Sacred Sap on the Spice Coast

It's been a while since I have posted. Let's just say I have been taking a sabbatical to nourish and heal while learning new skills to help others also grow in wellness. It all began when I was researching Ayurvedic Wellness Counselor training programs last Fall and was getting ready to send my payment off to enroll in a program when I stumbled upon James Bailey's Sevanti Institute and his "Sacred Sap Retreat" in India where I made a change in coarse. www.sevanti.com

bronze vessel called a "kindi" used to hold medicinal milk in a ksheeradara treatment

James is a third generation physician, Ayurveda and Oriental Medicine practitioner, Yoga educator, and Yoga teacher trainer who has been living yoga and ayurveda for 30 years. It was fate as I have been waiting for that "perfect" teacher and/or scenario to make my long awaited journey to India! I instantly enrolled in the Sacred Sap Retreat and this adventure on the Malabar or Spice Coast of Kerala in Southwestern India has been epic, balls to the walls awesome to say the least. This blog post (1 of 2 because I will tell my tales of the North in another post) is a memoir of my multi-faceted trip which was beyond words. I hope to share a bit of my Ayurvedic week long replenishing while also encouraging others to catch the next Seventi Adventures "Sacred Sap" Retreat. 

What is the "Sacred Sap" you may ask? Ayurvedic regeneration of the body’s cells, tissues and healthy aging is known as rasayana. The rasayana view of ayurveda describes a sacred sap or juice (ojas, rasa) within us that when preserved (not depleted) defines our youthfulness, vitality, health, and longevity. So I was off to Somatheeram, the worlds first Ayurvedic Resort south of Kovalom in the state of Kerala, India to receive daily 90 minute Ayurvedic Rejuvenation Massage sessions and study Ayurveda. The trained therapists massage with copious amounts of these warm sacred oils all over the body. The ojas rich oils and herbs are absorbed into the tissues through the skin and begin the process of tissue repair and regeneration. It's the practice of "Youthing"! Diet also plays a huge role and all meals at Somatheeram were designed to be deeply nourishing to the body. I forgot about all of this goodness though upon arrival as my senses were swept away by the beauty of the setting. 

I arrived at the resort around 3 AM so it was dark and I could not see very much of anything but that did not matter. I was intoxicated by the scent of jasmine right away and also offered a necklace of the blossoms strung together.  The exotic songs of birds of this paradise created an orchestra of wild. As soon as I would get lost in their song the strong fierce shore breaking waves of the Arabian Sea rumbled my being. This ocean song seemed to guide me along.

I was taken to my room which was actually someone else room. In India it doesn't seem matter. There was a woman who was in a deep sleep before the concierge banged on her door to let her know I was coming in. There was only one bed, and both the woman and I were both very confused but too jet lagged and lost in translation to deal so I hopped in bed w/ this stranger. (It turned out she was my roomie the entire retreat but paid extra the first night for her own room so she was not expecting me at all.)

She turned out to be the best India roomie and played her own part in my healing as she was such a nourishing sweet soul and fellow Portlandian. I laid there that first night in shock that my dream of traveling to India had come true. My head started to fill with anxiety from my life left behind in the western world (Is my daughter okay? Are the dogs okay? Is my house flooding again like it did just weeks before?) Then these powerful crashing waves would wash everything away demanding my emptiness from within. My shift in perception as well as my healing experience in this paradise can be described as the peeling of an onion.

Layer by layer whether it was a smell, a sound, a puja, receiving an ass kicking treatment, Tawny's restorative yoga class, bathing an elephant, swimming in the Arabian sea, or catching a smile from one of the beautiful indigenous Indian souls on the beach I was opened up to my core. It was like I met myself for the first time. This was confirmed by my longtime yoga teacher Nicole back home. For when she greeted me for the first time upon my return she said "It is so nice to finally meet you"! 

I usually get home sick as I miss my daughter, our dogs, and my comfy bed when so I don't like to travel but this time I did not want to leave. The nice thing about the trip was we still had an additional week up North so I got to sink into my newly emerged Self for a while before leaving. James specifically curates the adventure like this so we can be supported in a shift through so much healing from the treatments etc, then hit the spiritual sites up north like Varanasi, the City of Light or the Taj, the Temple of Love and really be blown away. 

It was almost like a week of Panchakarma, a powerful Ayurvedic treatment that eliminates toxicity, restoring the body’s natural balance and health minus the enema. Here is a list of some of the treatments I received during my week in Kerala and a thousand thanks to my therapist Revathi. Out of the 50 pairs of sandals or so left on the steps outside of the Ayurvedic center she always went right to mine (while I drank my ,dedicated ghee) and handed them over quickly for our jaunt to our treatment room down this botanical path. She would help me undress then light a candle and begin with a prayer in Sanskrit.  Revathi would start massaging my head then the rest of my body from there. She was so tiny but so strong. There were little things I had to submit my OCD ways (besides traffic) to like the rosewood stool where she would have me sit. Though we would wear these paper panties during treatment I wondered how many other greasy butts had sat in the stool that day. Also, it was interesting to have my boobs and fat rolls also massaged but that is why it is traditional to only have female therapists work on female clients. It wasn't sexual at all but just part of the holistic experience to really get the blood moving and the toxins flushed out. On a side note I about died laughing when I saw one of the wild, exotic birds flying away like a thief in the night with a pair of those awful paper panties. They were more like diapers. 

Going in I thought this would be a once in a lifetime experience but instead I hope to return on a regular basis to receive this kind of sweet rejuvenation and restore my own sacred sap! 

MY TREATMENT LIST:

Shirodhara is an Ayurvedic treatment which involves slowly pouring herbal liquids over a client’s forehead, exactly to the middle spot of the forehead. Shirodhara is composed of two words, which have their base in the Sanskrit language. The word Shiro means head and the word dhara means flow. I loved this treatment and during my shirodara session there was a nearby church on the grounds where there were children singing in a choir. Epic.

Pizhichil is a synchronized massage of up and down is carried out on all parts of the body by two therapists.  No area of the body is left uncovered. Here, cloth dipped in lukewarm medicated oil is squeezed over the patient’s body uniformly and then the oil rubbed smoothly over the body of the patient by masseurs on either side. The session may take 1 hour including continuous oil pouring over the body, then rubbing and stimulating the skin using hands and special cotton cloths.

Njavarakizhi or Kizhi is a deeply invigorating massage, involves fomentation of the body with a bolus of cooked rice. Njavara is a particular kind of rice known for its nutritional and therapeutic value. It is cooked with milk and a herbal decoction made of kurumthotti.

Abhyanga is a warm oil massage administered as part of preparatory measure of Panchakarma treatment in Ayurveda. “Abhyanga” means to move energy into the body to pull out toxins from the body.

Udvarthanam is a massage using herbal powder. The treatment is good for diseases like diabetic neuropathy, paralysis, obesity, skincare, sciatica, indigestion and sclerosis of blood vessels. The massage activates the nerves and increases blood flow to the impaired parts of the body. Udvarthanam is also an important health preserving massage. As the massage promotes active blood flow, it revitalizes and reconditions the body, thus preserving its strength, skin texture, and natural elasticity. Fat reduction is one of the significant benefits in cases of obesity.

'Thriphala', is the most commonly used powder in the treatment. It is a mixture of excellent nerve stimulating agents such as Gooseberry, Belerica, and Myrobalan. The medicated powder is applied all over the body and massage is done in the opposite direction of the hair roots, with appropriate pressure.

Nasyam: Ghee or oil is used in Marshya Nasyam. It is a symptomatic treatment which helps in overcoming symptoms of certain diseases.

Ksheeradara is the treatment where by the lukewarm medicated milk is made to flow in a slow constitend rate for a particular duration mostly over the glabellar region or the whole body with simultaneous soft massage. This therapy is highly beneficial for vata and pita predominant headaches, stress, insomnia and anxiety. It nourishes the skin and gives a lustrous appearance. It has proven effective in certain cases of arthritis. In certain neurological conditions especially those accompanied by burning sensation and numbness.  For ksheera dhara treatment traditional bronze vessel called ‘kindi’ is used.

Lepanam is one of the effective datum of Ayurveda to eliminate skin ailments and certain remedies in Ayurveda enlarges amazing power within to control and prevent every kind of dermatological complaints.

Balancing the Doshas for Winter

Ayurvedic Science states the every living thing is composed of 5 fundamental elements, earth, water, air, fire, and space.  They come in unique proportions within each individual which determine features including skin type, personality, mental tendencies, and physical stature. These element combinations give rise to 3 principal forces called doshas and include: Vata, Pitta, Kapha.

The doshas are not physical by any Western understanding. They are patterns of intelligence that exist in the gap between mind and matter. The properties of the elements are what one might guess. Space for example is open. Air is light, cool, and moving. Fire is hot, mobile, and quick. Water is soft, moist, and fluid. Earth is soft, damp, and cold. The meaning of the word dosha means impurity, because our being no longer pure consciousness in our biological state but a dilution of it.

Vata: The essence of Vata is prana, the life pulse, and moving force (movement). Air and space combined to form the force of Vata which is responsible for all movement in the body and it governs mainly all nervous functions. There are 80 kinds of possible disturbances due to Vata. Pain, stiffness, paralysis, hypertension, heart disease – all these are caused by Vata.

Pitta: The essence of Pitta is tejas, the transformative radiant energy (metabolism). Pitta Fire and water combine to form the force of Pitta. Pitta governs mainly enzymes and hormones. Pitta is also responsible for digestion, pigmentation, body temperature, hunger, thirst, sight, courage etc. There are 40 kinds of possible disturbances due to Pitta. Burning sensations, excessive body temperature, blue moles, jaundice, and pharyngitis are examples of disorders caused by Pitta.

Kappa: The essence of Kapha is ojas, the cohesive force. Water and earth combine to form the force of Kapha(structure). Kapha regulates the other two. Kapha is responsible for the connections of joints, the solid nature of the body and its sustenance, sexual power, strength, patience etc. Among the 20 possible disturbances due to Kapha are anorexia nervosa, laziness, mucus expectoration, hardening of vessels, obesity, suppression of digestive power, etc.

In Ayurveda, we not only recognize these forces but we also learn to harness them and develop an optimum wellness lifestyle program that balances the three doshas. In the Vedic system Ayurvedic physicians are trained in the subtle detection of a person's dominant doshas through pulse diagnosis which includes examination of fingernails, tongue, lips, eyes, face, among other attributes. Take the Dosha quiz to find out your mind-body state and explore tools to help get back in balance. 

Balancing the Doshas for Winter

 When doshas are in balance the individual is disease free and when in imbalance – disease begins to grow. In winter months for example, it is easy to experience this elemental imbalance due to many parts of the world being cold with less daylight. Don't you have those days where you want to stay wrapped in warm blankets, sipping on hot tea watching a movie or reading versus taking a chilling hike while sipping on an iced drink. During this time it is helpful to find balance, and steer clear of disease by warming Vata.

Warming Vata: The Vata dosha is the essence of prana, life-force, and movement. Due to the cold, chilling air and dark days during the winter months, it is common to become stiff and expense more pain due to less movement and exercise. Even worse there are around 80 other disturbances due to an imbalance of vata to include nervous disfunction, and heart disease. Here are some ways to warm and balance your Vata during these cold months:

• A daily yoga practice is an instant ticket to more vitality and radiance through the colder months. It's funny to think so many that haven't tried yoga have a misconception of it being "too easy" or not enough "cardio". In contrast there are a vast number of yoga disciplines that are beyond challenging while offering cardio, core, and flexibility. Ashtanga is my favorite rigorous, mobilizing type of yoga flowing from pose to pose and eventually levitating (for some). 

• A mantra practice, like yoga really works the breath, stimulating prana, or that core life force. Manra's also contain seed syllables which are powerful creation vibrations w/ manifesting possibility.  "Shreem Brzee" is an easy one to get going. Try chanting it 108 times a day and while balancing your Vata for building up heat and energy in your core you might just get surprised by random abundance form the universe. I used to chant along to videos to keep count until I discovered mala beads to keep track. There are also mantra apps available as well. 

• Sip on a hot beverage that includes a warming spice such as ginger, black pepper, or cinnamon. (My current favorite is the Portland based restaurant, Bollywood Theater's house made masala chai which has just been made available to purchase retail to enjoy at home. It's the closest, traditional tasting Indian chai I have found and it is beautiful, botanical, and spicy! The photo below shows the smaller unit for $10 but I just upgraded to the $45 unit because I am so obsessed! http://www.bollywoodtheaterpdx.com

• Include a self care ritual like an Abhyanga practice which is massage of Ayurveda where warm oils are selected to bring balance, feeding the skin and the body nutrition in the form of quality, vital-giving oils. I enjoy a cassis and vetiver essential oil blend diluted in coconut oil massaged into my shoulders and limbs. This practice really gets the juices flowing while managing those occasional aches and pains due to seasonal discomfort. Shop essential oils at mydoterra.com/elegantsavage or contact me for a free essential oil consultation to gain a better understanding of what oils may be good to try based on your lifestyle.

• Elegant Savage also offers an invigorating botanical skin care product to really warm your soul called the Mystic Mud Mask. It is supercharged with warming Lemongrass Essential Oil and the grounding Sandalwood oil w/ turmeric to make you glow and is currently 20% off. http://www.elegantsavage.com/savage-goods/mystic-mud

Namaste!