Why Monsoon Season is the Best Time for an Ayurveda Retreat
Don't avoid the rainy season if you want the ultimate healing holiday
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Ancient Indian healing form Ayurveda is gaining traction as a wellness trend, but when is the best time to give it a try? You might think that the monsoon season with its heavy rainfall isn’t the ideal time to head away on a wellness break, but think again: in actual fact, this could be the best time to do an Ayurveda retreat. But what is it about the monsoon season that makes it the perfect time for an Ayurveda retreat?
Ayurveda Retreats & Monsoon Season
What is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda is India’s ancient form of healing rooted in the belief that ill health is a result of an imbalance in the body’s internal energies (the doshas) and uses therapies such as panchakarma and a nutritional diet to rebalance them. The benefits of this holistic type of healing are lauded by many, and it is said during the monsoon season that these benefits are greater than ever.
Ayurveda & Monsoon Season: It’s More Relaxing
Most would agree that the pitter patter of the rain has soothing effects, especially when you have no real need to be out and about in it. When you are spending your time trying to unwind and heal, the calming effect of the rain can be particularly beneficial. When your mind and body are in a state of relaxation, you are much more open to the healing powers of the treatments, so you will notice greater benefits from them. As the monsoon season also limits what physical activities you can do during the heavy rainfall, you will avoid too much exertion giving your body the chance to rest and feel the full effects of the treatments.
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The Body Responds Better to Treatments
The rain and humidity help to open the pores and soften the skin, something that will allow the Ayurveda treatments to have a greater effect on the body. Ayurveda treatments often involve the application of oils and use of steam to flush out toxins within the body and rebalance the doshas. With open pores and softened skin, the body is more receptive to these kinds of treatments, allowing them to penetrate better and lift the toxins with greater ease.
The Climate is More Comfortable
The monsoon season brings with it cooler temperatures and less dust than is present in India at other times of the year, making this a generally more comfortable time to visit. Heat and dust can irritate the body and also induce stress – not ideal circumstances when you are trying to rejuvenate.
Monsoon: New Life
The ‘Varsha ritu’ (or rainy season) is suggestive of new life and invigoration. Monsoons provide new life to all living beings; the plants look lush green and verdant and the surrounding is teeming with new life forms. It also brings a prospect of awareness, whether it drizzles or occur as a wall of water, the soft musical vibrations over the lush green, silencing the noise of our daily life, slowing us down from the intense world.
According to Charaka: “All diseases begin at the junction of seasons”. So, when life journeys through the heat and dryness of the summer months stepping towards the rains, the ämlata/acidity in the environment during this interim period naturally creates aggravation of the vata dosha (air bioenergy) and accumulation of the pitta dosha (fire bioenergy) leading to weakening of individuals strength. This imbalance imparts weakness and dryness of tissues, making ourselves vulnerable to lower immunity, allergies, indigestion, infection and sluggish metabolism.
Ayurveda advises having subtle cleansing, rejuvenating treatments along with nurturing and nourishing ourselves through a regimen of beneficial diet and lifestyle to balance the bioenergies, augment the metabolism and immunity. This plays an important role in realigning these imbalances; building our immunity and checking the adverse impact of seasonal changes on the body. The body’s pores open up and it becomes more receptive to healing and the process of getting rid of toxins. The wisdom of Ayurveda not only helps us to enjoy the beauty of rains and nature but also to appreciate the beauty of enhanced wellbeing.
BOOK IT:
Healing Holidays Ayurveda Retreat offer gives you 14 night Panchakarma retreat at Ananda In The Himalayas with a saving of almost £3000, whilst Vana retreat in India offers nearly £1,500 of savings during Monsoon season.
