Origin
Ayurveda is a science embracing different branches of knowledge, from medicine to philosophy and art. Its origin is described in the Veda, the oldest sapiential books in the world.
In the ayurvedic view, health is not conceived only as an absence of illness but as the perfect balance of the body;
The Sanskrit term “ayurveda” combines the word veda (‘knowledge') and the word ayu (‘life'), so its meaning is ‘knowledge of life' . The fundamental concepts in ayurveda are the 5 elements and the 3 Dosha .
The 5 elements composing the human being as well as the universe are: ether, air, fire, water and earth. Everything is made of elements, each element is present in different measures in every being. All other principles of ayurvedic system spring from the 5 elements. The most important of these principles is the TriDosha.
Tridosha are the subtle forces giving rise to the 3 main natural processes. These 3 forces constitute and influence nature and human beings. Man's balance or unbalance depend on these 3 Dosha, called respectively Vata, Pitta and Kapha.
Technique
The word Panchakarma means "five actions" (or five purification techniques); it is a treatment whose main purpose is detoxifying the whole body. Through the techniques of Panchakarma, toxins are pushed toward the excretion channels to be expelled, bringing back the Dosha to their balance.
All the procedures Ayurveda prescribes in order to remove ama (toxins) from tissues are called Purvakarma. Purva means ‘before’ and karma means ‘action’.
The most important therapies used to prepare the body to the excretion of toxins are snehana and swedana, besides other more specific therapies connected with the dosha.
Snehana:
it means oiling: the body is lubricated internally by taking Ghi and externally through the massage with medicated oil. Snehana helps toxins to become softer and accessible.
There are different techniques of oiling:
- Abhyanga: massage of the whole body with oil.
- Marma Massage: massage of the whole body with oil stimulating the marma points.
- Pinzichil: massage with oil of a part of the body.
- Sirodhara: pouring oil on head and forehead.
- Netra Basti: oiling of the eyes.
- Karna Poorana: oiling of the ears.
- Kati basti: medicated oil left on the back.
- Janu basti: medicated oil left on the knees.
Swedana:
Means inducing perspiration through dry or wet heat. This practice helps to open the channels expell toxins through the digestive tract. There are different techniques for heat application, some of them are:
- Nady sweda: application of heat through steam.
- Pinda sweda: application of warm pads of milk and rice, herbs, salt.
- Warm stones
- Sauna
- Warm baths
