WHAT IS Our Panchakarma Retreats

The Healing Gardens core therapeutic event includes the unique Panchakarma or DETOXIFICATION retreats organized on a regular basis. PANCHAKARMA is an individualized process of Rejuvenation and Detoxification. It’s a purification program of flushing out the accumulated toxins and maintenance of health. Our Panchakarma retreats are intensive and individualized programs that bring you the unique experience of the combined effect of three of the most ancient, powerful and effective holistic disciplines. Ayurveda, Yoga and Music.

All three find roots in the ancient Indian Vedic texts and have been documented within Ayurveda to be potent healing mediums. The goal of these retreats is a holistic detoxification of the mind, body and soul. The retreats also serve as an introductory experience of a new holistically fulfilling natural lifestyle and equip participants with tools to practice this lifestyle in their normal day to day life. The retreat treatment itineraries and activities are personally crafted by knowledgeable and experienced professionals headed by Sujata Shah and Dr. Ram Tamang.

AYURVEDA and Our Panchakarma Retreats
Ayurveda is widely recognized as the "mother" of all healthcare systems and is believed to have originated in India thousands of years ago. Ayurveda uses the inherent principles of natureto help maintain health by keeping the body, mind and spirit in perfect equilibrium with nature.  Ayurveda suggests specific lifestyle and nutritional guidelines to help achieve internal equilibrium thereby enabling the individual to take charge of one's own life and healing. Ayurveda has undergone continuous research, development and refinement over the past 5,000 years and is one of the most popular choices of alternative medicine worldwide.

Ayurveda is a holistic approach, taking the body, mind and spirit in unison, including the emotions and psychology, to shape up whatever is in entropy with the forces of nature - the sages of ancient India knew this to be the only solution to the questions of health. The secret of Ayurveda cuddles in the Vedic womb of ancient India. Panchakarma is a unique, natural, holistic, health-giving series of therapeutic treatments that cleanse the body's deep tissues of toxins, open the subtle channels, bring life-enhancing energy, thereby increasing vitality, inner peace, confidence and well being.

Our Panchakarma retreats employ Authentic Ayurvedic treatments to cleanse the body. Each treatment itinerary is personalized for each individual’s body constitution, physical and medical condition, and spiritual state of mind. In the able hands of Sujata Shah and Dr. Ram Tamang, each individual is scheduled for a course of intensive and healing traditional therapies directed to detoxify and de-stress you. The treatments and therapies are conducted by Sujata Shah, Dr. Ram Tamang and an expert team of holistic practitioners, all working cohesively to detoxify each individual. Traditional therapies and treatments include a combination of Internal and External herbal therapies, Shirodhara, Nasal, eye and back therapy, mild purgation and enemas, Abhyanga / Traditional Ayurvedic Massage, Swedana / Therapeutic Sweating Therapy, Hot Potli / Poultice Massage, Pizhichil Massage. All Herbs and herbal oils that are used are custom-blended and are certified Organic.

In addition, we conduct group activities that are specifically designed to awaken the spiritual self and provide internal relaxation and inner healing. These include activities like sunrise Yoga, laughter therapy, educational seminars, nature walks, healing vegetarian natural foods, meditation and spiritual chanting.

Ayurvedic Foods and Our Panchakarma Retreats
Food plays a vital role in the detoxification process. It is one of the most important and also one of the most neglected parts of our lives. It is also a major cause of imbalances in our bodies. Ayurveda suggests specific lifestyle and nutritional guidelines to help achieve internal equilibrium thereby enabling the individual to take charge of one’s own life and healing. Ayurveda uses the herbs and plants to eliminate the excess or waste in the body and weaken the deficiencies with the principles of the 5 elements. Ayurveda considers the broader energetic effects of the herbs on overall metabolic processes. According to Ayurveda the properties of herbs are related systematically according to their taste, elements, heating or cooling effects, and effects after digestion and other special potencies.

Our Panchakarma retreats adhere to these Ayurvedic principles. Meals are planned keeping each individual’s constitution in perspective. Our Ayurveda specialized chef works closely with Sujata Shah and Dr. Ram Tamang to prepare meals that synergize with each person's treatment plan. A Variety of meals are prepared from scratch every single day, 3 times a day,using the freshest organic ingredients. Our vegetarian meals are simple, easy to digest and delicious feel good kind of foods. The food is prepared to aid the detoxification process. The food appeals to the palate of people from almost all backgrounds and ethnicities. The kitchen is run with utmost love and care and the smells from the kitchen feel like home.

Yoga and Our Panchakarma Retreats
Yoga is also known as the ”sister” science of Ayurveda. Ayurveda focuses on healing of the body and mind and Yoga is said to be a science of ”self realization” that depends on a well functioning body and mind. Together both sciences integrate to heal and energize imbalances of the physical self along with the imbalances in the deeper consciousness, creating wholeness in the self. Our Retreats bring the power of Yoga together with Ayurveda to help achieve optimal health, vitality and higher awareness. We conduct group yoga sessions and provide individual attention and training to ensure the yoga asanas and postures are appropriate to your unique body type and your physical condition. These sessions are conducted by experienced and trained Yoga experts.

Music and Our Panchakarma Retreats
Music has been identified as one of the most effective tools for healing in Ayurveda. It has been documented both in Ayurveda and in western medicine as a potent medium to bring harmony to the mind, body and soul. Music is therapeutic, cathartic and meditative.  Everything in this universe has its own vibration. Each vibration creates energy. When these vibrations are in harmony, there is a free and unhindered flow of energy. This constitutes a healthy being. Any disturbance of this flow of energy is defined as illness in Ayurveda. Music is a way of organizing sounds into an experience to create emotion. These musical sounds create harmonious positive vibrations that resonate with the physical and spiritual self and help restore equilibrium.

Music is a vital part of our Panchakarma retreats. We conduct daily chanting sessions and create an experience of blissful healing vibrations.  These spiritual healing sessions are meticulously planned by Dipali Singh.  A theme for the retreat is set and simple chants that are in sync with the theme are chanted to send self healing messages to oneself. Set to  Indian classical ragas Dipali uses simple chants to create positive energy fields that unify the body and mind. Ragas are a structured pattern of notes designated to create a certain mood and emotion. Each raga has a designated structure and time that it is meant too be sung in. When sung at the right time, in the right season and the right structure, these notes have the power to have an extremely powerful positive effect on energy flow within the self.

Panchakarma Retreat June 2009
The Healing Gardens recently organized their first 5 day unique ”Panchakarma” retreat at the spectacular 11 acre Hidden Valley Retreat in Escondido, California. Panchakarma Therapy is an individualized cleansing program of Rejuvenation and Detoxification of the mind body and soul. The schedule focused on healing naturally through Ayurveda, Yoga and Music. In addition to the core team of Sujata Shah, Dr. Ram and Dipali, this dedicated team of qualified and experienced experts included holistic practitioners David Alduenda and Sarah Tiehen, Yoga expert Phillip Lagaris & Ayurveda specialized Chef Fariba Zandpour, who prepared authentic and delicious Ayurvedic meals. The retreat was attended by very high profile participants and has been a roaring success. Participants documented the retreat as one of the best experiences of their lives and were impacted by not only the unique and effective approach to healing through Ayurveda, Yoga and Music but also the warmth, dedication and personalized service of the entire team, which they said made them feel like they were part of a family.

Who needs Panchakarma?

“Swasthasya, Swashtha, Samrakhshanam, aturasya, vikara, prashamanam Cha”
To maintain the health of the healthy and cure the disease or imbalances of a person.


-- Charaka Samhita Sutra

HEALING GARDENS RETREAT TEAM
Sujata: Executive V.P. and Co-founder of The Healing Gardens of Ayurveda. Sujata is also an Ayurvedic Practitioner with a focus on Ayurvedic Nutrition and personalized Diet therapy. Sujata’s journey in Ayurveda began when her "common cold" mutated into a drawn-out, side-effect riddled affair with allopathic medicine, she knew it was time to return to Ayurveda, with which she had grown up. Emerging from a 3 week "Panchakarma" Retreat in India, as a changed person, she embarked on a mission to bring Authentic Ayurveda to the United States.

Dr. Ram Tamang: grew up with Ayurveda is the same Ayurvedic Physician that led Sujata’s life changing Retreat in India. Licensed in India and Nepal, Dr. Ram is Director of Panchakarma at The Healing Gardens. His interest in Eastern and Western Herbology led him to formulate a unique Dietary Supplement for Insomnia, a blend of Ayurvedic Herbs, amino acids and minerals known as – Sleep Solutions.

Dipali: is a trained Indian vocalist, composer, Vocal Coach, Music Teacher and theater artist.  She started performing music at the age of 11 and  has since then performed at  International and National forums,  the radio and BBC Channel four. She has been conducting voice training workshops and teaching music since the past 15 years. Dipali practices meditation via chanting and has developed unique strategies combining her knowledge to conduct chanting sessions. Set to Indian classical Ragas she uses simple chants to create positive energy fields that unify the body and mind. She leads the chanting in a group setting using traditional Indian musical instruments. Each chant is a specific positive message to the self, repetition of which awakens and brings out different aspects of the consciousness. Set in a purified environment, with tranquil sounds and fragrance, this becomes an experience of spiritual awakening creating a healing energy for the physical and emotional self. For more on her log onto http://www.voiceofdipali.com

David Alduenda: is a licensed and gifted Massage Practitioner with up to 10 years of experience. He says to his clients: "I believe one of the greatest gifts anyone can give to themselves is the opportunity to be more present and awake to what is alive within them at any given time. Massage Therapy is a beautiful and invaluable way of experiencing just that As your therapist, my role is to create and maintain a sacred and safe environment where you are invited to rest and soften into the infinite healing potential within you." David specializes in many forms of body work such as Ayurvedic and Thai Massage, Reflexology, Neuromuscular and cranial sacral therapy etc. These are the eclectic blend of various healing modalities, making your Massage therapy experience unique and extraordinary.

Sarah Tiehen is a holistic health practitioner, reiki master and licensed massage therapist. She facilitates human potential by creating experiences that blend principles of intuitive body and energy work therapy with a gentle, yet strong and sacred touch. Offering hands on energy healing sessions and body work to balance and nurture your whole-being on a physical and cellular level. Sarah has spent over 14 years exploring reiki and energy-work, healing with herbs, flower essences, aromatherapy, healing with stones, sound, color and light. As well as relaxation and visualization, meditation, etc. By combining and customizing a variety of techniques, she is determined to assist you heal the wholeness of your being.

Simon "Karta" Ballard blends the Sacred practices of Ayurveda, Pranayama, Meditation, the Ancient Sound Vibrations of The Gong, Tibetan and Indian Singing bowls, Yogic Philosphy and the many Transformational Modalities of Yoga. Artist, Musician, and a Poet, Simon, " Karta" will be your guide on a transformational journey beyond your Physical body, guiding you deep into the realms of the Energetic, Intuitive, subtle mind, taking you to a place of Peace, Love, Surrender, Stillness and Physical Bliss... Simon”s vast knowledge and experience in various yogic traditions include the Yoga style of Kundalini, Yin, Vinyasa, Restorative and Bhakti Yoga, incorporating breath exercises, static postures, flow sequences, inspirational and live music, conscious poetry, light meditation and Divine guidance weaves a Yogic Journey accessible at all physical and spiritual levels.

Philip Lagaris says to his clients:
"Yoga is not an exercise, but a method of healing in the form of meditation, and thus has the ability to address ailments of the mind, body, and even soul that is unique to Ayurveda and Yoga. Each pose is like a ladder; every step you take draws you further away from the external, and closer to the eternal, the source of your true greatness."

Philip utilizes his understanding of Yoga and Ayurveda, also called Ayuryoga, to craft sessions that address the individual mind-body needs of his students; as a comprehensive method of healing that is focused on self-realization. Ayuryoga is unique to other styles of yoga, because it focuses on the uniqueness of the person, and so no two people would ever receive the exact same sequence of poses.