Ayurvedic Bliss?!

As part of the 3 weeks itinerary, Stella and I had decided to indulge in a 7 day Ayurvedic retreat. Ayurveda is the knowledge or science of life and is a natural way to treat the body. Similar to Chinese medicine or other alternative health treatments, Ayurveda uses natural remedies to enhance overall well-being. After consulting with an Ayurvedic Dr (Rama Prasad) in Sydney on what are the best treatment centres in Kerala, on his recommendation we pre-booked Vaidyagrama, a purpose built Ayurvedic “healing village”. We figured if we were going to get treatments, we may as well get the real deal. There are loads of places offering a range of treatments in Kerala, mostly geared towards the tourist market so they consist mainly of oil massages. Not that there is anything wrong with that, as 7 days of oil massages is my idea of heaven, but given we wanted to experience something more authentic and tailored to our own individual needs (and we trust Rama's opinion) we booked into our “healing village”.

The garden at our village, fully sustainable, everything is used for either medicine or food

Ayurevdic treatments are known for their purification purposes, however it is the full panchakarma treatment where the benefits really occur. This is typically a 3 week program of everything from therapeutic vomiting to enema's....fun stuff! Unfortunately (or fortunately!) we only had time for 7 days which would be more like a rest and relaxation package. Bliss. Or so we thought, or was that maybe hoped. We checked in on our first day with a brief visit with the residing Dr, a consultation based around why we were here and what all our ailments were. The clinic was quite full (23 other “patients”) so we were unable to receive our first treatment that evening but tomorrow, it would begin. Awesome, oil massages daily, I can not wait. We had no idea what else to expect so waited dutifully for our schedule, or routine (the ashram had trained us well) but to our surprise, there really wasn't one. Morning and evening prayers were at sunrise and sunset and then the day was free to relax. Our room was very spacious, clean and even remotely modern. It appears they had just completed building our section and construction was underway for another 3 blocks, obviously this place was successful. But, back to our schedule, or lack there of.

Our first day Stella had her first treatment (oil massage) in the morning and we both began our prescription of herbs or “medicine” that we were to receive up to 4 times per day. I had the entire day to fill in before my treatment in the late afternoon. Now this place is secluded, away from any towns or villages or so it seems other life. Great when you are healing. But with no common area, just our room and a verandah to hang out on, what on earth were we to do for an entire 7 days? I was starting to get a little concerned....7 days of nothing. Sitting around, maybe reading a book, listening to my iPod, and then what? Thank god we had not booked in for the full 3 week program, this was going to drive me nuts! But by the third day, I came to appreciate the space, the time, the silence. I feel like most of my life I had felt I never had time to do everything I wanted to, and now I had it and I was lost. The mind is funny though, after 2 days of complaining, it started to realise we weren't going anywhere, so it may as like it or lump. So it started to shut up. Peace at last.

Our room for 7 days

 

The daily treatments did literally consist of medicine and an oil massage that was specifically concocted for us. A small Indian lady would come knocking at any point in the day and say “Fleur – treatment” and off you would toddle to the treatment room which consisted of a large beautiful carved wooden table. “Clothes all off!” she would indicate, and you did as you were told. She would then say “Sit please” and the treatment would begin as she poured warm delicious oil over your head and started to massage your scalp and face. After 45 min, your entire body was dripping in more oil that the colonel uses to cook his chicken, it was almost impossible to stay still on the table as you slipped and slid around. A warm bath from the little Indian lady and you were done. Dignity out the window, but feeling warm and fuzzy from inside to out.

So we are now into our final days of our Ayurvedic retreat, I am not sure it has been blissful, but it certainly has been interesting to slow down and almost come to a complete stop. Something I highly recommend. The place and people are absolutely amazing. The simple ayurvedic diet, well lets just say I am glad I am not staying for 3 weeks. The prayers each morning and evening are probably what I have enjoyed the most, the Dr sings in sanskrit for up to one hour and it is the easiest way to meditate and a lovely start or end to the day. You get used to the guy in the next room retching, or the incredibly off key om's, and the daily herbal medicines, and you come to look forward to the guy who brings you water, and after you thank him every time says “don't mention it”. Or the lady who comes in the late afternoon to smoke our room (a natural disinfectant and mosquito repellent that smells faintly like incense) or the fact we got to attend the annual pooja – the ceremony that honours the serpents of this land as the might of killed one or two in the building process – I could go on with all of the little things that make this week incredibly unique and experience I am sure not to forget.

From here, we are changing pace, or perhaps planets as we head to Mumbai on Monday and then Dehli and the infamous Taj Mahal later next week. Will keep you posted on our adventures!