Ayurveda Overview: The Home of Ancient Healing
For centuries, people around the world have turned to Ayurveda for its powerful healing properties and natural methods of cleansing. Drawing on knowledge that has been passed down from prehistoric south Asia, Ayurveda is an intense experience of well-being and relaxation and a way of soothing the body, mind and soul.
Ayurveda treatments are practised primarily in Sri Lanka and India - see our pages Ayurveda in Sri Lanka and Ayurveda in Kerala, Ayurveda in India to learn more. However, there are an increasing number of establishments for Ayurveda in Europe as the treatment grows in popularity and specialists are flown in from abroad. From gentler Luxury Ayurveda treatments to more intense transformational treatments in traditional ones, SpaDreams has a wide range of hotels that we would be delighted to advise you on.
The lighter Ayurveda programs include gentler therapy, like oil massages and meditation, in order to regenerate and restore wellbeing. These treatments can also be concluded in shorter time-frames and don’t necessarily require medical consultation. By contrast, the traditional Ayurveda (Panchakarma) program includes the purification phase which can be intense for the uninitiated and requires medical consultation before undertaking.
What is Panchakarma Treatment?
Panchakarma is one of the most intense parts of Ayurveda and is the stage of ridding the body of toxins and restoring the balance of the doshas. A balance of the doshas – Vata, Pitta and Kapha – through a specialised diet and therapeutic treatments, promotes health and prevents disease. It is most often used as a natural and holistic cure for joint pain, high blood pressure, allergies, weak immune systems and metabolic problems, and has been shown to have positive effects on both mental and physical well-being. For details of the process, click here to the Panchakarma page.
Ayurveda Treatments
After an initial medical consultation, the Ayurveda program is customised to suit the individual. Click this link for more details about Ayurveda treatments, which include, amongst other things, herbal and oil massages (Abhyanga, Shirodhara, Udvartana, Pinda Sveda), physiotherapy, yoga and meditation. A key component to all Ayurveda medicine is the personalised meal plan - food is as important as medicine and can help with weight loss. Your Ayurveda doctor will recommend a special diet for you, often based on traditional Indian or Sri Lanken recipes, that will restore key vitamins and balance the chemistry in your body.
Yoga and Ayurveda Retreats in India and Beyond
Yoga is another key branch on the tree of Ayurvedic knowledge, and is thus built into Ayurveda programmes as an essential part of the healing process. Your body will relax, grow stronger and become more flexible, and you will feel the effects of yoga on body and soul. By the end of the program you will have stronger awareness of the harmony and equilibrium of your mind and body. All of our Ayurveda holidays have yoga built into the programmes, such as our Kerala Ayurveda and yoga retreats, but check with your SpaDreams advisor to find out which ones have different intensities and levels. We also have yoga-focused luxury yoga retreats which you can view by clicking the link.
We always recommend that you undertake at least 14 days of Ayurveda in order to feel the full beneficial effects of the treatment and activities as your body purifies, relaxes and strengthens.
Health, vitality and joie de vivre – that’s the effect of Ayurveda. There’s no shortage of positive reasons for undertaking an Ayurveda course, whether you want to get rid of the anxieties of day-to-day life and recharge your batteries, reduce your aches and pains or simply discover the fascinating traditions of the Far East. If you'd like more information, we recommend that you check our SpaDreams Ayurveda Guide or the series of articles on Ayurveda on our blog. If you can't decide between an authentic Panchakarma program, a lighter Ayurveda Wellness program, or a program in a Luxury Ayurveda hotel, please consult the linked pages.
We have long standing relationships with our partner hotels and Ayurveda resorts, enabling us to always ensure that the high levels of quality are respected. Through years of working together we have complete confidence in their services and that’s why guests return to us year on year to book their personalised Ayurveda holidays. As specialists in Ayurveda holidays and spas, with over 25 years’ experience, SpaDreams is delighted to introduce you to this invaluable form of alternative medicine and help you find the health retreat you need. Check out the holidays below or call us on 020 3608 7377 for more advice - we are always happy to help!
