Ananda in the Himalayas offers all the Ayurveda you can handle, plus some you might think you can’t. In search of full mind-body healing, our writer did a weeklong Ayurvedic detox retreat in what many believe is the spiritual capital of India. We asked her to keep a daily diary accounting for what she learned, felt and even flushed out.
“AYUR-WHAT?” MY PARTNER QUESTIONED after I told him I’d be doing a week-long Ayurvedic detox program in India. I’ll admit, I didn’t know much more about this ancient practice than he did when I arrived through the palace gates to Ananda in the Himalayas. Located on a Maharaja’s Palace Estate high above the spiritual capital of Rishikesh, Ananda has been massaging, detoxing and purifying guests for over 20 years. During my weeklong program, I got a complete crash course in Ayurveda and left feeling lighter in every sense of the word. Here’s a look at the day-to-day at one of India’s most exclusive and intensive wellness retreats.
Day 1
-
Deluxe room valley view
-
Viceregal suite
-
Villa living room
A warm greeting of Namaskar followed me under the Murano glass chandelier, where tea and a cold towel calmed me after a cow-dodging drive to Ananda. A much more relaxed journey followed as a golf buggy took me to my room overlooking Rishikesh.
Did I Join A Cult?
In the closet were a set of white pants and a flowy white shirt. I chuckled, wondering if I’d actually joined a cult and not a wellness retreat. Less than an hour after I arrived, I went into my first treatment, a 90-minute detox aromatherapy massage. My entire program was designed to cleanse the toxins (pizza, gin and chocolate, mostly) from my body. While still carbed-up, the lymphatic pressure point massage left me feeling completely relaxed and ready for a week of this kind of luxurious Zen.
Day 2
At 6:30 a.m., a gentle knock at the door woke me up. I groggily answered for a pot of lemongrass and ginger tea. After a light buffet breakfast of tropical fruits and overnight oats, I had one of two personal training sessions where they weighed me and stretched out every limb.
It Felt Like Reading My Horoscope
Still sweating, I met my Ayurvedic doctor, Dr. Chandan, for a consultation. A few pokes and prods, along with my pre-arrival questionnaire, helped him pin down my dosha a.k.a. my Ayurveda body type. He explained Ayurveda is “the science of well-being.” It encourages people to live a healthy life based on their own inborn predispositions, to balance the three doshas: Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Everyone has a predominant dosha; mine is a Pitta, which means a whole host of things. Pittas are likely to have fair skin, thin hair, be goal-oriented and very practical. Hmm… Spot on.
During my hour-long Ayurveda crash course, we mapped out the best treatment program and diet plan for me. While the multiple spa sessions per day sounded divine, the no-dairy, no-gluten menu, supplemented by a paste of honey and digestive powder for dessert sounded more challenging.
Afterward, I turned to putty with a four-handed Abhyanga massage. Long strokes were synchronized to help liquefy any toxins using pressure and herbal-infused sesame oil. Next, I hopped into a detoxifying hydrobath where hot Himalayan spring water and essential oils boosted my circulation, immunity and metabolism.
Day 3
A private morning yoga session with Reema set me up for a calm day. It led into a Choornaswedana 55, that is, a hot bundle massage. The massage used essential oils aligned with my dosha and hot herbal poultices to help me sweat out more toxins and increase my poor circulation.
Dr. Chandan joined me to chat more about the 5,000-year-old practice of Ayurveda over a lunch of warm lentil soup and detox tea before my next treatment. I specially requested the Pada Abhyanga (Ayurveda foot massage). Forty-five minutes of pressing on my foot’s nerve points sounded like pure bliss, and it was.
In an effort to calm my anxious brain, Dr. Chandan booked me the Ananda Touch. Wheat germ and sunflower oil mixed with rose are massaged into every part of the body to release any tension and stress at the end of the day.
Day 4
Arguably the most challenging part of the program: an enema and a liquid diet on the same day.
After morning Yoga Nidra and a breakfast of raisin and apple soup, I had a detoxifying salt scrub. Sea salt mixed with sandalwood, rose, and vetiver left me feeling squeaky clean and calm.
My afternoon Sneha Vasti, or oil enema, was purely medical, entirely unpleasant and designed to clear out my large intestine. It also meant that it was safer I didn’t leave the room for the rest of the night.
Day 5
The detox program included an emotional healing therapy session. While I’m not new to psychoanalysis, I wasn’t looking forward to retelling my life story. But I promised myself going into this that I would give it 100 percent (very Pitta of me). So, we discussed my anxiety, which led to hypnotherapy, a first for me. And while it didn’t work like it does in the movies, I did leave the session feeling a weight lifted.
“Avoid ice cream, mushrooms and meat.”
-
Baked asparagus salad, phillo pastry, almonds puree, apricots, rosemary Relish
-
Haricot beans, hearts of palm, pear tomatoes, Kalamata olives tapenade Hazelnut Dressing
-
Oven baked Aumoniere with sprouts and tofu, curried soy Anglaisede Hydrated Picked Ginger
-
Wellness cuisine masterclass
With the liquid diet over, I joined Chef Balodi for a private cooking class. I learned how to make a few Ayurvedic dishes that would balance my dosha while still being healthy and tasty. It meant cutting out my favorite things like ice cream and bacon, but the recipes were simple, combining just a handful of ingredients I could easily cook myself.
I spent the afternoon how I prefer to, in the spa. My Udwarthana massage was unlike any I’d ever had. Two therapists rubbed and caked me with a dry green powder designed to firm and tone. Back-to-back massages took me to the Ananda Fusion, their signature treatment customized to balance my dosha. The spa’s signature oil, made of cardamom, ginger and black pepper, was chosen to help with digestion and arthritis.
Day 6
This morning’s personal training session was more intense than the first, and the scale showed I lost two pounds (nearly a kilogram). Post-workout, the deep tissue massage was ideal.
Today’s schedule wasn’t as packed, so I did an elective yoga class in the afternoon and followed it up with a Mountain Dew Skin Freshener. After a week of no–sugar, I hoped the neon green soda was somehow involved but no. Instead, it was a super refreshing facial and scalp massage to wrap up my detox program at Ananda.
Day 7
Departure day. I’ll admit that this was the most intense wellness experience I’ve ever had but also the most transformative. My mind feels less scattered, less stressed and more present. My body feels lighter and easier to move. I feel damn good.
After one last yoga session, I sit down for a final lunch on the sun-filled terrace overlooking Rishikesh. While I should be keeping up with my Pitta diet, I order the Pomodoro pasta instead. After all, a girl still needs her carbs.
www.anandaspa.com/en/programmes
Images courtesy of Ananda in the Himalayas.
Written By
