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Panchakarma for Beginners

Lesson 1

Panchkarma is the system of cleansing and rejuvenation.

Panchkarma is part of Ayurveda, which is Vedic medicine and we use it to clean and rejuvenate our physical, emotional and mental body. This science is 10,000 years old and brings us the knowledge and wisdom from our sages and rishis. Our Sage Samhita influenced Panchakarma the most.

From Sanskrit language, Panchkarma means 5 actions and they relate to 5 elements:

• Ether
• Air
• Fire
• Water
• Earth

We have 3 main Doshas or genetical code that we are born with:

• Vata contains ether and air
• Pitta contains fire and water
• Kapha contains water and earth

We need to balance our doshas and eliminate disbalances. Our goal is to remove “ama” from our organism.

What is Ama?

Ama are our toxins in our body, but not only in our body, but also in our emotions and mind. It produces diseases in our organism. It blocks our organism from getting good elements and this is the reason why our body cannot absorb them properly.  In panchakarma, we first need to bring the toxins to our stomach area, and second, we will eliminate them from our organism.

We will be using 5 therapies:

• Vamana or vomiting
• Virechana or cleansing our organism with herbs
• Basti or enemas
• Rakta Moksha or leeches
• Nasya cleansing of our nose

Soft therapy or Purvakarma is part of Panchakarma and is used at the first stage.

Stages of Soft Therapy (Purvakarma):

1. Herbs, which would eliminate ama or toxins.
2. Herbs which would stimulate agni in our stomach.
3. Fasting from food.
4. Fasting from water.
5. Excersise
6. Sun bath.
7. Wind therapy.
8. Oil therapy and aromatherapy, bath therapy and saunas.

In soften therapy we use oils, aromatherapy, food, special teas, etc.

Cleansing Ayurvedic therapy is the second stage of Panchakarma:

1. Vamana or vomiting.
2. Therapeutic cleansing of your stomach.
3. Basti or enemas.
4. Nasya or cleansing of nostrils.
5. Rakta therapy or leech therapy.

In Ayurveda we have 2 types of therapies that are part of Panchakarma, firstly we prepare the organism, and then we eliminate toxins, or ama, from the organism.

Firstly we need to clean our body from toxins, then we need to give some time for our body to adjust. If we are feeling tired, or if we have pains, then our organism is telling us “please eliminate those toxins that have accumulated”.  After elimination, the person would feel much lighter and with a better mood. Healthy food would then be absorbed much better.

AUM.