Ayurveda Yoga & Meditation
Ayurveda is a 5,000-year-old system of natural healing that has its origins in the Vedic culture of India. Although suppressed during years of foreign occupation, Ayurveda has been enjoying a major resurgence in both its native land and throughout the world. Tibetan medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine both have their roots in Ayurveda. Early Greek medicine also embraced many concepts originally described in the classical Ayurvedic medical texts dating back several thousands of years.
More than a mere system of treating illness, Ayurveda is a science of life (Ayur = life, Veda = science or knowledge). It offers a body of wisdom designed to help people stay vital while realizing their full human potential. Providing guidelines on ideal daily and seasonal routines, diet, behavior and the proper use of our senses, Ayurveda reminds us that health is the balanced and dynamic integration between our environment, body, mind, and spirit.
Recognizing that human beings are part of nature, Ayurveda describes three fundamental energies that govern our inner and outer environments: movement, transformation, and structure. Known in Sanskrit as Vata (Wind), Pitta (Fire), and Kapha (Earth), these primary forces are responsible for the characteristics of our mind and body.
How do you define something that’s all-pervasive, holistic, and addresses the most fundamental question regarding the individual self at a physical, emotional and spiritual level? This is why defining Ayurveda as just a healing system is tantamount to restricting the scope of what it offers. The crux of Ayurveda is that it prescribes a way of life that goes beyond merely prescribing remedies for ailments. Instead, it distils the essence of our biological, psychological, emotional and spiritual personae and accordingly arrives at a way of life that helps us realize our vitality. This was a path carved out by sage-physicians thousands of years ago which is still being followed.
Health in Totality
Healthy living is about living wholly, in harmony with nature, our environment and our own core self. It is about integrating our mind, body and soul. Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of healing and living, is the only one of its kind in the world that addresses the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of our well-being. With a therapeutic approach that gets to the core of our personality, behavior and lifestyle, Ayurveda is more than a mere system for curing ailments; it in fact charts out a complete lifestyle for disease-free living.
Values – Integrated
All the three classical Ayurvedic texts namely ‘Sushruta Samhita’ ‘Charaka Samhita’ and ‘Ashtangahridaya Samhita’ by the ‘Ayurvedic Trinity Sushruta, Charaka and Vagbhata respectively lay great emphasis on the code of ethics to be followed by practitioners of Ayurveda including physicians, surgeons, scholars, students, nurses and patients. There is no deviation from these underlying ethics in any authentic practice of the Ayurvedic system of healing. This also necessitates a strict adherence to the physician’s instructions without any compromise on the part of a patient in order to ensure full benefit of the healing process. Besides, with spirituality and a holistic view of life being integral to the healing process, universal values are a part and parcel of Ayurveda and this offers a new and rejuvenated approach to life that is tuned to the natural order of things.
Ancient Insights
Ayurveda dates back more than 2000 years originating in the Vedas, the ancient Hindu texts that contain practical information related to almost all aspects of life and is that branch of the Vedas which delves into the essence of right living and healing. Literally meaning the ‘knowledge or Science (‘veda’) of life’ (‘ayur), Ayurveda is an amalgamation of different knowledge systems that combine to offer a right and healthy way of life that is disease free. Some of the underlying principles of Ayurveda were laid down in the oldest known Ayurvedic texts namely ‘Sushruta Samhita’ by Sushruta, ‘Charaka Samhita’ by Charaka and ‘Ashtangahridaya Samhita’ by Vagbhata. These are considered the foundation texts of Ayurveda and what they reveal is an amazing insight into the human body based on pure observation and deep reflections without the aid of any of the tools that are available today. The findings and suggested techniques also reveal penetrating foresight for they seem precursors to many modern medicinal principles in the area of surgery and human anatomy.
Naturally Remedial
Nature is the core of the Ayurvedic healing process. This means little or no dependence on chemicals and their toxic effects. Everything that Ayurveda prescribes is based on a scientific study of Nature: the herbs and their healing properties, the natural seasons and cycles and our own bio-rhythms tuned to them. The foods and medicines that Ayurveda prescribes are rooted in a knowledge base gathered from studying thousands and thousands of plants, medicinal herbs and our body’s response to them based on mutual chemistry.
Why it Works
Today caught as we are in the compulsions of a stress-inducing lifestyle, health very often connotes the existence or the lack of certain physical and mental conditions or diseases. It very often takes a breakdown in our physical and emotional health to make us seek intervention. But modern medicine, with its approach of dealing with specific ailments that have to do with specific body organs, can exclude the crucial totality and therefore miss the root cause of our condition. What is needed is an inclusive approach to healthy living and healing and this is where Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of healing and living, comes in. In effect, Ayurveda makes us pause to reflect on some crucial questions regarding our daily living habits which are connected to our overall mental and physical health
- Are we eating right?
Food is one of the most essential aspects of our living, vital to our physical and mental sustenance. And yet persuaded by a commercial environment and driven by the urgency of our lifestyle and also our lack of understanding, we very rarely pay close attention to what we feed into our body. Ayurveda categorizes and prescribes food based on the principle of five natural elements and the three Doshas or body constitution which are linked to the elements as also the ‘Gunas’ or natural forces which govern body and mind. A specific diet for a person is prescribed given his own body type. Ayurveda also strongly recommends the consumption of fresh and organic food. More importantly, Ayurveda encourages mindful or meditative eating by which the full essence of food can be assimilated by the body in an aware, fully engaged and respectful manner.
- Do we know our body type?
The crux of right eating and healing is in knowing what suits our body because every individual is unique physically and mentally depending on the body type he or she may have. This in turn depends on the bio-energies in our body called Doshas (Pitha, kapha and Vata) which in combination with the five elements in nature determine the mental, physical and emotional and constitution of each person. Thus what Ayurveda prescribes as a lifestyle solution and as a cure for specific ailments is based on a close understanding of the body as against a one-size-fits-all approach.
- Do we listen to our body enough?
The body is a wonderful mechanism that has its own self-healing processes at work to repair itself. It is when despite its own recovery processes, there is a malfunction that it starts sending us signals to sit up and take notice. And yet, even after this, we fail to listen to what our body is communicating to us. We also increasingly distance ourselves from our body’s inherent needs due to reasons based on lifestyle and social considerations. This results in suppressing of bodily urges that lead to accumulation of toxins and their manifestation in the form of diseases. We then rush to seek medical intervention. Ayurveda encourages us to be more mindful of our body and its messages so that living minus diseases is a natural process.
- Are we aware of our breathing pattern?
Breathing is the most important action of our body that determines all aspects of our health. Which nostril is operating at a given point of time? What is right breathing? How does breathing impact our daily activities? These are questions we seldom ask ourselves. And yet they are the crucial indicators of our health awareness. Ayurveda goes into an in-depth understanding and explanation of the right breathing techniques for our daily activities which is finely tuned to the overall environment and also to our bio-energies.
- Are we nurturing our mind?
The mind and the body have a symbiotic relationship. What affects the mind affects the body and what affects the body affects the mind. But while modern medicine seeks to offer ready solutions to many physical ailments, when it comes to the mind, a holistic approach is still a challenge. A majority of mental conditions such as Depression depend on chemically induced solutions such as anti-depressants. Ayurveda on the other hand approaches the mind as part of the overall integrated system of human life and therefore offers a natural way that is radical and lifestyle inclusive. Age old practices such as Yoga and meditation, which help us heal internally, combined with the right foods and breathing patterns that are suited to our body, ensure a healthy mind in a healthy body.
- How do we sleep?
Most of us are aware that the right amount of sleep repairs the body tissues and yet we very often fail to grasp the implication of how much to sleep, when to sleep, how to sleep, what food to eat before sleeping and the related activities such as waking up. Ayurveda helps us look closely at these aspects of sleep in a scientific manner that is again connected to our overall health and suited to our own constitution.
Treatments
Complete Detox – Panchakarma Chikitsa (Duration – 21 to 28 days)
Panchakarma is an intensive cleansing treatment that follows the early texts of Ayurveda like Charaka Samhita. Panchakarma, which literally means five actions, is essentially about purification of the body. The five actions of Panchakarma according to Charaka Samhitha are Vamana (induced vomiting), Virechana (purgation), Kashaya Vasti and Sneha Vasti (two kinds of medicated enemas) and Nasya (nasal medication). It is preceded by a preparatory process called Poorvakarma. At this stage the body is prepared for removing “toxins” first through Snehanam which make the body unctuous or oily internally and externally, and second through Swedanam which means therapeutic sweating. Once the preparatory stage is completed, the doctor will prescribe one or more of the 5 Panchakarma cleansing procedures depending on each individual’s condition. The third and final stage of treatment is Samana or Paschatkarma where the patient undergoes corrective measures through medicines, moderate therapeutic treatments, appropriate diet and activities for the body and mind. On completion of the Panchakarma treatment, the imbalances that lead to diseases in the individual is stabilized and brought to equilibrium.
Stress Management -Manashanthi Chikitsa (Duration- 14 -28 days)
Literally meaning mental peace, this anti-stress treatment aims at helping you combat the symptoms of stress, insomnia, lack of concentration, fatigue and headaches that are part of today’s hectic lifestyles and help in improving your mental health. The treatment course for Manashanti chikitsa/treatment follows the 3 stages, Poorvakarma- preparatory phase, Shodana – cleansing or eliminating phase and finally Samana which is the corrective and rejuvenation phase.
During the first stage, the body is prepared for removing toxins through Snehanam- internal and external oleation, followed by Swedanam -therapeutic sweating. Once the body is prepared, the doctor will determine the cleansing or panchakrma treatment based on each individual’s body constitution and medical condition. These two stages of treatment will ensure that the imbalances in the doshas (body constitution) are stabilized. The third and final stage of treatment is Samana or Paschatkarma where the body is slowly brought out of the intense cleansing and elimination stage by giving corrective medicines and moderate therapeutic treatments, appropriate diet and yoga aasanas to correct and rejuvenate the body.
Weight Management – Sthoulyaghna Chikitsa (Duration – 14 to 28 days)
This Ayurvedic treatment for weight management works by increasing metabolism, which will help in utilizing the fat and increasing the body’s vitality so that less fat is accumulated in the body. It is essentially about purification of the body by eliminating excess cellulite deposits and preventing the body from disease.
Healthy aging – Cleansing and Rejuvenation Rasayana Chikitsa ( Duration – 21 to 28 days )
Rasayana Chikitsa is the treatment for rejuvenation and regeneration of tissues, mental well-being, intellect and boosting of immune system. Rasayana treatments are done for those who have low immune system and lack vitality. There are two reasons for this treatment: one is to help diseased person get back to normalcy and the other is help a normal person enjoy enhanced vitality, immunity and intellect. This treatment starts with a two-week process of cleansing to eliminate toxins. It is only after this that the rejuvenation treatments start along with the specific medicines and diet. The aim is to arrest the degeneration of body cells and increase immunity. In fact, the treatment helps to keep individuals free from diseases even at an advanced age. During the first stage, the body is prepared for removing toxins through Snehanam, which involves making the body unctuous or oily internally and externally, and through Swedanam which means therapeutic sweating. Afterward Shodhana or elimination is done by appropriate Panchakarma techniques. By making the patient undergo these treatments, his doshas (body constitution) and its imbalances are stabilized before the rejuvenation process is started. During the rejuvenation stage treatments are given to improve vitality.
Yoga & Meditation
Yoga
Yoga is an ancient Indian physical, mental and spiritual practice with the origins dating back to the 5th or 6th century BC. It means to ‘integrate’ ‘combine’ or ‘unite’ and it addresses ways of integrating the body, senses, life force, the mind and the consciousness. Yoga is thus used to complement the whole healing process of the treatment with the Hatha style which concentrates mainly on the practice of physical postures (Aasanás) with an emphasis on meditation and Pranayama breathing techniques. This kind of yoga is accessible to all and is light so as to support the treatment process. There is no age limit and no previous knowledge or experience required. Each one is initially supported on an individual basis until he or she is ready to partake in the group exercises. This complete body and mind experience is aimed at improving your health and total well-being.
Meditation
With Ayurveda’s thrust on internal healing, meditation as a practice in disciplining the mind and the thinking process is made a core part of the treatment at CGH Earth Ayurveda. Meditation techniques are used to calm and relax both the mind and the body since both the mind and the body are closely tuned to each other. One of the effective techniques of meditation used here is the Candlelight Meditation in which a group sits around a burning candle and gazes at the flame for several minutes focusing on it as long as possible and praying together. This helps in gaining clarity, peace and positive energy.
Satsang
Satsang which can be translated as ‘true company’ (sat- true, sang- company) has always been one of the fundamental elements of Indian philosophy and it means:
1.Company of the highest truth,
- The company of a Guru
- An assembly of people which listens to, talks about and assimilates the truth.
This involves listening to or reading the scriptures, reflecting on them, absorbing their meaning, understanding and discussing the meaning of certain words and integrating their significance into one’s daily life. The idea of Satsang may be traced back to Rishis or ancient Indian spiritual masters such as Vedavyasa and Valmiki who explained their value in numerous ways. Satsangs are thus a significant aspect of Ayurvedic treatments as they add the necessary uplifting edge to the whole recovery process by enhancing positive energy. Patients are therefore encouraged to partake of a rich cultural and spiritual offering including discourses, classical music and dance performances, Mantra chanting, candlelight meditation, Yoga discourses , Kalaripayattu demonstrations and doctors’ talks during the treatment course.
7 Days Ayurveda Extension with Main tour
Rejuvenation /Body Purification
This Treatment includes body massage with hand and foot by two masseurs with medicated oil and cream, internal rejuvenate medicines and medicated steam bath. This therapy is for 90 minutes to 2 hours per day for 7 days. This therapy is to rejuvenate the mind, body and soul, to tone up skin, to strengthen all systems so as to achieve ideal health and longevity.
Itinerary
Day 1: On arrival check in to your resort. Consult with your doctor and start treatment.
Day 2 – 6: Continue your Ayurvedic Treatment to rejuvenation.
Day 7: Departure transfer to Airport
Treatment Includes
- Abhyangam: Full body massage with medicated oil proceeded by medicated steam bath
- Navarakizhi: Pouch of medicated rice puffed all over the body which will help in relaxation of body muscles
- Podikizhi:Pouch of medicated powder puffed all over the body
All other treatments as per the advice of the doctor
The treatments are subjected to change as per the advice of the doctor according to patient body condition.
Inclusions
- Ayurvedic Treatments as per the Programme (Daily two treatment as morning/evening schedule)
- Daily breakfast, Lunch and Dinner (Ayurveda veg diet as per advice of the doctor)
- 01 session of 04 body cleansing treatments focusing (Eyes,ears,mouth,nose)
- Daily Consultation with Ayurveda Doctor
- Daily one medicated drinking water
- Daily on herbal juice
- Free indoor/Outdoor facility
Be Rest Assured!!