A calm, peaceful and unique space located in Al Wasl, unencumbered by the busy street traffic and untouched by the ever-growing aesthetical values of social media which undeniably governs the offerings of many a business. But, what does this unique community+café centered around wellness truly have to offer?
In our continued mission to connect you with the region’s best wellness offerings we look to Sarah & Sophiya, the owners behind PAUS DXB, to understand and explore the values, story and benefits of embarking on a wellness journey that ultimately highlights what we all know to be true; in our fast paced schedules sometimes all we need to do is to hit Paus* on life and focus on ourselves.
Hello Sophiya and Sarah, welcome to the Avastavé Universe! Good to have you here. Tell us a little bit about yourselves.
We’re sisters, having Indian roots, born and raised in Dubai.
Sophiya: I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Materials Science & Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I spent a year working with the Kauffman Fellows in the USA, followed by a master’s degree in International Business Law in 2019.
Sarah: I first took up Hotel Management in Les Roches International School Management in Switzerland then my heart led me to do Graphic Communication Design from the Chelsea College of Arts in London.
The degrees we attained had a profound impact on our career choices and the paths we chose to walk thereafter.
But, we realized beyond the differences, we have shared experiences in our own mental health journeys – health isn’t just physical – there are so many more layers to explore together.
What is Paus DXB?
It’s the physical manifestation of our vision. We both went through our own mental health journeys, which made us realize that health isn’t just physical – there are so many more layers to explore.
Together, we acknowledgedthe lack of safe spaces online for conversations surrounding this, where young people can be heard and connect with others withoutjudgment.
Coming from this region, we also felt that most wellness brands are Western-centric, even though we have so much of this embedded in our cultures. We wanted to change that.
We first created Soph Wellness, an online platform where we softly talk about the hard things. And then Paus;A physical manifestation of our vision– so we may all discover our own wellness journeys. It’s a cozy place where you can have your V60 coffee to start your day after morning flow yoga, or have a good organic facial or body maderotherapy to pamper yourself, or find a place to belong with our Matcha Morning community sessions, summer market and open mic nights.
Wellness shouldn’t be seen as a luxury It feels luxurious yes, but you are your best investment – Sarah & Sophiya
How does PAUS aim to help the everyday person prioritize their well-being?
We are all about starting a slowdown movement in a hurry-up society. Dubai in general is moving non-stop and it’s easy to be burnt out with so many choices of to-do’s that we forget to tend to ourselves. When we learn to prioritize our well-being, we can be more productive. Our space offers different channels for the everyday person to access wellness. From talks and workshops to movement classes and relaxing treatments, from our cozy and healthy café to community markets, anyone can find a wellness practice that suits them. You don’t need to do it all, you just need to find the activity that brings you closer to your mind+body harmony.
We know it’s a giant step and it involves a lot of hard work, but wellness shouldn’t be seen as a luxury. It feels luxurious yes, but you are your best investment. It should be accessible so that everyone can feel good in their own skin because it’s not a one-size fits all type of thing.
What can a first timer expect at PAUS DXB?
Since our café is the first thing newcomers see, most assume that the rest of the space is also dedicated to F&B. Our team always makes sure to take our guests on a tour so they can explore the second level which houses our wellness area is. Most of the feedback we get from people is genuine excitement to see a space that embodies several feel-good aspects.
Some are yoga beginners or have not yet tried sound healing or are curious about our Access Bars therapy etc. – our services are varied. We have facials that the everyday person enjoys, but as you delve deeper into your wellness journey you will also be able to try manifestation, sound healing sessions or even chakra reading and healing from our guest practitioners.
We aim to have people explore and fall in love with whatever treatment or class suits their lifestyle best.
We aim to break the stereotypes of wellness while not forgetting our roots. Much of the commercialized wellness practices we see originate from South Asian self-care practices, including the use of natural products.
A rather interesting (and very valid) point highlighted on your website is the bountiful number of ‘western-centric’ wellness centers in the region. Tell us what it means to not only organically represent your culture, but draw from it in order to create PAUS.
We aim to break the stereotypes of wellness while not forgetting our roots. Much of the commercialized wellness practices we see originate from South Asian self-care practices, including the use of natural products. For example, our grandmothers and the tradition of oiling the hair, the backbone of yoga from flow to laughter, turmeric as our everyday magic tool to health and so much more, we situate Paus; to celebrate and infuse traditions whilst keep them alive.
There is still a lingering misconception that wellness, yoga and meditation practices are predominantly female. How does PAUS work to dismantle this notion?
We are big fans of learning and understanding different perspectives. As sisters with a strong female team, we ensure we don’t forget the men – their emotions, their pursuit to wellness, etc. That is why we do have talks targeted specifically for men. We have also held Matcha Mornings that discussed how men should and can be emotional and we have exclusive men’s classes too.
The media has made women the face of wellness, but this shouldn’t be the case because the more perspectives we understand, the better approaches we have, and the more knowledge and life experiences we attain, the better the outcome for everyone.
Which of your classes do you recommend to novices looking to embark on their wellness journey?
We recommend our Morning Flow yoga sessions and our sound healing. It can get overwhelming when the classes are not your usual boxing, running, and cardio workouts, but we make sure the classes we offer are all about mind+body+soul . The effects are long-lasting and you come home being equipped with the ability to infuse these practices into your daily life.
Walk us through your Matcha Mornings concept.
It’s basically non-therapy therapy in a judgement free zone
– we talk about a lot of things people don’t usually talk about – like body image, family pressure, quitting, men’s emotions, why happiness can get overrated and so much more.
It’s a space with strangers, friends and everyone can pitch in different perspectives and share their life experiences. Our sessions are always fully booked and most of our guests are always repeat guests because you learn something new every day.
How pivotal is it to incorporate a wellness-practice into our daily lives?
Given the pandemic and the combination of having to hustle every day, wellness should be everyone’s priority. As humans, we were built for leisure – which doesn’t mean that we have to forget about work and responsibilities – it only means that we should always keep balance in minds. Self-care is also a society’s strength.
When we know how to look after ourselves, it positively impacts our relationship with others which ultimately leads to a societally positive impact.
A mantra or quote that you consistently live by…
Sarah: “Let the waters settle and you will see the moon and the stars mirrored in your own being.”
Soph: “Everything happens for you, not to you”
DISCLAIMER:
At the time of this interview going live PAUS DXB’s food menu is being finalised. In the interim guests can enjoy the fulfilling health smoothies, desserts, coffee and beverages.
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