Ayurveda comes from two words; Ayus or Life and Vid, to Know. Therefore Ayurveda means to know life. In this context, Ayurvedic treatments create internal harmony, the result of which is vibrant health. This is called Ojas in Ayurveda; that which creates sustained enthusiasm for life; felt in our emotions as inspiration, witnessed as longevity in our bodies and experienced as tranquility in our minds.
The wise men and women who created the system of Ayurveda understood that we could become out of balance from poor diet and a toxic environment. These imbalances start manifesting as symptoms that we see every day in our modern world; chronic muscle pain, mental dullness and emotional instability, to name a few. The beauty of this “medicine of consciousness” is that there are ways to bring back balance that are simple, effective and of gentle means.
Purvakarma Therapies are treatments that calm (purva) the action (karma) of the body,mind,spirit. These therapies involve oileation and heat in order to liquify toxins and move them into the hollow organs of the body for further cleansing. Pachakarma Therapies are treatments that involve five actions to expel toxins from the body are are usually done under the supervision of a trained Ayurvedic specialist.
Usually Purvakarma therapies are performed prior to Pachakarma. Seasonal treatments to expel toxins from our bodies is recommended much like seasonal cleaning of our homes.
The shoulder seasons, Spring and Fall are times of great change in the weather and are reflected in our body as well.
When bacteria or toxic elements invade the tissues there is a build up of AMA which clogs our body and if it is not addressed, manifest in what is commonly thought of as seasonal complaints; colds and allergies. The tonsils and adenoids are the first line of defense in our body, their purpose is to encapsulate and destroy invading micro-phages, if they have been removed this first line of defense is absent, making us vulnerable. If the natural tissue tolerance has been disturbed the cells may become damaged causing hypersensitivity in our tissues. The resulting intolerance of certain foods or allergies of environmental causes causes unpleasant symptoms, often quite severe.
One of the easiest signs that a cleansing is needed is seen through observation of your tongue. The tongue in Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine is considered an internal organ that can be seen externally. The state of our internal organs can be seen through mapping our tongue. Considering the shape, color, various markings provide information about our organs. Facial markings provide further clues. For example, if you observe dark shadows underneath your eyes it is an invitation to consider that your kidney function may be impaired. This is not a diagnosis in the Western sense of kidney failure but is a precursor that is letting you know that you may want to consider a seasonal cleanse.
