the digestive fire
Ayurveda treats Agni as the centre of health rather than as one function among many: when it is strong, transformation of food and experience is clean; when it is weak, residue accumulates. That residue is Ama.
undigested residue
What is left when Agni has not fully done its work. Ayurveda describes it as accumulating in the tissues over time, and much of what a Panchakarma is designed to do is to loosen it and give the body a route to clear it.
the Self
The innermost level of a person, distinct from body and mind. It refers to the eternal, unchanging consciousness that animates the body.
the knowledge of life
From ayus, life, and veda, knowledge. A complete system of health from the Vedic tradition of India, focused on diet, daily routine, treatment and consciousness together.
the hour before dawn
The period of roughly ninety minutes before sunrise, which the classical texts name as the best time of the day for spiritual practice. The mind is clear and silent at that hour, and so is everything around it.
a bodily tissue
Ayurveda counts seven: plasma, blood, muscle, fat, bone, marrow and reproductive tissue. The sequence matters — what happens at one level carries into the next.
the daily routine
The order of a day from waking to sleep as the classical texts set it out: rising before six, when the Kapha period of the morning begins, the largest meal at midday, a small early dinner, sleep before ten. It rests on the idea that the body does different things at different hours.
that which defects
In Ayurveda, it refers to the three fundamental bio-energetic forces—Vata, Pitta, and Kapha—that govern physiological and psychological functions. While they maintain health in equilibrium, they are termed "doshas" because they have the potential to become imbalanced and cause disease if vitiated.
holding oil in the mouth
A part of the morning routine: a mouthful of oil held for a few minutes and then spat out, before brushing teeth. One of the oldest items in Dinacharya and one of the simplest.
scraping the tongue
Done first thing in the morning, before brushing teeth. Part of Dinacharya.
a thin rice water
A light preparation of rice and water, given on the days when the digestion is being asked to do as little as possible. It is what a guest takes on a purgation day.
the principle of structure
One of the three Doshas. Kapha governs cohesion, stability, moisture and the substance of the body. Earth and water are its elements.
ayurvedic internal medicine
The branch of Ayurveda dealing with the body as a whole rather than with one region or one stage of life. It is the postgraduate speciality two of our Vaidyas hold.
rice and mung dal cooked together
The simplest complete meal in Ayurvedic cooking, and what the kitchen serves in the evening when the food is being kept light.
Ayurveda restored to its complete classical form in the early 1980s by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, working with India's foremost Vedic scholars. What distinguishes it is that consciousness is treated as the foundation of health rather than as a secondary consideration. We explain this in full on Consciousness and Health.
building in accordance with natural law
The Vedic architecture, dealing with orientation, proportion and the placement of rooms. The building the Health Centre occupies is built in it.
a vital point or field on the body
Literally hidden, or secret. The points and fields on the body where muscle, vein, ligament, bone and joint meet — a junction of physical structure, Prana and consciousness. The classical texts describe 107; Maharishi Ayurveda counts 108, adding Atma. They are the basis of Maharishi Marma Therapy.
the science of the pulse
The pulse reading taken by hand at the beginning of an Ayurvedic Consultation. Three fingers are placed on the wrist, and what the Vaidya reads from it is the proportion of the three Doshas — the constitution and the current balance. Also called Nadi Pariksha.
the five actions
The classical cleansing process of Ayurveda which originally included five steps of purification, done in three stages: Purvakarma, Pradhanakarma and Paschatkarma. Our Panchakarma page sets out what it involves.
the re-building stage
The third and final stage, beginning the day the main treatment sequence is over and continuing after a guest goes home. Food is reintroduced in stages — see Samsarjana Krama.
the principle of transformation
One of the three Doshas. Pitta governs digestion, metabolism and the processing of everything taken in for digestion, including what is taken in through the senses. Fire is its element.
the main actions
The second stage of Panchakarma — the cleansing actions themselves. Charaka counts five; at MERU three of them are given.
your constitution
The proportion of the three Doshas a person is born with. It does not change across a lifetime.
the breath of life
The vital energy that moves through the body. Ayurveda regards the nose as its principal path, which is why the nasal treatments are an important part of Panchakarma.
working with the breath
The breathing practices of the Vedic tradition, often recommended as a lifestyle addition.
the preparation stage
The first stage of Panchakarma that prepares the body for cleansing. It includes four elements in order: kindling Agni, digesting Ama, Snehana — oleation — and Swedana, warming of the body.
path of rejuvenation
It refers to methods, herbs, and behaviors that promote longevity, prevent aging, enhance immunity by nourishing the body’s tissues (Dhatus) and improving mental faculties.
the graduated diet
The staged reintroduction of food after a cleanse, from liquid foods back to solids. Its length is set by how deep the purification went.
light, fresh and easy to digest
The quality Ayurveda gives to food that is freshly prepared, vegetarian and light. Our Satvik dining hall is where guests on a programme enjoy their meals.
purification
The cleansing enema, as opposed to the nourishing one. It is what distinguishes Shodhana Basti, the cleansing form, from Matra Basti, the nourishing form.
oleation
Saturating the body with oil, externally or internally, so that what is lodged in the deeper tissues can be loosened and expelled.
ghee taken internally
Ghee taken on an empty stomach in the morning during the preparation for Panchakarma. It is prescribed and adjusted as per individual needs.
an Ayurvedic expert
A practitioner trained in classical Ayurveda. Ours hold a BAMS — the five-and-a-half-year Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery — and a postgraduate MD (Ayurveda), both from India.
Two spellings of one Sanskrit word, kept apart here on purpose. Vasti with a V is external — warm oil held on one part of the body, as in Kati Vasti over the lower back. Basti with a B is internal — an enema.
the principle of movement
One of the three Doshas. Vata governs everything that moves — breath, circulation, the passage of food, the movement of thought. Air and space are its elements, and it is the one the classical texts treat as the first to go out of balance.
your current balance
The proportion of the three Doshas as they are now, which does change — with season, age, work, food and sleep. The distance between your Vikriti and your Prakriti is most of what an Ayurvedic Consultation is looking at.
Every treatment has its own entry on Treatments Explained — what it involves, how long it takes, what Ayurveda gives it for, and how you book it. Abhyanga, Shirodhara, Vishesh, Udvartana, the Vasti treatments, the stamp treatments, Nasya, Virechana and the rest.
