The Healing Power Within: Shruti Sethi’s Journey from Darkness to Purpose

A Childhood Rooted in Contradiction

In a farmhouse brimming with ancient trees, echoing laughter, and the bustle of nine children, Shruti Sethi grew up surrounded by family and tradition in small-town India. The daughter of a protective home, she was raised among siblings and cousins, sharing meals, dreams, and duties. She seemed, by all appearances, a joyful child—outgoing, active in sports, a leader at school. But within, she harbored quiet introspection and an ever-growing desire to be different, to be free.

From an early age, Shruti knew she was not like the others. While they were content within the boundaries of their small city, she longed for something more—independence, self-expression, and a life unconstrained by tradition. She saw herself as the black sheep, and wore it like a badge of quiet rebellion.

The Fashion Dream and a Life Unraveled

Her dream took her to Mumbai, India’s fashion capital, where she studied design and eventually opened her own boutique. She crafted gowns and bridal wear, touching lives with beauty. But as her professional success rose, her personal life crumbled. A failed marriage unraveled everything—her emotional stability, her health, and the business she had built. The vibrant designer turned into a shell of fatigue, overeating, breakouts, and emotional numbness.

She pushed through the days, filling them with badminton games and sweets, hoping movement and distraction would override the growing signs her body gave. Then came the lump—a swelling on her side that refused to go away. Doctors, scans, and disbelief followed. The words Hodgkin’s lymphoma stared back at her from a medical report she opened in a noisy auto rickshaw. Cancer. A word she had never imagined would define her.

The Breakdown Before the Breakthrough

The shock was paralyzing. At thirty-four, she was diagnosed with stage two lymphoma. With no clear family history and little understanding of what had gone wrong, she faced a medical system that only offered her treatment plans—chemo, radiation, and little explanation. But Shruti wasn’t ready to surrender to that path. Not yet.

She turned inward, guided by her mother’s instinct for holistic healing. Ozone therapy, detox, plant-based eating—Shruti gave herself six months. Her body began to respond, but something inside still clung to pain. Her emotions remained unresolved. Resentment toward her ex-husband, anger at her past, a soul holding on too tightly to everything it couldn’t change.

Then, the turning point. A recurrence of symptoms showed her cancer had advanced to stage three. She was forced to let go—of control, of resentment, of resistance. She embraced chemotherapy, but not without intention. Alongside it, she welcomed in healing rituals: yoga, deep breathing, homeopathy, meditation. She worked not just on her body, but on her mind.

One day, while sitting in meditation, a quiet voice inside her whispered, You are healed. And when her PET scan came back clear, it confirmed what her soul already knew. Her cancer had stopped. Her light had returned.

From Patient to Healer

Shruti didn’t stop at survival. She transformed. With a promise to share her story and help others heal, she poured her energy into learning. She earned certifications from Cornell University and IIN. She studied Ayurveda, yoga, energy psychology, and functional nutrition. She became a guide to those navigating cancer, chronic illness, and emotional burnout.

Through her platform, Awaana Health, and her book The Healing Power Within, she became what she once needed: a compassionate expert who understands that healing is more than medicine. It is food, it is breath, it is thought, it is surrender.

Now living in New York, she works with clients seeking more than band-aid solutions. She meets them where they are—tired, confused, hurting—and gently walks them back to themselves.

Key Takeaways

• Healing begins with self-awareness – Recognizing emotional suppression is just as crucial as treating physical symptoms.

• Nutrition is foundational – A plant-based, anti-inflammatory diet can be powerful in managing chronic disease.

• Emotions affect the body – Resentment, fear, and anger can delay healing; forgiveness and mindfulness open new pathways.

• Breath is life – Conscious breathing and yoga are not just exercises but tools for cellular transformation.

• Happiness is a choice – Even in the darkest times, choosing joy shifts your energy and, with it, your outcome.

Shruti Sethi’s journey is more than a cancer survivor’s tale—it’s a testament to the human spirit's ability to break, awaken, and rise stronger. Her life’s purpose now lies in helping others uncover their own healing power within.

To learn more about Shruti’s work, visit awaanahealth.com, follow her on Instagram @shruti.sethi, and explore her book The Healing Power Within on Amazon.