What to Expect:

Residential Treatment at Rasa Ayurveda

Your Arrival

Our friendly driver will meet you when you arrive at the Trivandrum airport or train station and help you with your bags. You'll see sights on your short drive thru our ancient city to confirm that-yes indeed-you've arrived in India, in the small and ancient capital of beautiful Kerala.

Your Accommodations

After entering the gates of Rasa Ayurveda, you'll be escorted to your room.

Each room at Rasa Ayurveda is simple yet unique, and named after a native medicinal plant such as Chandanam (Sandalwood Tree), Thulasi (Holy Basil), Shatavari (as asparagus-like root, famous as a female rejuvenative), Kayonni (a green plant used by local women to cool the liver, and make hair beautiful), Tamara (lotus), or another healing botanical.

Next you're welcome to bathe, enjoy a meal, snack or cup of tea, or drift off for a revivifying rest.

For more details about your room, click here.

Your Personal Ayurvedic Intake Session & Custom Treatment Plan

When you're ready, you'll be invited to meet Rasa Ayurveda's house doctor for your personal Ayurvedic intake session. Doctor will review your health records and ask you many important questions about your body's functioning, your lifestyle and your mental and emotional state. Doctor will also perform a physical assessment and talk with you about your health goals.

Depending on your needs, one of Rasa Ayurveda's specialist doctors may meet with you to give input into the details of your treatment plan. If it's helpful, we'll help you schedule outside western diagnostic testing, too.

Doctor will design your custom treatment plan considering both your health needs and the number of days you have available for treatment. Thanks to the all-inclusive daily rate at Rasa Ayurveda, treatment planning is done without regard to cost. Whatever traditional therapies and medicines are indicated for your best outcome will be provided.

Authentic Ayurveda practice is never "one-size-fits-all." At Rasa Ayurveda, we like to say, "Reality is Queen!" As you progress through your treatment day-by-day, your treatment plan will be adjusted as needed for best results. For some therapeutic processes, specific physical signs should manifest be seen in your body before moving to the next step.

Your Treatment

Your treatment plan may call for shodhana chikilsa (eliminative treatment) --in which pancha karma is often key--or shamana chikilsa (palliative treatment). Depending on how much time you have available for treatment, and what your health goals are, and where you are in the process, your daily schedule may vary. You may receive therapies in the morning, or in the afternoon. Or both! Sometimes evening treatments are called for also. Whenever it's time for a therapy session, one of Rasa Ayurveda's therapists will come to find you in your room, in the sit-out visiting with other patients, in the garden - wherever you may be, to call you in for treatment.

To learn more about Pancha Karma, click here.

To learn more about some of the many traditional Ayurveda and Siddha Vaidya therapies offered at Rasa Ayurveda, click here.

Your Kerala-Style Ayurvedic Nutrition

The word "rasa" means "taste" in Sanskrit, and "enjoyment" in Malayalam, the language of Kerala. During treatment, it's important that your food be light, tasty, and easy to digest. You'll find the traditional Kerala-style Ayurvedic cuisine at Rasa Ayurveda varied and delicious.

Not everyone needs the same diet, so your nutrition will be adjusted according to Doctor's recommendations for your needs. Most meals are vegan and all are vegetarian unless meat, eggs or fish are specifically indicated for health reasons. Wheat and dairy are also avoided, with the exception of a little yoghurt, on occasion.

Women seem to LOVE the food served at Rasa Ayurveda! Cooking classes are offered whenever possible.

Your Medicines

Ayurvedic internal medicine preparations are included in your daily treatment. Morning, noon or night, one of the Rasa Ayurveda therapists will find you-wherever you are-to deliver your herbal remedies at the right time.

Your Rest

Come prepared to catch up on the relaxing and loafing you haven't had time for lately! While usually enjoyable, treatments are a kind of work for your body. During your stay, there will be days you can go out for temple visits, sight seeing or shopping. Some days you'll be advised to remain at Rasa Ayurveda to take rest.

Colorful hammocks fill the back yard at Rasa Ayurveda! There are many beautiful medicinal plants, flowers and birds of all kinds to observe as you relax into nature.

You are welcome to explore (and contribute to) Rasa Ayurveda's library of books and dvds on spirituality, poetry, women's biographies, India and ecology. The library is constantly growing as patients donate their favorite titles!

A computer and wireless internet access are provided on a limited basis. We want you to stay in touch with loved ones, but hope you will be comfortable avoiding excess time online during your treatment.

Your Yoga

Rasa Ayurveda offers a yoga hall for gentle yoga practice. Classes and private sessions are offered on an as-available basis. Ideally, your practice should support your healing process, and Doctor will give you specific advice on this. Typically, strenuous movement is not recommended during treatment, but gentle stretching and meditation help facilitate healing.

Your Continuing Care

Before you leave Rasa Ayurveda, you'll sit down with Doctor for an "out-take session." Although you can certainly ask questions all thru your treatment process, the "out-take session" is your time to focus on understanding how best to care for yourself once you return home. Optional distance follow-up consultations are available by arrangement.