Panchakarma
Panchakarma refers to a part of the Ayurveda cleansing regimen using a wide variety of methods to remove metabolic waste products, undigested food components ( mala ) and environmental toxins ( ama ). A “mental purification” (stressful experiences, unresolved conflicts, etc.) should also be part of the cure.
Loosely translated, Panchakarma means “five-fold action”, which means that the body can be “purified” in five different ways. The decisive factor is the constitution of the person to be treated. Panchakarma is one of the phases of Ayurvedic restoration of life energies (the three doshas Vata, Pitta and Kapha), preceded by preparatory mobilizing applications, after the Panchakarma follows a stabilization phase .
Part of a Panchakarma cure in northern India can be the daily intake of ghee , clarified butter that is warmed up and drunk in small quantities on an empty stomach in the morning in order to dissolve the fat-soluble waste products in the body.
- If the kapha dosha is too strong, an emetic can be administered.
- You can reduce an excess of Pitta by purging.
- Too much Vata can be normalized with herbal enemas.
This internal mobilization of the waste products is supplemented externally by various oil treatments such as massage ( Abhyanga , etc.) or forehead oil pouring . Also on the therapy plan if necessary: bloodletting , inhalation of herbal smoke and nasal enemas. In the west, a corresponding attenuated variant of Panchakarma is usually carried out, for example without vomiting.
See also
- Kriyas - physical cleansing techniques in Hatha Yoga
literature
- Deepak Chopra , The Body Soul - Basics and Practical Exercises in Indian Medicine , Chapter 2: “Panchakarma - Purification of the Body”, Knaur-Taschenbuch, July 2006, pp. 158–163.
