Ayurveda, originated in India over 3000 years ago, is a holistic system of medicine based on the belief that the mind, body and spirit are connected. Kerala, the birthplace of Ayurveda, has been on my vision board since I went to an Ayurvedic 7-day retreat via Art of Living in Boone, North Carolina in March 2019. On my vision board were palm trees, Ayurveda, and the sound of water; everything that Kerala offers. One of the great things about Ayurveda is it can help anyone dealing with any ailments under the care of an Ayurvedic doctor via different holistic healing treatments.
With a lot of research and my vision board in mind, I narrowed it down to a few Ayurvedic centers in Kerala. Ultimately, one of the centers had a cancellation and I was able to book their Wooden Premium Villa. I chose Sitaram Beach Retreat in Thrissur, Kerala overlooking the shores of the Arabian Sea on Thalikulam Beach. There is also Sitaram Mountain Retreat in Munnar, Kerala overlooking the plantations. It is important to choose the right center based on your preferences, budget and time.
I submitted a pre-consultation form prior to arrival. On the day of my arrival to Kochi airport, I was picked up by a private driver, which was provided by Sitaram Beach Retreat, who drove two hours to Thrissur. Upon arrival, I was greeted by the reception staff with fresh flowers, fresh coconut water and blessed with a small red tikka on my forehead. Upon check-in, I got a tour of the facility and settled into my room.
The premium villas are all beautifully situated on the property with a lovely garden in front of each villa. My garden had tomatoes and eggplants growing along with flowers and shrubs. The front porch had a dining table and lounge chairs. Inside the wooden villa was wooden sitting area, wooden armoire, wooden desk and chair, and a wooden bed. The bathroom was spacious with an attached outdoor sky shower and greenery. It really felt very tropical, clean and comfortable. Every day, someone would come to my villa with Frankincense to clear the energy and purify my space. Also, the room service staff would clean my room daily and would have different towel origami placed on my bed.
I had a consultation with my Ayurvedic doctor and started my 15-day Panchakarma treatment. It is recommended to stay at least 2 weeks for this treatment to experience its benefits. Treatment varies daily upon consultation with your Ayurvedic doctor. Some of the treatments I experienced during the retreat were Abhyanga (full body oil massage), Shirodhara (oil poured on forehead in a steady stream), Takradhara (buttermilk poured on the forehead in a steady stream), Nasyam ( purifying head and nasal passageways), Kashayadhara (medicated water bath), Swedhana (steam bath), Snehapanam (ghee therapy), Udwarthanam (powder massage), Virechanam (purgation).
I would start my day waking up before sunrise, brushing my teeth and oil pulling. Then, I would attend a group yoga class overlooking the Arabian Sea, followed by a nutritious breakfast. Then, I would have a consultation with my Ayurvedic doctor to go over symptoms, treatments, and medications for the day. Sometimes my treatments started before lunch and sometimes after lunch. During treatment, I would see two female therapists who would be assigned to me. They take your blood pressure and pulse rate before and after each treatment. Before and after each treatment, we would also do a prayer. During the afternoon, there would be refreshments available in the dining hall with fresh juice and fresh fruits. Sometimes, I would have 1:1 private yoga and meditation class with an assigned yoga teacher. Sometimes, there would be educational lectures. Once a week, there is an Ayurvedic cooking class, where the head chef will teach 3 different recipes with a cooking demonstration and you get to sample it at the end. Dinners would either be in the dining hall or on the beach. After dinner, I would head to my room and get to sleep between 9 PM – 10 PM. It is so important to get plenty of rest during your retreat.
The kitchen uses all organically grown, local produce and spices. They grow many vegetables, fruits and herbs on their property too. It really is a farm to table concept. All the meals at the retreat are well balanced vegetarian meals. You can also ask for no onion, no garlic options too. Your meals are based on what your Ayurvedic doctor recommends based on your treatment plan. You also receive your medicines to take before or after every meal.
After the treatment is over, the Ayurvedic doctor, will give you an assessment and can purchase any additional medicine to continue treatment at home. The staff at Sitaram Beach Retreat was so wonderful and made my last day at the retreat memorable. Overall, I felt really great inside and out post Panchakarma treatment. I highly recommend doing an Ayurvedic retreat as a gift to yourself and as an investment to your wellness.
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