ayurveda

Ayurveda is a wholistic system of medicine that uses a constitutional model. Its aim is to
provide guidance regarding food and lifestyle so that healthy people can stay healthy and folks
with health challenges can improve their health.

According to the Vedas, the universe is composed of five basic elements (bhutas): earth
(prithvi), water (ap), fire (teja), air (vayu) and ether (akash). Everything in the universe, including
the human bodies as well as the food, is composed out of these elements. Macrocosm (the
universe) and microcosm (the individual) are in harmony, the latter being like a miniature image
of the whole entity. The human body is in a state of dynamic equilibrium, the five elements
being represented as the doshas, dhatus and malas. Doshas are commonly talked of as life-forces
or humors. There are three doshas:Vata, Pitta and Kapha. The doshas, when out of balance, are
the cause of diseases. According to Vaghbatta, one of the great Ayurvedic Commentators: Vata,
consisting of ether and air, is "dry, light, cold rough, subtle and agitated". Pitta is composed of
fire and a certain aspect of water and is " a little oily, sharp, hot, unpleasant in oodor mobile and
liquid". Kapha is composed out of water and earth and is " wet, cold, heavy, sticky, soft and firm."
The dhatus are the body tissues, and the malas form the waste substances like feces, urine and
sweat.

While the Ayurvedic tradition holds a wealth of practical knowledge pertaining to health,
happiness and well-being the main focus of Panchakarma is in administering powerful treatments
to help release imbalances, impurities, stresses , tensions and toxins held within the body. These
can be gently and effortlessly removed through a personally-tailored package of appropriate
therapies. By loosening, softening and mobilising these impurities can be eliminated from the
body giving improved health, vitality and beauty. Most of these therapies are massage based and
are luxurious experiences administered by two technicians working in harmony on either side of
the body with warm, herbalised oil.