Amisha Ghadiali has spent the past decade working tirelessly towards a sustainable future. Whilst balancing a career in politics, Amisha has been at the forefront of the sustainable fashion movement, and has been a pivotal part of some of the most influential sustainable campaigns and start-ups.
This Fashion Revolution Week, we talk to Amisha to find out how we can all lead more conscious lifestyles and contribute to a sustainable future.
You’re a writer and speaker on conscious and sustainable living. How did you first become interested and involved in this area and were there any organisations or movements that inspired you along the way?
I was always interested in this aspect of human life. When I was younger it was the inequality that different people experienced that really struck me. From when I left school I was volunteering on projects, and have spent time volunteering on projects around the world as well as working for campaigns in their head offices.
There was a point around ten years ago when I became aware that the environment needed some serious attention - and so have been working on sustainability since then; people, planet and the economics.
I have had many different roles during this time. I started as a jewellery designer (setting my label up as socially minded as I could) whilst working in politics. This led to roles in the Ethical Fashion Forum, Impact Hub, and many freelance and advisory roles. I was on the board for the Foundation for Democracy and Sustainable Development, and the founding board of Fashion Revolution. Through this work, I have been lucky to have been surrounded by inspiring people and leaders in this field where we have been able to share learnings and ideas and grow together.
Your project, Think Act Vote, was developed into a book, The Future Is Beautiful. How did this come about and what message do you hope to convey through its pages to your readers about creating a sustainable future?
I started this project in 2010, we had a general election in the UK and I was not excited about it. I felt that the time of trusting a politician to create our vision of the future we want to live in was over. And that instead we each need to tune into our own vision of the future we choose and inspire others to think, act, vote and therefore create it with us. The book is free to download on our website, and you can buy hard copies. It features over 200 voices sharing their visions, inspirations and ways to act. The main message of it is that you - yes you - are creating the future through all your actions - and so it’s an activation to tune in to your vision and create with purpose. I launched the podcast last year, The Future Is Beautiful which weaves politics, spirituality, sustainability and creativity so we can create a beautiful future. There are brilliant guests on there and each one offers something unique.
You support others to shop and dress more sustainably through your projects Sustainable Style and the 12 Rules To Dress By Challenge. Can you tell us more about this and how people can begin their journey of creating a greener wardrobe?
Having been part of the sustainable fashion movement for the past decade, people have often asked me where to start with greening their wardrobe. (There wasn’t a movement when I started, it was very exciting to be part of creating it). 12 Rules to dress by is my guide of how to do this. I made this years ago but it has stood the test of time. You can download it for free and in multiple languages. I would start there, it’s very simple to follow.
Your own experience with yoga and meditation, led you to become a teacher and a healer. How did your journey with yoga and meditation change your life and what kind of teachings and practices do you offer to students today?
The teachings of yoga and meditation are profound. I didn’t intend of teaching myself but life had other plans. I have gained so much from my spiritual path; support and freedom from physical pain, a calmer way of being, deep healing of my core wounds, a lighter approach to life, the list goes on. I now mostly teach workshops and retreats as I like to guide deeper experiences. In the next year I will have various workshops in the UK, a retreat and pilgrimage to India and a woman’s retreat to Ibiza. We will work with mantra, meditation, mythology, yoga asana, dance, mudras and contemplation practices. I also work one on one with clients with my intuitive therapy work. This is about going into the sub-conscious and releasing trauma patterns and then awakening new qualities within. This work strengthens ones relationship with oneself as well as with intuition.
You state on your website that you weave your experiences and passion for sustainability with spiritual awareness, and that this is how we can question what it means to be human at this time. How do you see these two areas of sustainability and spirituality complimenting each other to bring about a greater existence for humans and the planet and ultimately create a sustainable future?
We have created the world that we live in. Everything that is part of society today has been created by somebody just like you or I. Much of it feeds off fear and power. If we are able to understand deeper our own connection to something bigger, and cultivate a different sense of freedom and empowerment inside of us, then this shift in consciousness will be reflected in the world and the way we do things. I believe that the world needs us alive at this time, and that means being an activist (as there is so much that needs our attention) and being resourceful in our sovereignty (which comes from having some sort of spiritual practice). It doesn’t have to be complicated, there are very simple ways to do both. Each person has to find a way to cultivate their relationship with themselves and understand how to contribute to society. Everyone’s way is unique.