My Transformation through Nature Cure

“Every Life has a Creative Intelligence…and can self-repair, self-maintain, and self-improve” 

When I heard the above words in Arun Sharma Sir’s soft, composed voice in one of his YouTube videos, I became highly intrigued and interested. It initiated a journey of unlearning and self-discovery.

I was introduced to Nature Cure a year ago by one of my friends, Kannipriya. But, to be frank, I used to make fun of her lifestyle and gave all sorts of excuses not to dive into it. Since I am a hardcore foodie, with a love for non-vegetarian food, I thought it would be impossible to pursue Nature Cure. One of the excuses I gave to my friend was that I will try it when I reach 40. I haven’t reached 40, but here I am writing about my life-changing experience.

After driving through the scenic surroundings to reach Sadhana Forms, we got to meet our fellow participants who came from different walks of life. Since Level 2 camp was also going on simultaneously, we were fortunate to interact with professionals who are pursuing Nature Cure as part of their career. We all spent quality time for the next 6 days by discussing our motivations for coming to the camp, our doubts, experiences, and outcomes. We clearly saw how our lives were positively changing in front of our own eyes, both physically and mentally.

The catalysts for our change were the self connection, tranquil settings, subtle and tasty foods, and most importantly the learning provided by Arun Sharma Sir. The beautiful and peaceful farm environment relaxed our senses, activated our self-observation mode, rejuvenated us, and kept us on the right path. Getting up in the early morning to the mellifluous chirping of birds and insects was a treat. Although most mornings were cloudy and rainy, the jogging (rolling in my case since I am a wheelchair user) and yoga led by the 79-year-old but supremely fit Arun Sharma Sir provided us an optimal start for the day. When we did Pranayama and Yoga in the community hall, the streaks of gleaming sun entered and caressed our faces, and that was pure bliss..

The physical workouts were followed by a refreshing alkaline drink (which helps to balance the primarily acidic environment in our body). Most of us then participated in different therapies, namely hip therapy, spinal therapy, sun gazing, and so forth. Those therapies sounded too simple, so initially, we were skeptical whether they will be useful. However, as we kept on doing them, all our doubts were blown away because all of us clearly saw splendid results.

After therapies, we had mono fruit, such as papaya, banana, sapota, and guava, as our breakfast at the kitchen-plus dining area. It was there, we learned the art of preparing healthy and curative positive foods. Under the guidance of resident volunteers, we as kitchen teams learned the logic and nuances involved in preparing salad (for lunch) and healthy cooked food (for dinner). Furthermore, they designed each day’s menu in such an organized way so that we can smoothly adjust to Nature Cure – considering that crossing the first two days were the biggest challenge.

Some of the delicious preparations were sandwich, curd vadai, porridge, beetroot halwa, and pongal – all made with healthy millets and vegetables and accompanied by lip smacking chutneys or dips. The yummy taste of these dishes gave us the assurance that if we replicate them in our homes, we can satisfy our taste buds and enable us to strongly pursue Nature Cure without any craving for negative foods.

Speaking of foods, we also fasted or feasted on ether on the fourth day. I personally had a preconceived notion that fasting can make us tired. However, Arun Sharma Sir made that day so eventful that we felt highly energetic without any hint of tiredness.

On the final day, we also staged a drama based on our learning of Nature Cure with male participants acting as negative foods, kids as nature’s elements, and female participants as positive foods.

Now coming to the eye-opening experience. I personally felt I was kind of transformed by Arun Sharma Sir. Through infallible logic, valid arguments, and strong evidence, he broke many myths surrounding our body, food consumption habits, and lifestyle. His classes in the morning and afternoon were highly interesting and insightful.

Peppered with profound and humorous anecdotes and catchy one-liners, Arun Sharma Sir lucidly explained the basic philosophy of Nature Cure, the role of five elements, the way food is digested, the ways body becomes diseased, and many more. Some of the gems that are still percolating in my mind are

  • Food alone is the medicine
  • Consuming the right food can help or enable the body to treat ailments or repair problems
  • Detailed differences between cleansing (positive) foods and nourishing (negative) foods
  • Nature Cure doesn’t instruct to avoid any specific food but emphasizes on better positive foods for healthy living
  • Fasting can become Feasting if “e” is added, which is Ether (or space)

All these and many more insights helped us understand our body, its inner workings, and importantly the body-mind connection. It is hard to believe that an individual with so much knowledge and experience was extremely approachable. Despite repeated questioning (some might be benign), he happily clarified everything with a smile, sincerity, and clarity. There were a lot of Eureka moments!!! He is one of the most knowledgeable and calm teachers, I have ever met in my lifetime.

All these experiences reoriented my life in an all-new healthy direction. As I clearly understood how I have been abusing the body because of the conventional food habits, I became convinced that Nature Cure should be an integral part of my future lifestyle. After so much unlearning and experiential learning in the camp, I am completely ready to come out of the comfort zone and enter the healthy zone.

 

At this juncture, I like to profusely thank all volunteers for establishing such a beautiful abode for transforming lives. And all these beneficial aspects are being provided to us purely in the spirit of growing the gift ecology with the mechanism of Pay it Forward, which is just unbelievable. Since our camp was conducted based on the financial and volunteering gifts provided by the previous batches, we also contributed as much as we could for the future course.

The only suggestion I gave during the feedback session was modifying at least one of the accommodations into a disabled and elderly-friendly, and that was gladly accepted. I personally feel that this Nature Cure Camp is the start, which will enable us to become a healthier, happier, and optimal version of ourselves.

Pics Courtesy: Siva aka Selvaraj and Thanaraj