Do I need Panchakarma?
This is a very common question we get asked. Sadly, today's New Age-style Ayurveda has designed a "Panchakarma for all", which is usually just Spa Ayurveda techniques, passed off as detoxification.
Many Ayurvedic Practitioners are quick to recommend Panchakarma, both to line their own pockets, and also as they generally don't have the deeper clinical training to understand the depth of Panchakarma traditionally, which requires several procedures, various medicines and also careful evaluation of patients in hospital settings, with several therapists and staff.
Traditionally, surgery (shalyatantra) and detoxification (shodhana), the latter of which is part of Panchakarma, the five actions of detoxing the body, were suited to select individuals, according to their diseases, stage of life and ability to undergo the treatment. Otherwise, these could cause harm to the person.
Before recommending Panchakarma regimes in India - for both cost-effectiveness, as also to utilise the greater number of therapists traditionally required and fresh medicines in greater quantity, we assess individuals for their suitability.
Sometimes simple shamana (palliative) methods, restorative diets and herbs are required alone. There is no hard and fast rule for Panchakarma for all, though it has its uses in various cases and always has to be tailoired to the individual and their diseases, not generic.
Why Panchakarma in India instead of NZ or locally?
We have chosen the beautiful land of Kerala in India, an ancient region associated with Parashurama (The Land of the Rama with an axe), after the great Hindu hero, Parashurama, who founded the science of Martial Arts and son of the ancient Vedic Seer, Jamadagni.
Kerala has been a region of trade and spices for the past 5,000 years, trading with Egypt and later Greece, Rome and other nations, as well as also having a history dating back to 5500BCE with the ancient Edakkal Caves which have some of the world's oldest writing marks.
In addition, the great Hindu monist Philosopher, Adi Shankaracharya was born in Kerala in 509BCE near Kochi, and the great astronomer Aryabhata was also from this region.
It is also home to the Ashtavaidya (Eight Doctor) system of Ayurveda, founded by the Ayurvedic Seer, Vagbhata in the 5th Century AD, who settled there from Sindh and merged his teachings with that of the already ancient local traditions of Ayurveda, and the Tamil Siddha Vaidyas, descendants from the Vedic Seer Agastya.
It is thus a very ancient and rich tradition of Ayurveda - and one of the most traditional regions in India.
Traditional Panchakarma requires that the individual's mind, body and senses are all relaxed and detached from all outside influences in order to receive and enjoy the full benefits of Panchakarmas, the Five Detoxification Therapies of Ayurveda.
