Ayurvedic Bodywork Practitioners,
Pancha Karma Specialists (P.K.S.)

Wellness Through East Indian Ayurvedic Massage Therapies:


Hands on Treatments are an important part of the Ayurvedic healing system. Some of the benefits are relaxation of the nervous system, elimination of toxins and strengthening of the immune function. Ayurveda increases the overall state of health and energy as well as slowing down the aging process.

Ayurvedic Health Consultations

If you have a health problem and want an alternative solution, or if you are healthy and want to know your body/mind type and how to maintain your health, an Ayurvedic Consultation with Ven. Losang Jinpa, D.Ayur, M.A.H., will provide the knowledge you seek. Losang will read your pulse and assess your life patterns from an Ayurvedic long-term perspective and recommend a diet, daily routine and individualized herbal formula to achieve your optimum health and energy level.  Afterwards, he may refer you to Jenny Dinh for Ayurvedic Bodywork or for Pancha Karma.

Tibetan and East Indian Ayurveda is traditionally used to increase energy and mobility, improve digestion and elimination, remove depression, decrease pain, and restore the balance of the internal systems, the mind, emotions, and consciousness. After the initial consultation, checkups are generally every 30 days until balance is restored.

Ask about the time-honored Indo-Tibetan Ayurvedic approach to arthritis, sciatica, neck and shoulder pain, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, depression, anger, insomnia, allergies, colds, flu, cough, asthma, constipation, chronic diarrhea, high blood pressure and cholesterol, ulcers, skin disorders, low libido, impotence, weight loss, diabetes, gynecological disorders, menopause, pregnancy.   

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Ayurvedic Bodywork Specialties

Ayurvedic Massage Therapist services include: 

1 to 2 hour combination sessions consists of Abhyanga-Snehana, Nasya, Shirodhara and Svedana.  All Indian Ayurvedic massage therapies and oriental bodywork services are available on a sliding scale suggested donation basis.

 

• Herbalized Oil Application - Abhyanga
  Warm herbal oil massage reduces stress and revitalizes the body. This treatment is deeply relaxing yet invigorating.  (abhyanga)
  A comprehensive and soothing oil massage carried out by a synchronized team of two technicians. The oil application uses herbalized oils prescribed to suit your individual needs. The treatment promotes the penetration of oil deep into the tissues so that impurities are loosened and separated from the cell structure.  We also offer Tibetan-style Massage.
   

• Nose Drops - Nasya
  A soothing nourishing blend of organic Ayurvedic herbal oils is applied to clear and decongest the sinus passages and breathing channels. A face and neck massage is included. Nasya treatment reduces jaw and neck stress ad strain and balances, nourishes the brain and lungs, improves memory, calms yet focuses the mind, and reduce mucous and sinus congestion.
   

• Herbalized steam therapy - Swedana
  Herbalized steam therapy stimulates the sweat glands and the lymphatic system, increasing the elimination of toxins and strengthening the immune system.  Herbalized Steam Treatment uses a special heat chamber that allows the head to remain cool, this herbalized steam bath opens up the body's channels (organ meridians) allowing loosened impurities to move into the digestive tract in readiness for their removal by internal cleansing procedures such as virechana (herbal purgation) and basti (enema).
   

• Relaxation Therapy - Shirodhara
  A soothing continuous stream of warm organic herbal oil is gently and slowly poured across the forehead and over the third eye, rolling gently through the hair and off the scalp into a catch-basin below the massage table. This ancient Ayurvedic rejuvenative therapy profoundly relaxes the nervous system and improves memory. It removes mental tension, giving calmness and clarity, and settling and balancing the nervous system - the majja dhatu. The effect is delightful and many of our clients experience profound relaxation, meditative states and emotional cleansing during the treatment.
   

• Note on Oils - We only use the best quality, purest sesame, sunflower, olive, coconut or mustard oils -- cold pressed with no chemical additives. All of your oils are custom prepared for you using only the highest quality Ayurvedic, Western and Chinese herbs and herbal products -- most often organic.
  
  
   

Other treatments available:
 

• Marma Chikitsa
  Full body massage utilizing marma points (vital acupressure points both Ayurvedic and Chinese) and lymph drainage. Warm organic customized herbal oils and essential oil are combined with hot compresses to remove vata-kapha blockages and eliminate kapha congestion. Acupressure massage decreases fatigue, soothes muscular tension, reduces chronic pain and melts away old patterns of tension and constriction.
   

• Netra Basti, Nasya, Karna Purana
  Netra Basti eases tension of the eyes and is very soothing to dry, tired "computer eyes". Steam inhalation and oleation of sinus passages (Nasya) reduces sinus congestion and allergies, promoting clarity of the mind. Oleation of the ears (Karna Purana) follows and is useful for ringing in the ears, hearing loss, dryness, frequent ear infections, excess ear wax. Along with an Ayurvedic neck-shoulder-face massage these treatments decrease neck and jaw tension. Ear-candling is also available to get rid of waxy-buildup.
   

• Ayurvedic Herbal Facial
  A luxuriously soothing, calming and revitalizing Ayurvedic facial acupressure (marma point) massage relieves stress and strain and helps to dissolve wrinkles. Therapies involve herbal massage of neck and shoulders, face and scalp, and hands and feet. Organic Ayurvedic herbal substances help to safely cleanse, remove toxins and nurture the skin and muscles.
   

• Ayurvedic Mind-Body Balancing
  Energetic Mental-Emotional-Spiritual balancing: often includes sound therapy (mantra, chanting, prayer or trance work), creative visualization, breath (aromatherapy, pranayama, nasya, qi-work), color (chromotherapy based on vata-pitta-kapha and the chakras), precious stones and crystal work. Work with the Chakras (the neuroplexus - Yogic energy network centers), Marmas (acupressure points) and Meridians (vital channels of the organs) are used to dissolve blockages from both physical and subtle bodies, thus restoring polarity and balance. Mind-Body Balancing is particularly indicated for life transitions or emotional, mental, psychic and physical trauma.
  
   

• Panchakarma
  Purification and rejuvenation therapy increases mental clarity and physical vitality.  Panchakarma (also called pańcakarma, pańchakarma or Pancha Karma or PK) starts with a consultation with  Losang Jinpa, D.Ayur, Ph.D (510-292-6696), Master Ayurvedic Herbalist and Founder of the Medicine Buddha Healing Center. Losang or Jenny Dinh will determine your prakruti (constitution you where born with) and your vikruti (current state of imbalance). They then recommends herbs, diet and daily routine in preparation for your Panchakarma.  Panchakarma therapy consists of 3 to 7 consecutive days of Treatments.  Package includes:
  Dual Abhyanga synchronized in tandem to maximize healing benefits.
  Nasya, Snehana, Svedena, Shirodora, Bastis (internal cleansing)
  Other Treatments are individually prescribed and may also include Udvartna (vigorous herbal body scrub), Netra Basti, Pinda (cooling treatment), Chakra Bastis and more.  PK helps to:

• Eliminate toxins (ama) and toxic conditions from your body and mind

• Provide deep relaxation and a sense of well-being

• Tonify your immune system and become more resistant to illness

• Restore your constitutional balance improving health and wellness

• Decelerate the aging process

• Undo the negative effects of stress on your body and mind

• Increase your self-reliance, strength, energy, vitality and mental clarity

• Realize positive lifestyle changes

• Lessen dependence on drugs and pharmaceuticals

• Reduced cardiovascular risk factors

• Decrease in lipid peroxide levels (LP)

• Reduction in total cholesterol levels

• Increased HDL cholesterol

• Reduction in diastolic blood pressure

• Reduced anxiety levels

• Reduction in levels of toxins such as lead, PCB, and dioxins

“The healer who regards kindness to humanity as his supreme religion and treats his patients accordingly, succeeds best in achieving his aims of life and obtains the greatest pleasure.”  

-- from Charaka, honored 2^nd century B.C. Ayurvedic Physician

One of the Most Affordable Pancha Karma Cleansing and Rejuvenation Programs in the United States

The Medicine Buddha Healing Center offers one of the most affordable Pancha Karma program in the United States.  We believe that although panchakarma is the "Ayurvedic therapy for Kings", that it should not be too expensive and should be affordable to those with chronic diseases that have left them debilitated both financially and health-wise.   Hence, we offer it via the non-profit Medicine Buddha Healing Center which makes all services available on a sliding scale suggested donation basis.  Although most 5-day long Pancha Karma programs in the United States cost from $1900 ($367 per day at the Ayurvedic Institute) to $3,333 ($645 per day at Maharishi's high priced The Raj), the Medicine Buddha Healing Center offers Pancha Karma for the sliding scale suggested donation of $600 to $1500 ($120 to $200 to $300 per day).  We offer a limited number of these low cost slots each month to those on a low income who have a chronic debilitating disease like Chronic Fatigue Immune Deficiency Syndrome and are forced to live off of savings.  Otherwise, for those who experiencing such economic hardship, the typical donation range is $1200 to $1500 for a five-day Panchakarma program.

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Why Do Pancha Karma Cleansing and Rejuvenation Therapy?

Several millennia ago great seers in India cognized techniques for cleansing the body in such a way as to alleviate many forms of pain and suffering. These techniques have been grouped together as a potent strategy for curing disease and for preventing onset of disease, as well. By now all of you know about the governing principles of physiology — vata, pitta, and kapha. In other articles we have described their modus operandi, so to speak, so we won’t repeat that here. We have shared that the physiology gets out of balance for many reasons — mental, emotional, physical — including the way we live, the food we eat chronically, the climate, and the way we feel, as examples. We have shared that one way to know the principle of motion — called vata is to notice the presence of gas, bloating, flatus and so on.

Vata is like the wind and when we see this principle in the body then we infer that vata is in excess — too high. Pitta is bile, hydrochloric acid, enzymes, even hormones and when we feel burning sensation, see pimples or rash then again we infer that pitta is too abundant in the body. When we have stuffiness, feel heavy, dull, lethargic, our rings are tight and so on then kapha — the fluids of the body — is inferred to be in excess. The ancient rishis (seers and sages of Buddhism, Yogas and the Vedas) cognized that we could help rid the body of these unwanted factors — vata, pitta, kapha, and re-establish better functioning by doing some special elimination techniques. Collectively they are called panchakarma in Sanskrit or “5 actions.” Briefly, we will consider each of the five techniques.

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Basti — This Sanskrit word literally means “ bladder” or “bag” as in the urinary bladder of an animal. In ancient days animal bladders were used for the purpose of holding fluids. This term is symbolic of the technique which involves introducing fluids into the rectum — medicated enemas. The ancients have described many types of basti but there are two main categories — eliminative and uncting (herbalized decoctions and concoctions). Collectively, experts say they are 80% of the treatment of vata disorders. The model of Ayurveda holds that in the case of each governing principle, when it is too abundant in its source location, it tends to spread around the body and disrupt physiology. The lymphatics and circulatory system are the gross pathways for the movement of these factors. Interestingly, if we can empty out the primary site then the excess around the body will move back to its home site. The colon is the home of or the principle site of vata. If we can eliminate vata from the colon then we get rid of the gas, bloating and the many, many symptoms associated with vata in this organ and around the body. Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and arthritis are a few of the serious manifestations of chronic vata imbalance. “Eliminating” vata from the colon involves many factors, however. For example, if digestion is weak then gas may form in the GI tract. If the colon is dry or sticky from toxicity (Ama) then elimination might be sluggish — leading to gas-forming putrefaction of feces. The nervous system governs peristalsis and this may contribute to putrefaction or weak digestion through emotions, lifestyle and so on. So enemas have many targets and functions — cleansing, toning, lubricating, improving absorption, by the herbs being absorbed — balancing the nervous system and other parts of the physiology, even as treatment for areas far away as vata type asthma and headaches. The restoration of proper colon functions, such as elimination and absorption is crucial to health. Poor elimination, whether at the cell, the tissue, or in the GI tract is the root cause of disease. Please be aware that everyone is not necessarily a candidate for enema.

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Virecana — This Sanskrit term, deals with elimination through purgation. Here that which is to be eliminated is excess pitta substances in the GI tract. As noted above these substances have many expressions but they are collectively considered to be hot and irritating. They produce many symptoms and signs including inflammations, ulceration, bleeding and even Multiple Sclerosis. So virecana, with such substances as castor oil, senna, pau d’arco, aloe, triphala, etc., causes the body to quickly eliminate pitta substances from their primary site — stomach and small intestines. The substance chosen must consider existing conditions such as bleeding, diarrhea, constipation, and many others too numerable to list here.

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Vamana — This word means therapeutic vomiting. Emetics are usually high in fire and air elements (according to pancha mahabhautika siddhanta — 5 element theory) although salt water and licorice tea are commonly used for this purpose. This is the treatment of choice for kapha imbalances. Those imbalances are characterized by excess fluid in the body and express as hypertension, obesity, asthma, congestive heart failure, mucous in the stool, and diabetes to name a few. We have noted in cases of kapha hypertension that vomiting can immediately reduce the systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings by 10 & 5 points, respectively. This treatment, too, has numerous contraindications, too numerous to list here. And there are important complications, which might arise if not properly administered.

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Raktamoksha — this term means “liberation of blood” as in bloodletting. The blood tissue is a favored site of pitta substances — blood is typically sour. And as we stated above pitta circulates through the body from the digestive tract via the blood or circulatory system. Traditionally, there are many ways to release blood including — venesection, leeches, animal horns (suction) — but in the US the best way is to just donate blood at your local blood bank. For many centuries in the West bloodletting was a main treatment for many diseases indicating “hot blood.” When the concept of blood as circulating tissue emerged then this technique fell into desuetude and even became medical heresy. Interestingly, the Ayurvedic clinicians of old relied upon this treatment for gout, cerebral hemorrhage, stroke, gangrene, anger, high blood pressure and many other conditions. Even in the West this treatment with leeches has found its way back into several thousands of operations annually. Surgeons have discovered that accidental amputations have better chances of healing when leeches are employed. Old age and severe debility are important contraindications among many.

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Nasya — This term relates to the nasal administration of substances. As in the above techniques, there are many forms and types — eliminative, nourishing, consolidating, palliative and so on. Herbalized liquids are common substances but smoke or other materials are used, too. Mostly, this technique aims to improve vata functioning in the head as this is a principle site of vata. But the other two governors of physiology — pitta and kapha — are also amenable to treatment with nasal administration. Commonly, people have congestion or post-nasal drip and related complications, which one would think of addressing through the nose. But equally as important is the fact that our olfactory nerve endings in the nasal cavities are exposed. They terminate in the limbic area of the brain, which is associated with our emotions. Thus it is that we can bring balance to our emotions and subsequently to our physiology by using nasya techniques. Tinitis, neck stiffness, headaches, insomnia, memory problems, migraine headaches, fear, worry, anger, depression and others are some of the indications for nasya. The very young should not do nasya.

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Thus we have described the five techniques — 2 types enema, purgation, vomiting, blood letting, and nasal administration — which comprise the strategies in Ayurveda for eliminating excess functional factors of physiology. As stated above, when we eliminate them from their principle sites, from which they spread into the general circulation, it is as if we create a vacuum which brings the excess from the extremities back to their home in the GI tract. Of course, we need to employ some other measures to enhance the elimination process. For example, drugs from plant, mineral, and metal origins have a major role to play. And traditionally, we apply uncting measures to the whole body — ghee, sesame oil, for example — inside and out, before, during, and after. And we apply heat and massage to excite these excess factors and to liquefy sticky toxins — to get them moving. The body’s own elimination channels will do the task of ridding the wastes and toxins and excess physiological components. These techniques comprise the ancient system of cure and prevention, when applied timely and appropriately, (regularly at the change of seasons), and in conjunction with proper diet, lifestyle, spiritual practices, etc. Not every person is a candidate for panchakarma as it is very depleting. The very weak should do rejuvenating and balancing measures first (called sapta shamanam). When strong enough then do panchakarma. Those having high ama or toxicity (sticky, physiology-impairing substances) are not good candidates either as the toxins impede the release of substances from the body. Also, because oleation is part of panchakarma and the oily is sticky, too. We do ama-burning and digestion-building techniques first then panchakarma. Not every disease can be cured for many reasons but it is felt that this is the most powerful health-promoting strategy Ayurveda has for the body.

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The above article on Panchakarma is © Copyright 1999 rev 8/99 Mike Dick All Rights Reserved. Under License from Mike Dick for use only by Losang Jinpa's personal clients.

For more details on Ayurveda with Dr. Lad's perspective, please visit the Ayurvedic Institute's website: http://www.ayurveda.com/panchakarma/pk_intro.pdf

We encourage those with serious health conditions to receive panchakarma directly from either Ayurvedic Physician Dr. Vasant Lad's (B.A.M.S., M.A.Sc.) team at the Ayurvedic Institute (1-505-291-9698) or from Dr. Sunil Joshi's (M.D.Ayur) team at the Vinayak Ayurveda and Pancha Karma Research Center (1-505-296-6522) to receive the best quality PK available in the United States.  Please read Dr. Vasant Lad's Introduction to Panchakarma (Adobe Acrobat PDF document).

Scheduling  Ayurvedic Massage Therapies

For an appointment in the San Francisco Bay Area, please call or contact us at: 510-292-6696. Mention you heard about us from the website.

With Ven. Losang Jinpa (formerly Rev. Michael Reid Kreuzer), D.Ayur, Ph.D, and Jenny Dinh. 510-292-6696

Scheduling an Ayurvedic Consultation with Losang Jinpa or a Pancha Karma with Jenny Dinh and Losang Jinpa

For Pancha Karma and Ayurvedic herbal appointments, please first contact Losang Jinpa, D.Ayur (510-292-6696) of Medicine Buddha Healing Center for an initial Ayurvedic health consultation in North Berkeley, San Francisco or Walnut Creek.

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Qualities looked for in a Physician as outlined in the Root Tantra of Tibetan Medicine

The definition of the physician is one who heals all pain and practices medicine to promote good health. It is noted in the text that the concentration required when seeing a patient is the same as the concentration needed by a person walking on a wall with a bowl of milk and butter on his head, threatened with death if a single drop is spilled.

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