Ayurveda
Ayurveda, or "life science/knowledge," aims to establish balance in the body through diet, lifestyle and cleansing of the mind, body and spirit. An Ayurvedic pratitioner may ask questions about lifestyle or assess the appearance of the external body such as the hair, skin and nails and may determine which of the body's metabolic types, or doshas, is not in balance. The doshas are named kapha, pitta and vata. An unbalanced dosha is said to disrupt the vital energy flow within your body. Ayurvedic practitioners may then provide treatments to unblock channels that are affecting the imbalances in those doshas.
Shirodhara
Shirodhara is the experience of clearing and stabilizing the mind. Shirodhara is said to purify the mind, reduce anxiety and headaches and expand awareness and may be included in a full panchakarma, or mind, body and spirit detoxification program. During the Shirodhara session, our Ayurvedic practitioner will warm a specially formulated organic herbal oil and place it within a copper canister suspended above the client's forehead. The warm oil will then be allowed to slowly and continuously stream out of the vessel and onto the forehead for a duration of one hour.
The ancient texts have found the results of Shirodhara to include: overall relaxation, relief in headaches and other pains, reduction in symptoms related to ailments within the head including eye, ear, neck and throat areas, improvement in sleeping, reduction of anxiety and deeper meditation.
Abhyanga
Abhyanga uses generous amounts of warmed organic herbal oils in a choreographed massage that calms the mind, nourishes the tissues and brings deep relaxation to the muscles. The specific movements flow in such a way as to stimulate the lymph nodes and enhance detoxification. The movements work along the energy channels and are said to assist in unblocking any stagnant energy. The focus is different than that in a standard massage in that this treatment looks to activate the cells for detoxification and relaxation as opposed to aiming to relax the muscles. This service focuses on the head and neck, shoulders, feet and legs and belly and back instead of performing an all over massage therapy. Results of this treatment are said to include: whole body rejuvination, delayed aging appearence, decreased fatigue, improved sleep, detoxification, improvements in digestion and blood pressure and calmness of the mind.
Netra Basti
Our Ayurvedic practitioner will prepare special organic flour to make a unique dough that will be placed around the eyes as a barrier. Ghee, clarified butter, is then warmed and poured directly onto the eyes within the dough border which holds the ghee in place. The client then opens his or her eyes and performs certain exercises with the eyes, as directed by the practioner, for approximately ten minutes.
The lipid structure of the ghee is similar to that of the body's natural lubrication mechanisms which makes Netra Basti especially nourishing to the eyes. Other benefits of this treatment may include: relief from allergy symptoms or other dry, uncomfortable eye conditions, mental clarity, improved vision, slowing of natural eye degeneration, lessening of headaches, decreased tension, improved appearance of skin around eyes (lessening of lines or dark circles) and reduction in tension or migraine headaches.
