Ayurveda is a holistic system of integrated medicine which dates back over 5000 years. It is a form of medical science on how to live to ensure optimum physical and mental health – optimum wellbeing. Successfully practiced and still integrated in to the life style of Sri Lanka, it is now fast becoming an alternative approach to health and wellbeing around the world. Ayurveda initially developed strongly in Sri Lanka and India and with time a branch of it was practiced in Sri Lanka as ‘Hela Wedakama’ or ‘Sri Lankan Indigenous Medicine’ (SLIM) which is still strong on healing certain ailments such as Cancer.

This course covers both Ayurveda and SLIM and is taught by expert teachers of the field who are all working together at Plantation Villa – award winning retreat centre for health and wellbeing. Completion of the course will allow you to apply your Ayurvedic knowledge for self and community care. Focus on preventative care for self, friends and family is given during the program through dietary, lifestyle and herbal approach following an understanding of Ayurvedic principles. It aims at those that already work in therapeutic fields, like Yoga and medicine, or one that wants to enhance the knowledge and possess tools for a better lifestyle.

This covers 100hrs of teachings and practice and if you are looking to qualify as a practitioner, you can use the credits of this course as it is the first of three modules leading towards a practitioner/counsellor certificate in Ayurveda. See below for Course Structure:

Course Module Structure

Introduction to Ayurveda

• Historical and Spiritual Background of Ayurveda – Lineage of Ayurveda

• Eight branches of Ayurveda
  • Kaya chikitsa (medicine)
  • Shalya thanthra (surgery)
  • Shalakya thantha (otorhinolaryngology)
  • Kaumarabrthya (pediatrics)
  • Agadha thantha (toxicology)
  • Bhutha vidya (psychiatry and illnesses caused by spirits)
  • Rasayana thanthra (rejuvenation)
  • Vajikarana thanthra (aphrodisiac)
• Loka-purusha samya (seeing the universe through self )

Introduction to Sri Lankan Indigenous Medicine (SLIM)

• Historical background and origins of SLIM
• Principles of SLIM and Deviations from Ayurveda
• Healing practices of SLIM including special advanced medi- cal treatments totreat mind and body
• Importance of doctor-patient relationship into healing
• Cultural elements incorporated in SLIM

Dosha / Dhathu / Mala Vignana

• The five elements (pancha bhutha)
• Tridosha (three humours and Ayurveda physiology)
• Prakurthi (natural constitution of the body)
• Dhathu (the seven tissues)
  • Rasa (the essence of digestion)
  • Raktha (blood)
  • Mamsa (muscle tissue)
  • Medas (adipose tissue)
  • Asthi (bone tissue)
  • Majja (marrow)
  • Shukra (sperm and ova)
• Thimala (the three waste products of the body)
  • Sweda (sweat)
  • Purisha (stools)
  • Mutra (urine)

Agni / Ama / Rasa – Guna – Veerya – Vipaka – Prabhawa

• 13 types of Agni
  • Panchabhuthagni
  • Sapthadhathwagni
  • Jataragni (the Agni of digestion)
• Concept of Ama in Ayurveda
  • Causes for Ama
  • Symptoms of Ama
  • How Ama leads to origin of many diseases
  • Measures to remove Ama
• The six tastes and their effects on each dosha
• The 20 Gunas and their effects on dosha with examples of foods and herbs
• Two potencies (Veerya)
• Vipaka (affected taste after digestion)
• Prabhawa (inherited properties of herbs with examples)

Healthy person according to Ayurveda

• Ayurvedic definition of good health
• Dhathu sara lakshana (features of good health in relation to Dhathu)

Imbalances that lead to diseases

• Vikurthi (deviation from the natural constitution) – Etio-pathogenesis of diseases
• Vata upakrama (measures to pacify Vata)
• Pitta upakrama (measures to pacify Pitta)
• Kapha upakrama (measures to pacify Kapha)

Diagnostic methods in Ayurveda

• Thrividha pariksha (three ways of examination)
  • Darshana pareeksha
  • Prashna pareeksha
  • Sparsha pareeksha
• Ashta pariksha (the eight ways of examination)
  • Nadi (pulse)
  • Mutra (urine)
  • Mala (stools)
  • Jihva (tounge)
  • Shabdha (auditory)
  • Sparsha (palpation)
  • Druk (vision)
  • Akruthi (examining the physique and gait)
• Dashavidha pariksha (ten ways of examination)
• The holistic approach in Ayurveda of assessing both the illness and the person
• Choosing medicines according to the strength of the patinet o Environmental factors to be considered while administering treatments

Ayurveda therapeutics

• Two scopes of Ayurveda
  • Prevention of diseases
  • Curing diseases
• Principals of Ayurvedic treatment in relation to the five elements
• Mode of treatment
  • Shodhana (cleansing treatments to eliminate the root of diseases)
  • Three stages of purification
  • Purva karma (preparatory measures for cleansing)
  • Pradhana karma (Pancha karma)
  • Paschath karma (measures taken afterwards)
  • Panchakarma (the five cleansing methods in Ayurveda)
  • Shamana (pacifying the disease condition)
  • Tharpana (nourishing the body and improving its immunity and strength)

Dinacharya & Rithucharya

• An Ayurveda daily routine
• Seasonal regimen in Ayurveda

Yoga and its use in Ayurveda

• History of Yoga and its relation to Ayurveda
• Ashtanga Yoga and Kriya Yoga of Patanjali
• The classic approach and the therapeutic possibility – Understanding different layers of the mind
• An introduction to Samkhya and the Gunas
• Yoga according to dosha and guna constitution