The ancient art of Ayurveda has been gaining international intrigue in the present time, with more and more people seeking natural alternatives to modern medicine.
Brief History of Ayurveda
The medicinal philosophy of Ayurveda is thousands of years old, and although a fairly generalised point of origin has been deduced, a lot regarding its inception remains obscure. Legend has it that Ayurvedic knowledge was actually passed down to man from gods.
What does it involve?
Ayurvedic practitioners believe that the physical body and the mental self is interconnected and seeks to cure ailments by maintaining a balance between the two, through a healthy diet, herbal treatments and exercises such as yoga and meditation.
Panchakarma
This is one of the most popular Ayurvedic treatments, and places specialising in Ayurveda in Sri Lanka with examples like Amba Ayurveda Boutique Hotel attract a lot of westerners for Panchakarma, which seeks to completely detoxify the body and mind with five different treatments.
The Treatments
These treatments involve a herbal oil massage (Abhyanga), a skin rub (Garshana), an individually localised herbal steam bath (Swedana where the head and heart are kept cool), a second herbal oil massage (Pzichili) and finally a deep tissue massage with a special herbal paste (Udvartana).
Catalina Forbes is a travel writer who bases her content on many thrilling escapades experienced across the world. Google+
