Ayurveda, a lifestyle of rejuvenation

"Rejuvenation" is something that Ayurveda is famous for. It means "practical reversal of the aging process". It is one of the eight specialized branches of the practice of Ayurveda: 'Rasayana'. It deals with the maintenance of health. Rasa means juice or fluid, it is the vital fluid that we extract from the food we eat. It brings nourishment, it carries off toxins, it enhances our immunity, it looks a lot like what modern physiology calls lymph and plasma. 
So Rasayana/Rejuvenation is the way to restore and maintain the fluids, the juiciness in our bodies. It restores our health and vitality, and in that way, our youth. Rasayana therapy is any herb, food, or therapy that restores youth, or heals imbalance. If taken or done in the right way it will keep you young and active, or restores this youthfullness, both physically, as well as mentally.

Rasayana therapy can be an ongoing practice in adopting an Ayurvedic lifestyle, and taking Rasayana herbal formulations that rejuvenate different organ systems, such as chyavanprash, brahmi, triphala, and shilajit.
Rasayana therapy also can be going on retreat to receive special treatments with oils, herbs and foods. A dedicated time for healing and rejuvenating the body/mind. 

By functioning according to nature’s clock we go with the flow of the universe. We’re not swimming upstream by separating ourselves from the natural flow of waking and sleeping, sunlight and darkness. Ayurveda suggests a daily routine, dinacharya, and a seasonal routine, rutucharya, that follows this natural flow. And it uses the simple laws of nature to balance the adverse effects of the passing of time and choices we make, understanding that:

• Like increases like: Everything has an effect. Doing more or taking more of the same thing causes that effect to get stronger. 
• Opposites cure or balance: When something is in excess, the opposite of it will bring down the excess. Will bring balance and rejuvenation.
• Sometimes the principles of “like cures like” is used, where a therapeutic dose of the same is administered to speed up the body’s healing process. For example getting into a sauna when you are having a fever, can help the body purify the reason for the fever faster, by increasing the heat.

Some elements of a Rejuvenating lifestyle are 

• Oils to rejuvenate and protect tissues. Warm oil applied on the skin, in the nostrils, in the ears, in the mouth, in enemas, dissolves fat soluble toxins, nourishes the tissues, builds immunity, and because of its lubricating, warm and heavy nature, balances Vata, the energy of air that pervades everything. The membranes of all our cells are made of lipids, or fats, so using fats externally, as well as internally, rejuvenates us on a cellular level.
• Herbal therapy to balance the doshic tendencies, and to support and rejuvenate our organ systems. 
• Diet to minimize toxic - ama - build-up, to keep the digestive fire - agni - strong, and to balance doshic tendencies. 

Thousands of years ago the therapies of panchakarma and kaya kalpa were designed for the kings and queens, who wanted to live forever and never be old. They were isolated from their regular lifestyles so that they could rest and meditate. They were given special foods and plant preparations. Hot oil and herbal treatments were administered. They were purified and detoxed and then given pure, nourishing, harmonizing and health-building foods to rejuvenate them on a deep cellular level.

Nowadays we can all be kings and queens, by going on a retreat, doing panchakarma, doing a rejuvenating cleanse... and by applying Ayurvedic lifestyle principles. An Ayurvedic lifestyle is a way of  treating ourselves that maximizes our bodies' self-healing capacities. Ayurveda teaches us to get out of our own way, and to learn to flow with the energies of nature. Regular rejuvenation/deep cellular detox is part of that lifestyle. 

by Simone de Winter
Certified Ayurvedic Specialist and
owner of Marin Ayurveda

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