Ayurveda Rejuvenation Treatments

During the first week of the tour, the Sacred Sap Retreat, we will receive 2 hours of life regenerating Ayurvedic treatments per day. Get ready for a deeply healing massage, lots of sattvic herbal baths, shirodhara oil streams across the forehead, and more. The aim is to relax you, reduce jet lag, and open the heart center before heading to the north for the Post Retreat Tour.

How does it work? The cells and tissues of the body undergo changes as we stress and age. Ayurveda recommends that we rejuvenate the body regularly to reverse these damaging changes and to reestablish harmony between body, mind, and soul. Aimed at achieving this goal, the Kerala Ayurveda style of rejuvenation therapy, known as Rasayana Chikitsa, has become one of the most effective in the world. Rasayana treatments include the treatments mentioned below, occasional steam baths, and internal rejuvenation medicines. Plan on 2 hours of treatments per day for 7 days. You will hardly recognize yourself after the first few days.

The focus of the rasayana treatments is the replenishment of the body’s deep reserves of a life sustaining substance known as ojas. This wellspring of youth and longevity is also known as the ‘sacred sap’. This is where the Sacred Sap Retreat gets it’s name from. Replenishing the ojas is one of Ayurveda’s obsessions, and it is our focus in this first week in Kerala. As you can guess, the magic is in the beautiful warm healing oils that are used in the various massage systems.

The AyurSoma Ayurveda Royal Retreat offers profound rejuvenation treatments onsite at its world famous Ayurveda Centre staffed with 20 doctors and 90 therapists deeply trained in the delivery of these classic treatment modalities. The Ayurveda Centre is beautifully gardened with lush trees, Ayurveda herbs, and a chorus of tropical birds. The lush environment adds depth to the traditional rejuvenation practices that inspire a very comforting and relaxing experience.

Abhyanga: Ayurveda Massage

A key feature of the Ayurveda rejuvenation treatments, or rasayana chikitsa, is the abhyanga, or ayurveda massage. Kerala style massage is a very pleasant style, requiring two treatment therapists employing synchronized massage strokes over the whole body. Copious amounts of warm herbal-infused oils are poured over the whole body and massaged gently into the tissues, reducing stress in the tissues and regenerating a youthful look and feel to the body. Massages are about 90 minutes in length, starting in a seated position, then laying on a traditional Ayurvedic table known as a droni table.

The Kerala style of abhyanga massage is very different from western styles of massage. The massage system involves delicious amounts of warm, fragrant oils poured and massaged into the body tissues by two therapists. The strokes are long and circulatory, with movement strokes from head to hands and feet to torso.

Also unlike western massage systems, the Kerala style of massage is traditionally done completely nude with no blanket covering the body. Somatheeram has modernized the practice, requiring minimal clothing, usually a small pair of briefs. Guests may ask for more or less covering as is personally appropriate to each guest.

Shirodhara Oil Stream

Shirodhara is one of the defining and most photographed treatment modalities of Ayurveda. It is an important treatment in the rejuvenation systems. ‘Sira’ means head, and ‘dhara’ means the continuous flow of a liquid, usually, a warm, herb-infused sesame oil, of which there are hundreds of formulas. In this process, the herbal oil, or medicated cow’s milk, medicated buttermilk, etc are streamed over the forehead and third eye center in a special manner for about 40 minutes per treatment session.

Shirodhara is mainly used for stress, anxiety, insomnia, jet lag, memory loss, dementia, and other serious psychological conditions. Shirodhara is also used in rejuvenation treatments as well to ground and calm the patient, and to promote good sleep. Shirodhara treatments are incredibly relaxing and memorable experiences.

When receiving shirodhara, it is recommended that you relax and slow down the breath as much as possible. It is expected and common that the patient will gradually transition into a deep relaxed state similar to sleep. That process can take up to 20 minutes, so try not to think too much about it. Just relax, breath, and enjoy.

Pizhichil Oil Bath

The famous pizhichil oil bath is also known as the Royal Bath. It is one of the more rare and unique treatments of the Kerala style of Ayurveda. In this treatment, lukewarm herbal oils are poured like rain over the whole body by two trained therapists. The oils fall on the body in a special rhythmic wave-like motion, alternating with long full-body massage strokes for about 30-40 minutes. Needless to say, pizhichil is heavenly.

Pizhicil is done in three special body positions, while laying on one’s back and on two sides. A traditional wooden Ayurveda table known as a droni table is used because it collects the oils and drains it into a pot with a fire underneath to keep it warm. This treatment is also very good for rheumatic diseases like arthritis, paralysis, hemiplegia, nervous weakness, and nervous disorders.

In the Kerala style rejuvenation treatment systems, pizhichil is considered the premier treatment method to replenish the ojas. To accomplish this up to two liters of warm herbal medicated oils are poured over the body. It is the ultimate anti-aging treatment. The oils are then removed by gently scraping the edge of a banana leaf over the body, and finally wiping the body with a cloth towel.

Ayurvedic Nutrition

Ahara sadhana, or mindful diet, is one of the most important aspects of Ayurvedic treatments. At the AyurSoma restaurant, you will have the option of eating the traditional Kerala-style cuisine or following an Ayurveda diet prescribed by your Ayurveda doctor. Over the years, AyurSoma has followed a special Ayurvedic menu crafted by their team of doctors. The menu is based on research with references to the old classic Ayurvedic texts. AyurSoma offers 259 different varieties of Ayurvedic dishes based on the tridosha properties.