Ayurvedic Therapy
Ayurveda is the ancient art and science of living in balance
and in harmony with your surroundings. Your
health is as individual as you are. According to Ayurveda, we are all born with our own
unique mixture of the five elements: Fire (energy), Water (flow),
Air (movement), Earth (structure) and Ether (spirit). Your personal
blend of these elements is called your constitution or “dosha.”
Throughout
our lives, factors such as anxiety, lackluster diet, or poor
sleep habits cause disharmony among the elemental doshas. And,
as we age, these factors take their toll, blocking the movement
of free-flowing energy in the body. Eventually, these blockages
cause physical and mental discomfort and disease.
Once we determine our dosha, we can take
steps to return to that pristine state of balance. Ayurveda is a system designed
to determine our natural constitution, regain it, and maintain
it. Ayurveda uses diet, herbs, massage, lifestyle, and right
thinking to bring us back to greater health and tranquility of
mind.
What To Expect
During your initial diet and lifestyle
consultation, we will
discuss your health concerns and determine your unique constitution
(dosha). We will also uncover any factors in your life that cause
imbalance or blockage. Plan to spend up to two hours for this
initial visit. After we meet, I will develop a plan to bring
you back to a state of internal harmony leading to optimal, lasting
health.
Our first follow-up visit will be spent discussing the findings
from our initial interview and going over recommended diet and
lifestyle changes. In addition, your plan will include a specialized
program of herbal supplements to help you on your way to achieving
optimal health.
Subsequent visits will focus on refining your individualized
plan, making modifications and additions as you
achieve your goal of maintaining radiant health.
Herbs
Part of Ayurveda is the use of gentle herbs
to regain balance in body and mind. Some of these herbs and supplements are traditional
and have been in use for thousands of years. Others have been
incorporated into healing practices in more recent years as their
healing properties are re-discovered.
I will consult with you to determine the best combination of
herbs for you to achieve your goals. You
can click here for more information, and to order or re-order herbal formulas for general
health and weight loss.
Marma Point Therapy
Although marma-point massage has been used in India for thousands
of years, it's just recently been introduced to the Western world.
Marma is a Sanskrit word meaning “hidden” or secret.
By definition, a marma point is a juncture on the body where
two or more types of tissue meet, such as muscles, veins, ligaments,
bones or joints. Yet marma points are much more than a mere intersection
of flesh and bones. They are the intersections of the energy
channels of the body that regulate life force or prana. The
idea behind massaging the marma points is to cleanse blocked
energy by either energizing or calming the doshas. During a marma-point
massage, the points are stroked in a deliberate sequence using
specific essential oils tailored to your constitution.
In total,
there are 107 marma points covering the body. These points
were mapped out in detail centuries ago in the Sushruta Samhita,
a classic Ayurvedic text. Major marma points correspond to the
seven chakras, or energy centers of the body, while minor points
radiate out along the torso and limbs. The points are found
on both the front and back of the body, including 22 on the lower
extremities, 22 on the arms, 12 on the chest and stomach, 14
on the back, and 37 on the head and neck. (The mind is considered
the 108th marma.)
The massage itself starts with a light touch,
becoming increasingly firm over the course of one to three
minutes per marma point. Working only as deep as the client feels
comfortable, I use either direct pressure or circular motions.
Clockwise movements energize a marma point, while counterclockwise
motions break up blocked energy held within a point. Although
the massage itself can be subtle, the effect is dynamic.
Shirodhara
This is a traditional Indian relaxation treatment using herbal
oils. During the treatment, warm herbal
oil is poured in a steady stream on the forehead for 30 to 45
minutes. The treatment is
preceded by a marma point massage. Shirodara works on the cerebral
system helping to relax the nervous system. It improves the function
of five senses, relieving insomnia, anxiety, and depression,
hair loss, and fatigue. |
