Welcome to the World of Ayurveda
Ayurveda is an intelligent and elegant system of healing, first described around 5,000 years ago in ancient Vedic texts as comprehensive teachings on preserving and maintaining health. The fact that this ancient medicine is still in use today is a testament to the wisdom it holds when it comes to understanding the human potential to achieve a happy and wholesome life.
Ayurveda serves to awaken your body’s ability to restore balance using principles that are seemingly basic and yet profound. These same principles are mirrored in many indigenous cultures today, especially when it comes to the importance of restoring harmony or balance to cultivate good health. In addition, woven into Ayurvedic teachings is a sense of love and compassion for each person’s healing journey and a reminder to regard yourself in the same way. One of the first things you will learn about or experience when starting to delve into the world of Ayurveda is the importance of cleansing and rejuvenation, where you quite literally clean the slate and start anew.
What is an Ayurvedic Purification Process?
Stress, improper and unhealthy diets, and various environmental factors cause unhealthy accumulation in our bodies and minds. Most of us know what that feels like. Ayurveda provides a roadmap for the process of eliminating these accumulated impurities from our physiology; it is essentially a simple, but potent, detoxification program. An Ayurvedic purification program can be of great help in preventing disease by restoring a natural state of health before it becomes grossly out of balance. Our bodies have an innate and natural ability to heal, and Ayurvedic remedies assist in this process.
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HERE'S HOW IT WORKS:
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The program takes place over 10 days (or longer, if possible), allowing plenty of time and space to rest and process the experience. Each step in the program is purposeful. Your body knows how to cleanse itself quite efficiently and is well-equipped to remove waste through various channels such as:
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Sweat glands
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Blood vessels
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Urinary tract
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Intestines
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THE IMPORTANCE OF OIL IN AYURVEDA:
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Many people have certain associations with oil. Many of us grew up thinking oil was "bad" and then the tables turned and we were educated that some are bad, and some are good.
Ayurveda makes a loud and confident proclamation: oil is life!
Oil provides the path of least friction and your mind and body need to be running smoothly to feel healthy and energized.​ Through the process of oleation (applying oil internally and externally to the body), the oil gently clears the channels so all of our functions run smoothly. In the process, your mental and emotional bodies go through their own cleansing process as well. The mind and body are intricately connected according to Ayurveda. What you do to one affects the other. For example, when you feel stress you will may feel it in your shoulders or neck, but you will always feel it somewhere in your body. Or, when you have a good workout, your mind feels light and clear. Each client will be different based on their constitution, but you will receive high-quality herbal oils such as ghee, coconut oil, and sesame oil.​
Ayurveda for Modern Times
To meet the demands on our bodies and minds, we need to clear out deep rooted excess our bodies have accumulated.
WE WILL DO THIS THROUGH:
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Herbal body treatments
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Steam baths
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Gentle cleansing laxatives
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Specialized diet of medicinal vegetarian, sattvic (balanced) meals
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Establishing structured sleep, rest and mealtimes
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Creating a nurturing container for healing and processing emotions
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These therapeutic processes create effects that are powerful and long-lasting. Using your body’s channels of detoxification the entire program is designed to not only heal your body but facilitate a deep-rooted release of stress that has sometimes been stored for years. For many, this process ends up being an unexpected and powerful journey into the healing process. You will be guided and supported through the entire journey at Hina Hale.
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Ayurvedic Definition of Good Health
What is the definition of good health? With any good journey, it’s helpful to know where you are going—what the goal is. Then, steps can be taken to seek out ayurvedic healing accordingly.
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Here is the Ayurvedic definition of good health, or Swastha, written in Sanskrit, followed by the general translation:
Sama dosha, sama agnischa
Sama dhatu mala kriyah
Prasanna atma indriya manahwww
Swastha iti abhidhiyate
One whose doshas are balanced, whose digestive fire is balanced, whose bodily tissues and elimination processes are functioning normally, and whose senses, mind, and self are filled with bliss; such a one is called a healthy person.
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Ayurveda teaches that your natural state is one of health, happiness, and an inner sense of well-being (Swastha). As the above definition confirms, this can be achieved when your body is clear of toxins, your mind is at peace, your emotions are calm and happy, your wastes are efficiently eliminated, and your organs are functioning normally. This sounds great, but how do you not only get to this point but also maintain it? This is where Ayurveda shines.
The Importance of Purification
Good health depends on your body and mind’s ability to metabolize all of life’s experiences. This is why digestion, or agni, is important as it relates to the metabolization of life on all levels. Agni means gastric fire, enzymes, and metabolism and determines how efficiently you are able to convert information in the form of food, emotions, and experiences into nourishment. When agni is strong, everything is broken down and absorbed into your mind-body physiology appropriately. Anything that is not useful is eliminated from your body and mind. You start to notice how you personally metabolize the world around you and how it affects you. When agni is weak, it leads to improper digestion of food, experiences, and emotions and results in an accumulation of undesired impurities, usually referred to as toxins. Ayurveda refers to these incompletely metabolized materials as toxic residue.
This is called ama. The presence of ama clogs the channels in the body that are in charge of waste removal and circulation. Thus, proper assimilation and nourishment are denied to the mind-body physiology. This is one of the most important concepts we will be working on during your wellness program.
When ama has accumulated over a period of time, mental and physical functioning is diminished and it feels like it takes a lot of energy to get anything done. The body is working overtime to perform what it usually does with ease. It is difficult to restore balance and harmony until the impurities have been eliminated. Once ama is reduced and agni is strong, you can tackle life a lot easier.
Signs You Might Benefit from an
Ayurvedic Wellness Program
The signs of ama accumulation can be obvious:
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Thick layer of coating on the tongue
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Tired throughout the day, especially after meals
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Body aches and pains
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Uncontrollable cravings
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Foggy mind
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Bad smelling breath, odor, and flatulence
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Constipation or diarrhea
A Structured Day
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7am: Ghee intake (days 1-5)
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7:30-8am: Morning check-in
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8:00-8:45am: Morning movement practice and pranayama (breathing techniques)
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9am: Light breakfast
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9:30-11am: Downtime to relax, journal
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11am-12:30: Educational and integration session
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1pm: Detoxifying lunch of rice, lentils and healing spices
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2pm-4pm: Treatment
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4pm: Wet steam to release toxins
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6pm: Light dinner of kitchari
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7pm-9pm: Yoga Nidra or meditation, read, journal
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9pm: Bed
Long-Lasting Benefits
The effects of an Ayurvedic purification last well beyond your time in process. If you are healthy already, then you will become stronger and have more energy. If you are sick, it will gently encourage you back to health in a natural way. Prevention is the cornerstone of Ayurvedic philosophy, and therefore is recommended to addresses imbalances before they occur. What you will learn about yourself through this process will be eye-opening and lasting.
YOU CAN EXPECT:
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Improved immunity
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Reduced stress and its negative effects
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Energy, vitality, and mental clarity
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Sense of well-being, deepened sense of peace
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SEE MORE ABOUT OUR PROGRAMS HERE.
Please Note:
If menstruating, please schedule program dates when you are not menstruating. Your body is already in a purification state at that time.
If you have recently had surgery or have undergone chemotherapy treatment, please let your body rest and schedule your program at least three months after completion.
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New(er) and breastfeeding mommas, your treatment will be focused on nourishment and building Ojas and vitality.
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