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WHAT happens in a Maharishi Ayurveda consultation?

Most people wouldn't know what to expect in an ayurvedic consultation, so Dr. Brennan from the Maharishi Ayurveda Centre gives us the low-down on what is involved.

Maharishi Ayurveda is authentic Ayurveda, in accord with the most ancient Ayurvedic texts. Its purpose is to empower people to enjoy better health and to promote happiness and fulfilment in their lives.

Since the words Ayu and Veda mean knowledge of life a consultation must lead to a better understanding of yourself and what suits your nature. It includes a process of assessment of your own nature and also of any problems you may have. Your current lifestyle and foods will also be discussed. Recommendations are then made concerning appropriate changes, and a prescription of herbal products will usually be given.

If it is your first consultation you will be asked to fill in a form beforehand giving details of yourself and your health. This is so that the time of the actual consultation can be most effectively focused to your needs, and also to ensure that nothing is missed. Usually the physician will also wish to establish whether or not you have background knowledge of Maharishi Ayurveda. He or she will want to make sure that you fully understand the recommendations. If you do not have any background knowledge, then he or she will want to give more explanation during the consultation.

The doctor uses the senses of hearing, sight and touch when making an assessment of your health. During a question and answer session the doctor listens to what you say about your habits and symptoms. The sense of sight is equally important, because your structure, your build, the texture of the skin and hair, the colour of your cheeks and eyes, etc. all give clues to your nature, as does also the tone and pitch of your voice.

The sense of touch is used in the process of taking the pulse. Nadi Vigyan, or the Vedic skill of reading the pulse, is a fascinating procedure. The most skilled practitioner of pulse reading can understand you and your complaints just by feeling that impulse of life that flows through the pulse on the wrist. This is because all the dynamics that organise your physiology and all the qualities of your nature are available in the pulse. But this requires skill and years of experience to be able to feel them completely.

After taking your pulse and a discussion of your complaints, the consultation moves on to the recommendations. These are of two types: firstly those that encourage changes that actively contribute to balance and well-being; secondly those that gently persuade you to desist from some of the things you are currently doing that are aggravating the problem!

For example, people with arthritis might be advised to sip hot water frequently (this helps remove toxins that would otherwise irritate the joints) and to favour warm rather than cold foods (warm food is easier to digest, and the joint problem will be helped by improving digestion).

Or someone suffering from anxiety would be advised to adopt a more regular routine, because as the physiology becomes more settled through good routine, the mind tends to become quieter and more balanced.

Someone suffering from depression on the other hand, needs to understand why sleeping late in the morning will make him or her feel worse. This is because sleeping late increases the sluggishness and heavy feelings that come with depression.

There may be many suggestions for improvements in food, digestion and lifestyle, which the physician will cover. For example, Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation is a common recommendation, as its benefits are powerful for both mind and body and scientific research indicates that it is helpful in many conditions. Digestion and how to improve it is another common focus, since good digestion is essential for healthy tissue, strong immunity and good energy.

Two additional areas of recommendation may arise in the consultation. One is the purification therapy known as Panchakarma that is recommended for the removal of deep-seated toxins. The other is the use of herbal preparations, which restore balance by enlivening the body's own healing intelligence.

Those herbal formulas used in Maharishi Ayurveda are prepared according to the most ancient and authentic recipes, and are also laboratory-tested to the highest modern standards. Being natural and time-tested, we find these preparations to have 'side-benefits' (e.g. all-round well-being in addition to the specific effect for which the product is used) in contrast to the harmful side-effects that are associated with pharmaceutical medicines.

The initial consultation lasts one hour. It is usual for the physician to recommend a 30-minute follow-up consultation within a few weeks to monitor progress and increase understanding.

As a consultation in Maharishi Ayurveda is about helping you to develop your health, it is invariably a relaxed and enjoyable experience.

Maharishi Ayurveda Health Centres

Consultations are available in several of the larger cities of the UK

For consultations in London, call: 020 7724 6267

For other parts of the country, phone 01695 51008 or visit Booking Your Ayurveda Health Consultations in the UK

Dr. Brennan's articles are courtesy of the Maharishi Ayurveda Health Centre, 24 Linhope St. London NW1 6HT. Copied from: clickwalla.com