Authentic Ayurveda
A
The Journey to Your Inner Self
Ayurveda - Knowing the secrets of inner
balance is the key to a long and healthy life.
This brochure would like to take you to t
he fascinating and diverse world of Ayurveda.
SpaDreams Ayurveda Guidebook
Over the past two decades, native to India, Ayurveda health
teaching has made an exemplary career in the West. Ayurveda is
„in,“ and not without reason because the therapies of Indian health
teachings are very versatile. Ayurveda is suitable both for healing
and to prevent disease, for rejuvenation, revitalization or simply to
increase well-being. With its holistic approach, involving personal
lives of individuals, Ayurveda is taking on greater significance in the
Western society to reduce many types of stress and its
consequences.
However, the popularity of Indian health science also means that
there is now a flood of various Ayurveda offers that do not always
have anything to do with authentic Ayurveda. To the layman, it is
becoming increasingly difficult to know and select the right offer
for themselves. One of the reasons is certainly that Ayurveda as
a complex health care system is not easy to recognize by itself. It
uses its own language and hosts a variety of forms and
interpretations.
SpaDreams offers over 20 years of authentic Ayurvedic treatments, including the countries of India and Sri Lanka, the origin of
Ayurveda. We would like to share with you our expert knowledge
acquired over the years, to give you a better overview of the most
important aspects and components of the Indian health science.
1
Contents
AYURVEDA – WHAT IS IT ?
Pg. 2
THE PILLARS OF AYURVEDA
Doshas - Bioenergy Fundamental Principles
Who am I? - Ayurvedic Types of Constitution
Health and Disease in Ayurveda
Pg..3
AYURVEDA AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCE:
ORIGINAL AYURVEDA TREATMENT
‚PANCHAKARMA“
Diagnosis
Treatments
Purvakarma - Preparatory Measures
Panchakarma - Fivefold Purification
Paschatkarma - Aftercare
Nutrition
SpaDreams Quality Criteria
Pg. .5
GLOSSARY
Pg. 7
SpaDreams - Original Ayurveda Guidebook
Ayurveda - What is it?
Ayurveda - What is it?
AYURVEDA - a name that is attached to the charm of the
unknown and exotic. Anyone who is interested in health has
at least heard the word before, but what lies behind it exactly? An initial approximation is provided by the translation of
the term. The word „Ayurveda“ is derived from the Sanskrit,
the ancient standard language of India and is composed of
the words „Ayus“ for „life“ and „Veda,“ meaning „knowledge,
wisdom“ together. Ayurveda is therefore nothing less than the
„knowledge of life.“
The foundation of this knowledge is the realization of the
wholeness of life. According to the Ayurvedic understanding,
the body cannot be seen in isolation from the soul and the
person is not separated from its environment. There are innumerable interactions and complex relationships. Ayurvedic
diagnosis and therapies therefore take into account all areas
of human life such as emotions, mind, body, behavior, living
environment, social life and influence of daytime and seasons
in their interaction.
The treatments of Ayurveda are many. They are based on
sound nutrition science tailored to the personal constitution
of the individual, an herbal medicine with over 3,000 different plants and herbs that comprise a variety of cleansing
techniques (e.g. Panchakarma), an oil massage and many
other beneficial treatments – all combined with a spiritual
yoga and meditation practice.
Providing well-being and preventing disease is always its main
concern but, in the context of an authentic original Ayurvedic treatment, diseases, especially chronic diseases such as
rheumatoid arthritis or high blood pressure, can also be cured
or alleviated. Ayurveda is a multi-talented!
Millennia-old Art of Healing
The roots of Ayurveda date back to the time of the Vedic
civilization of ancient India more than 5,000 years ago. There
are few historical documents about the Vedic period of the
Far Eastern healing arts. The starting point of the few texts
from that period is the meditation review of the Rishis, the
sages who passed on their knowledge orally. Only in the centuries around the birth of Christ, in the so-called Upanishadic
period, also respectfully called the „Golden Age“ of Ayurveda,
developed what we call Ayurveda today. During this time,
the most important classical texts emerged: the Charaka
Samhita and Sushruta Samhita, which still form the basis of
Ayurveda.
Mit der Ausbreitung des Buddhismus (ab ca. 6. Jahrhundert
v. Chr.) erlebte Ayurveda einen großen Aufschwung und viele
ayurvedische Universitäten und Krankenhäuser entstanden.
With the spread of Buddhism (from about the 6th century
B.C.), Ayurveda experienced a boom and many Ayurvedic
universities and hospitals emerged. During the 200 years of
colonial rule of England, from the mid-18th century, the Ayurvedic teachings were defamed as backward and completely
suppressed. All Ayurvedic universities were closed. Only in
the second decade of the 20th century under Mahatma
Gandhi, did Ayurvedic colleges emerge again. After the independence of India in 1947, Ayurveda was finally awarded the
status of an official system of medicine.
SpaDreams - Original Ayurveda Guidebook
2
The Pillars of Ayurveda
Doshas
Bioenergetic Principles
Who Am I?
Ayurvedic Types of Constitution
The key to understanding Ayurveda lies in the doctrine of the
three doshas. According to them, in the human organism,
there are three basic energetic forces at work. They control
all physical and mental functions of an individual and are
called Vata, Pitta and Kapha.
The various functions of the three doshas arise from their
characteristic properties that can be derived from the five
basic elements: ether, air, fire, water and earth. Connected
among themselves, the elements form the three doshas.
Everyone brings together all three doshas in themselves.
In that respect, one can have one, two or all three doshas
predominate. The dominant doshas characterize personal
properties, the physical and mental characteristics of a
human being. Accordingly, in Ayurveda there are different
types or constitutions. A total of seven types of constitutions
are distinguished: Vata, Pitta, Kapha, Vata-Pitta, Pitta-Kapha,
Vata-Kapha and Vata Pitta Kapha.
VATA consists of the elements air and ether, and is considered
the absolute life energy.
Features: lightweight, flexible, fast, subtle, cold, dry, rough.
Functions: controls all voluntary and autonomic movements,
affecting the muscles, regulation of the internal organs, circulation, respiration and all excretion processes. It also affects
spiritual capacity, clarity and alertness.
PITTA is associated with the elements of water and fire, and
is considered the metabolic principle. Features: hot, light,
flowing, liquid, sharp, piercing, slightly oily.
Functions: regulation of body temperature, digestion and
metabolism, blood formation, skin and eyesight, intellect and
emotional expression.
KAPHA is formed from the earth and sea. Our resistance to
disease is dependent on this dosha.
Features: heavy, cold, soft, sweet, stable, slow, oily, smooth,
firm, languid.
Functions: responsible for body structures and fluid balance,
regulates mental stability and harmony as well as memory
functions.
3
The constitution describes the strengths and weaknesses,
providing information about susceptibility to illness and
explains different reactions to food, sensations, and climate or
living conditions. In the treatment and prevention of diseases,
therefore, the determination of the constitutional type plays
an important role.
Main features of the Vata type:
Lighter body constitution and light weight, tendency to dry
skin, aversion to cold and windy weather, irregular hunger
and irregular digestion, tendency to constipation, capacity
for enthusiasm, quick action, quick wit and good short-term
memory, tendency to worry and to sleep disorders.
Main features of the Pitta type:
Medium-heavy build, normal skin, aversion to heat, extreme
hunger, and good digestion, prefers cold food and cold
drinks, does not like to skip meals, tendency to red hair, freckles, and moles, works systematically and in an organized way,
average perception and memory, good speaker and sharp
intellect, more adventurous and courageous character prone
to impatience, easily excitable.
SpaDreams - Original Ayurveda Guidebook
Health & Disease
Main Features of the Kapha Type:
Sturdy and heavier build, tendency to smooth and oily skin,
light feeling of hunger and slow digestion, strong rather dark
hair, strength and endurance, approaches things methodically and slowly, calm and balanced personality, slow learner,
good long-term memory, deep and long sleep, hard to get
worked up.
The characteristics and properties of the different constitutional types listed are, of course, only a selection. Only an
experienced Ayurvedic physician can create a comprehensive analysis of your constitution.
Health nad disease in Ayurveda
In Ayurvedic teachings, the dynamic balance of the doshas is
essential for health. When Vata, Pitta and Kapha are fully functional and their interaction functions well, balance prevails in
the organism: The person is healthy. If one or more doshas
get off balance, this results first in mood disorders and, in the
longer run, in illnesses.
But how can doshas become imbalanced? Since our body is
closely interwoven with its environment, according to ayurvedic understanding, we are constantly exposed to influences
that alter the balance of the doshas. All changes in our environment such as daytime and seasons, food and weather,
work and sleep, stress and all actions affect our well-being
and can bring the doshas out of balance.
The goal of any ayurvedic treatment is to restore the balance
of the doshas and to detect and treat disorders as early as
possible, that is, before the outbreak of a disease. Initially,
only relatively small changes in diet or individual Ayurvedic
treatments like an oil massage to return to the original balance are sufficient. If the problem has progressed, an original
ayurvedic treatment proves itself as very effective with focus
on Panchakarma.
EXPERIENCE AUTHENTIC AYURVEDA: ORIGINAL AYURVEDA
TREATMENT „PANCHAKARMA“
„„Panchakarma“ is the name given to a special Ayurvedic cleansing treatment („fivefold purification“), which rids the body
of harmful deposits and restores balance of the doshas.
Areas of application for an original Ayurvedic treatment
on Panchakarma base can be: rheumatism, cardiovascular
diseases, chronic headaches, anxiety and insomnia, stress,
burnout, chronic infection of the bronchial tubes and sinuses,
metabolic disorders, elevated blood lipids, adult-onset diabetes, allergies, post-treatment of severe operations and after
chemotherapy, tinnitus, and high blood pressure
In order to achieve ideal treatment results, we recommend
that you schedule at least two, ideally three, weeks of Panchakarma therapy.
SpaDreams - Original Ayurveda Guidebook
4
Authentic Ayurveda
Diagnosis
Upon your arrival at the hotel or resort, an extensive checkup
first occurs by an Ayurvedic physician who uses various methods such as pulse diagnosis. The Ayurvedic physician can
accurately determine via the pulse, in what state your doshas
are and where there is an imbalance. By a conversation as
well as the assessment of your physical characteristics such
as skin, hair, nails and eyes, he will determine your constitutional type and also create a custom treatment plan based on
this information. His job is to select the best for you from the
plethora of possible applications of Panchakarma therapy
and to steadily monitor and adapt therapy during treatment.
Treatments
The Panchakarma therapy is divided into three main phases:
• Purvakarma - Preparatory Measures
• Panchakarma - The Five Main Treatments
• Paschatkarma - Post-Treatment
Purvakarma – Preparatory Measures
IIn the first, preparatory phase, the doshas and the associated
metabolic waste products (Ama) in the tissue are activated.
This is done first by using ayurvedic herbs and spices (Agni
5
Diepana-Pachana). In addition, oily substances are used,
which are administered internally and externally. For internal
use, you take the morning purified and partially medicated
butter, called ghee. The ghee penetrates into the cells where
it liberates the disturbed doshas. In the phase of external
application, you are massaged with soothing oils. Due to the
oil massage, toxins stored in the tissue are excreted.
Among the most important massages are the full-body massages (Abhyanga), the full-body peeling massage with a mixture of barley and chickpea flour (Udvartana) and the dry full
body synchronous massage with raw silk gloves (Garshana).
In addition to these forms of massage, other preparatory measures include a number of oil treatments such as Shirodhara
oil affusion (Snehana). At the end of the first phase, the toxins
• In order to re
dissolved by the oil treatments are flushed out of the tissue
that you can
with the aid of highly sweaty measures such as herbal so
steam
Ayurvedic
hea
treatments and transported into the gastro-intestinal tract
offers a transp
(Swedana).
sive package t
Panchakarma - Five Time Cleansing travel compon
Ayurvedic foo
Subsequently, with the help of effective cleaning techniques
and re
of Panchakarma, all excessive doshas released from theatments
tisas medical car
sue cells are rejected as toxins. For this purpose, five different
• An original A
methods are used:
1. Vamana - therapeutically induced vomiting
2. Virechana - laxative therapy
3. Vasti – enteric enema
4. Nasya - nasal and sinuses treatment
5. Raktamokshana - blood purification therapy
It has to be said that elements such as the therapeutic
vomiting or blood purification therapy, particularly in Western
patients, are more rarely or never used. The purification is,
in most cases, by purging (Virechana) or performed as an
enema (Vasti).
SpaDreams - Original Ayurveda Guidebook
Panchakarma
Pashatkarma – Post Treatment
Die Wirkung einer Panchakarma-Therapie entfaltet sich vor
allem in der Phase der Regeneration danach. Mit den Maßnahmen des Paschatkarma werden Körper und Geist nach
der intensiven Behandlung mit bestimmten Pflanzenrezepturen, leichten Ölmassagen und auf den Konstitutionstyp ausgerichteter Aufbaukost gestärkt. Auch Rasayana, die
wohltuenden Anwendungen der ayurvedischen
Verjüngungskur sowie Yoga und Meditation spielen in der
Nachbehandlung eine wichtige Rolle.
Diet
An extremely important role in balancing the doshas in a
elieve you
and
Panchakarma
therapy assumes the diet. Ayurveda attributes
n focus an
onimportant
your
therapeutic significance to digestive capacity
alth, SpaDreams
(Agni). It is considered to be „life flame,“ turning the food into
parent, all-incluthe body‘s own energy and structural components. „Agni“ is
that includes
alleven more importance than the type of food to be
granted
nents: arrival,
digested. They should be balanced and especially meet an
od, Ayurvedic
tre- constitutional type. Balanced, in the Ayurvedic
individual’s
emediessense,
as well
means all flavors (sweet, sour, salty, hot, bitter, tart (or
re and yoga.
astringent)) must be included. In the context of an original
Ayurveda
tre- treatment, your therapist will create a food plan
Ayurvedic
specially tailored to your body type.
SpaDreams Quality Criteria
Original Ayurveda Treatment with
SpaDreams
– Our quality criteria - Since its foundation over 35 years
ago, SpaDreams has established itself as a leader in
healthcare holidays through high quality services, personalized service and a high level of advisory competence.
For over 20 years, we offer original Ayurvedic treatments.
During this time the Ayurveda program has been
continuously extended and meets the highest quality
standards:
• SpaDreams attaches great importance to the distinction between original Ayurveda and Ayurvedic Wellness.
Single, gentle Ayurvedic treatments such as oil treatments or massages are referred to as „Ayurveda Wellness“
and are administered without prior medical diagnosis
for regeneration, rejuvenation or purely to feel good. All
hotels and resorts we offer are marked appropriately in
the SpaDreams catalog depending on whether they offer
original Ayurveda or Ayurvedic Wellness.
• All our hotels and resorts offering original Ayurveda,
for example, in Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, the United Arab
Emirates but also in Poland and Germany, are specialized
in Ayurveda.
• The treatments of the original Ayurvedic are carried
out under the supervision of an experienced Ayurvedic
physician.
• At the beginning of Ayurveda treatment, the doctor
creates an individual treatment plan for you after a comprehensive initial examination.
• With all our Ayurveda hotels and resorts, we have
long-standing contacts and secure jointly directly on site
regular quality standards. Through continuous cooperation, trust has arisen between SpaDreams and its partners
from which you benefit from the best service before and
during the treatment.
• In order to relieve you and so that you can focus on
your Ayurvedic health, SpaDreams offers a transparent,
all-inclusive package that includes all travel components:
arrival, Ayurvedic food, Ayurvedic treatments and remedies as well as medical care and yoga.
• An original Ayurveda treatment should be carefully
prepared.
We are happy to help you there!
Our team of experts will advise you individually and help
you in selecting an appropriate treatment.
SpaDreams - Original Ayurveda Guidebook
6
Glossary
A brief glossary
of key Ayurveda terminology:
Abhyanga: full body massage with warm oil
Agni: digestive fire; universal principle, which refers to both
the metabolic activity and the human vitality
Ama: metabolic waste products and toxins deposited in the
cells.
Pitta: Dosha derived from the element of fire; responsible
for digestive and metabolic processes and the heat balance
Dhatu: body tissue; there are seven different types of
tissue distinguished.
Shrotas: body channels that serve for transport of
material.
Dosha: Bioenergetic regulation system that determines
the functioning of the human organism. There are three
doshas: Vata, Pitta and Kapha.
Udvarthana: full body rub massage with a slurry of
oils and cereals, which is performed simultaneously by two
therapists
Garshan: full body dry massage with raw silk gloves
Ghee: heated and melted butter fat; considered to be the
elixir of life.
Vasti: cleansing enemas
Kapha: the Dosha derived from the elements of water
and earth; responsible for body structure and fluid balance.
Prana: life-giving respiratory and nervous energy
Vata: derived from the elements of air and space
Dosha: responsible for the motion sequences in the body.
Regulates the activity of mind and body and controls the
other two dosha
Marma: connection point between matter and consciousness; on the skin, there are 107 marma points that can be
stimulated by touch.
Nasya: one of the treatments of Panchakarma. Consists
of a series of oil massages, herbal steam bath of the head,
compresses and nasal irrigation
Ojas: fine material metabolic end product that is produced with proper digestion
Panchakarma: Ayurvedic cleansing treatment that
rids the body of harmful deposits and restores the balance of
the doshas.
Pinda Sweda: Full body massage with warm rice
cereal decoction
7
Bibliography:
Scherer, Dieter: The big book of Ayurveda: Health in line of our energies,
Heinrich Hugendubel publishing, 2002
Schrott, MD Ernst: Ayurveda for every day: The gentle healing art for Perfect Health and wellfare– The latest practice book, Wilhelm Goldmann
publishing, 14. ed., 2002
Schrott, MD Ernst/Schachinger, MD Wolfgang (publishing): Ayurveda
Manual – Fundamentals and treatments: Understandings the traditional
healing practicallz explained, Karl F. Haug publishing, 2005
Schutt, Karin: Ayurveda – Feeling young for a lifetime, 6th edition, Gräfe
and Unzer publishing, 2004
Kirschner, Monika/Schwertfeger, Bärbel: The Ayurveda Boom – Insidertipps and background information, Egmont vgs publishing 2004