Ayurveda and Yoga Therapy

What is Ayurveda?

Ayurveda is a Sanskrit word that literally translates as “The Study of Life”

It is the world’s oldest, most consistently practiced and most reliable form of holistic healing. Ayurveda sees each person as a unique constellation of the five great elements (Maha Gunas) of earth, water, fire, air, and space. Each of us expresses a specific blend of these five great elements that make up our constitution or Ayurvedic Dosha. Some people may express more fire element, while others may express more earth and water, or perhaps more air and space.

What is an Ayurvedic Constitution?

Ayurvedic Wellness Counselors and Practitioners determine through consultations and observations, a person’s constitution, or Dosha as well as any imbalances. 

The doshas are combinations of the five great elements into characteristics and qualities.

• Vata (Air and Space) responsible for movement
• Pitta (Fire and Water) responsible for digestions/transformation
• Kapha (Earth and Water) responsible for growth/cohesiveness

Ayurvedic treatment relies upon recognizing when aspects of these doshas become excessive or deficient, which leads to imbalances in the dosha. Imbalances or aggravations left unattended eventually lead to disease.

How does Ayurveda support holistic health?

Through understanding a person’s Dosha and Imbalances, the counselor or practitioner offers easy to implement dietary and lifestyle changes to bring an individual back into a state of relative balance with the Doshas.  When balance of the Dosha’s is achieved, health and well-being are natural outcomes.  Simple changes in the diet might be the reduction of aggravating foods to a person’s constitution. 

For example, a person who has a strong Pitta constitution (Fire and Water), would be advised to limit hot spicy foods, and increase cooling foods to reduce the fire element, thus bringing balance to their dosha.

Another example might be for a person with a strong Vata constitution (Air and Space), could be advised to incorporate more self nurturing routines, such as sleeping and arising at similar times each day, or eating meals at regularly schedule times each day to provide a sense of grounded stability that would support their nervous system regulation.

Ayurveda encourages a whole foods diet, rich in a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, rich natural sources of fats and healthy protein sources.  As well, the medicines of Ayurveda are derived from nature in the form of nutrition rich herbal formulations to support the establishment of balance in the doshas that translates into health and wellbeing.

Ayurveda also encourages regular routines of exercise, such as gentle walking or hiking, and yoga (ayurveda is the sister science to yoga).

Along with physical exercise, Ayurveda also encourages us to mindfully tend to our inner being through deep breathing practices, quiet contemplation, and meditation. 

What are some of the benefits of Ayurvedic Wellness Counseling?

1. With Ayurvedic Counseling individuals learn about themselves and their Dosha.  Through this understanding they begin to recognize what foods and lifestyle actions provide the best support to their overall well-being.
2. Individuals learn to live in harmony with the elements of life and flow with the rhythms of nature as they adjust their diet and lifestyle to the changing seasons of the year, as well as the changing season of the lifespan.
3. Through Ayurveda people cultivate strong balanced digestion so that what they consume can be readily digested and assimilated, as well as waste easily eliminated.
4. Improved Immunity, through the cultivation of healthy bodily tissues and strengthen resistances to disease.
5. Through the application of regular exercise, coupled with deep breathing and meditation, individuals cultivate a deep feeling of peaceful contentedness with their lives.
6. Ayurveda offers renewed access to our natural intelligence and holds the key to resolving imbalance and dis-ease. Thus, this ancient medicine offers the promise of a more harmonious future for the people and planet.

What is Ayurvedic Detox?

Ayurveda offers one of the world’s most comprehensive detoxifying, cleansing protocols, known as panchakarma. This ancient practice uses five primary therapies to release and eliminate accumulated toxins from deep within the tissues, and return the doshas to their proper seats in the body (Vata's natural seat or home in the body is the colon, Pitta's natural seat of home in the body is the small intestine, Kapha's natural seat or home in the body is the stomach)

What is Yoga Therapy?

Yoga Therapy provides an in-depth one to one session designed to teach and support the practices of yoga, pranayama, meditation and more to address specific imbalances, injuries, or illness in your body, mind, and/or spirit.  Utilizing the ancient art and science of yoga to transform from injury or malady into vibrant health and wellbeing.

During the Initial Yoga Therapy Consultation, a comprehensive history is obtained to discuss any pertinent issues, as well as current or past injuries that are affecting your overall health and well-being.   You will be observed in several beginning yoga poses.  After careful review of how these poses are expressed in your body along with reviewing your health history,  a specialized yoga program will designed specifically for you to practice at home for your particular healing goals.  

Follow Up Yoga Therapy Visits
Individuals are guided through their personally designed home yoga program.  At that time any adjustments that need to be made in the plan will be discussed and outlined.  Ongoing periodic visits will be set to provide feedback, adjustments, additions to the practices as are warranted by the individual progression in their practice.
All personal information is kept strictly confidential. 

Traditional Ayurvedic Body Therapies

The traditional therapies of Ayurveda begin with a detailed consultation to determine an individual's constitution (Prakruti) and any imbalances (Vikriti) present. Many of the therapies use warm herbal infused oils and powders that are massaged into the skin that facilitate transformation and support the body's natural healing abilities. During the consultation we will determine together, which of the many modalities will best meet the issues at hand. As well, specific herbs and oils will be chosen for each individual according to their needs.

Ayurvedic Abhyanga - 2 hours

A warm herbal infused massage oil is chosen for your particular ayurvedic constitution. The copious amounts of warm oil coupled with the rhythmic strokes of the massage, warm the skin and open the pores, blood and lymph circulation which delivers the oil and the medicinal herbs through the skin and into the body. The nervous system is calmed and Vata (Air & Space) elements in the body/mind are pacified leaving you feeling deeply nourished and peaceful.

Ayurvedic Shirodhara - 2 hours 

After a short abhyanga (Oil massage) to your head, face, hands and feet, a steady stream of warm Dosha pacifying herbalized oil is gently poured across the forehead while you are lying on the massage table. Deeply nourishing and calming to the central nervous system, along with activation of the Ajna chakra (third eye) or intuitive center. This is the perfect therapy to reduce stress.

Garshana (Silk Glove Massage) 1 Hour 

Dry lymphatic, skin-exfoliating vigorous full body massage with raw silk gloves. The friction of this massage creates static electricity supporting lymph flow and balance to the blood pH. Excellent therapy for moving stagnancy in the tissues and balancing Kapha Dosha

Ayurvedic Abhyanga, Shirodhara Bliss Combo - 3 hours

Full Abhyanga & Shirodhara - A 60 minute whole body Abhyanga with dosha balancing herbalized oil followed by 45 minute Shirodhara with dosha pacifying herbalized oil. Deeply soothing to body and mind that will leave you in a blissful state of peace.

Ayurvedic Seasonal Detox Cleanse

Ayurveda offers one of the world’s most comprehensive cleansing protocols. Traditionally this ancient practice used five pAyurveda offers one of the world’s most comprehensive cleansing protocols. Traditionally this ancient practice used five primary therapies to release and eliminate accumulated toxins called ama from deep within the tissues, and to cleanse and purify the mind of toxic thoughts and unresolved mental emotional issues. This aspect is likely the most important aspect of the cleanse as these toxic thoughts and emotions are often the driving force leading to unhealthy diet and lifestyle choices. The Ayurvedic Cleanse assists the "return the doshas" (elements) to their proper seats in the body thus establishing balance and health.

The Detox involves a simplified whole foods plant based diet, herbs & ghee, daily cleansing rituals, yoga asana, pranayama (breathing practice), and meditation.

The herbs combined with the ghee work synergistically to saturate toxins in the body tissues, lift them out of the tissues, melt and then release them from the body during the purgation phase of the cleanse.

Yoga asana offers a gentle but effective exercise program to help tone, and stretch, as well as move the lymphatic system.

Pranayama calms the nervous system as well as assures ample oxygen and life force energy in the body coupled with consistent release of the Co2 from the body with each exhale.

Meditation practice provides quiet reflective time to observe life habits and the emotional drivers of those habits. Meditation assists us in resolving long held issues that are likely at the root of behaviors that contribute to poor habits leading to toxicity and illness.

Ayurveda suggests completing a detox twice yearly, usually during the major seasonal transitions Traditionally these are done in both the Spring and Autumn Season. However these cleanses can be done at other times of the year.

You have two options of Detoxification

 

Cleanse Packages which include the following:

• Pre and Post Detox Consultations
• Customized and Detailed Cleanse Diet Protocols
• Customized Herbal Formulations designed for your particular detox (separate cost)
• Ayurvedic Bodywork Sessions (either 3 or 5 sessions of Abhyanga Oil Massages)
• 1 Shirodhara

3 Abhyanga & 1 Shirodhara Detox Package $720

5 Abhyanga & 1 Shirodhara Detox Package $850

Weekly Gentle Therapeutic Yoga Class

Tuesdays 6:30 to 7:45 pm

Guided gentle yoga practice with grounding, centering and breathing practices to bring you to presence.  Yoga asanas tailored to the group's needs with emphasis and attention to alignment and form.  Conscious attention to how the "medicine" of the yoga postures and movement of Prana (life-force) is unfolding throughout the practice.  You will come away from the practice feeling alert, energized and peaceful.

One the 1st Tuesday of each month, the class will be dedicated to a guided Yoga Nidra practice.  Yoga Nidra is (Yogic Sleep).  A deep guided meditation practices while laying down in Savasana (corpse Pose).  This guided journey supports individuals with integration of their life experiences, fosters abiding peace that decreases the stress hormones in the body which in turn supports optimal health.

~ $15 per class  Class Passes available for a 10% discount

Call Northwest Wellness to schedule your class.

Private Yoga Therapy - 2 hour Initial Consultation 

The initial consultation for Yoga Therapy is an in-depth session designed to bring the practices of yoga, pranayama, meditation and more to address specific imbalances, injuries, or illness in your body, mind, and/or spirit. Therapeutic yoga involves a comprehensive history to discuss any pertinent issues, as well as current or past injuries that are affecting your overall health and well-being. I will observe you in several beginning yoga poses and after careful review of how these poses are expressed in your body along with reviewing your health history, I develop a specialized yoga program designed specifically for you to practice at home for your particular healing goals.

Private Yoga Therapy Follow Up 1 Hour 

We will then meet again for a follow up visit to guide you through your individualized yoga program. At that time any adjustments that need to be made in the plan will be discussed and outlined. Periodic meetings to follow up and either add more, or modify your home practice will be established as you progress.

I look forward to assisting you toward your optimal health through yoga

Trauma Integration/Stress Reduction - Yoga Nidra 1 Hour 

Yoga offers one of the best forms of deep relaxation techniques in the form of Yoga Nidra Meditation. This meditation is done in the yoga posture, Savasana (Corpse Pose). Laying down on the back with eyes closed. Step by step guidance into a deep state of physical and mental relaxation is provided. Once established in this relaxed state, guidance is offered to objectively explore physical, mental or emotional stressors or traumatic events to open the consciousness to deeper understanding, integration of these experiences and transformation from victimhood to wisdom and liberation. Guidance of exploration of the subtle layers of the human experience are utilized to clear, open and activate healthier flow through the subtle layers of mind, emotion and energy. The Yoga Nidra Session will leave you feeling calm, centered, deeply relaxed with new insights and release emotional trauma and stress. It has been said that if one can establish themselves in a deep state of Yoga Nidra that the rejuvenating quality of this mediation is equivalent to the full night's sleep.