Community Highlights: Meet Sheila Govindarajan of Rasa Veda

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sheila Govindarajan.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’m Sheila Govindarajan—Clinical Ayurvedic Practitioner, Herbalist, Ayurvedic Doula, Medicinal Aromatherapist, sound artist, and founder of Rasa Veda. I’ve spent over 15 years practicing and sharing this medicine , but in truth, this path began long before I ever held a title.

I was raised in a lineage steeped in Ayurvedic principles—this ancient wisdom was never something I had to “learn,” it was simply life. It shaped how we ate, how we healed, how we understood the body and spirit. It lived in the rhythms of our home, in the smells of the kitchen, in the rituals passed down from my elders.

The calling to deepen my practice came after witnessing the failures of the Western medical system in treating a loved one. That experience cracked something open in me. I knew I had to devote myself to a path that honored the whole being—mind, body, and spirit. I then went on to train at the Kerala Ayurveda Academy in Los Angeles and India, study both Ayurveda Polarity Yoga Therapy with Amadea Morningstar in New Mexico and Sacred Windows Ayurvedic Doula program in Colorado, and further, completed my Ayurvedic medical residency and yoga therapy training at the Kerala Ayurveda Hospital in Aluva, Kerala Southern India.

Since then, I’ve worked with people navigating cancer, HIV, postpartum recovery, organ transplants, and severe mental health challenges. I also lead guided group immersive, sensorial journeys rooted in the Five Great Elements—air, ether, fire, water, and earth—to support balance and deep reconnection. I’ve also served as an advisor with Kaiser Permanente’s Integrative Medical School, where I help bridge Eastern and Western healing philosophies to create a symbiotic relationship between.

My entrepreneurial journey unfolded organically from my clinical work. I began making custom balms and tonics for clients—small, intentional, individualized remedies. When those started creating real transformation, word spread. I saw a clear need: there were so few body care offerings that truly honored the ancestral wisdom of Ayurveda, the sacred ritual of self-care (dinacharya), and created real results.

And so, Rasa Veda was born. What began as handcrafted offerings for a few patients has grown into a full Ayurvedic apothecary—each formula created with purpose, infused, with plant wisdom, created in alignment with the lunar cycle, and the clinical insight I’ve gathered over years of practice and deep listening. These aren’t just products—they’re tools for remembering. For coming home to the self.

Today, Rasa Veda is a living extension of my life’s work. It’s more than a brand—it’s a purpose-driven movement to bring soulful, intentional products and experiences to those seeking balance, connection, and radiance. Through treatments, seasonal workshops, and sensorial offerings, I share Ayurveda in a way that meets people where they are—bringing ancient tools into modern lives, gently yet powerfully.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
One of the earliest and most persistent challenges has been funding the apothecary while navigating everything from ingredient sourcing to preserving authenticity in a modern wellness landscape. I have entirely self-funded the apothecary through my clinical practice—balancing the emotional and physical demands of providing one-on-one treatments and Panchakarma with the financial realities of launching a product-based business.

Another challenge has been sourcing ingredients that not only meet our high standards for quality, potency, and sustainability—but that also honor the deep integrity of traditional Ayurvedic formulations. Ayurveda is not just a trend; it’s a lineage. Ensuring that every product remained aligned with those roots, while also appealing to a modern audience required extensive research, hours working in my clinic with patients, relationship-building with suppliers, and an unwavering commitment to authenticity. It has always been my main intention to not dilute my products with cheap filler ingredients, but to have high-potency, incredibly effective and transformative medicine that delivers real results.

There have been moments of doubt, fatigue, and uncertainty—but throughout it all, I’ve remained anchored in my belief that wellness should be sacred, accessible, and beautiful—that a daily ritual, when rooted in intention, can be a doorway to transformation. Every challenge has become a teacher. And every small step—formulating a product, hand-pouring a batch, hearing a client’s story of transformation—reminds me why I began this journey in the first place.

Rasa Veda continues to grow not in spite of these challenges, but because of the depth of intention, creativity, and resilience they demand.

We’ve been impressed with Rasa Veda , but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My Ayurvedic practice rests on two deeply rooted pillars: the clinical practice, which functions much like a traditional family practice—tending to individuals and families across generations—and the apothecary line, which offers a collection of seasonally minded, tridoshic formulas designed to support all constitutions. These handcrafted remedies—ranging from medicated oils to herbal blends and adaptogenic tonics—are available for purchase through my website. Custom and individualized formulations are also available, created specifically for you after a consultation, where your unique constitution and imbalances are carefully assessed.

If the body is ready for deeper cleansing and rejuvenation, we may enter the journey of Panchakarma—a sacred series of therapies designed to release toxins, restore vitality, and renew the intelligence of the body.

We begin with a Prakruti consultation (also offered as a standalone experience)—a dialogue where I listen closely and assess your unique constitution, your medical history, and your present state of balance or imbalance. Together, we map a pathway using the tools of Ayurveda: food, herbs, lifestyle shifts, and therapeutic treatments. Whether you’re coming in for chronic issues, preventative care, postpartum support, or seasonal alignment, the process is personal, whole, and deeply grounded in tradition.

We begin with Pizhichil, where warm streams of medicated oil are poured over the entire body in a continuous rhythm. This deeply soothing treatment initiates both oleation and subtle sweating, preparing the tissues to release what they’ve been holding. The nervous system begins to settle. The body listens.

Next comes Marma Abhyanga with Raindrop Therapy—a synchronized full-body massage that works through the marma points and energetic pathways, releasing stored tension while nourishing every layer of the self. The oils are infused with powerful herbs and biodynamic essential oils, prepared in small batches by hand.

Svedana, the herbal steam bath, follows. With the body wrapped in warmth and healing vapor, sweat brings out what no longer serves. The skin becomes luminous. The breath deepens. You begin to feel lighter.

Then, we move into Shirodhara—a continuous stream of warm, herbal oil is gently poured over the forehead, specifically targeting the third eye region—known in Ayurveda as Ajna, the command center. This ancient therapy is one of the oldest known modalities for accessing Theta space, a meditative brainwave state where the subconscious can be accessed and re-patterned.

Here, deep mental and emotional imprints can begin to dissolve. It is a space of restoration and renewal—a pause between past and future, where the nervous system releases old narratives and the mind can finally rest.

The technology of Shirodhara has remained unchanged for over 5,000 years. It is as effective now as it was then, offering relief from insomnia, anxiety, depression, headaches, and neurological imbalances. Most of all, it offers the soul a chance to recalibrate—gently and profoundly.

Additional therapies are woven in depending on your needs:

Nasya, a purification of the head and sinuses, is especially supportive for allergies, migraines, and respiratory issues.

Bastis, localized oil reservoirs placed on inflamed joints or the spine, restore strength to the musculoskeletal system.

Udvartana, a dry herbal powder massage, supports lymphatic flow, tones the skin, and is especially effective for reducing stagnation and weight.

Yoni Dhoopana/Dhupana, a gentle and sacred vaginal steam, nourishes the reproductive system, enhances fertility, and supports menstrual and postpartum healing.

For new mothers, I offer Ayurvedic Postpartum Care, a multi-week in-home doula offering centered around three core principles: deeply nourishing food, potent herbal formulations, and daily body therapies that calm and stabilize Vata. Each program is tailored through a prior consultation to meet the mother and baby where they are.

All of the oils, decoctions, and balms I use are handcrafted at Rasa Veda Apothecary, rooted in the Sahasrayogam text and prepared under the influence of new and full moons. Every ingredient is wildcrafted or sourced from biodynamic farms, with great care and reverence for the plants, the earth, and the people receiving them.

Whether you arrive at Rasa Veda for deep healing or for steady seasonal support, the invitation is always the same: to return home to your body, to your rhythms, and to your own deep inner knowing.

What does success mean to you?
To me, success means creating something that is both deeply healing and widely impactful without sacrificing what matters most. It’s seeing Rasa Veda not only sustain itself financially, but also remain rooted in integrity—offering potent, intentional products and experiences that help people reconnect to their bodies, the earth, and ancient wisdom innate within.

Success is hearing that a product has become someone’s favorite ritual, that a treatment helped someone find peace during a difficult chapter, or that a workshop awakened something sacred in someone who hadn’t felt connected in a long time.

It’s also about creating a business model that supports community, honors the planet, and allows me to employ and collaborate with others who are aligned with the mission.

Now more than ever before, we need people who are connected to the essence of themselves. We need healthy, harmonized people who can show up to fulfill their individual mission and help move the planet in a positive, more balanced direction.

If Rasa Veda continues to grow as a soulful, intentional brand that brings more beauty, ritual, and healing into people’s lives—then I consider that success.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.rasavedahealing.com
• Instagram: @rasavedahealing
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheila-govindarajan-3a433353/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/rasa-veda-healing-los-angeles?osq=Rasa+Veda+healing