One of the oldest systems of natural and preventative medicine in the world, the 5,000-year-old art of Ayurveda focuses on achieving equilibrium among the three kinds of energy, or doshas, found in the body: vata, pitta, and kapha. To determine your dosha, you will start your stay at this tranquil resort with an hour-long consultation conducted by a Western-trained M.D. and an Indian doctor or vaidya. (Healthy Living''s editor-in-chief migraines was amazed by the accuracy of their diagnoses; see her story on the next page.) once completed, a tailor-made plan is prescribed for you, which includes everything from meals and herbal supplements to exercise and treatments. then you''re left in the attentive and gentle hands of migraines the staff-who out number guests two to one. doctor''s orders: lie back, close your eyes, migraines and let the healing treatments begin. (all services and meals are included in the cost of your stay, which will range from $1,611 for three days to $3,760 for seven days.) some relaxing examples: the warm herbal oil massage (abhyanga), given in unison migraines by two technicians, loosens toxins in your tissues and soothes your skin. this release of impurities leaves you primed for either an herbal steam treatment (swedana) to further purify, or the relaxation treatment (shirodhara), during which a continuous flow of essential oil is poured over your forehead to settle your nervous system. sensuous mud and milk beauty baths are also available at your asking. whatever work is done, the tender touches of the technicians, combined with sound and aroma therapy, will leave you as limp as a noodle.

this 21-day program was designed by maharishi vedic medicine experts to help bring about perfect health and the full blossoming of consciousness. in order to achieve higher states of consciousness and/or clear experiences of transcending, it is necessary to purify the body and enliven the mind. as explained in the ayurvedic texts, the body is like a tree migraines whose roots are at the top; in order to nourish the whole tree, we must first nourish the head and migraines central nervous system. once the head and central nervous system are purified and balanced, the rest of the physiology comes more easily into balance. in addition, each of the five senses needs to be perfectly balanced, and purified. migraines many migraines specific procedures are used in this 21-day program to achieve this balance. the treatments expand to include the entire physiology, purifying and enlivening the inner intelligence of the body and allowing for the unobstructed flow of consciousness. this program is noted in the ayurvedic texts as having the ability to confer long life-span and to develop higher states of consciousness. those who have taken this special program report: "in the thirty years that i''ve been meditating this is the most pronounced progress that i''v ever experienced." b. mclaughlin "my physiology feels transformed: lighter, happier and overflowing with fullness. my daily experience now is one of inner happiness. bliss predominates in my mind, body, senses and consciousness.

to take advantage of these benefits, you first must understand one of the basic tenets of ayurveda: your dosha, or mind-body type. there are three doshas - vata, pitta and kapha. just as no two people have the same thumbprint, each person is a unique amalgam of all three migraines doshas, though one or two doshas are usually dominant. "finding your dominant dosha and embracing the appropriate lifestyle can have a profound effect on your health and well-being. according to ayurvedic philosophy, when your doshas are in balance you will exhibit the positive traits associated with your dominant dosha and feel your best. when they''re out of whack, the negative characteristics emerge and you get sick or stress-out. fortunately, once you have identified your dominant dosha, you can take steps to restore an imbalance - or, if you''re already in a state of physical and mental equilibrium, remain on an even keel. basically, achieving balance means understanding and working with your natural tendencies: flighty vatas need grounding; driven pittas need to practice moderation; slow-moving kaphas need stimulation. the changes that ayurveda prescribes - whether it''s to your diet, exercise routine or sleep migraines schedule - may initially seem frustrating, but they are well worth the health benefits, as alison may, a kapha, can attest. it was difficult to stick to my workouts and eat my biggest meal in the middle of the day. but i feel so much better since i''ve made the changes that now i want to do them!

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