Panchakarma
Panchakarma is at the heart of Ayurveda, an ancient holistic healing system.
When people say they are going to India to get healed through Ayurveda, they are very likely going for a Panchakarma.
Pancha means five, and karma means action.
Pancha-karma is a a cleanse, and reset for your body-spirit-mind. It is a deep healing program using bodywork, nutritional therapy, and herbal medicine in tandem.
What is Panchakarma used for?
Chronic Fatigue
Insomnia
Back pain
Aging
Premature Aging
Arthritis
Obesity
Mental Fog
Hypertension
Candida
Oral Thrush
Bronchitis
Alzheimers
Depression
Anxiety
What Does Panchakarma do?
Panchakarma purifies the body, to rid it of pain, chronic illnesses, physical and mental health issues. It is used to rejuvenate the stressed body, and to prevent the healthy from the diseased state.
Why Pancha-karma?
Because it is an ancient health program, dating back thousands of years. It predates fad programs and cleanses that make all kinds of promises, get your money, and phase out. Panchakarma is not just ancient, it has been continuously practiced and continues to grow as a practice because it is effective, and has yielded amazing results.
Panchakarma doesn't belong to a person or personality or religion. It is based on a profound understanding of nature - as without, so within.
Is Panchakarma the Same for Everyone?
No. Like everything else in Ayurveda, there is no blanket, no one size fits all. Your Panchakarma depends on on your constitution.
How is my Panchakarma Determined?
Your Panchakarma is based on the reading of your constitution. Your constitution is your unique elemental make up.
From an Ayurvedic perspective, all life consist of five elements - Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Space. These elements are present in all of us, but in varying proportions, which is part of what makes us unique.
When we use nutrition, exercise, lifestyle, etc., in alignment with our unique constitution, we are balanced. When we are out of alignment, we are imbalanced. The imbalances over time accumulate and lead to chronic health issues.
What is Involved in Doing a Panchakarma?
After a thorough intake in which your constitution and imbalancing element is assessed, a specific course of treatments is designed for you.
Panchakarma involves a course of bodywork, herbal remedies, and a course of therapeutic nutrition.
It is a course, meaning, it is done for a series of sessions. It is done for at least 7 days.
Why the Bodywork?
Bodywork is central to facilitating toxins from areas of deep hiding into your digestive tract. The toxins could be in the form of injury, grief, pollutants, pharmaceuticals, poor nutrition, trauma, etc.
The bodywork will vary based on your particular imbalance.
What’s Involved in the Nutritional Therapy? Will I have to starve?
Unlike many detox programs, the nutritional therapy used in Panchakarma involves delicious meals. The meals are a type of porridge called kitchori. This kitchori is eaten throughout the Panchakarma, as a mono-diet.
Why a Mono-diet?
Think of the term TMI - Too Much Information. Just as our brain takes in information so does our digestive system. Too much information in your head could lead to a headache, insomnia, anxiety, etc. This is also true for too many different types of food. Too much info. Hence a mono-diet. It’s only for a short period of time and again the meals are delicious.
Traditionally, these five actions include vamana (vomitting), virechena (purgation), rekta moksha (blood-letting), nasya (ear cleansing), and vasti (enema). These actions in pancha-karma are only a slight part of the program. They are the more intense detox components of the program. The majority of the program consists of bodywork, herbal remedies, and therapeutic nutrition.
In Conclusion
Essentially, panchakarma resets the body, gives it a fresh start. It's somewhat akin to rebooting a computer, or repairing and tuning up a car, or sipping from the fountain of youth.
There are many programs out there. but I personally find panchakarma, to be the most useful.