Narayani Cynthia King is one of our therapists in the Well Being Center at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat in the Bahamas.  If you've ever thought about doing a cleanse, I'd highly recommend coming to the ashram for this one.  It will be a transformative experience.  If you are one of my blog followers and do come, please say 'hi'.  You can find me around the Well Being Center every day.

4 Day Ayurveda Kitchari Cleanse

The 4 Day Kitchari Cleanse is designed for busy humans who don’t have the time for a longer cleanse. It could be perfect for you if:

• You are ready to feel lighter, be more peaceful, get sick less and crave healthier foods
• You are committed to prioritizing your health – at least for 4 days
• You crave 1:1 support to achieve realistic personal cleansing “goals”
• You don’t have any serious medical issues; if you do, please feel free to contact cynthia@5elementspa.com with questions

It’s empowering to prioritize your health … and Ayurveda shows the way. If you want to feel light, balanced, and renewed, an Ayurvedic approach to cleansing will help you effectively address your personal health goals. With one-on-one personalized attention, you will be guided in meal planning, herbal formulas, and laxative choices for your unique constitution. You will also receive a daily routine, hydration protocol, and stress relieving practices.
This 4-day cleanse includes:

• One 30-minute video chat cleanse consultation with an experienced Ayurveda practitioner, prior to your cleanse
• Guided protocol and daily meals for your fat-burning kitchari cleanse
• Daily check-ins and personal support with your Ayurveda practitioner
• Three Ayurveda herbal formulas to open your detox pathways, facilitate cleansing, and improve digestion. You will also receive a 4-week supply of herbal formulas to extend the benefits of your cleanse at home.
• Gentle protocols in hydration, digestion, and elimination.
• Stress-relief techniques to practice at home.
• The supportive environment of the ashram, including two yoga classes per day, two satsangs per day, and daily workshops

Recommended: Booking a massage or Bliss Therapy treatment at the Well Being Center is encouraged for at least one of your cleanse days. Body work is an a highly effective methodology to support the body’s natural cleansing abilities.
It’s also advised to arrive a few days before the cleanse begins and to extend few days after it ends, if possible. This allows time for the body to become acclimated to the ashram environment.

​*Pre- and post-cleanse dates (on your own) include January 21 and 26.
*Registrations received after January 10th may not have access to the 30-minute consult prior to cleanse

Namaste
Loving Life and Living Love,
Mary

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I’m flying back to the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat in the Bahamas as I write this blog.  

Time has flown by since last July, when I started summer with a brief visit to Chicago area and then traveled to New York for a week of Ayurveda lectures by Dr. Vasant Lad. There was an incredible amount of material covered, and Dr. Lad inspired all of us.

Next stop was Pune, India to continue my journey with Dr Lad at the Vasant Institute of Ayurveda (VIOA).  I had the good fortune to participate in a pancha karma experience as part of a course that Dr Lad taught for Ayurveda practitioners learning to administer the powerful cleansing program for their own clients.  Pancha karma was new for me, and so was India!  I enjoyed the trip and found the travel to be quite an adventure. India is very unique and cities are very loud!  The people and cuisine of India are wonderful.  Luckily I stayed in India after the pancha karma course and was able to try some of their delicious foods.
The detoxification of pancha karma goes deep into the tissues and cells, cleansing and removing toxins, in order to allow the body to then regain vitality throughout the the body.  
In India, those who follow Ayurveda often do the treatments seasonally.  It might be equated a bit to an ‘oil change’ in the upkeep of a car - the car will continue to run for a long time without changing the oil, but eventually damage will be done.  Regular oil changes help to prevent damage to the systems of the car.

Similarly, regular pancha karma is good for optimal health.  Pancha means five, and there are five procedures that can be used, depending on the client.  I had daily abyhanga (oil body massage), nasya (nasal oil), Shirodhara (hot oil streamed on forehead, relaxing the nervous system) and swedhana (sweating with steam) treatments.  I also had 5 or 6 basti treatments, a bit like enemas but using tea-like mixtures with herbs and warm water that flow into the rectum from a soft tube that is attached to a hanging bag for the fluid.  It sounds much worse than it actually was.  After the first one, I felt quite comfortable with this process.  I especially liked the eye, liver and stomach bastis - same word but not enemas.  I show a picture and explain them in another blog post. 

Additionally, Dr Lad prescribed various herbs and tinctures customized for each person. The cleanse consisted of a mono diet of 3 meals daily of kitchari.  Kitchari is made from Basmati rice, mung dal beans, ghee and spices.  Sometimes, it was soupy and others it was a thicker rice consistency.  I liked the taste and had no problem staying on the diet - though two weeks of eating the same thing is a bit boring.  The third week, other foods were slowly added to the kitchari diet.  We also had ginger tea and electrolyte fluids throughout the day.  I did not feel hungry, but a couple of the other people on the program did.

I've noticed positive results from the cleanse and was told I'd continue to note changes for two to three months after - I ended on August 29.  There are different lengths of time for cleanses too, depending on what an individual needs.

I’m happy that Dr. Lad and others continue to train Ayurveda practitioners in this procedure. Many of them are from and living in the U.S.  While I likely won’t be doing the full program seasonally, perhaps once or twice a year will become part of my health maintenance. 

I found it interesting to learn that Prince Charles of England undergoes pancha karma each season and is an avid fan of the process.

KP Khalsa, my Ayurveda doctor, is now working with me to rebuild after the cleanse.
I am so grateful for his expertise and loving spirit.  Continuing to improve my health and sharing about What is Possible? is the journey I am on.
Namaste
Loving Life and Living Love,
Mary

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I welcome you to leave a comment below or post one on my BestYOU Facebook page.  Sharing your thoughts is a gift to all of us!
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