This time, the ayurvedic doctor did not prescribe snehanam, vamana or abhyanga. He said "no need". I began my treatment with the hot oil bathing in the mornings and nasya (ghee in nostrils) in the afternoons. It is quite a lot to have 2 treatments in a day but the nasya is short; steam for a few minutes, then after the medicated ghee is administered, you have to cough up the ghee. This helps to clear the nasal passages, sinuses and throat. I love the little steam tent, they add camphor which is purifying. I would happily stay there longer.
The pirichil (hot oil bath) is fantastic, such a luxury. The women pour the hot oil over your body and gently massage while chanting. I'm surrounded by photos of Amma in the treatment room. I feel somewhat embarassed stripping naked in front of Amma's image but I guess the Divine Mother knows me inside out and there's no point in trying to hide. I relax and melt into the wooden table lapping up the experience.
If total privacy is important for you, it would be best to go to Amma's Ayurvedic hospital. I prefer the ashram experience. Kripaji who is my age, such a beautiful soul, so devoted to Amma, works all day in the clinic. They take tuesdays off. When Amma is at the ashram, tuesday is meditation day with Amma in the Kali Temple and we get our lunch from Amma and all eat together.
I enjoyed having a day off treatment.
Don't feel like doing too much during treatments; meditate a little, pray a little, do seva (voluntary selfless service) a little, attend bhajans a little, talk a little with my friends here over mealtimes.
I'm glad the nasya has finished and I made the most of my last hot oil treatment. Skin feels soft and smooth. Friends tell me I look very healthy and am shining. My walking pace slowed right down from my usual London pace after I began treatment.
Today was purgation day, not something I look forward to. I had to go to the clinic 6.30am and was given a laxative preparation to drink. Then sent to my room with a flask of hot water to drink every 30 minutes. The first time I did virechanam, I thought I had to drink a big cup of water-really didn't feel like it, and it made me vomit straightaway which is not good as the medicine didn't have time to go through the system. So this time, I drank in sips and took a small Indian chai cup size. I went to the toilet a few times before any vomiting occurred around 8.30am, which Kripa said was okay.
Kripaji dropped my lunch and checked up on me making sure I was okay. Advised me to eat lunch about 5 hours after taking the medicine. My lunch was watery red rice with cooked beetroot and a little coconut. I enjoyed my lunch and wished I had given the bigger tiffin box as I could have done with more.
I went to toilet several more times, and vomited again also. I find the vomiting is the worst experience. I am very rarely ill so this purgation is a reminder of what it would be like if I became ill. Worth going through a little discomfort to hopefully prevent and reduce sickness.
At the ashram, during panchakarma, you share a no fan room with one other person only. In busy times at the ashram, there can be 4 people in the same small room with bathroom attached. When single rooms are available, we can pay double the rate to secure one. It is cooler to be on the backwater side than the sea side and higher up.
I have treated myself to a single room this time, which is really nice so I have complete privacy and can relax fully, though not allowed to sleep as that inhibits the detoxification. I had loads of time to catch up on my blogging between going to the toilet!
Although I felt a bit awful and anxious about this purgation day, it was much easier for me than the 2 previous occasions that I have done this, during a full panchakarma and also on a mini massage 2 weeks session; I thought I'd treat myself to the hot oil bath and rice bundle massage which are fabulous but the Doctor also insisted on throwing in the purgation day.
As instructed when I felt toilet visits had ceased, I gingerly went out to get a young coconut drink as this has electrolytes, just what I need after purgation. Left the firm meat as I knew digestion wouldn't be strong enough today. Now back in my room, waiting for 8pm dinner time when I can get some kanji, watery rice which I have been told to eat. To be honest I'm hungry, but will have to wait patiently and not eat anything else, otherwise I will upset my stomach.
I can now look forward to the rice bundle massages which start tomorrow.
The pirichil (hot oil bath) is fantastic, such a luxury. The women pour the hot oil over your body and gently massage while chanting. I'm surrounded by photos of Amma in the treatment room. I feel somewhat embarassed stripping naked in front of Amma's image but I guess the Divine Mother knows me inside out and there's no point in trying to hide. I relax and melt into the wooden table lapping up the experience.
If total privacy is important for you, it would be best to go to Amma's Ayurvedic hospital. I prefer the ashram experience. Kripaji who is my age, such a beautiful soul, so devoted to Amma, works all day in the clinic. They take tuesdays off. When Amma is at the ashram, tuesday is meditation day with Amma in the Kali Temple and we get our lunch from Amma and all eat together.
I enjoyed having a day off treatment.
Don't feel like doing too much during treatments; meditate a little, pray a little, do seva (voluntary selfless service) a little, attend bhajans a little, talk a little with my friends here over mealtimes.
I'm glad the nasya has finished and I made the most of my last hot oil treatment. Skin feels soft and smooth. Friends tell me I look very healthy and am shining. My walking pace slowed right down from my usual London pace after I began treatment.
Today was purgation day, not something I look forward to. I had to go to the clinic 6.30am and was given a laxative preparation to drink. Then sent to my room with a flask of hot water to drink every 30 minutes. The first time I did virechanam, I thought I had to drink a big cup of water-really didn't feel like it, and it made me vomit straightaway which is not good as the medicine didn't have time to go through the system. So this time, I drank in sips and took a small Indian chai cup size. I went to the toilet a few times before any vomiting occurred around 8.30am, which Kripa said was okay.
Kripaji dropped my lunch and checked up on me making sure I was okay. Advised me to eat lunch about 5 hours after taking the medicine. My lunch was watery red rice with cooked beetroot and a little coconut. I enjoyed my lunch and wished I had given the bigger tiffin box as I could have done with more.
I went to toilet several more times, and vomited again also. I find the vomiting is the worst experience. I am very rarely ill so this purgation is a reminder of what it would be like if I became ill. Worth going through a little discomfort to hopefully prevent and reduce sickness.
At the ashram, during panchakarma, you share a no fan room with one other person only. In busy times at the ashram, there can be 4 people in the same small room with bathroom attached. When single rooms are available, we can pay double the rate to secure one. It is cooler to be on the backwater side than the sea side and higher up.
I have treated myself to a single room this time, which is really nice so I have complete privacy and can relax fully, though not allowed to sleep as that inhibits the detoxification. I had loads of time to catch up on my blogging between going to the toilet!
Although I felt a bit awful and anxious about this purgation day, it was much easier for me than the 2 previous occasions that I have done this, during a full panchakarma and also on a mini massage 2 weeks session; I thought I'd treat myself to the hot oil bath and rice bundle massage which are fabulous but the Doctor also insisted on throwing in the purgation day.
As instructed when I felt toilet visits had ceased, I gingerly went out to get a young coconut drink as this has electrolytes, just what I need after purgation. Left the firm meat as I knew digestion wouldn't be strong enough today. Now back in my room, waiting for 8pm dinner time when I can get some kanji, watery rice which I have been told to eat. To be honest I'm hungry, but will have to wait patiently and not eat anything else, otherwise I will upset my stomach.
I can now look forward to the rice bundle massages which start tomorrow.