Panchakarma Treatment
In the stressful environments in which many of us now live, toxins gradually accumulate in the body causing disease. The Panchakarma treatment is designed to restore the body’s natural balance while eliminating toxins and strengthening the immune system.
Panchakarma Treatment (2019-05)Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres & Ashrams
The word Panchakarma means five action or therapies.
They are
- Vamana (vomiting),
- Virechana (purgation),
- Nasya (nasal cleansing),
- Sneha basthi (oil enema) &
- Kashaya basthi (decoction enema).
Panchakarma Treatment (2019-05)Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres & Ashrams
Panchakarma is recommended for everyone. Since Ayurveda is preventative as well as curative, you do not need to have a specific problem to benefit from panchakarma. However the treatment is highly effective for a vast range of disorders and diseases.
Here we see the different kinds of massages that may be administered.
Purva Karma —Preparatory Stage
Snehana
Medicated oil or ghee is administered orally and through massage.
This enables easy elimination of the fat-soluble toxins and removes blockages created by metabolic waste.
The massage takes upto an hour.
Abhyanga: Ayurvedic Massage
Abhyanga is a full body massage – from head to toe – using warm herbal oils.
Its long strokes follow the body’s main circulatory channels.
It is recommended as a daily Ayurvedic practice in the scriptures, and is one of the main therapies in the Panchakarma programme.
Dedicated face, head, and neck massages are done.
Udwarthanam Powder Massage
Udwarthanam is an ancient Ayurvedic therapeutic deep tissue massage using herbal powders.
The powder is spread through and then massaged in. It is one of the most sought after treatments for weight loss as it targets fat cells directly.
It involves upward stroking where the powder is forcibly rubbed on the body to breakdown toxin and fat blocks under the skin while nourishing it with detoxifying ingredients.
Kizhi
Kizhi is a special ayurvedic massage where herbal powders are poured into cotton bags, immersed in warm herbal oil and gently padded to the whole body.
Heat applied to open the pores and channels for ease of elimination of water-soluble toxins is termed Svedana. Kizhi is one such technique. The other techniques include steam bath, hot bundles, leaf bundles, among others. This is usually done for about 30 mins.
Sweating is induced during the therapy, opening skin pores to release toxins while absorbing relaxing and nourishing herbal ingredients. The padding also relaxes body muscles, releases stiffness, and stimulates internal organs.
Kizhi is highly effective for ailments in bones, joints, and the nervous system. This is preceded by Abhyanga Ayurvedic full body massage.
Ayurveda Massage with Dhara
Dhara is an ancient Ayurvedic therapy where a steady, slow stream flows over the forehead, or ajna marma, an area where nerves are highly concentrated.
The pressure of the oil onto the forehead creates a vibration that reprogrammes brain waves, while the oil saturates the forehead and scalp and penetrates into the nervous system.
The gentle pressure allows the body, mind, and nervous system to relax and experience a deep state of rest.
Face Massage
After deep cleansing and exfoliation of the skin, massage is applied with Ayurvedic herbal oils followed by a face pack individually tailored to the condition of your skin.
At the same time hands and feet are massaged with warm medicated, herbal Ayurvedic oil.
The treatment concludes with the application of a personalized skin-care cream.
Any such medical treatments should always be undertaken in consultation with a competent practitioner. The diagnosis may vary on case to case basis.
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