Ayurveda

Ayurveda is the “sister science” to yoga. In many ways it is the medical side of yoga. It comes from the Vedas, which are the ancient teachings of all forms of yoga. Ayurveda  operates on the premise that everything in life is energy, and is ultimately made up of the same five elements: earth, water, fire, air, and ether. When viewed through this lens, health is seen as either in or out of balance, based upon one’s natural proportions of the five elements, as well as one’s propensity for falling out of balance.

For those who wish to seek Ayurvedic treatment, the first step is to complete a comprehensive health and personal history questionnaire to help determine your “dosha” or natural constitution. Once this is determined your Ayurvedic practitioner will offer recommendations for your yoga practice, daily lifestyle routine, and diet, to create a specific Ayurvedic lifestyle program for you. It is important to note that each program is extremely personalized, and no two people have the same balancing program. Your Ayurvedic lifestyle program may also include recommendations to begin or change the following practices: yoga, pranayama, mantra (sound/chanting), aromatherapy, and other techniques that impact your energetic health.

In your first session, you will walk away with a comprehensive program that supports a yogic lifestyle, and a number of ways to implement that lifestyle. The follow-up session is where you will have the opportunity to go deeper, evaluating what is easy for you to integrate, discussing the benefits you have experienced, as well as exploring where you still need support. Your practitioner will strive to serve you both in your sessions and in between through email correspondence.

Ayurveda is an integrated approach to health, which engages both the practitioner and the client in an in-depth evaluation of one’s lifestyle practices. As a result, two sessions are necessary, often accompanied by email communication, to fully develop a plan which takes into account one’s health history, digestive patterns, emotional wellness, dietary and nutritional habits, and so forth. This allows for a truly personalized program to emerge and affords time to work through the challenges that may arise as the client begins to implement these changes in his or her life.