Prasanth Vayakanathu is an Ayurvedic expert from COMO Shambhala in Bali.
Luxury wellness has entered a new phase—one defined less by indulgence and more by intention. Travellers are no longer seeking quick fixes or superficial resets; they are searching for depth, clarity, and systems of care that make sense of modern life’s relentless pace.
In this episode of Where2FromHere, host Renae Leith-Manos speaks with Prasanth Vayakanathu, one of the guiding forces behind the Ayurvedic philosophy at COMO Shambhala, whose work quietly exemplifies this shift.
Prasanth brings more than 25 years of experience in Ayurveda and integrative medicine to his role, yet his presence is marked not by authority alone, but by calm.
Trained in Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences at Mangalore University, his career has unfolded across Ayurvedic hospitals in India, years of study with spiritual teachers throughout the Himalayas and Nepal, and now within one of the world’s most respected luxury wellness destinations in Ubud, Bali. What emerges from his journey is a rare ability to translate ancient knowledge into something deeply relevant for contemporary lives.
At COMO Shambhala, Prasanth works with guests who often arrive at crossroads—physically depleted, mentally overstimulated, or emotionally unanchored. Some are celebrating milestones, others recovering from burnout, grief, or prolonged stress.
His role is not to prescribe a universal solution, but to listen, observe, and respond. Ayurveda, he explains, begins with the understanding that no two people are the same, and that true wellbeing can only be achieved through deeply personalised care.
Central to his philosophy is the Ayurvedic belief that body, mind, and spirit are inseparable. Modern wellness culture often fragments these elements—treating sleep, nutrition, stress, and movement as separate problems to be solved. Ayurveda, by contrast, sees imbalance as systemic.
Prasanth speaks about how contemporary lifestyles—constant connectivity, accelerated work rhythms, and social media overload—have disrupted the nervous system in ways ancient practitioners anticipated thousands of years ago.
One concept he returns to is what he describes as the “air mind”—a state of restlessness, overthinking, and anxiety driven by excess stimulation and lack of grounding.
It is a condition increasingly common among modern travellers, executives, and creatives alike. Rather than approaching this as pathology, Ayurveda reframes it as imbalance—something that can be gently corrected through breath, food, routine, and awareness.
Breath, in particular, becomes a quiet anchor throughout the conversation. Prasanth explains how pranayama—the conscious regulation of breathing—is not merely a relaxation technique, but a foundational practice for restoring vitality, improving sleep, and slowing the physiological processes associated with ageing. How we breathe, he suggests, determines how we live. Shallow, hurried breathing keeps the body in a constant state of alert; slow, rhythmic breath signals safety, allowing the nervous system to reset.
Nutrition is approached with similar nuance. Rather than prescribing rigid dietary rules, Prasanth emphasises seasonal eating, digestive strength, and mindful fasting—tailored to an individual’s constitution, or dosha. Longevity, from an Ayurvedic perspective, is not about extending life at all costs, but about maintaining clarity, mobility, and emotional balance as the years progress.
Ageing, he notes, can be graceful when the body’s rhythms are respected rather than resisted.
The setting of Bali plays an important role in this work. Prasanth speaks of the island’s spiritual roots not as a backdrop, but as an active influence—one that continually draws him back. There is something about Bali’s energy, he reflects, that supports introspection and humility, reinforcing the idea that healing is as much about environment as intervention.
The conversation also touches on the legacy of Christina Ong, founder of COMO Shambhala, whose personal Ayurvedic journey helped shape the philosophy of the brand. Under her vision, wellness was never positioned as a trend, but as a lifelong practice—an ethos Prasanth embodies fully. At COMO Shambhala, luxury is expressed not through excess, but through space, time, and attentiveness.
Perhaps most compelling is Prasanth’s commitment to lifelong learning. Despite decades of experience, he speaks not of mastery, but of curiosity—continuing to study, refine, and deepen his understanding through practices such as Marmasana therapy and ongoing spiritual study. In an industry increasingly crowded with self-appointed experts, this humility feels both refreshing and essential.
As the episode draws to a close, the future of Ayurveda within luxury wellness comes into focus. Expansion is not framed as replication, but as integrity—ensuring that ancient practices are honoured, not diluted, as they reach wider audiences. The question is not how quickly wellness can scale, but how carefully.
Grounded, expansive, and quietly powerful, Prasanth Vayakanathu represents a different kind of luxury leader—one who understands that true wellbeing cannot be rushed, packaged, or prescribed. At COMO Shambhala, wellness is not a momentary escape, but an invitation to live differently long after the journey ends.
