June 12, 2009
Is the 1 month course in Panchakarma and Ayurvedic massage any good?
Heafelomins asked:
Hi! I wanted to do a 1 month panchakarma and ayurvedic massage course but I am a bit skeptical because it seems a lot of material to be covered in only one month and I am also afraid that I am not going to be able to do a good ayurvedic massage after I am done…Am I right? Does anyone have any experience with this course in India…Are they good at all and do they teach you how to massage well?
Reid
Hi! I wanted to do a 1 month panchakarma and ayurvedic massage course but I am a bit skeptical because it seems a lot of material to be covered in only one month and I am also afraid that I am not going to be able to do a good ayurvedic massage after I am done…Am I right? Does anyone have any experience with this course in India…Are they good at all and do they teach you how to massage well?
Reid
Comments on Is the 1 month course in Panchakarma and Ayurvedic massage any good?
Angel
A complete study of Ayurveda takes about 5-6 years. Need I say anything more? Panchakarma is a high profile process of cleaning the entire human body internally, as described in Ayurvedic Science. Panchakarma is a purification and cleaning process of human body. It counts five steps to complete the process.
* Vamana (Emesis)
* Virechana (Purgation)
* Vasti (Enema)
* Raktamoksha (Blood-Letting)
* Navan/Nasya (Nasal Application of Herbal Medicines)
Ayurveda has eight branches called Ashtangas. They are Kaya (general medicine), baala (pediatrics), graha (astrological), urdwanga (above neck), shalya (surgery), dhamshtra (toxicology), jara (longevity) and vrusha (infertility). The physician who is well versed in all these eight branched is called an Ashtavaidyan. There are eighteen families of Ashtavaidyas in Kerala who are believed to be the torchbearers of the Vahata tradition.
Ayurveda is an integral system of health, which does not separate body from nature.
Ayurveda advises undergoing panchakarma at the seasonal changes to both keep the metabolism strong and keep toxins from accumulating in the body as well as the mind. The process finds the way to the root cause of the problem and corrects the essential balance of mind, body, and emotions. It is considered extremely effective to go through the process of panchakarma prior to any rejuvenation treatment (rasayana/herbal medicines), for it cleanses the body, improves the digestion, the metabolic processes of the body and cleanse the thought process as well.
Basically, panchakarma is meant to make an individual most receptive to the curative process of ayurveda by removing accumulated waste in body and mind.
I dont think you can cover all this in just one month.
In India, Panchakarma is practised in Kerala, and there are a few families dedicated to this art and science. It is not everyone’s cup of tea. It is very laborious and expensive. The oils used for the cleansing are very expensive. Hence the whole process is time consuming and very costly.
This is my opinion. Please refer to the sites on panchakarma so as to get a complete picture.