About Sushruta Ayurveda
Panchakarma, a therapy for achieving balance in body, mind and consciousness
Basic Principles
The process of Panchakarma generally starts with two sets of therapies: Oleation and Fomentation.
Oleation
Oleation involves application of oil or oily substance on the body. Ayurveda offers a variety of oils prepared from various herbal and mineral ingredients mainly for external use. Apart from oils and ghee used particularly for internal application. The fatty substance acts as an effective medium, manages to reach the deeper tissues, helps in carrying the medicinal ingredients to every cell of the body and loosen up toxins stuck in the cells.
Fomentation
The therapies that generate sweat are called fomentation therapies. Oleation therapies are generally followed by fomentation therapies. The tissues made soft by oleation therapies become more flexible by subsequent fomentation. Deep-rooted toxins loosened by oleation liquefy due to fomentation and help it to flush out of the body.
The principles of oleation and fomentation are applied through certain therapies. Some of these Ayurvedic therapies are:
Abhyanga
This is a type of body massage done using an appropriate herbal or medicated oil. It may be done for the entire body or a specific part such as the head, feet or joint etc. Its main purpose is to lubricate the body parts and pacify vata dosha.
