{{archive}}

Maharishi AyurVeda Self-Help Series

Filled with knowledge of healing and herbs, Maharishi AyurVeda also has plenty to offer in terms of prevention of disease and self-help. Many of its principles can be applied in a simplified way on a daily basis and can complement any existing plan or routine.

 At the end of November, the Peace Palace hosted the first of many retreats on Maharishi AyurVeda. This retreat was hosted by Dr Peter Warburton and Varsha Khatri MCMA, FNTP, a qualified nutritionist and Ayurveda consultant. The theme of the weekend was learn how to help yourself feel healthier.

 The weekend was focused on equipping the participants with resources to be able to help themselves improve their health and well-being. In addition to the daily Transcendental Meditation practice, course participants had the opportunity to learn Maharishi Yoga Asanas and Pranayama, and were able to enjoy Ayurvedic meals along with group knowledge sessions.

 Dr. Donn Brennan taught participants the first steps of Self-Pulse Reading. In a traditional consultation with a Vaidya (Ayurvedic doctor), the doctor will often feel the pulse to assess the functioning of the three doshas to see what is in balance and what is out of balance. Only after the pulse diagnosis and various questions and answers will the Vaidya give detailed recommendations for herbal preparations, diet, and lifestyle. Learning how to assess the doshas for yourself through the pulse can help you make choices in alignment with your needs. Self-Pulse Reading is a great tool for enhancing self-awareness as it pertains to your health and wellbeing.

 Maharishi Aromatherapy is another modality that complements Maharishi AyurVeda. Liselotte Svan, an expert in Aromatherapy, led a session in which the participants learned about the various aromas and their therapeutic purposes. Some were even able to experience immediate benefits such as headaches going away by simply taking in the smell of a particular aroma.

 Felicity Kaplan taught participants about the vital Marma centres of the body. A Maharishi Self-Marma Therapy session helped the participants learn about ways to balance the mind and body through an understanding of the Marmas.

 The central focus on the weekend was on core Maharishi AyurVeda; thus Dr, Rajvinder Kaur taught a session on daily and seasonal routines. She explained the principles of dinacharya (daily) and ritucharya (seasonal) routines, and how applying these principles can help everyone stay healthy throughout the year, regardless of what life may bring. She also explained how the environment influences our health and taught us how to adapt accordingly.

 As the co-host, Varsha Khatri shared her knowledge of diet and nutrition through the lens of Maharishi AyurVeda so that the participants could learn how to adapt their food habits in accordance with the balance of the doshas in their own individual body-type. She also expanded her talks to include how to modify an Ayurvedic diet according to the western lifestyle, as well as going through common myths and misconceptions revolving around “healthy eating”.

 As a conclusion to the retreat, on the last day Dr. Rajvinder Kaur, Dr Amitha Rudraraju, and Varsha Khatri hosted a questions and answers session that dived deeper into the knowledge that had been covered over the weekend.

 The weekend allowed the participants to return home with a cup full of knowledge and actionable steps enabling them to implement the recommendations and tips shared throughout the weekend by the various experts. It was an immersive experience and brought forward an introduction to the total knowledge of health through the perspective of Maharishi AyurVeda.

Maharishi AyurVeda MasterClass Series Review

From 26 October to 30 November, Dr Peter Warburton and Varsha Khatri MCMA, FNTP, a nutritionist & Ayurveda consultant, hosted the first ever MasterClass series on Maharishi AyurVeda.

Participants – from complete novices to experts – found the six sessions over the six weeks to be informative and easy to understand.

Varsha Khatri outlined the six topics of the Series as follows:
1. Prevention of disease
2. Healthy eating and food choices
3. Self-care for stress management
4. Diet and digestion
5. Cleanses and detoxing
6. Boosting immunity and importance of ojas

Covering these key areas of health, the series was expertly guided to allow the knowledge of Maharishi AyurVeda to shine through in a simplified and practical way. Those who took part in the series had the opportunity to take a Dosha Quiz that was created by Varsha, and were able to join an exclusive Facebook group that allowed them to share their experiences and what they had learnt, as well as ask questions.

Here is what was covered in the six sessions:

1. Prevention of disease – The preventive lifestyle is about staying healthy and preventing disease. It is about finding the right balance so that you can have a healthier future. Health and wellness is not just about diet and exercise – far from it. In this MasterClass, we introduced the five pillars of prevention – diet/nutrition, movement, routine, immunity, and happiness – through the eyes of Ayurveda.

2. Healthy eating and food choices – Healthy eating is about more than just protein, carbs, and fats, or even the six tastes. It is important to have the understanding of what balanced meals actually mean. We covered how to make healthy choices when shopping for food, and when cooking and preparing food, as well as when eating out. Our emotions and state of being also influence our choices. We discussed how to make those healthier food choices from the perspective of holistic nutrition.

3. Self-care for stress management – When you are the busiest is when you need self-care the most. There are many techniques and resources out there for self-care and stress management. We learnt how to incorporate self-care as a part of our daily routine to help us better cope with the everyday stressors of life. This included top tips and various resources to help you feel better from within yourself. We also discussed the value of self-care for long-term health and why it is so important in Maharishi AyurVeda.

4. Diet & digestion – Your diet is only as good as your digestion. Ayurveda says that an imbalanced digestive fire (agni) is the root cause of all illness. This means that your digestion is essential for your overall health and well-being. Your digestion determines how well you absorb and metabolise the food that you eat. In this MasterClass, you learnt how to support your digestion through the foods that you eat.

5. Cleanses and Detoxing – Detoxes and cleanses are very popular fad diets and are open to wide interpretation. Ayurveda has its own take on detoxifying. In this session, Varsha taught how you can use the knowledge of Ayurveda to support your body so that it can detox naturally through your diet and routine. We also discussed ways to detox in a healthy way that will help to balance energy levels and clear your digestive system to boost your digestion and metabolism.

6. Boosting immunity and importance of Ojas – Foods you eat can either nourish or impair your immune system. Certain foods are better than others. This MasterClass showed us how we can prevent the common cold and flu through what we eat and through home remedies for keeping the immune system strong and vibrant. We also covered the connection between Ojas and the immune system.

Each of the MasterClasses ended with a brief Q&A session. Participants also had the opportunity to book in a 30 minute coaching session with Varsha.

Do keep an eye on our website for further online and in-person courses on Maharishi Ayurveda.