By Tanya M. Williams

Henna-painted women draped in brightly colored silks, aromatic curries, and Tandoori-style meats, spire-topped temples, and Himalayan villages – these are but a few of the images India evokes. But aside from the striking people, delicious cuisine, and interesting scenery, India is also the home of yoga and Ayurveda – two disciplines that are increasingly familiar to the average Westerner, and virtually household words for alternative wellness-minded individuals throughout North America. Not surprisingly, the spa industry has led the way in this trend toward international and intercultural treatments, providing both education and the opportunity to experience therapies from all over the world. India is no exception.

To understand the relationship between India and Ayurveda, it is useful to know something of the history of this holistic health system. A Sanskrit word meaning ‘the science of life,’ Ayurveda is more than 5,000 years old. According to Indian legend, a man called Attreya came before the gods pleading for assistance because of the disease he saw ravaging mankind. Seeing that Attreya was wise, Indra, the king of the gods, taught Attreya this all-encompassing healing system. Attreya recorded what he learned from Indra and passed it along to his students who added their own commentary and observation. The surviving texts from these historical compositions are considered the origin of Ayurveda.

This knowledge was passed down orally from master to student for thousands of years, and then was adapted for small classroom settings and universities. Ayurveda’s original master-to-student teaching style is likely what allowed it to survive the country’s intermittent cultural and political turmoil. After India regained independence from Britain, Ayurveda was revived as an important medical and cultural practice, though the influence of the Western world and an allopathic approach to medicine had already taken hold, and has since become the predominant form of medicine in India.

That said, today Ayurveda exists as a recognized system of healing by both the people and the government of India. Interestingly, because Ayurveda is so intertwined with their culture and way of life, many Indians incorporate Ayurvedic principles such as scraping the tongue, anointing the head and body with oil, and avoiding iced drinks, without knowing exactly why they do these things. It is simply how they were taught to care for themselves.

Ayurveda is often called the “mother of all medicine.” It can be argued that within it, one finds the roots of all other healing philosophies, from Chinese medicine to homeopathy to allopathic disciplines. In the spa realm, the vast majority of treatments that originate from India are based on well-documented Ayurvedic practices. The few exceptions I found – a couple styles of massage employing ropes and the use of the feet – share a common intention with Ayurvedic therapies, to detoxify the body.

Ayurveda encompasses everything from surgery, preventative medicine, and herbal supplementation to analysis, diagnosis, and rejuvenation. According to Ayurveda, every person exhibits some characteristics of each of the three doshas or constitutional types, which are called vata, pitta, and kapha. Most people are predominantly one or two types, for example: Vata, Kapha, or Pitta-Vata. Specific physical and emotional characteristics are assigned to each dosha, and the balance of the doshas is affected by everything from seasonal changes to diet and exercise. Each person’s ideal balance is individually determined and keeping the doshas in balance is the key to optimum wellness. Because of its emphasis on both prevention and attention to balance, Ayurveda is as much a way of living as it is a system of medicine. Seeking Ayurveda as a primary or even secondary approach to health may mean adopting a severe change in habits and lifestyle.

Perhaps because of this, the treatments most often imported to Western Ayurvedic centers and spas are generally one of two types: beauty treatments, and Panchakarma-derived therapies including shirodara, abhyanga, and swedana, which detoxify and return balance to the doshas. See the sidebar on page 65 for a glossary of Ayurvedic treatments.

Ayurvedic beauty treatments share a similar purpose with most other beauty therapies, though the method of exfoliation, hydration and cleansing may be unique, and the products certainly will be. Treatments are all natural and holistic, active ingredients are often herbal or food-based, and like anything else in Ayurveda, specifically designed for the individual at the given moment. Unlike the Western or allopathic approach, there is not one pill or one cream that is supposed to work for every body. The treatment is determined by the individual, not the illness.

On the other hand, Panchakarma-based treatments are traditionally more medically oriented. Panchakarma encompasses a spectrum of therapies from the bliss-inducing shirodara to the less tempting basti, or herbal enema, used to pull toxins from the colon. Lasting one to four weeks with treatments and consultations performed daily, this deeply detoxifying regimen involves daily herbal oil massage and an assortment of other treatments (see sidebar) as determined by the doctor based on the individual’s constitution. The purpose of Panchakarma is to remove any doshic imbalance to rid the body of accumulated toxins both physical and emotional, which build up in tissues and cause disease.

The spa industry has adopted the more attractive and marketable aspects of this ancient cleansing process. Obviously, such ‘a la carte’ therapies lack the same impact and benefit of a true Panchakarma treatment, but do provide newcomers with a gentle introduction to Ayurveda.

So, just how authentic are these treatments when they’re sought and experienced in the West? According to Jacquelyn Helser, spa director at Ayoma LifeSpa in Northern California, “Ayurveda is softened and pampered up in the spa environment. Comfort, ease, and convenience are really lacking in India. Treatments are very aggressive and goal-oriented, more like going to the doctor’s office than the day spa.”

A Guide to Ayurvedic Treatments

Abhyanga – deeply penetrating herbal oil massage that relaxes body and mind, breaks up impurities and stimulates circulation of blood and lymph. Aids in detoxifying tissues and increases bodily awareness.

Basti – individually prepared herbal enema designed to pull toxins from the colon. Sometimes used to transport Ayurvedic medicines to the blood and tissues. Considered an essential and powerful aspect of Panchakarma.

Garshana – dry skin brushing with either a silk or wool glove. Enhances circulation and exfoliates skin, preparing the body for subsequent oil or herbal treatments.

Nasya – specifically prescribed herbs and oils are inhaled through the nose. Clears sinuses and helps relieve the dryness of nasal passages.

Oshadhi – warm, moist herbal wrap using dosha specific oils. Calms and relaxes the physiology, while encouraging the elimination of toxins.

Pinda Swedana – deep massage using rice boiled in milk and herbs. Relaxing, rejuvenating, and detoxing.

Pizichili – warm herbal oil is continuously poured over the body as two therapists massage the body in unison. Cleanses and detoxifies tissues and provides a heightened state of awareness.

Rakta Mokshana – traditionally, blood letting. Today this step is often employed as a blood cleansing with use of herbs.

Shirodara – the gentle and methodical pouring of herb-infused oil over the forehead. Coordinates and calms mind, body, and spirit. Deeply relaxing.

Shiro-Abhyanga-Nasya – combines deep head, neck and shoulder massage with a facial lymphatic massage followed by the inhalation of aromatic steam and a nasal and sinus Nasya with herbal nose drops. Balances and alleviates most head, neck, and respiratory disorders.

Swedana – herbal steam bath. Detoxifies body and mind, removes impurities from deep within the tissues. Heart and head are kept cool, allowing the client to remain calm and open throughout the treatment.

Udvartina – deeply penetrating and exfoliating herbal paste massage. Conditions the skin while stimulating lymph and detoxifying the tissues.

Vamana – emesis, or vomiting, therapy promotes elimination from the stomach and thoracic cavity. Rarely used.

Vishesh – deep muscular massage to improve circulation and break up ‘knots’ within the muscle spindles.

Ayurvedic Spas and Centers

Ananda Yoga Spa, Codrington, Ontario, Canada, (888) 815-9772, www.yogaspa.ca

Ayoma LifeSpa, San Jose, CA, (408) 423-5424, www.ayoma.com

The Ayurvedic Institute, Albuquerque, NM, (505) 291-9698, www.ayurveda.com

The Chopra Center at La Costa Resort & Spa, Carlsbad, CA, (888) 424-6772, www.chopra.com

The Chopra Center at Memorial Health, Savannah, GA, (800) 7CHOPRA www.chopra.memorialhealth.com

Healing Mission Spa at the Ganesha Institute for Ayurveda and Vedic Studies, San Francisco, Sunnyvale, and Oakland, CA, (800) 924-6815, www.healingmission.com

Maharishi Vedic Health Center, Lancaster, MA, (877) 890-8600, www.lancasterhealth.com

National Institute of Ayurvedic Medicine, Brewster, NY, (845) 278-8700, www.NIAM.com

The Raj Ayurvedic Health Spa, Fairfield, IO, (800) 248-9050, www.theraj.com

Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center, Patagonia, AZ, (520) 394-2520, www.treeoflife.nu

September/October 2004

Latest posts by Healing Lifestyles & Spas Team (see all)