An interview about Pañcakarma (Panchakarma) in South India with a French podcast broadcaster
Manuela, the founder of Ayur Sattvic, talked with the French podcast, Le Podcast Ayurveda, about her experiences of Pañcakarma treatments in South India. During this discussion, Ayur Sattvics' assistance service also becomes more obvious. The text will certainly answer some of your questions about Ayurvedic therapies in India and clear up certain misconceptions.
The interview was given in 2021.
Please find the English translation here.
Although the interview is long, please enjoy reading it.
Nath, Le Podcast Ayurveda :
Welcome to Nath and Lauren's Ayurveda podcast. We would like to share our thoughts with you and welcome inspiring people to talk about topics related to health and well-being. My name is Nathalie, I am an Ayurveda practitioner. My mission is to accompany spiritual women who wish to take care of their body, their heart, their mind and the world they live in.
Lauren, Le Podcast Ayurveda :
And I am Lauren, an Ayurvedic practitioner specialized in perinatology and accompanying women in all phases of their life and cycle.
Nath, Le Podcast Ayurveda :
Please find all our episodes on our website www.podcast-ayurveda.com or on your favorite podcast listening platform.
Lauren, Le Podcast Ayurveda :
Feel free to leave us a comment or even 5 stars on Apple Podcast if you would like to support us. The episode today is dedicated to Ayurveda cures, several-day or several-week programs in which you can take continuous Ayurvedic treatments over a certain period of time and thus achieve maximum health benefits. We have already reported on Pañcakarma from the perspective of a doctor, a naturopath and a cure patient in episodes 32, 33 and 34.
Today we welcome Manuela Böhme, who accompanies individuals seeking treatment in India and facilitates access to Indian traditions, specifically Ayurvedic treatments, by working with several clinics in Kerala in South India. Enjoy listening! Hi Manuela, welcome to the Ayurveda podcast.
Manuela, Ayur Sattvic :
Hey Nath and Lauren, many thanks for welcoming me today.
Nath, Le Podcast Ayurveda :
We are delighted about meeting you and talking with you about how Ayurveda treatments work in India.
Manuela, you are currently in Kerala and based in India. Can you tell us a bit about your background, how you came to Ayurveda and Kerala? What brought you to Ayurveda?
Manuela, Ayur Sattvic :
Initially I came into contact with Ayurveda about 15 years ago when I met someone who does Jyotish (Vedic astrology). He was doing Ayurveda too, less so now, but at the time he was also doing Ayurveda. We had a Jyotish consultation which went completely over the top. It lasted five hours. This was so mesmerizing, rich and intense. He prescribed me Ayurvedic treatments for little aches and pains that we all have. During three years I took Ayurvedic medicines that I ordered all over the internet, but there was not much improvement. At the end of the day, after three years, he told me that it might be a good idea to do a pañcakarma. He gave me an address in India. Already during my childhood I had a call to India, something that drew me to the Orient. I always wanted to go there. Moreover, as I was at a crossroads in my life, everything was open. Having now got an address in India, I thought it was now or never. Thus, I went on a trip to India for six months, taking an Ayurveda cure in the halfway. The cure took place in Tamil Nadu, near Kerala.
Throughout my stay, I noticed the doctors in the clinic sitting with patients and trying to communicate via Google Translate as people did not speak English well. I felt sorry for this as the spiritual dimension was lost and made everything relatively technical. These people had no opportunity to go deeper into the encounter with doctors or Ayurveda. This led to the idea of facilitating access to Ayurveda primarily through translations. From the very first consultation, it became clear that intercultural translation and emotional support were also necessary. Since I'm living here, I am very familiar with the cultures, so intercultural translation is possible, too.
In this way, my journey unfolded.
Nath, Le Podcast Ayurveda :
Basically, you serve as a bridge between the people who come for treatment and the local doctors, to be both a translator and, as you said, an emotional support. As we talked about in the episodes I mentioned in the intro, Ayurveda cures are not always easy. They can be quite physically tiring, but also mentally and emotionally. So can you tell us about the benefits of these cures, for some it will be a reminder, but can you also tell us what are the benefits of these treatments?
Why do we come to India to suffer?
Do we go through these tiresome experiences so that we feel better afterwards?
Manuela, Ayur Sattvic :
The first thing that happens when you start to move stagnant water in a well is that all the mud and dirt rises to the surface. The very same phenomenon happens during an Ayurveda treatment. First of all, we examine the situation to find out the dysfunction and its cause. Afterwards, we experience the positive effects, of which there are many, as it is a deep cleansing. This process can take us straight to the depths of our body and our being. For me it's a kind of rebirth.
By the end of the cure, one feels clear minded, is mentally calm, the immune system is strengthened and the metabolism functions much better than before. Usually one loses weight as well, quite logically as we leave a lot of "baggage" back during our treatment. Then something inside us sets in. Through a cure, the body's intelligence is reactivated, which has an effect on all levels of our lives - at least that's my experience. Even relationships or certain life situations will be touched.
We connect more with healthier circumstances and situations. It also enables us to take better decisions as our body and mind are healthy, the vehicle is cleansed, it is really purified. It is even possible that the treatment is so profound that it may change the DNA.
The treatment can lead to true inner and outer transformation. It can also be the starting point for an inner journey or a spiritual path, as it is a veritable journey into oneself. It is an very intimate and healing process.
From my own experience, I know, that Indians have a completely different sense of caring. That helped to heal some of my childhood wounds. This was soothing for my soul. The way therapists treat people also contributes to healing, including deeper areas, be it psychological or mental.
Lauren, Le Podcast Ayurveda :
Who are you accompanying on health retreats? Are these people necessarily suffering from health problems?
Or do they also come for a preventive cure, as the Pañcakarma cure can also be taken as a preventive therapy?
Manuela, Ayur Sattvic :
There are various categories. Among them are people who are really ill, e.g. cancer, Parkinson's, diabetes. All kinds of people come. As well as those who simply come for prevention or rejuvenation or to spend time with themselves. All types, really. Basically everyone can have an Ayurveda treatment, as it is tailored to the individual's situation, for example, people over 75 receive gentler treatments. In this age group they avoid very strong enemas or purging treatments. Pregnant women should not receive such treatments. Ayurveda has other protocols for them, not Pañcakarma. Indeed, once I accompanied a child who suffered from diabetes. The boy was ten years old at the time, as far as I remember. Also, I remember seeing much younger children with autism or hyperactivity being treated in some clinics. So, the range is very, very wide indeed.
Nath, Le Podcast Ayurveda :
Everybody can access it. Does the duration vary depending on what is to be treated?
What is the usual duration of a cure?
Manuela, Ayur Sattvic :
Nowadays, this is unfortunately quite dependent on the availability of the person. But ideally you come and leave it up to the doctor how long the treatment is needed. The minimum is 21 days, because the doctor also needs time to understand the nature of the person. Moreover, it is impossible to predict how quickly the body will respond to the treatments. It is part of Ayurvedic treatment to really understand each individual. This understanding does not come from a single consultation that covers everything. This can only happen through several conversations and daily observations. One goes through different phases during a course of treatment, from the preparation of the body (purva karma) to the main treatments and recovery phase. A stay of even 28 days offers the possibility of a good treatment, whereby I have seen some people completing a stay of 40 or 49 days. My treatments have lasted between 35 and 40 days. Obviously, the decision about the duration will also depend on how deep the person wants to go. Some people definitely come on a 14-day course of treatment. But 14 days doesn't really make sense, at least in the beginning. That's not much, and it's often more wellness than medical therapy.
Nath, Le Podcast Ayurveda :
Regarding availability, as you said, would it be possible to do 14 days and than do another 14 days some time later, maybe 6 months later, or not. Should it be done in one go?
Manuela, Ayur Sattvic :
The treatment is based on itself. Otherwise it is not a cure. You can't pick up after six months where you left off six months before, as there is a precise protocol to follow and the body is really prepared to reach a certain point. Sometimes the doctor pushes, he pushes, he pushes, he pushes ... He has to reach a certain point, he wants to reach a certain condition within the person, and if he interrupts the treatment at this stage, he has to start all over again the next time. Another point that is repeatedly emphasized, is the need to undergo several courses of treatment. This is because every cell in our body carries certain informations and memories.
With each cure, new messages are integrated. Three cures are recommended at intervals of one year or 9 months, 8 months, to ensure that the positive effects are lasting and that all doshas have been treated. Regarding the duration, doctors often tell me that in earlier times the doctor visited the patient for months, treated him for months and even cooked for him.
Therefore, the minimum of 21 days is already a big step in the direction of our modern society, making a compromise.
Lauren, Le Podcast Ayurveda :
That is right, we are adjusting. Ayurveda is adjusting to modern society. Manuela, you have your role during the cures, by accompanying the people taking treatment and facilitating communication with the doctors and therapists on site.
So you can really tell us about. In India, how is the treatment process? Because you can actually do small Ayurveda cures in Europe too, it happens from time to time. But when you go to India, you can really benefit from all the Pañcakarma protocols available in India. In other words, instead of taking treatment in Europe, for example, why should you go to India ? Well, there are several questions.
Manuela, Ayur Sattvic :
Firstly, the procedure to be followed during a course of treatment in India. This always begins with a consultation between the doctor and patient. This may take more or less than an hour depending on the doctor and also on the person's concerns. The doctor then draws up a protocol with the treatments to be carried out, starting with the first treatments. Further treatments are decided on a day-by-day basis.
Step one is preparation, i.e. it starts with the preparatory phase of pañcakarma. There are various treatments, Abhyangam, Kizhi, Dhara, Snehapana in other words types of treatment where we put the body, how shall I say, in a liquid, either oil or herbal extracts, hot substances to warm it up, to make it sweat. Also we place the person in a steam box to open up the body, to open up the body channels so that the toxins start to move. Depending on the person, this takes more or less time, maybe a week, two weeks, it depends on each individual. Then come the main phases of the treatment, which consist of several Pañcakarma treatments, which means five actions, i.e. five main treatments, but they are not applied to everyone. Once again, the decision is made from person to person regarding their need, which dosha or organ is out of balance or what needs to be moved. There are treatments that involve vomiting, purging treatments or enemas, treatments where oil is put in the nose or therapies where the blood is treated. This is done to remove harmful blood from the body.
Basically, these are the protocols they follow. In India, we do at least one external treatment per day, maybe two or three local treatments. For example, if one has knee pain or back pain, that part of the body is immersed in oil or wrapped in medicinal herbs. This varies from person to person.
Besides, medication has to be taken, and it is not always very tasty, even in terms of the smell. I know some people sometimes have difficulties with this, especially if the person stays longer, for example five weeks, then they are eagerly awaiting the end of the treatment. But they are often discharged with six months' medication, which means they still have to continue after that. It is better to be prepared for taking things you don't like much. But as the doctor often says, the things you don't like will help you. Indeed, our tastes may change during the course of the treatment and it's not really that bad afterwards. If you didn't like it at all before, it ends up being okay.
Nath, Le Podcast Ayurveda :
By the end you will be able withstand it better.
Manuela, Ayur Sattvic :
At the end of the day, it's easier to accept, yes. Usually, the doctor comes once a day for a visit. It can be morning or evening depending on his schedule, as he also sees local people for consultations throughout the day. But there is always an opportunity to talk to another doctor and pass on the message through him or through me (if I am there). The point is to be in touch with the doctor all the time, he has to have a super overview, I don't know how to say, a global view of each patient. He is very meticulous, he needs to know exactly what is going on to be able to adapt the treatment as precisely as possible.
Lauren, Le Podcast Ayurveda :
Well, Indians have a slightly different approach to Ayurveda than the West. How is the relationship between patients and doctors in India?
Manuela, Ayur Sattvic :
For example I believe that Indians have a lesser sense of psychology than Westerners. I think this is a small cultural barrier, which is a lack for Westerners in particular. Sometimes they come and have a great need to talk. Furthermore, usually Indians won't explain very much. Often it is such a normal thing for them to talk about the treatments that they do not think they need to explain anything. This can lead to insecurity among Westerners, especially those coming for the first time. They don't know what to do, being left in the dark and being expected to surrender to something unknown. That can cause anxiety and stress, and from what I've seen, even cause a rejection reaction. So yes, this approach is different. However, somehow I feel that their approach has a different, deeper dimension that is missing in Europe. For instance, in Europe we have no more sense of the sacred, whereas here in India the sacred is everywhere, it is all around, the spiritual is there.
In some way, the doctor is connected to the person and can feel him or her. The Indians have a natural ability to sense another person, which is difficult to put into words. I have often had very peculiar experiences with Indians that would never happen in Europe. They have a different approach to human kind than Westerners.
At the same time the approach I often observe (especially in Europe, although I have not visited any Pañcakarma centers there) has a wellness dimension. Ayurveda becomes wellness and the symptoms are treated. This is something we carry within us from modern medicine. That is where we come from, because we were brought up with it. It is therefore completely normal. But the doctors with whom I work have a long tradition. Sometimes this tradition stretches back hundreds of years. They were raised in a completely different environment. They have never had the influence of western medical methods on their Ayurvedic view. Inevitably, the approach is therefore entirely different, it is truly Ayurvedic, it is truly based on the principles of the elements. Their perspective on the entire thing is different from someone who comes with a different background.
I came across a doctor here, for example, who treated symptomatically; he was my first ayurvedic treating doctor. At that time I was enthusiastic, after all I knew nothing else. He came from a family of western medicine and was the first son, the first person to practise Ayurveda. As I learned more and more over the years, I realized that he was actually practicing kind of classical medicine in a certain way, treatting the symptoms, because that was his background. It seems to me that in occidental countries we often take a medication - for a cold, cough or pain. But Ayurveda is about holistic medicine, it's really about the integral aspect of the human being. And these doctors have that in their blood, it's natural for them, it comes naturally.
That's why it makes more sense for me to come to India - it's always better to drink at the source, isn't it? Ayurveda originates from India. I personally prefer to drink water straight from the source rather than water that has already flowed a thousand kilometers. These doctors were introduced to the Sanskrit language at the age of four and are fluent in it, allowing them to read the texts in the original language. Sanskrit is actually even part of their mother tongue. Their relationship with the language is really intimate, which results in a deeper understanding of the texts than I think Westerners can have. Obviously, in the West too, there are many people who can speak Sanskrit and are intensively involved with the language. However, growing up with it and having witnessed the treatment of patients or helped with the preparation of medicines from an early age is a completely different baseline. In most traditional clinics, medicines are made fresh. One time when a patient had eye pain, for example, the doctor went out, took a few leaves and put the juice directly into the person's eye. Straight from the tree to the patient.
Lauren, Le Podcast Ayurveda :
Having the medicines on the spot is a real advantage. Although Pañcakarma treatments are also available in Europe, but we may not have the medicines available locally. We don't have the fresh herbs that are used for Pañcakarma treatments in India. This is also an advantage of going to India.
Manuela, Ayur Sattvic :
Another interesting aspect for me is when people coming with the idea of an inner retreat or inner journey are stepping out of their comfort zone into an entirely new setting with new ways of being. Although I'm there to soften the culture shock to some extent, the mere fact of coming causes movement and something opens up in them, which then contributes to healing and inner transformation.
Nath, Le Podcast Ayurveda :
You used the word " soften", in other words you act as a kind of buffer. From a psychological point of view, what happens to the people undergoing treatment? Which changes are taking place that makes your role so important in terms of the support you provide? How can the treatment trigger?
Manuela, Ayur Sattvic :
Again, it depends on the person. Some people are easy-going and happy, while others require conversation. They are carrying a burden that they want to get rid of right from the beginning. The treatment releases all the toxins in the physical and mental body. This results in movement. Sometimes one may experience more intense emotional conditions. These can range from anger, fear, sadness and anything you can imagine to jealousy. Really anything can come rushing at us, without knowing where it's suddenly coming from. Unexpectedly, it's happening. This moment often brings a need to talk or for extra care. To be able to go through this process in your mother tongue helps you to let go and feel comfortable. Even the subtler levels are understood and can then be communicated to the doctor (if desired).
Other times you may feel nauseous during the treatment and uncomfortable. Usually the doctor doesn't explain in advance what might happen. If I enter the person's room some mornings, they will tell me a little worried about their condition. So I can comfort them by telling them that everything is normal and explaining the situation. You can't imagine that it's normal and under control if you have to vomit, that it's under control if you have to go to the toilet six times. The people's reaction is often insecurity: I've been to the loo six times ... Yes, that's because they've been given medication for it. Oh, yes, then it's normal. This understanding bring generally relaxation for the mind.
Nath, Le Podcast Ayurveda :
A sense of trust in what is happening is needed.
Manuela, Ayur Sattvic :
More often I prepare people mentally for their coming. With some of them at least even two years before their treatment. They have lots of questions, doubts and concerns. And, ultimately, the preparation and the experience itself are two different shoes. It's a completely different dimension. Some simple details are also important. They say, for example, that the treatment starts at 3 p.m. and someone will pick you up at 3 p.m . It means someone will pick you up and take you to treatment. I then saw someone (it was a German, so very punctual due to the culture) coming out of the room five minutes before and getting ready. When I passed by around 3:10pm and saw her, she seemed a bit tense. I was told that the treatment would start at 3pm yet she was still waiting here. I told her that she was here in India and that time was different. Those small situations can make a big difference to a person. That woman felt neglected at that moment and didn't know if she had been forgotten or not.
Nath, Le Podcast Ayurveda :
This comes down to the cultural difference between Western and Indian society. Or in terms of the perception of time, for example, which is completely different in India.
Manuela, Ayur Sattvic :
True, sometimes we find ourselves in tricky situations. I remember discussions with a doctor in which I asked him, "When do we see the patients? Since in France and Germany you always give a precise time, but he only told me later ... yes, later, okay, but when? This is something you have to get used to as a European, and even when you are undergoing a course of treatment, at that moment you have to get used to it. This can be irritating, or sometimes even annoying. That's where my role comes into the picture, to buffer, to reassure, or to talk to the doctor and tell them, listen, you can adjust a bit, you can take a step towards the person. The majority of the doctors with whom I work have never been to Europe. Although Europeans may often come, but they have never seen the environment from which their patient comes. That is why we have to let them know, share a few things with them and they are generally willing to take a step to adjust.
Lauren, Le Podcast Ayurveda :
You mentioned earlier that you are preparing some people two years before they come. Well, what kind of preparation do you offer them? How do you prepare them? How do you choose the hospital, the type of cure, etc.? What happens in the preliminary stages of the cure?
Manuela, Ayur Sattvic :
Once the initial contact is done, we set up a telephone meeting with the person to discuss the reasons for their coming. In that way I get a feeling and an idea of the right place for them. Next is the medical questionnaire he has to fill in. In the meantime it has grown to two pages, I think, and consists of precise questions. Based on the condition or reason why the person is coming, and also depending on their budget and state of mind, I will send them to specific places.
People have many doubts about their coming. Not sure about what they should do. But we can clearly perceive a certain impulse after hearing about others and their experiences. They want to come and at the same time they are not really confident. So we begin to talk several times by phone and exchange e-mails. Eventually after that there is a pause in communication. A few months later, they come back to me with other questions. For this purpose a PDF file has been created in which the most frequently asked questions are already answered, and even with this PDF file the same questions come up again and again. So you have to keep answering the same questions and encouraging people. And finally they decide to come. Not only is it a financial investment, but it's also a investment in time, and on top of that there's the trust it needs to get involved in something you don't know, especially when it comes to health.
Nath, Le Podcast Ayurveda :
And what questions do you get asked most often? According to you, there are always certain questions. Is it always the same?
Manuela, Ayur Sattvic :
They are always the same. How is a cure organized? Should I bring this or that with me? Or what do I have to bring? Everything you need to bring is written in the PDF file. And how about the cab? When everything has been said, we move on: What are the rooms like? And what is the food like? The food in these facilities is always local vegetarian food. Well, always a little something there. What about the treatments? Do I get any treatment? Do they allow me to go for a walk? Does the treatment center also offer other activities during the time of treatment? And of course: will there also be massages? Here it is important to explain that a massage is not exactly a massage as it is known in the West. In some institutions, it is more like an application of oil. Others emphasize the technique, knowing that Westerners like and expect it. However, in other centres, where it is, as they say, more Ayurvedic-friendly than User-friendly, pure oil applications are done. All of this requires proper communication and preparation to avoid any disappointment at the end.
Nath, Le Podcast Ayurveda :
That's an important thing you're saying, Manuela. Let people ask questions, because it's true that depending on the place, depending on the hospital they're going to, depending on the type of therapy they're going to do, many different situations can arise. Indeed, it may be that the people listening here feel like taking treatment or even coming to you where you work to accompany them. Asking questions and having confidence before you leave is very important. As you mentioned, there are quite a few things that we are not used to in the West. It's good to know what to pack, how to get there, the cab, how everything works, all that. It's important to be able to ask all the questions, either to the center or if there is someone to accompany you like you. Your approach is interesting. And how do things continue once people have finished their treatment? How about the homecoming, because as much as there is an adjustment in one direction when you come to India from the West, do you also have to adjust when you return?
Manuela, Ayur Sattvic :
Well, yes, it is indeed a bit complicated. Just getting out of the cure or hospital can be a bit rough. And finding a suitable place for the time after the treatment is also somewhat difficult. Often I recommend staying in India for a longer period of time and adding a few more days. In general, a treatment of 21 days requires 21 days of rest afterwards. So if you do the 28-day treatment, it means 28 days of rest thereafter. Because the body will need to stabilize again. The body needs to recover. You've become very sensitive, you don't notice it, but you're incredibly soft, like a baby. So the body first has to rebuild itself. The recovery phase is almost more important than the course of treatment, in a way. So to avoid temperature changes, a different diet, a change of environment, all that and the plane, I advise people, if they have time, to stay in India for at least another ten days after their treatment.
Still, finding places with suitable food, without noise and so on turns out to be a bit difficult. Hence, I would love to start a project in the future. I don't know if it will happen, but the idea is to facilitate the transition. And to take advantage of the moment when the person is open to possibly give them a few things on their journey. We could show them how to make ghee, engage them a little in the kitchen, in this post-cure place, to really create a little transition to the West, to their day-to-day life.
The ideal situation would be to find people in the West who could take over the care later if there is still a need for contact. Often people get in touch with me again. They can contact me at any time by email or phone. But it would be helpful if there was someone to rely on, or several people, not just one person, but several people. Preferably, these people should have done at least one pañcakarma. In my view, to accompany someone requires to know what they have experienced and what they have gone through, that is very important.
Lauren, Le Podcast Ayurveda :
It is absolutely essential to have confidants who understand exactly what they have experienced and who can find the right words and listen to them, and also the right words to look after them after Pañcakarma once they are back in France, in Europe.
Manuela, Ayur Sattvic :
Indeed, and to put certain things into practice, because an Ayurveda stay does bring a lot into movement. Often people leave and wonder: "But how should I eat now? What do I do now? Can I still go out with my friends?
In fact, everything is in a state of transformation, including social life. There are many questions, such as how to eat or how to cook. One of the best things to do is to stop using the microwave or, ideally, to cook every day. It's a real adjustment to the new life or to a different rhythm, at least in the first few months after the treatment, to get the best out of the stay. Because the treatment continues to be active in the body during the first three months after the therapy, the first month is the most important, then it continues for up to three months. It is only after the three months that the full effects can really be noticed. For me, I suddenly had an incredible amount of energy, accompanied by great clarity. But that was only after three months. Before that, I was very tired. After a course of treatment, you feel actually tired and exhausted.
Just ti tell, that the real work only starts when you come back home actually.
Nath, Le Podcast Ayurveda :
The treatment is just a gateway. Oh! Manuela, we can hear the birds in the background, it's so beautiful. I feel like coming to India.
For people coming for ayurvedic treatment, and want to be accompanied by you, as you do so well. As you said before, it is possible to come with a medical visa. Does the local doctor in India send a kind of prescription so that we can get a medical visa? Is that currently how it is?
Manuela, Ayur Sattvic :
Under the current Covid situation, yes. India is now open for medical e-visas. Usually it is possible to simply enter with a tourist visa. However, this is under normal conditions. As we are currently in a somewhat unusual situation, the medical e-visa has been released. This means that you can enter the country with a medical e-visa for 60 days. This can be done online. A letter from the institution in India is required. The Indian doctor has to write a letter addressed to the Indian embassy in the country from where the person is coming.
Nath, Le Podcast Ayurveda :
All right. Excellent. Can you provide your contact details, Manuela, which of course we will also include in the footnotes of the episode, if people would like to contact you about an Ayurveda treatment in India, would you also provide your other details?
Manuela, Ayur Sattvic :
Of course, we have a website called ayursattvic.com. On there you will find a contact form that you can use to write me. The e-mail address is also on the website.
Lauren, Le Podcast Ayurveda :
So you will find the contact details there on this website. Great. Thank you, Manuela. As we approach the end of the episode, we would like to ask you our little ritual questions. The first one is: What is your favorite ritual to start your day?
Manuela, Ayur Sattvic :
Whenever I'm settled somewhere, I like to do Agnihotra. It is a fire ritual. It is performed at sunrise and sunset. I really like this ritual because it is very simple, but also very powerful, I feel.
Nath, Le Podcast Ayurveda :
Very beautiful, the fire ceremony. Second ritual question in the podcast: Would you tell us about your plans for the coming weeks and months?
Manuela, Ayur Sattvic :
Plans for the coming weeks and months? More in the future, I would love to set up this place for patients. Creating a place here in India to provide a transitional phase of post-cure care for those just coming out of the treatment, while also involving other people. Buying a piece of land and creating something really vibrant, also in terms of, how shall I say, rituals, special cooking classes, meditations and such. So that's something for the future. What I'm looking for in the coming months is someone to go deeper into the study of Ayurveda. I have not had good experiences with Indian institutions for studying, so I prefer someone who really lives the traditions. That is what I am trying to find at the moment.
Also I am preparing for an exam in Sanskrit, because I have started learning Sanskrit. For the moment, I am a bit immersed in this language and would like to pass the exam.
Lauren, Le Podcast Ayurveda :
Wow, we're keeping our fingers crossed for you, Manuela. Sanskrit is really not an easy language, but very, very beautiful.
Manuela, Ayur Sattvic :
Really, it is a very beautiful language. It opens up day by day, it feels huge. This study is for life, I think.
Lauren, Le Podcast Ayurveda :
Exactly, for a lifetime. Now we can come to our last question, which we call the moment of gratitude. Whom would you like to thank, or more generally: For what would you like to say thanks?
Manuela, Ayur Sattvic :
I would like to thank all the people, all the friends who have helped me along the way and who are always there for me. They have helped and supported me so much over the last few years. I am really deeply grateful to all of them. And of course also the patients who have come and given me their confidence, and the doctors. I would like to thank everyone, almost everyone, because everyone always contributes something. Beyond that, I would like to thank life for all the experiences I have had and which have shaped me. They may not always have been as pleasant, same as for every other person. After a few years, we understand the reasons why we had to go through these experiences, in order to be who we are today. So yes, I am very grateful for that too. I am also grateful to be here in India and to discover these hidden gems of places and people where ancient traditions still live on.
Nath, Le Podcast Ayurveda :
Well, we are very grateful for what you are doing, Manuela. Accompanying people who come to Pañcakarma in the way as you do is a wonderful thing you offer. Bravo for that. We hope that you will find this wonderful place to receive people post-cure. We wish you many great successes in this direction. Thank you for taking part in the Ayurveda podcast. We enjoyed discussing with you and wish you all the best.
Stay well, Manuela.
Manuela, Ayur Sattvic :
Thank you very much. Many thanks also to both of you. Thanks for promoting Ayurveda and giving all these people a voice. This is really great. Thank you very much.
Nath, Le Podcast Ayurveda :
See you soon Manuela, many thanks.
Lauren, Le Podcast Ayurveda :
Bye and see you soon.