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Holiday Ideas - Ayurveda Shalas
Ayurveda - The new balm for fevered souls Ayurveda is made up of two Sanskrit words: Ayu which means life and Veda which means the knowledge of To know about life is Ayurveda. However, to fully comprehend the vast scope of Ayurveda let us first define "Ayu" or life. According to the ancient Ayurvedic scholar Charaka, "ayu" is comprised of four essential parts. The combination of mind, body, senses and the soul. Ayurveda in Sanskrit means "the science of Life". It is an ancient, unfailing system of treatment based on medicines prepared from herbal plants found in abundance in India. Ayurveda is an integral part of the people of India. In the recent years this ancient knowledge system of medicine has gained global acceptance especially for alternative ways of preventive, curative and rejuvenative processes making life a more pleasurable experience. When alternative lifestyles and stressful schedules are talking points in the cosmopolitan circuits, Ayurveda, the art of ancient Indian healing cannot be far behind - it has a cornucopia of ancient secret cures for stubborn diseases. Along with yoga, Ayurveda is the new balm for fevered souls. It uses natural herbs and their oils to treat ailments and ensure a healthy life. Most of the centres for Ayurveda, called Ayurveda Shalas, are in Kerala on the South Coast. This is beach country as well, so bring along your sunscreens and hats. In fact many westerners have made ayurvedic spas their annual treat, combining a relaxing holiday with cleansing for their bodies.
Ayurvedic Massages Ayurvedic massages are serious life-enriching massages, so be prepared to get some energetic flesh pounding from experts. Look forward to being draped with pieces of linen, dipped in lukewarm herbal oils, all over the body by two to four trained therapists in a special rhythmic way. This goes on continuously for about 60 to 90 minutes per day for a period of 7 to 21 days, and is said to be an effective remedy for rheumatic diseases. It's supposed to be good for your nerves too and should pep up your overall energy levels as well. While you soak in the herbs you can watch especially at Vizhinjam the boats out to sail in the sunset - From the beach you can see their lights strung out like pearls in a necklace from the coast. Restoring Balance
Oils and herbs The herbs used in ayurveda are indigenous to Kerala's moist climate. The type of oil used for massage differs according to the ailment being treated. It is one of these: camphor, neem, mustard and castor. To these are added various powdered herbs, nuts and the bark of trees. The Ayurvedic practitioner may conduct the massage using the palm of the hand, poultices, and cloth. Traditionally, Ayurvedic massage is used on trainee Kathakali dancers, and students of kalaraipayatt. The guru massages the student's head and shoulders with his hands, but uses his feet to stretch and flex the student's legs and back, since flexibility is essential to classical dance and martial art. Ayurveda is ancient In the Rig Veda, over 60 preparation were mentioned that could be used to assist an individual in overcoming various ailments. The Rig Veda was written over 6,000 years ago, but really Ayurveda has been around even longer than that. ENJOY AND GET HEALED WITH AYURVEDA
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Ayurveda believes that the imbalance of fire, air and
phlegm causes disease in the human body and tries to correct it
majorly through cleaning and massage. Once the balance of humors is
restored, the body copes better with external factors like
pollution, strain and infections.