What is Ayurveda?

Similar to Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda is based on a life force and the pursuit of balance between the body, mind and nature. Ayurvedic practitioners' goal is to bring about well-being, prevent disease and ensure harmony of body and mind by aligning patients' lifestyles with their personal characteristics and medical histories.

In Ayurvedic medicine, illness is believed to be the absence of physical, emotional and spiritual harmony. Certain aspects of this healing system, such as meditation, massage and yoga, have been shown to enhance quality of life, reduce stress and tension as well as improve general well-being.

What are the benefits of Ayurveda?

The main emphasis of the Ayurvedic lifestyle system is to prevent disease and maintain good health for the mind, body and spirit. Laboratory and clinical studies in the USA have suggested that some Ayurvedic herbal preparations may have the potential to prevent and treat certain cancers. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) have even added several Ayurvedic herbal compounds to its list of potential anticancer agents and has funded a series of laboratory studies to evaluate two Ayurvedic herbal remedies.

However, it is early stages and until further research is done the American Cancer Society urges cancer patients to treat their disease with proven methods of treatment and to use Ayurvedic health principles, such as yoga, meditation and counseling in conjunction with conventional cancer care.

Ayurveda in Bali

Ayurvedic treatments differ from the majority of conventional cures by treating the sick instead of the sickness. Rather than trying to cure a disease in isolation, Ayurveda takes into account you in all your entirety. KUSH Ayurveda Spa at The Yoga Barn in Ubud, is a uniquely Ayurvedic spa with a wide range of treatments personalized to target and balance your unique body for deep relaxation and healing. KUSH therapists establish your current body type (Dosha) to create the regimen and remedies tailored for your treatment.

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As one of Bali’s only uniquely Ayurvedic spas, KUSH was designed as an accessible center for key Ayurvedic therapies and to educate those curious about Ayurveda. Treatments at KUSH focus on balance and rejuvenation for the whole body by drawing on ancient Vedic and Tantric practices. The therapists at KUSH have deep seated knowledge in Indonesian bodywork and have undergone intense training in the principles of Ayurveda and Yoga. Each KUSH therapist has an authentic technique approaching the body and use the purist natural products to achieve optimum health to all their clients.

What is a Dosha?

Ayurvedic treatments lay emphasis on examining your individual dosha which is your unique physical constitution. For most sessions, KUSH therapists establish your current imbalances or Vikruti (dosha) type and personalize your KUSH treatment for you depending on how you feel on that very day.

KUSH Ayurveda Spa also offer Ayurvedic consultations if you have more specific concerns and for detox-rejuvenation programs. A KUSH specialist will provide a lengthy and thorough diagnostic consultation to help you plan a totally personalized and unique regimen, which includes lifestyle advice on diet, herbal supplements and breathing, yoga or meditation exercises.

KUSH Ayurveda Spa in Ubud, Bali

Some of the full body massage therapies at KUSH involve:

Ayurvedic acupressure massage, which uses key energy points to reach the physiological and emotional system, Abhyanga massage to promote lymphatic drainage, Hot stone Shila Massage and Ayuryoga massage which combines assisted yoga stretches to remove blockages and revitalize the whole system.

Upper body therapies at KUSH involve:

Ayurvedic crown massage to alleviate tension built up in the head, neck, shoulders and upper back, Shirodhara to steady the mind and strength the senses and an Ayurvedic facial combining Marma pressure-point facial massage with freshly prepared botanical ingredients.

Each Ayurveda therapy at KUSH are designed to support purification, balance and rejuvenation of the nervous system. Through the specific type, quantity and application of medicinal oils, these traditional treatments have a profound, nutritive effect on the ‘subtle body’. It is important to note that these are not quick fix spa treatments but instead pre and post care Ayurveda procedures support the long term healing effects of deep acting therapies.

The 3 Ayurvedic Doshas:

Ayurveda draws on the elements of nature—the Panchamahabhuts: kshit (earth), ap (water), marut(air), tejas (fire), and vyoma (space or ether or akash), are also, the components of the human body, which are manifested in 3 types of physic—kaph (water/earth), pitta (fire), vata (ether/ air). These 3 types are further recognized by Ayurveda as 3 doshas: vata, pitta and kapha irregularities. The smooth functioning of the body is hampered owing to the imbalances in the 3 doshas (prakriti) causing all kinds of diseases.

VATA
Vata prakriti control all types of movements and is responsible for respiration too. This is the kinetic force in all kinds of biological forms, and controls the body's auto-functions (nerve impulses, circulation, respiration, and elimination and heartbeats etc.) therein. In case of an imbalance, vata individuals, who are quick in their mental process and initiation of action, tend to suffer from diseases of the neurological system especially motor functions. The diseases are pronounced during the old age, which is the period of vata (vata kala). The disease mostly affects the lower parts of the body since they are the predominant seats of vata dosha.

PITTA
Pitta Prakriti is consists the element of heat energy. It is responsible for maintenance of body heat and transforming in nature. All types of outside elements an individual takes-in are transformed into inside elements (microcosm) of the body by pitta. It governs the digestion or proper assimilation of physical, mental and emotional elements of a biological entity. Hence, Pitta is responsible for metabolism in the organ and tissue systems, as well as cellular metabolism. The persons of this prakriti are sharp, quick in action and normally possess a very good intellect as well as grasping power. The pitta prakriti persons are prone to diseases of the digestive and metabolic systems. The diseases mostly affect the abdomen i.e. the area between the chest and umbilicus. Also, pitta disorders are pronounced in the middle ages, which is the period of pitta (pitta kala).

KAPHA
Kapha prakriti or dosha consists of prithvi (earth) and jala (water). Jala or ap, is essential for sustenance of life. Prithvi, or earth, is responsible for structure and bulk of the material. Kapha is responsible for body form and structure (fluids, fats, bones and muscles). The kapha prakriti typically gives individuals a good physic and strong perseverance but they can be slow in their activities. The cold quality of kapha results in poor appetite as their agni or digestion is poor. In case of an imbalance (vikruti), people with a kapha dosha tend to suffer from the diseases of the respiratory system especially phlegmatic disorders. The diseases normally affects the upper parts of the body i.e. chest and above. The diseases are pronounced during the early ages (childhood), which is the period of kapha (kapha kala).

Generally, it is normal that you can be a combination of 2 doshas when you take an Ayurvedic test. A practitioner will formulate a diet plan and recommend herbs for you and will take into consideration all these aspects and percentages of each dosha imbalances. That's why in Ayurveda, different people with the same disease sometimes receive different diet and herb plans as Ayurvedic medicine takes into consideration the body, mind and soul of an individual as the unit for diagnosis (the sick over the sickness). Recognizing the individuals doshas and tailoring the necessary treatment to that dosha to balance the mind and body equilibrium for ultimate health and wellbeing.

Find out more and book your Ayurveda treatment at KUSH Spa.