What a Traditional 7-Day Ayurvedic Detox Looks Like- journey toward healing - Part 2

Hey yogis,

I am taking you along on my transformative journey through the ultimate 7-day Ayurvedic cleanse, panchakarma.

If you still didn’t read the first part of the article, you can find it here: WHAT IS PANCHAKARMA? + MY PERSONAL PANCHAKARMA STORY DURING MY TRIP TO INDIA part 1

Although I am a yoga teacher and practitioner for many years and always been practicing mindful eating of healthy food, drinking a lot of water and exercise every day, I still suffer from digestion problems for many years. So maybe I am one of that persons that “really wants to hold onto their crap.” :)

I heard about Ayurveda a half a year before I decided to go visit India for the first time of my life. I knew I will have to try the Panchakarma, a cleanse that called into question every aspect of my lifestyle and boiled it down to one central question: How do my choices augment or interfere with my well-being? While the answer was still unclear, one thing was certain: I was on a 7-day mission to find out.

My morning yoga in the Himalayas

I had 2 choices, staying in the same hotel of the clinic or taking another hotel and having someone that will cook for me. I decided to stay in another hotel. It was cheaper like that but absolutely less comfortable. At the same time, my friend did also the same Panchakarma, but she had completely different things to eat, so we couldn't share our food, but at least share our time and experiences.
Each day I woke up, did my meditation and yoga practice, an half an hour run in the Himalayas mountains and then breakfast (my breakfast during the panchakarma was- hot water with lemon and ginger, coffee and fruits - I had a list of fruit that I was allowed to eat, including- pineapple, papaya, apple and more), I was also needed to take some pills of herbs. then I went to the clinic.


In the evening I went to the local gym too. The only girl and the only one that was not Indian, that was really funny.
Yes, I love doing sport. Also, the dr. was in shock from the amount of energy that I have.

The local gym

My morning run in the Himalayas

In India, you learn how to run between the shit of the cows and saying hello to your neighbors (the animals. a lot of scary monkeys also)

See also All the books that changed my life

First day:

Most programs include oleation, a process of oiling up your body from within through the gut to loosen up accumulated ama (toxins) and to prepare your system for elimination. 2 hours every day of an ayurvedic massage with hot oil. That was amazing!!!!  During the first day of the treatment, you also get the  Shirodhara, half an hour of releasing a warm, soothing stream of nutritional oil onto the middle of the forehead from a copper vessel. (I had kind of orgasm :))

Shirodhara- This therapy is also called “third eye oil meditation” because during the therapy the vital point or called the third eye gets stimulated. The third eye is situated in the middle of the forehead, exactly in the gap between the two eyebrows. According to Hindu mythology, it is the gate that leads to inner realms and the place of highest divine energy.

Benefits of Applying Oil in Ayurveda

One of the meanings of sneha (oil) in Sanskrit is Love. Anytime oil is applied to the body or taken internally, the body feels the physical manifestation of love, which is the essence of truly caring for one’s vessel. Oil is a substance that is grounding, healing, nourishing, and provides a sense of safety and protection, like a mother’s love. When we imbibe oily substances such as ghee or foods rich in nourishing fats, our bodies burn brightly with fuel that kindles the inner flame of Agni, our digestive capacity. Consuming healthy fats like ghee also imbues the body with a sense of roundedness by pacifying Vata Dosha and supporting the earth and water elements in our bodies. 

picture too from this website

After that, and every day after the massage you are passing to the next cleanse method - the ayurvedic herbal steam bath- Swedana (as you see me in the picture below). You are sweating all the toxins away. I stayed almost 15 min each day and tried to meditate during.

me in the Ayurveda steam bath
Swedana is an ancient Ayurvedic treatment which usually follows the Abhyanga treatment. In Ayurvedic medicine, the term ‘Swedana’ refers to the treatment which involves sweating. This treatment is used to relieve excess doshas or toxins from the body. This helps the person to establish a state of balance and also promote general health and well being.

After the steam bath, the dr. gave me the pills for the day after, and he gave me some instructions for my fun diarrhea day. 

I went to eat my lunch which included a bowl of Khichiri, a lightly spiced, one-pot meal of basmati rice and mung  (and only those type of lentils) dal, cooked with heaps of ghee (but I asked without it, and for me it is ok, most of the people need to eat a lot of ghee during the treatment). I could add also a soup of vegetables (only the ones in my list- a lot of okra) and the yummy Indian bread- Chapati.

In the evening I went to the gym and had a lot of energy. Then dinner with vegetable soup and chapati (I was a little hungry after).

See also : Volunteering in yoga retreats all over the world

Day 2: Virechana

I started with yoga practice, skipped that day on my run, ate my breakfast and took all my pills and herbs. I went to the clinic to get my massage and steam bath and went back to my room to spend the day there close to the bathroom. I went exactly 10 times and it was so wired to see my poop in colors of grey and white (because it is the metals that come out from your liver, kidney, and other internal organs!!). 

“The Ayurvedic texts say after virechana, the absorption capability of the stomach and intestinal wall is increased by 90 percent.” 

I spent the day reading books in the room and let my body eliminate all the metal and toxins out of my body. I was of course weak.

In the evening I could eat. I was so hungry and ate a lot of Khichiri, my new culinary best friend, and vegetable soup.

My lunch every day during the Panchakarma was Khichiri, a bowl full of rice and lentils only from the type Mung (which are eliminating toxins and easy to digest) and a lot of vegetables that I had in the list. Sometimes  if I was hungry I could eat also  chapati (I love chapati!!)

Days 3-7: Basthi

Let the fun really begin. So I am the lucky one who does not need the vomiting part. I went directly to the Enema wash- Basthi.

The Basthi is the process used to cure Vata disorders. In this procedure, a medicated oil enema is applied through the rectum. This is because Vata is predominantly located in the colon. It is helpful in cases such as constipation, neurological ailments, paralysis, flatulence, lower backache, gout, and rheumatism. It is also a good remedy for arthritis and paralysis.

I was quite scared of it, but it was really nice 😄. 

each day the Dr. put more liquids inside of your bowl, with oils, hot water, herbs, and honey. You wait for a few minutes and then you go to the toilet. I did it for the next 5 days After the 2-hour massages and the steam bath. 

I loved the way it made me feel - A feeling of lightness in the abdomen and general clarity.

I used this mudra while sitting in the steam bath

The rest of the days were the same. Same food and the same treatments. I have to say that I was so energetic (the Dr. stays that you suppose to be more energetic than usual). I went every day for half an hour run in the Himalayas (which means that I start to run at 2000m) and also in the evening I went to the local gym.

After one week of Panchakarma- the first thing I noticed was that my mind was so clammed, I did not have thoughts at all, which was kind of strange. Sometimes I wanted to have thoughts. My skin was so beautiful and I lost some weight (I was too skinny)

Maintaining the Glow:

During and after the Panchakarma I felt amazing. My facial skin was so glowing, I slept so well and my dream was so real. But the most important thing, my mind was clear, I didn't have thoughts for a long time after the treatment. That was wired. but so beautiful. My digestion problem is not over yet, but I am working on it, changing my diet and trying to be more stable in my life and not moving all the time from one country to another (still looking for my home in this big world).

I had to say goodbye to the Khichiri (I am not allowed to eat rice) and apples (the fruit I love so much, I can still eat them if they cooked), and I pass to my new diet More cook food and also less fresh salad, and cook my vegi. I was so happy that I could eat yogurt and diary again, and missed hummus and omelet :).

After the Panchakarma, you actually crave things that are good for you. This is what we call prajna. In yoga it’s translated as ‘wisdom,’ but in Ayurveda, it means ‘cellular intelligence.’

I got all the pills and herbs for the next 3 months.

Panchakarma helped me to understand more the idea of letting go, letting go of habits, types of food, thoughts, feelings. Getting more connected to my intuition.

And it was more clear to me that I want to teach yoga around the world, and not work as an architect anymore. I felt that the right thing for me is going back to my beloved Costa Rica (I have been there 10 years ago and felt that I need to go back). I directly find a job in Santa Teresa in a cute resort on the beach. I booked the flight back to Israel, change to a suitcase full of swimsuits and yoga clothes and took the flight to Costa!! Pura Vida!


see also Santa Teresa, Costa Rica : What To Do

sweaty and so white after the gym. I used to take 10.000 pictures and selfies every day with people that asked me for it. I couldn't say no :). Being a celeb must be so difficult.

India was so good for me. Learning a lot about yoga, teaching classes, being for 3 months in the mountains. Meeting H.H Dalai Lama, Practicing different kinds of meditations, Finding my Guru.  I learned a lot and got more into my spiritual path. Thank you Mamma India (hope to see you soon).


Since I did the treatment I sent so many other people and friends to do it with the same dr.  at https://www.shivaniayurveda.com/ (It is not sponsored 😄) and they all amazed by the way he recognizes their problems. I met also people who did cure cancer and diabetes with Ayurveda, and this is amazing.  

Meditation time- I prefer to do it on my own, but sometimes it is so powerful to do it with so many people. More difficult for me though.

May all you do and achieve bless you every day with great happiness and good health, 


Namaste,

Aviv

My favorites for traveling:

Sport Fruit Infuser Water Bottle

Sugarmat- my favorite travel mat

Crystal Water Bottle - Rose Quartz

Related:

5 Reasons You Can’t Hear Your Intuition

Matcha- which one you should buy & a matcha recipe

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