

Over the five years since founding Poorna Wellness, Surbhi has hosted retreats and workshops that attract a specific type of woman:

The high-achieving professional mom who's excelling at everything—except taking care of herself.

"In North American culture, as women we're expected to do a lot," she explains. "We're expected to perform like men—go, go, go, focused on high productivity. And a lot of women coming to our retreats are in high executive functioning roles."

When the Body Starts Screaming

These women arrive at a junction where their bodies can no longer be ignored.

"Even though in their careers they might be promoted and challenged, and in their families they're really stretched—their bodies and minds are speaking to them. They're having discomfort. As they go into perimenopause and menopause, their bodies are screaming: We need change. We need you to listen."

What they find in Ayurvedic practices is something they've been starving for:

Space to rest. Space to connect. Space to remember.

"When we're giving ourselves that connection, there's a lot of remembering: Yes, I know I need this. I know I need to prioritize my wellbeing."

SECTION 4: THE GENERATIONAL SHIFT

"Our children are the future—and they need tools to thrive"

But Surbhi's vision extends beyond helping individual women. She's expanding her work to include children and family wellness—because she sees the generational stakes clearly.

Why Focus on Children?

"This generation and generations to come—they have not experienced the grounding that previous generations had. The slowness of pace, the routines, the stability," she explains.

In Ayurvedic terms, we're living in Vata times—the element of air, characterized by rapid movement and constant change.

"In order for us to thrive, we need balance," she says. "When it's too much of one element, we need the counter. We need stability. Connection with emotions. Space for ourselves."

That's why focusing on children matters.

"We want children to have the tools so they're happier, they're not struggling. They can be the leaders, the change makers. They can allow others to feel connected to themselves as well."

The Questions We Need to Teach

So how do we raise children who feel grounded in a world of constant change?

Surbhi believes it starts with the fundamental questions:

• Who am I?

• Why am I here?

• How do I fit in this universe?

"Once we start looking inward, that's when we build inner strength. The discipline. The self-control. The ability to have mastery over our minds and thoughts."

SECTION 5: RAISING CONSCIOUS CHILDREN

"See them as whole already—they have the wisdom"

When I asked Surbhi what practices busy professional moms can implement to raise conscious, empowered children, her answer surprised me.

It's not about adding more to your plate.

It Starts with YOU

"I think it comes from a deeper state of being," she says. "When the world is functioning a certain way, how do we show them they are whole already? That they have the answers?"

The practices matter—five minutes of breathing, gratitude journaling, yoga poses. But what matters more is the energy behind them.

"What's important is to nurture them from a place of love—which is very different than fear," she explains. "As we evolve, we share with our children that they already know. They already have the wisdom."

The Mirror Effect

Your children aren't just learning from what you teach them with words.

They're learning from watching who you're becoming.

"Really seeing them as whole already," Surbhi says. "What can we learn from them? They already have wisdom. It's just allowing them and giving them the space to connect with themselves."

The biggest gift?

"Showing up fully present with them. Allowing them to trust us."

SECTION 6: THE ROOT OF THE OVERWHELM

"Why are so many kids struggling with anxiety? Because their moms are unsupported"

When I asked Surbhi where overwhelmed professional moms should start, she didn't give me a list of products or a 30-day challenge.

She went straight to the root.

The Pressure on Modern Mothers

"The root of why we're having so many kids with anxiety and mental health challenges," she says, "is because women are not fully getting support. They're feeling pressure—caregiving, performing at work, financial stress, social expectations."

And here's the kicker:

The awareness itself creates pressure.

"A lot of women are now aware of their own patterns, their childhood trauma. They don't want to pass it on to their children," she explains. "So we feel pressure because we want to do everything well. There's this idea of perfectionism."

Previous generations didn't have this awareness—and maybe they were better off because they just did what they did.

"But now that we have awareness, there's pressure we're putting on ourselves."

The Antidote: Taking Control

So how do we relieve that pressure?

"We need to start taking control. Saying no. This is not what I'm going to choose for myself, for my children."

Not what society tells you. Not what everyone else is doing.

What's in alignment with YOUR values. YOUR family. YOUR harmony.

"I see a lot of positive change," Surbhi says. "Women who work with us are taking that action—and it's wonderful to see them making that change."

SECTION 7: THE POWER OF COMMUNITY

"Society is formed when groups of people decide how things should be"

One of the most powerful insights from my conversation with Surbhi was about the role of community in sustaining change.

It Starts with One Person

"It starts with one person who wants to do better," she says. "And I think that's in all of us—we want better for our children. We want to see them happy, healthy, successful."

But transformation doesn't happen in isolation.

"When you connect with other people in a similar value system, that thought process blossoms," she explains. "When you're in an environment that's toxic—where people say 'go, go, go, no time for rest, productivity is everything'—it's hard to maintain your own way."

Creating the New Society

This is where community becomes revolutionary.

"What we're doing is shielding off for a period of time—coming into communities to allow that way of thinking and being to grow," she says.

"When we have enough community that thinks a certain way, that becomes society."

She's not talking about isolation or echo chambers. She's talking about micro-communities that eventually shape culture.

"Society is not one person's dictatorship. It's when a group of people decide to be and live a certain way. The new society is forming with these micro-communities—especially women becoming socially conscious, environmentally conscious, and self-aware."

Community allows your true self to thrive.

SECTION 8: WHERE TO START WHEN YOU'RE OVERWHELMED

"The best antidote for overwhelm is forcing yourself to create space"

Finally, I asked Surbhi the question every overwhelmed professional mom is asking:

"Where do I even start?"

Her answer was beautifully simple—and profoundly challenging.

Create Space

"When you're overwhelmed, your plate is full. There's a lack of space," she says. "So we start with creating a little bit of space."

She remembers moments in her own life when she had no space at all.

"All I could do was take a deep breath—and that was my space."

Practical Ways to Create Space

1. Breathe Just take a moment to breathe and think for yourself. Feel like you can be yourself in that space.

2. Journal "I have journals and journals of just notes—my thoughts forming," she shares. Pour your thoughts out. Let them exist outside your head.

3. Rest "When you feel exhausted, instead of one cup of coffee after another—take a five-minute break. Lie down on the floor. Ground yourself."

(She mentions the viral TikTok about just lying straight on the floor for a few minutes. Sometimes the internet gets it right.)

4. Move Your Body Go for a walk. Go to the gym. Do yoga.

"Yoga is one of the best because you feel productive, but at the same time it forces you to connect with yourself, your body, your mind."

The Key

"We know what's good for us. By our innate nature, especially women, we want good for ourselves and good for others."

The challenge is forcing yourself to take the moment.

CLOSING: THE TRANSFORMATION

As I wrapped up my conversation with Surbhi, I was struck by how her journey mirrors what so many of us are seeking:

A way to reclaim ourselves while raising the next generation.

She didn't find Ayurveda through a dramatic crisis. She found it through remembering—reconnecting with wisdom that was always there, waiting to be rediscovered.

And now she's helping other professional women do the same.

Not by selling them products or quick fixes.

By reminding them they're already whole.

By creating spaces where they can rest, reconnect, and remember.

By building communities where women can shield themselves from the toxic "go, go, go" culture long enough for their true selves to bloom.

By empowering them to lead from love, not fear—so their children learn that wellness is joyful, not stressful.

YOUR INVITATION

If Surbhi's story resonates with you—if you're a professional mom feeling stretched, overwhelmed, or disconnected from yourself—I want you to know:

You're not alone. And transformation is possible.

It doesn't require perfection. It doesn't require having it all figured out.

It just requires creating space. And finding your people.

That's why I created The THRIVE Collective—a 12-week transformation program for professional women who want to build sustainable wellness systems for themselves and their families.

Not through overwhelm. Not through perfection.

Through empowerment, community, and reclaiming your inner wisdom.

If you're ready to start your own transformation journey—surrounded by women who get it—book a free Wellness Architect Strategy Call here.

Let's build your family's wellness legacy together.

CONNECT WITH SURBHI

Want to learn more about Surbhi's work and Ayurvedic wellness?

📍 Website: poornawellness.com
📸 Instagram: @poornawellness
✉️ Email: [email protected]

ABOUT THE DETOX DIARIES

The Detox Diaries is an interview series featuring real women who've transformed their lives through clean, sustainable living and are now empowering others to do the same. Each story proves that wellness isn't about perfection, it's about empowerment, community, and building a legacy worth passing down.

Read more stories: [Link to blog series]

💬 YOUR TURN:

What resonated most from Surbhi's story? Drop a comment below—I'd love to hear from you.

And if you know a professional mom who needs to hear this today, share this post with her. Let's build this movement together. 💚