What is Panchakarma?
Panchakarma is more than 5000 years old ultimate mind-body healing experience for detoxifying the body, strengthening the immune system, reversing the negative effects of chronic problems, rejuvenating and restoring balance and well-being. In Sanskrit, panchakarma means “the five actions” (pancha=five andkarma=action), referring to the five different cleansing and rejuvenating procedures described in the classic ayurvedic textbooks.
It is recommended on a seasonal basis, as well as when an individual feels out of balance or is experiencing illness. In a busy, stressful and toxic world, our physical and mental systems accumulate toxins causing deterioration in bodily functioning. This eventually weakens our systems, which opens the door for chronic, degenerative, and non-specific diseases to develop. These can evolve into serious specific diseases, ultimately damaging an individual’s health and wellness.
Benefits:
- Eliminate toxins and toxic conditions from your body and mind
- Restore your constitutional balance improving health and wellness
- Strengthen your immune system and become more resistant to illness
- Reverse the negative effects of stress on your body and mind thereby slowing the aging process
- Enhance your self-reliance, strength, energy, vitality and mental clarity
- Bring about deep relaxation and sense of well-being
Ultimate Mind-Body healing with Panchakarma:
Panchakarma is a unique, natural, holistic, health-giving series of therapeutic treatments that cleanse the body’s deep tissues of toxins, open the subtle channels, bring life-enhancing energy thereby increasing vitality, inner peace, confidence and well-being.
According to ayurveda, good health depends upon our capability to fully metabolize all aspects of life, assimilating that which nourishes and eliminating the rest. When we can’t completely digest our food, experiences, and emotions, toxins accumulate in our bodily tissues, creating imbalance and – ultimately – disease.
When our digestive energies, known as agni (fire), are robust, we create healthy tissues, eliminate waste products efficiently, and produce a subtle essence called ojas. ojas which may be envisioned as the innermost sap of our psychophysiology, is the basis for clarity of perception, physical strength, and immunity. On the other hand, if our agni is weakened, digestion is incomplete and creates toxins that get stored in the body. This toxic residue is known as ama.
The Panchakarma Process
Step One: Pre-Preparatory Procedures
Panchakarma begins with Internal oleation by ingesting Ghee or specific herbs in order to digest or loosen and mobilize accumulated toxins or ama in our subtle channels.
Step Two: Preparatory Procedures
Oleation – applying herbal oils in order to loosen and mobilize accumulated toxins or ama. This step includes deep, soothing daily ayurvedic massage treatments using herbalized oils.
Swedana – is the induced heating procedure in our body. Specific steam and warm oil therapies are used to heat the body. This process helps open the body’s circulation channels (srotas) and allows toxins to flow more easily from the tissues to the GI tract for elimination. Swedana also relaxes the body, releasing tension and allowing impurities to be eliminated through the sweat glands.
Step Three: Elimination and Release
Once the body’s toxins have been mobilized, gentle therapies are used to release them from the body. The treatment includes a sequence of daily bastis and virechana– a therapeutic process in which medicated and herbal preparations are used to flush toxins from the intestinal tract. Bastis are often referred to as enemas but actually offer many more healing benefits than a simple colon cleanse. During a basti, the herbalized oils enter the deeper tissues and eliminate fat-soluble toxins that can’t be dislodged with standard enemas. This stage of panchakarma also includes nasya, an ayurvedic treatment that gently cleanses the upper respiratory tract and sinuses. This soothing process uses pure herbalized oils to improve the flow of life energy and help you breathe freely and easily.
Step Four: Rejuvenation
The final step of panchakarma is rasayana,a term that means “that which is nourishing.” Once the toxins have been released, this is a critical time to begin replenishing the body with natural foods and herbs, revitalizing massage treatments, and healing practices such as meditation and yoga.
Ayurvedic physicians recommend getting regular panchakarma treatments to detoxify and nourish your entire mind-body system. In just a few days, you will feel renewed as you release whatever is no longer serving you and open yourself to vibrant health.
Your Panchakarma Program:
- An orientation program before your treatment begins
- A complete ayurvedic assessment including balance & imbalance, pulse, tongue and eye evaluations, includes advice for full course of herbal supplements.
- Daily Ayurvedic treatments according to constitution and disease for 7-21 days as per chosen program. The duration of each program is 75-90 minutes.
- Consultation with a panchakarma consultant to monitor progress.
- Lifestyle and diet recommendations specific to each individual. During the program, we recommend you follow a simplified ayurvedic regime.
- Recommendations for herbs, diet and lifestyle programs after the treatment.
