Panchakarma Cleanse
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The Panchakarma Cleanse
Many people wonder what the Panchakarma Cleanse is. It is an ancient practice in Ayurveda to remove toxins or ama that build up in the body, mind and spirit. It has been used to help people with a variety of ailments and its effects are even being studied in western medicine.
Purvakarma - The Preparation Phase
Purvakarma is the preparation phase for Panchakarma. Purva means “before” and karma means “action.” It usually begins a week or two before Panchakarma. It involves snehana or oleation. There are two main types of snehana: internal oleation (abyantar snehana) and external oleation (bahya snehana). Internal oleation usually entails ingesting oils like ghee or herbal oils while external oleation involves slathering the body in herbal medicated oils. These oils help to loosen impurities that have built up in the system by binding to the toxins to help remove them from the body. Snehana also encourages dhatus or tissue systems to release toxins, increase secretions and unblock the srotamsi or channel systems to transport ama to the gastrointestinal tract; and it pacifies vata with its oily and unctuous quality which balances vata’s characteristic dryness. Purvakarma’s main action is to loosen the vitiated dosha from the dhatus so that they can move back to their main sites in the digestive tract to then be removed with one or more of the cleansing actions in panchakarma.
Types of Panchakarma Treatments
When you go to an Ayurvedic clinic or retreat space, you will usually experience a variety of Ayurvedic treatments to help enhance the process of releasing toxins from the body. Each Panchakarma experience will be different for each person as Ayurveda and Panchakarma are highly personalized based on the dosha (prakruti) and imbalances (vikruti) of the individual. However, people will usually experience Abhyanga, Shirodhara and Swedana. Abhyganga or Ayurvedic oleation therapy, often referred to as Ayurvedic massage uses specially formulated herbal oils to pacify your specific imbalances. Shirodhara or third-eye treatment is when a stream of warm medicinal oil is poured over the third-eye and forehead. Swedana or Ayurvedic heat therapy is steam or heated herbs are used to removed toxins through the sweat glands. There are many more types of treatments that could be prescribed. To learn more in depth about the different types of Panchakarma treatments click here.
Panchakarma
Panchakarma comes after Purvakarma. Pancha means “five” and karma means “actions.” Panchakarma is the stage where you utilize “the five actions” of vamana, virechana, basti, nasya, and rakta moksha to cleanse the body of ama and vitiated dosha.
Vamana or emesis therapy. This procedure involves taking herbs to induce vomiting and is rarely performed in the United States and can only usually be experienced in an Ayurvedic clinic in India.
Nasya or cleansing of the head: it is sometimes called shirovirechana or purgation of the head. This procedure involves nasal insufflation of medicated powders or medicated oils
Virechana or therapeutic purgation. It involves taking purgatives or laxatives to remove mala, ama and toxins from the body
Basti or purification and rejuvenation of the colon. It involves using herbal decoction or herbal oil enemas
Rakta Moksha or blood-letting therapy. In India it involves placing leeches on the body; however, in the United States this treatment is not practiced.
