PANCHAKARMA

– Seasonal cleansing and renewal

What is it?

Panchakarma is an ancient ritual of detoxification and rejuvenation. As an essential part of Ayurveda’s mandala of healing practices, it invites deep renewal, activates cellular intelligence, and optimizes metabolic functions.

Ayurveda understands the vivacious interplay of the five elements – Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space – as the basis of all life. Their interweaving within the body-mind-emotions-spirit, and the environment, generates three main patterns of energy transformation called doshas: vata – expressing the predominance of air and space, pitta – fire and water, and kapha – earth and water.

Each dosha has a primary site in the body: kapha, in the lungs and stomach; pitta, in the small intestines and liver; and vata, in the colon. Whenever doshic imbalance occurs, their excess tends to accumulate in these corresponding organs, building up toxins (ama) and causing specific symptoms or discomfort. Imbalances often result from undigested food, emotions or mental activities, stressful lifestyle, injuries, and/or genetic weakness.

Panchakarma literally means “five actions” and involves five main types of treatments to address doshic imbalances, remove toxins from the body and restore energy flow throughout the organs’ system and tissues. This process happens in three phases:

PURVAKARMA – preparation at home

Usually starting 30-15 days prior to Panchakarma series of treatments, a period of preparation supports the body to eliminate toxins and reduce intake of foods that aggravate doshic imbalance, therefore making the body ready for further purification.

Starting with a consultation, the practitioner gathers information to identify individual constitution and present health conditions. Accordingly, herbs, nutrition, meditation practice and treatments are chosen to most efficiently induce detoxification.

PANCHAKARMA – five actions of purification, emphasizing elimination at a deeper level. Residential.

As a foundation, clients receive a combination of:

• Abhyanga – traditional Ayurvedic massage applied with warm herbal oils
• Udvartan – skin exfoliation using flour and herbal mixture;
• Shirodhara – face, head and neck massage followed by 20-45 minutes of warm herbal oil preparation, slowly dripping on the third eye, to relax and balance the nervous system, as well as open to insights and deeper levels of awareness.
• Svedhana - clear impurities through sweating in a steam cabin. The heat opens the pores, liquefies toxins and mobilizes impurities from the tissues, supporting elimination of toxins through the skin.

Simultaneously, regular intake of ghee, or other oil, is recommended. This therapeutic combination liquefies toxins, improves blood and lymphatic circulation, supporting the movement of accumulated doshas back to the GI tract, from where they are finally eliminated.

The  actual panchakarma, emphasizes further elimination and depletion, and include a combination of the traditional five actions:

• Virechana – purgation, primarily used to treat Pitta imbalance.
• Basti – enemas using oils (ANUVASANA BASTI) and herbs (NIRUHA BASTI), to balance excess Vata.
• Nasya – cleanses the sinus and nasal passages, assists on the removal of mucous, with the use of steam and medicated oil.
• Vamana – therapeutic vomiting, mostly needed in case of Kapha imbalance.

These treatments are chosen and combined considering above all the uniqueness of each individual.

Traditionally, and still in India nowadays, Rakta moksha– bloodletting, is used to purify and cleanse the blood. Typically it involves the application of leeches and is beyond the scope of practice in the USA and Europe.

Plenty of rest is recommended, as well as a mono diet of kitchari (a seasoned mixture of basmati rice and mung dal), and extra personal care, so that the body is encouraged to focus on this process of elimination.

RASAYANA – rejuvenation, follow up and integration in your daily life

During this phase, the body is revitalized with herbs, nutrition and review of lifestyle. The client receives educational support to reintroduce adequate and nurturing foods into daily diet, increase digestive fire, as well as, strengthen and balance all tissues and organs’ system.

Panchakarma cleanses the cell walls at the deepest level, revitalizing the entire body, and further rebuilding immunity. It enlivens the body, mind and spirit, offering a great opportunity to jumpstart into a balanced lifestyle.

Especially recommended during the change of seasons, or/and to support life transitions, end of cycles, or the simple need to renew from inside out. As a health maintenance program it is suggested once a year.

ALIVE AYURVEDA offers a twelve-day traditional ayurveda program. We start with two-day preparation with preliminary consultation, yoga, and meditation guidance, followed by seven days of energy-bodywork, various body care treatments according to doshic needs, combined with herbs nutrition, and meditation. To conclude, three days for integration and follow up home maintainance suggestions. This residential retreat invokes spiritual renewal, honoring the body as a  temple of aliveness, silence and meditation.

Reccomendations
As an annual program, support for overall health and wellbeing. A quantum leap into a new level of energy and utilization of your own life’s potential.
Participation limited to 6 participants per retreat.

With Komala Lyra
and Alive Ayurveda Team
 

Cost: 3.700,- € includes consultation prior to retreat, as well as follow up, Panchakarma program, accommodation, all meals and materials