Savhera started with a trip to India and honest feedback from an Indian woman who was being trafficked in a brothel in Delhi. This woman named Pushpa said that she needed dignified employment to get out of trafficking. That’s where the idea of a social enterprise came from – using the revenue of products to create jobs for survivors and a sustainable source of income to pay their salaries. But what kind of product? We knew our mission would be about the wellbeing of people and the planet, so sustainable wellness products made sense to us. In an effort to honor Indian culture and the courageous Indian woman who started it all, we decided to be a wellness company focused on aromatherapy products. Aromatherapy is deeply rooted in Indian culture and has been a part of Indian healing systems for thousands of years. We incorporated other elements of Indian culture into our branding – from our lotus flower logo to our very name. Savhera means “new beginnings” in Hindu. 

How are Essential Oils Connected to Indian Culture? 

India is one of the oldest civilizations on the planet. The ancient medical healing system called Ayurveda is thought to be around 5,000 years old, making it one of the oldest medical systems in the world. Ayurveda is still practiced today, and like ancient times, continues to use aromatic botanicals for healing. Ayurveda incorporates essential oils into healing treatments. Ayurveda means “life knowledge,” and is believed to be one of the oldest systems aimed at holistic healing. 

Essential oils are also connected to Indian religious practices. Aromatherapy is mentioned several times in ancient Indian texts such as the Hindu text Ramayana and the Buddhist scriptures known as Tripiṭaka. In these texts, aromatherapy is recorded as both a physical healing practice and as a way to spiritually cleanse the soul.

How will you use the ancient practice of aromatherapy today?