Okasātmyam: Getting Used to What’s Not Good for Us
By Chahna Gupta
Whenever I think about “back in the day,” I picture our ancestors working together to keep their communities alive — gathering fruit and crops, building fires, meditating, learning the land, caring for each other. Life was simpler (minus the occasional wild animal attack). Even medicine was simpler. People used their environment and lifestyle to heal themselves — now, everything is a quick fix.
Even just a few decades ago, life had less stress and distraction. Fast forward to now: I’m juggling home responsibilities, two businesses pulling me in a million directions, a social life, a fitness schedule, petting my cats, keeping up with a skincare routine… and probably more that I can’t even remember. It’s a lot. And stress like this makes you want the quick fix — the pill, the coffee, the shortcut — just to keep going. It has become a habit.
Years ago, I read that people with high-stress jobs who never slow down are more likely to have heart attacks on vacation. Their bodies are so used to operating under stress that they don’t know what to do when it’s gone. I haven’t been able to forget about it. I was recently reminded of it when I came across the word: okasātmyam.
Okasātmyam is a Sanskrit term from Ayurvedic texts, often used to describe how the body and mind gradually adapt to a place or environment — even if it’s not ideal.
“Okaḥ” (ओकः) = home, place, habitat
“Ātmyam” (आत्म्यम्) = assimilation, familiarity
Together, okasātmyam means: “the process by which we become used to our surroundings — physically, mentally, emotionally — even when they may not serve us.”
“When I reflected on my own life, I realized how many things I’ve gotten used to that probably aren’t great.” Maybe you’ll find the same in yours.
Take food, for example. Ayurveda teaches that certain food combinations — called viruddha ahara (विरुद्ध आहार) — are improper and disrupt digestion. A few examples:
- Fruit + dairy (like yogurt parfaits)
- Honey + heat (honey in hot tea)
- Meat + dairy
- Eggs + milk
- Tomatoes + dairy (hello, tikka masala)
- Ice-cold drinks with meals
As a vegan, a lot of these combinations don’t apply to me anymore — but giving up my daily Nespresso espresso with coconut water and ice? That one still feels like a dagger to the heart. And if you love a morning fruit yogurt bowl or scrambled eggs with a splash of milk, this might sting a little for you too.
Here’s the twist: okasātmyam says that with repetition, your body may adapt. Something technically harmful might not affect you — because you’ve grown used to it.
Acharya Charaka said:
“Satmyaṁ hi nāti vyāpatkaram” —
“That which is adapted to the body does not harm it severely.”
So… does that mean we should just keep living in survival mode? Eating combinations that aren’t good for us? Staying in environments that slowly chip away at us?
Honestly? I’m not sure there’s a perfect answer to this — because life is a lot more nuanced now.
The “right” answer probably lies somewhere in between. Yes, we should make changes — but flipping everything overnight isn’t sustainable. What we can do, though, is notice what we’ve adapted to. We can strengthen our digestion. Introduce more meaningful rest. Swap one harmful thing for something more nourishing. Not perfectly. Just more often.
This world is intense. But we’re not powerless in it.
It’s not about chasing perfection — just choosing with a little more intention.
And maybe that’s the new okasātmyam:
Learning to get used to what’s good for us again.
About the Author
Chahna Tailor Gupta, an Ayurvedic Practitioner and certified yoga teacher, has a background in occupational therapy and health science with a focus in public health. Chahna was yoga trained in Rishikesh, India and had ayurvedic clinicals in Kannur, Kerala. Chahna provides yoga, pranayama, meditation, 200-hr yoga teacher training, and ayurvedic health counseling services through her company Namaskar To You. Chahna is a volunteer for Ekal Vidyalaya, American Association of Ayurvedic Professionals (AAAP), and Ayurveda Association of Florida (AAF). She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Ayurvedic Medicine while continuing her self-studies in yoga.
