Abhyanga

A restoring and rejuvenating full body oil massage using medicated herbs.The benefit of abhyanga is to strengthen the skin, stimulate blood circulation and lymph, calm the nervous system, eliminate toxins and improve your overall well-being and longevity.

Agni 

Agni - responsible for our digestion, the most important concept in Ayurveda. Represents the elemental force of transformation. Agni is the fire element, responsible for the conversion of food, body temperature, longevity, courage & strength - which keeps the doshas in balance

Ahara

Diet or food (food-based therapy)

Ama 

Ama is claimed to be a toxic byproduct generated due to improper or incomplete digestion that creates an internal metabolic waste, which clogs the channels and affects tissue nutrition.

AmLa 

The sour taste, which is predominated by the earth and fire elements, is balancing to Vata, but aggravating to pitta & Kapha.

anabolic

Is the process of building up the body. It is the creation, growth, and repair of cells. A constructive type of substance or metabolic process 

anupan

A substance that serves as a medium for taking herbs and other medicines; many anupans are valued for their ability to carry herbs and formulas deeper into specific tissues.

asana

Is the Sanskrit word for posture or seat. As interpreted from the archeological record and primary source materials, the first yoga asanas were most probably seated positions for meditation.

Asthi Dhatu

The fifth of seven dhatus (human tissues) in the Ayurvedic tradition; the bone tissue; responsible for providing structure to the body, supporting movement, and protecting the vital organs; also associated with cartilage, teeth, hair, and nails.

Ayurveda

Ayurveda is a medical science deeply focused on healing and maintaining the quality and longevity of life, originated in India over 5,000+ years ago. Ayurveda emphasises health as the balance and dynamic union between our environment, body, mind, and spirit.

Basti

A therapeutic enema using herbal tea or oil (best practiced under the guidance of a qualified practitioner), or an external basti treatment for specific pain-related ailments.

Bhuta Agni’s

Five specific physiological manifestations of Agni (one for each element: earth, water, fire, air, and ether).

Catabolic

A deconstructive type of substance or metabolic process (transformation).

Chakra

In Ayurvedic tradition, 'chakra' refers to the core energy centres within our body. Located along the backbone and stretching from the base of the spine to the crown of the head, the 7 main chakras express different characteristics with a physical, emotional, creative and spiritual component.

churna

A mixture of powdered herbs.

Dhatu 

Dhatu’s are associated with the tissues of the body. Dhatu’s support the structure of the body and it’s function, aiding in both physical and psychological health.

One of seven tissues identified in the human body: rasa dhatu (plasma), rakta dhatu (blood), mamsa dhatu (muscle), meda dhatu (fat), asthi dhatu (bone), majja dhatu (nervous tissue), and shukra dhatu (male reproductive tissue) or artava dhatu (female reproductive tissue).

Dinacharya

A daily routine invites healthy, vitality, and a sense of clarity into our lives. The traditional dinacharya includes a wide variety of daily self-care practices including a rich personal hygiene routine, exercise, spiritual practice, meals, and sleep.

Dosha

One of three functional energies in nature: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. In the body, it is the unique ratio of these three humors that determines an individual’s Prakriti (constitution).

Ghee

Ghee is a form of clarified butter created by skimming the milk solids out of melted butter. A highly revered substance in Ayurveda that is used in cooking and for therapeutic purposes;

GUNA

A quality or characteristic; most commonly referring to one of twenty primary gunas used in Ayurveda to describe different substances, and to predict their effects on the body.

Jatharagni

Jatharagni literally means the metabolic fire; it governs the entire sequence of metabolic functions in the body. Proper absorption and conversion of food into tissue building blocks (dhatus) 20 is ensured only if jatharagni is in a balanced state.

Kapha

One of the three doshas (functional energies in nature); kapha is predominated by the earth and water elements and governs structure and cohesiveness; it is heavy, slow, cool, oily, smooth, dense, soft, stable, gross, and cloudy.

Lavana

The salty taste, which is predominated by the water and fire elements, and is balancing to vata, but aggravating to pitta and kapha.

madhura

The sweet taste, which is predominated by the earth and water elements, and is balancing to vata and pitta, but aggravating to kapha.

maJJa Dhatu

The sixth of seven dhatus (human tissues) in the Ayurvedic tradition; includes all nervous tissue, connective tissue, and bone marrow; responsible for filling spaces in the body, and for communication and sensation; also associated with the endocrine system and with hormones.

mamsa Dhatu

The third of seven dhatus (human tissues) in the Ayurvedic tradition; includes all muscle tissue in the body; responsible for form, movement, support, protection, and plastering (cohesiveness); also gives strength, courage, and confidence.Ojas 

Is the essence of all seven dhatus. Ojas is a quantifiable liquid in the body, responsible for overall health, energy and liveliness. It is both a mental and physical factor, the essence of all the body tissues.

mantra

A sacred word, sound, or phrase, often used in meditation to focus the mind.

marma

An energy point on the surface of the body that is connected to the deeper, subtle pathways (nadis) of the body; each individual marma point is associated with specific organs, channels, energies, or emotions and can be useful as both a diagnostic and therapeutic tool.

meda dhatu

The fourth of seven dhatus (human tissues) in the Ayurvedic tradition; includes all adipose tissue in the body; responsible for lubrication, insulation, protection, and energy storage; also gives shape and beauty to the body, and sweetness to the voice.

mudra

A hand gesture is often used in meditation and yoga to channel the flow of energy in the body.

mula

A hand gesture is often used in meditation and yoga to channel the flow of energy in the body.

NAdi

Nāḍī is a term for the channels through which, in traditional Indian medicine and spiritual theory, that carry the energies from one place to another throughout the body and the energetic field.

Nadi also refers to the pulse, one of the most important tools for clinical assessment in Ayurveda.

NAsya

Nasya involves the instillation of medicated liquid (usually oil) into the nose, primarily to cleanse accumulated Kapha Dosha and toxins from the head, nose, throat, sinus and neck regions.

OJAS

Is the essence of all seven dhatus. Ojas is a quantifiable liquid in the body, responsible for overall health, energy and liveliness. It is both a mental and physical factor, the essence of all the body tissues.

Panchakarma

Pancharkma means 'five actions', specifying the five methods of cleansing and renewing the body. Through this purification it powerfully cleanses the body and revitalizes the inner balance that is essential for good health.

pitta

One of the three doshas (functional energies in nature); pitta is predominated by the fire and water elements, and it governs transformation; it is light, sharp (or penetrating), hot, oily, liquid, and spreading.

Prakruti 

Prakriti is an inherent nature of an individual determined at the. time of your birth, which can not be changed during your lifetime.

Prana

The ‘Life force’ or the ‘breath of life’. It is the energy and strength that comes from Ojas after it has been kindled into Tejas. Ojas is the potential, stamina of the mind, and nervous system for holding Tejas and Prana. Ojas has the capacity to turn into Tejas (heat), which has the capacity to turn into Prana (electricity).

Pranayama

Pranayama is control of Breath. "Prana" is Breath or vital energy in the body. On subtle levels prana represents the pranic energy responsible for life or life force, and "ayama" means control

Rajas

One of the three maha gunas, universal attributes (or qualities of consciousness) that give rise to all phenomena in nature; rajas is the principle that ignites energy, movement, passion, and the ability to act.

Rajastic

A substance, experience, or mental state infused with the qualities of rajas: kinetic energy, movement, passion, and action.

Rakta Dhatu

The second of seven dhatus (human tissues) in the Ayurvedic tradition; roughly equated with blood, but more specifically with the oxygen-carrying portion of the blood: the red blood cells, which Ayurveda distinguishes from rasa dhatu (the plasma, lymph and white blood cells); rakta dhatu is responsible for the maintenance of life, oxygenation, and the transportation of nutrients.

Rasa 

A Sanskrit word with many meanings, including “taste,” “flavor,” “essence,” “experience,” “juice,” “sap,” and “plasma.”

Rasa  Dhatu

The first of the seven dhatus (human tissues) in the Ayurvedic tradition; includes the plasma, the lymph, and the white blood cells; because it is the first dhatu to receive nourishment from ingested food, rasa dhatu is responsible for delivering nutrition and energy to every cell and tissue in the body.

Rasayana

Rasāyana is a Sanskrit word literally meaning path of essence. It is an early ayurvedic medical term referring to techniques for lengthening lifespans and invigorating the body. It is one of the eight areas of medicine in Sanskrit literature.

RTU

Time, season.

Rtucharya

A seasonal routine; similar to the concept of dinacharya, but also accounting for the cycle of the seasons;

Samadhi

A highly evolved state of consciousness invoking profound joy, spiritual bliss, and ecstasy.

Sattva

One of the three maha gunas—universal attributes (or qualities of consciousness) that give rise to all phenomena in nature; sattva is the principle that gives rise to equilibrium, clarity, light, intelligence, compassion, insight, and wisdom.

Sattvic

The word sattvic means “pure essence,” and sattvic foods are thought to be pure and balanced, offering feelings of calmness, happiness, and mental clarity.

Shukra Dhatu

The male reproductive tissue; along with artava dhatu (the female reproductive tissue), the deepest dhatu (human tissue) in the Ayurvedic tradition, and the last one to receive nourishment through cellular nutrition; responsible for procreation and emotional release; associated with the production of ojas.

Snehana

Snehana, or Oleation Therapy, is one of the most important therapies that prepares the body to receive specialized Panchakarma treatment. It involves the application of medicated oils, ghee and herbs to the body internally and externally

Soma

The flow of consciousness and attention. It is the subtlest form of matter and makes up the essence of Ojas, essential energy responsible for vitality, health, and wellness.

Srota’s

A Srotas (translated from Sanskrit-river/stream) is a channel through which nutrients, tissues (dhātu-s), wastes (mala), and sensory information move and flow.

Tamasic

A substance, experience, or mental state infused with the qualities of tamas: inertia, darkness, heaviness, slowness, sleepiness, and decay.

Tejas 

Is the heat and light energy of Ojas that has an oily quality and sustains it, like ghee can sustain a flame.

Tejas is the subtle form of both Pitta and Agni in the body. It can be defined as ‘inner radiance’ ir the ‘fire of the mind’. It is the factor responsible for intelligence, reasoning, inquisitiveness, focus, self-discipline, perception and mental clarity. 

tridoshic

Pacifying or balancing for all three doshas: vata, pitta, and kapha.

vata

One of the three doshas (functional energies in nature); vata is predominated by the ether and air elements and governs movement and communication; it is light, cold, dry, rough, mobile, subtle, and clear.

Vikruti

Vikruti refers to the balance of the doshas in the present and thus defines the nature of imbalance or illness.

Vipaka

The post-digestive effect of an ingested substance, experienced in the final stages of digestion—after the rasa (taste), and virya (heating or cooling energy of a substance) have been experienced; this stage of digestion affects the excreta and nourishes individual cells.

virechana

The practice of therapeutic purgation of the digestive tract (best practiced under the guidance of a qualified practitioner); an important means of eliminating excess doshas (especially pitta) from digestive tract and, in particular, from the small intestine; one of the five cleansing actions involved in panchakarma.

Virya

The heating or cooling nature of an ingested substance, experienced after rasa (taste), but before vipaka (the post-digestive effect)

YOga

A Sanskrit word that literally means “to yoke” or “to bind” together—“to unite;” the practice of yoga is a collection of physical, mental, and spiritual disciplines intended to transform and liberate the mind-body organism