Panchakarma

Everyone is born with a body & mental type, Vata, Pitta or Kapha. We are not just one type, but a combination with a specific dosage of V, P or K. There are 7 major ‘doshas’ or types: Vata, Pitta, Kapha, Vata/Pitta, Vata/Kapha, Pitta/Kapha, and VPK. Each with a mental type: Sattva, Rajas, Tamas, Sattva-Rajas, Sattva-Tamas, Rajas-Tamas, SRT.

The frantic Western way of life aggravates the doshas. Overuse of computers, videos, ‘news’ on TV/radio, cinema, seeking fulfillment in egoistic pleasures. All these tend to misshapen your types and sever the link in you between your Divine Self and your social ego. You end up devoted to money, business, junk food and pleasure, and often miss the route to harmony and Bliss. Too much rajas and Tamas breed disease. For each aggravated body & mental type, there is a specific rejuvenation program or PANCHAKARMA (PK):

Aggravated VATA breeds fragile nerves and nervous/anxiety problems. Hair & blood problems, dry skin, constipation, depression, unstable functions. BASTI or medicated enema is the best to regenerate the central nervous system.

Aggravated PITTA breeds infected blood & inflamed conditions. Excess acidity and heat in the liver and pancreas, blood & skin, loose motions, psoriasis, hepatitis, delirium, piles, hemorrhage. VIRECHAN or deep cleanse of the small intestine (purgation) is best.

Aggravated KAPHA breeds congestion due to excess mucus in nose, ear & throat, sinus & lungs, stomach, in stools. VAMAN, therapeutic vomiting eradicates asthma, mucus from lungs & sinuses through the stomach.

May is the best time for treating KAPHA with Panchakarma, summer for PITTA and autumn for high VATA.

‘Pancha’ means ‘five’ in Sanskrit, ‘karma’ means purification. The five purifications are:

Nasya, cleansing the nose & sinus channels/VPK.
Vaman, cleansing the stomach/K.
Virechan, cleansing the small intestine/P.
Basti, cleansing the colon & rejuvenating the nerves.
Rakta moksha, blood letting, rarely done in India, & illegal in the West. Instead we use alterative herbs & foods to restore the blood.

PK is performed in 3 stages which must be done in the correct order. Each stage has specific dietary rules, herbal preparations, a specific yoga & meditation program, as well as the actual treatments proper. Everything is readjusted each day after pulse & tongue reading before breakfast. The three stages are outlined below:

PALLIATION to bring the toxins from improperly digested food &/or what you go through in life from the deeper tissues (uterus, prostate, semen, bone & nerve) back to the blood, stomach, and small or large intestine, according to your type. Treatments include: DHARAS, continuous drip of medicated oils on the forehead, on the heart or lower spine, kidneys. NASYA to cleanse mucus or nicotine from the sinuses. PINDSWED, application of dry or oily heat locally or on full body to move blocked VATA from joints and lower back into the navel then out. It improves circulation in VK. ABHYANGA, full body massage with dry herbal powders for K or medicated oils for VP, followed by full body MARMAS, Ayurvedic acupressure to unblock, stimulate or relocate PRANA & re-connect all the body & mind systems together.
PANCHAKARMA proper. When the pulse reads ‘OK’, i.e. the toxins have been successfully released from the deeper tissues and gathered in GI tract, we proceed onto either VAMAN, VIRECHAN or BASTIS. Internal oleation involves taking medicated oils/ghees morning & evening to mollify the toxins and un-scrape excess V, P or K from the deeper tissues. External oleation involves massage with heavy quantities of warm or hot oils immediately followed by a steam-bath. The steam comes from a herbal decoction specifically made for you. After 5 days, you are ready for the deep cleanse. Pittas & Kaphas take bitter, pungent, cooling (P) or heating (K) herbs, Vatas take more oily, pungent & sweeter herbs.
TONIFICATION (Uttara Karma) is the last part in modern PK. If performed incorrectly, it can ruin the benefits from the previous two stages. Nourishing treatments with nutritive herbal oils & ghee, together with a nutritive & tonifying diet & breathing exercises and yoga postures to stabilise the physical & mental metabolism. Stimulating for K, moderate for P & very nutritive for V. It is started in PK over the last 4 days. You go home with a personal 3 months tonification program (diet, lifestyle, pranayama, yoga, massage).

BENEFITS

the Divine SELF is happy to be born again, the ‘ego’ is back where it belongs, the body & mind are soothed & peaceful again. Problems are a vague ‘souvenir’, so dim you have even forgotten how they tasted! Now, all depends on YOU. Be strong, keep on the wagon. It's really worth it!

see Testimonials (coming soon)

As ayurveda is not a quick fix, & as there is not just one pathology of any kind, PK focus on your specific metabolic type (Vata, Pitta or Kapha) & mental dispositions (Sattva, Rajas or Tamas) to treat your deep-seated problems. Ayurveda holds it that as long as the "taste" in the mind has not changed, forget about reversing the process back to health.

Psychological factors outweigh physical causes in any disease process, this is why PK are a unique approach to remove from the mind the "taste" for drug addiction, depression, irregular & unstable lifestyle, fear of losing control...PK gently transmute rajas & Tamas into Sattva (calm, wisdom). It re-connects you to your Divine Self.

GUIDED PRE-PK HOME PREPARATION

Before you arrive, Martine will guide you through a 15 day diet as per season, climate, constitution & culture (diet & spices) to correct your appetite & digestion from low, irregular or high to balanced. this is the traditional PACHAN preliminary stage in the "CARAKA SAMHITA", which lays the rules for Traditional Panchakarma. If this stage is incorrect or forgotten, it is impossible to perform PK.

A FEW TIPS to make the most of your PK

Food is organic & pure vegetarian (no meat, fish, eggs or dairy). Bring along a scarf or cap to "contain" your oily hair after Shirodhara ; and a diary to write your thoughts & emotions as they arise. Refrain from tobacco, drugs or alcohol as they mar the de-toxifying process, be honest as the pulse shows everything anyway! Sex is not advised during & after PK as it depletes the immunity fluid.

DURING PK

Though PK treat the physical body, unresolved issues can come up which may make you feel
uncomfortable. Sometimes de-toxifying can be physically uncomfortable. Emotions you can experience are grief, sadness, anger, frustration, elation or joy. Tell us so that we can assist you. Meditation & pranayama can help release them. You may become aware of issues in areas of your life that had been buried unresolved. This may occur in the subtle levels of your mind, body &/or spirit. PK may also catalyse, release & resolve such issues. The more aware you are
of unresolved issues in your life, the more effectivePK can be. These physical, emotional &
spiritual effects may surface over weeks & months after PK. The body knows how to let them out
naturally, so do not worry.

END OF PK

End-of-PK one-to-one consultation with pulse & tongue reading to plan your personal home tonification program over the next 3 months: diet & herbal supplements, meditation & yoga, lifestyle... Follow-up by phone/email with Martine to make you feel you are truly cared for. Feel easy when you get home: you'll not feel just dumped back into your daily routine. For martine, the giving is most important. Caring for you is like caring for God. this is part of the "seva"
spirit.

WHERE is PK done?

Martine rents comfortable "gîtes" in the picturesque South Cévennes in the MONTPELLIER-ALES area. The area is easily accessible by air (Nîmes or Montpellier international airports), fast TGV train & motorway.

BOOKINGS

limited availability: 2 persons per 14 day PK retreat. So book early enough! 40% deposit in euros
exclusively by bank transfer. Balance of bill 2 weeks before your PK starts.

In any case, you leave with in-depth diet & lifestyle sheets & advice, not just dumped in nature , how to continue rebuilding diet at home & how to insure transition back to dosha diet afterwards!

Follow-up by email or phone over the next 3 months.

PRICES LIST

10 days : 1576 € HT -> 1885 € TTC
14 days : 1998 € HT -> 2390 € TTC

CALENDAR 2007

21 April - 5 May
30 June - 14 July
25 August - 31 August

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Martine Levha
mobile: +33 (0) 6 79 26 97 61
email: contact us

Siret: 443 687 553 000 18 - APE 804C