PANCHKARMA

Panchkarma

Panchakarma therapy is an effective medical system. These five specialized techniques, collectively called Panchakarma, attack the root causes of diseases, cleanse all the microcirculatory channels of the body, remove the vitiated Doshas from the body, and produce long-lasting beneficial effects. It is a highly individualized procedure that is curated based on the needs of the individual depending on the Ayurvedic constitutional type, doshic imbalances, age, digestive strength, immune status, and many other factors. Panchakarma therapy is effective in treating most diseases. On the other hand, this therapy improves the resistance of the body (immunity) and thus inhibits the pathogenesis of the disease, which also confirms its preventive effect. It should be noted that Panchakarma therapy is not a classification of specialized techniques, but a compressed samshodana regimen, under which all other similar procedures can be included. Classical Panchakarma therapy consists of Purvakarma i.e. Snehana and Swedana Karma, Pradhana Karma i.e. Vamana, Virechana, Anuvasana and Niruha Basti and Nasya Karma, and Raktamokshana of Acharya Sushruta and Paschyat Karma like Dhumapana, Ahara Sansarjana Krama, etc. All these processes are done at Sanjeevani (SACPK) sanjeevani-ayurveda.com

There are three main components of the Panchakarma process:

Preparatory stage (poorva karma)

Main procedure (pradhan karma)

Post-therapy procedure (paschat karma)

The preparation phase is used to prepare your body for the removal of imbalances. It includes steps designed to soften the body and promote the release of stored toxins. Called Snehana (Oleation), it refers to both the internal and external oleation of the body.

During the main treatment phase, after your body has been prepared, the focus is on the elimination of toxins. This is where the five classical therapies would take place. Instead, alternative treatments are performed that offer similar benefits and include the following:

Bastis or herbal enemas, are administered. They consist of herb-infused oils that flush the intestinal tract, reach the deeper tissues, and eliminate fat-soluble toxins. Although it may not sound enticing, the whole procedure is very gentle. Senna can be used as an additional gentle laxative at this stage.

Nasya, or nasal applications, are medicated oils applied to the nasal passages to clear the sinuses and drain excess mucus. If you suffer from chronic sinus problems or allergies, you may find relief. This step can feel soothing and calms your mind.

Swedana or sweat treatments come next. Dry and moist saunas open the pores and rid the body of impurities through the sweat glands. This promotes blood circulation and speeds up the elimination of impurities loosened by oiling. It also promotes a general state of relaxation.

Abhyanga, the oil massage, is the external oiling of the body. The type of oil and the herbs used to prepare the oil are based on the recommendations of the attending physician. In panchakarma, the massage is used to infuse the tissues with oil, loosen impurities and promote the elimination of these impurities through the excretory channels. Every day there is a different massage treatment, which is performed in a specific order that is optimal for cleansing.

The post-therapy period, also known as the rejuvenation phase, is the time when you apply the tools you have been taught to maintain your new and improved self. Ayurveda emphasizes the need to revive one’s agni to prevent unhealthy accumulation. This is achieved through the regular practice of the following:

Yog abayas

Chintan (Meditation)

Satmya diet

Daily Abhyanga

Pranayama

This time is accompanied by a feeling of lightness and clarity. Impurities have been removed from the body, leaving you feeling more energized and able to make healthier choices more easily. Rasayana means “that which nourishes” and defines the attitude you need to consider during this time. Eat more natural foods, spend time in nature, exercise and choose experiences that make you happy, and use agni-promoting techniques.

Example of a typical day:

Wake up at sunrise and practice gentle yoga and meditation.

Drink a cup of spice tea with cumin, ginger, cardamom, fennel seeds, and other spices and herbs for your dosha.

Enjoy a light breakfast.

Start with the first treatment of the day, such as an oil massage.

Spend some time in a dry or wet steam bath to release toxins.

Eat a detoxifying lunch of kitchari, lentils, and rice with healing spices.

Go for a walk in nature or sit and meditate. Try to detach from technology!

Take naps when needed.

Undergo another treatment, such as the herbal basti.

Have a light dinner with more kitchari or cooked vegetables and rice.

Read, meditate, or write a diary and then go to bed.

Why should you try panchakarma treatments?

You do not have to be sick to benefit from Panchakarma. If you are healthy, then you will be stronger and have more energy. If you are sick, Panchakarma will naturally restore you to health. Prevention is important! Anything you can do to maintain a state of balance will help you in the long run and ensure a long, healthy life.

Here are some of the benefits of a Panchakarma cure:

Eliminates impurities from your body and mind

Restores the constitutional balance between body and mind (or doshas) and improves health and well-being

Strengthens your immune system and you become more resistant to disease

Reverses the negative effects of stress on your body and mind, slowing down the aging process

Improves your self-confidence, strength, energy, vitality, and mental clarity

Leads to deep relaxation and a sense of health and well-being

How often and when

Traditionally, Ayurveda recommends performing Panchakarma with the change of seasons, about three times a year. Each time you experience transitions, things can get out of balance and accumulations occur. Whenever you feel unbalanced or ill, you should consider Panchakarma. The whole process helps you remember the importance of taking care of yourself and respecting where you are and what you need at the moment.

Depending on the needs of the individual, all or only one of the five therapies is used. These procedures must be performed by specially trained therapists in a specific order and over a specific period of time.

Although Panchakarma is by and large a pleasant and comfortable therapy, there may be times of discomfort associated with the profound release of toxins that occurs. Therefore, it is imperative that the therapy be supervised by a knowledgeable expert who can recognize the signs that Panchakarma is being performed properly and the signs that it is being performed improperly. Fortunately, these signs have been meticulously recorded by our ancient vaidyas (physicians).

Ayurveda is an elegant system of healing first described in ancient Vedic texts about 5,000 years ago as a comprehensive teaching for maintaining health. The fact that this ancient medicine is still used today is a testament to its wisdom in understanding the human potential for a happy and healthy life.

Ayurveda is ancient in its essence and serves to awaken the body’s ability to restore balance by applying seemingly simple yet profound principles. These principles are reflected in many indigenous cultures today, especially when it comes to the importance of restoring harmony or balance in order to cultivate good health. In addition, woven into Ayurvedic teachings is a sense of love and compassion for each person’s healing journey and a reminder to look at oneself in the same way.

One of the first things you will learn or experience when you begin to immerse yourself in the world of Ayurveda is the cleansing and rejuvenation process called Panchakarma, where you literally clear the slate and start anew.

What is Panchakarma?

Panchakarma removes accumulated impurities from mind-body physiology; it is essentially a detoxification program. Pancha means “five” in Sanskrit, and karma means “action” and refers to five different cleansing and rejuvenation procedures in Ayurveda. When it was developed thousands of years ago, there were not so many causes of unhealthy accumulations in the body, but it was still necessary to develop this sophisticated Panchakarma detoxification program. Today, when poor diet, stress, and environmental pollution are rampant, Panchakarma can be of great help.

A Panchakarma program spans several days, allowing plenty of time and space to rest and process the experience. Each step of the program is purposeful and ultimately designed to restore your body’s ability to heal itself. Your body knows how to cleanse itself very efficiently and is well-equipped to remove waste through various channels:

Sweat glands

Blood vessels

Urinary tract

Intestines

What is the purpose of Panchakarma if the body has its own detoxification system? Think of a car that is well maintained and how long it can run. Give it good oil and proper attention, and it will reward you with many good years. If you neglect your car, its parts will wear out and it will not function optimally overall. You may be more complex than a car, but the same concept applies to you. Sometimes your body and mind need a little help. In order for you to feel healthy and energized, all the parts need to be working smoothly. This requires a little conscious effort.

Panchakarma helps to gently cleanse the elimination channels in the body so that everything runs smoothly and efficiently, like a well-oiled machine. In the process, your mental and emotional body also go through its own cleansing process. According to Ayurveda, the mind and body are closely connected. What you do to one affects the other. For example, if you feel stress, you will always feel it somewhere in your body. Or if you have had a good workout, your mind will feel light and clear.

Classic and modern Panchakarma

Like anything that has been around for a very long time, Panchakarma has evolved over the years and the ways of using it have differed throughout India. To give you a little history, here are the five classical elements that makeup Panchakarma therapy as they were originally written:

Basti: Herbal oil enemas

Nasya: Nasal irrigation

Vamana: Therapeutic vomiting

Virechana: Washing off

Raktamokshana: Bloodletting

Some of these treatments have been modified for obvious reasons. Today, a Panchakarma program usually includes the following:

Herbal oil massages

Steam baths

Cleansing enemas

Nasal administration

Gentle laxatives (senna)

Specialized diet

These therapeutic procedures are still based on the five actions, and the effects are powerful and long-lasting. By utilizing the body’s own detoxification channels, the entire program is designed not only to heal your body but also to provide a profound release of stress that has sometimes been stored for years. For many, Panchakarma becomes an unexpected and powerful journey into the healing process.

It is important to understand some basic concepts of Ayurveda in order to grasp what makes Panchakarma effective even at the most subtle levels.

The importance of detoxification

According to Ayurveda, good health depends on the ability of the body and mind to metabolize all the good and bad experiences of life. For this reason, digestion, or agni, is important as it relates to the metabolization of life at all levels. Agni means stomach fire, enzymes, and metabolism and determines how efficiently you can convert the information in the form of food, emotions, and experiences into nourishment. When Agni and the gastrointestinal tract (or GI for short ) are strong, everything is broken down and absorbed into the body-mind physiology. Anything that is not useful is eliminated from your body and mind. Begin to notice how you personally metabolize the world around you and how it affects you.

When agni is weak, it leads to improper digestion of food, experiences, and emotions, and an accumulation of unwanted impurities commonly referred to as toxins. In Ayurveda, these incompletely metabolized substances are called ama and are considered toxic residues. The presence of ama clogs the channels in the body responsible for the removal of waste and circulation. In this way, the body-mind physiology is denied proper absorption and nourishment.

Ama is described as:

Heavy

Thick

Cold

Lazy

Agni is described as:

Light

Clear

Hot

Pure

Which one describes your feeling? When ama has accumulated over a long period of time, mental and physical functioning is impaired and you feel like you need a lot of energy to get things done. The body works overtime to do what it normally does with ease. It is difficult to restore balance and harmony until the impurities are removed. When ama is cleared and agni is strengthened, life can be approached much more easily.

The world is hectic, stressful, and toxic, which puts a tremendous strain on our physical and mental systems, especially over time. You may not see it with your eyes, but you can certainly feel it. Stress is a big problem and the cause of many ailments. How can you focus on living the happy life that Ayurveda promotes when you feel like crap? The first step is to eliminate the waste products or ama through Panchakarma and then learn tools to maintain good health.

Signs that you might benefit from panchakarma

The signs of ama accumulation may be obvious. If you experience any of the following symptoms, you could benefit from a panchakarma program:

Thick coating on the tongue

Fatigue throughout the day, especially after meals

Physical aches and pains

Uncontrollable cravings

Foggy mind

Bad-smelling breath, odor, and flatulence

Constipation or diarrhea

The Panchakarma treatment

Are you convinced that you need Panchakarma?

Here’s what you can expect. Depending on your facility, your panchakarma program may vary slightly. It is always under the supervision of a physician and/or Ayurvedic practitioner. The program is specialized and tailored to your physical-mind constitution or dosha(s). It is often recommended to stay in for the treatment to get the most out of the experience. The following description of a Panchakarma program is based on the Sanjeevani Ayurvedic & Panchkarma Centre’s 21-day Perfect Health Rejuvenation.