12 Day Residential Panchakarma Detox Retreat

Healing from diet and lifestyle disorders in a stunningly beautiful countryside location in Dorset

Go through a personal journey of healing, experiencing the power of Ayurveda in a fully catered specialist environment

  • Heal chronic illness and learn to manage life for better health and wellbeing
  • Enjoy massages and cleansing rituals with nature as your medium for healing
  • Practice yoga, pranayama and meditation 
  • Learn principles of Ayurvedic healing 
  • Eat the ayurvedic way: seasonal, local and organic healing foods

NEXT SESSION


6-17th January 24


What is Panchakarma?

The signature detox program of Ayurveda

Panchakarma procedures are prescribed for two reasons: for those who want to recover from long standing chronic disease and those wanting to rejuvenate and boost health.

Ayurvedic practices aim at eradicating diseases all together, not just managing them. However, if a condition cannot be cured, Ayurvedic healing will help improve the quality of life. Particularly conditions that require change of lifestyle and discontinuation of bad habits are well addressed with panchakarma routines. As clients go through an empowering learning journey they can carry over their learnings to their home lives.

Panchakarma has also been traditionally carried out preventatively. Especially during the change of seasons, its purpose is to help avoid seasonal disorders. It is also carried out for rejuvenative purposes for higher stamina and resilience. 

The detox journey starts with the enhancement of the digestive function and the elimination of toxins from the gut. This is done with a small intermittent fasting routine and intake of herbs. At the same time, the body is lubricated externally with medicated oils and internally with medicated ghee. This process is called snehana which helps toxins dislodge from the cells. Daily massages are followed by another detoxifying treatment called swedana, or sudation, which in our facility is done by staying inside an infrared sauna blanket.

When the body is ready, it will undergo a purge or a series of enemas. These procedures enhance the body’s own mechanics of elimination through the rectum. The panchakarma procedure might also include therapies such as nasal oiling called nasya or dry cupping.  

With the intake of condition-specific herbs, which can either be for boosting health or for healing from disease, the process consists of a rigorous mono-diet set within a small intermittent fasting regime with strong emphasis on evening fasting. The last meal is usually taken around 5pm, sometimes earlier but this varies according to the fasting stamina and the client’s state of health. 

Panchakarma culminates in a purge of a different kind, either by taking purgative herbs orally or by an enema. This can be a process that extends from a day to seven days, depending on the state of health and levels of toxicity. 

Ayurvedic treatment at Jivita Ayurveda
Shirodhara at Jivita Ayurveda

What's Included?

A ten-day panchakarma on a twelve day retreat is a highly focused program. It is a wonderful healing journey, rich in health-promoting activities. Relaxation is our main topic and is used to promote self-regulation or, in other words, the body’s innate ability to heal itself. From morning through evening and overnight, we create enlightening experiences and learning opportunities to bring the bodymind back to a state of safety and comfort. 

What’s included:

  1. 12 nights in a fully catered luxury lodge with modern amenities in an eighteenth century barn setting
  2. 10 Days of panchakarma 
  3. Full health consultation
  4. Full daily, fresh and delicious ayurvedic menu (personalised meal plans) 
  5. Diet and lifestyle plan for post-retreat life
  6. Daily massage treatments and herbal remedies
  7. 121 diet and lifestyle coaching
  8. Yoga, pranayama, yoga nidra and meditation classes
  9. Peaceful and stunningly beautiful surroundings

Add ons with no extra charge: 

Visits to see animals, idyllic nature walks, farm activities such as hedge laying.

A Typical Day

A typical day might consist of

  • 6am wake and morning routines (includes herbal remedies)
  • Exercise (appropriate to condition), pranayama and meditation
  • 7am Massage therapies
  • Personal hygiene routines
  • 9am Light breakfast  
  • Classes, Walks, Self-Study
  • 1pm Lunch (as per individual needs)
  • 15 min Nap
  • Afternoon activities (e.g. classes, yoga nidra, light movement, arts)
  • 5pm Light supper 
  • Evening Yin Yoga, pranayama, meditation
  • 10pm Lights off 
kitchari, Healthy Ayurvedic recipe Jivita Ayurveda Kensal Rise
wraxall

Wraxall Yard

Wraxall Yard is a beautifully renovated eighteenth-century farm, with state of the art facilities in the picturesque village of Lower Wraxall, in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in West Dorset

The space has been designed to cater for holiday makers in search for easily accessible luxury experiences within natural surrounding of the English countryside. With great attention to detail, its owners have designed a place which is not only functional in terms of accessibility but where the nature blends in with the interiors seen in custom made furniture and natural building materials and soft furnishing. Promoting sustainable, organic and local living, Wraxall Yard’s Nick and Katie have helped to create an ideal match to Jivita Ayurveda’s ethos. This exciting partnership allows us to create a combination of authentic ayurvedic healing experiences within a beautiful location, unique within the UK.

Wraxall Yard Website shows details of their estate, lodges and nature. It gives mores details of their mission to cater for those in need of relaxation and healing. 

About Your Ayurvedic Practitioner
Anu Paavola (B.Sc. Hons) Ayurveda, MAPA

Trained in Clinical Ayurveda in UK and India, Anu has dedicated over a decade to promoting ayurvedic living from her West London clinic and spa Jivita Ayurveda.

As founder of Jivita Academy of Ayurveda and the author of Ayurveda Detox: How To Cleanse, Balance and Revitalise Your Body her focus is on daily and seasonal cleansing practices. These are fundamental to staying healthy particularly before and after a panchakarma program.

Soon after establishing her clinical practice she realised that often clients required basic but fundamental education on healthy living. Ayurveda is directed towards self-care and many clients often require help in understanding what is within their control. It highlights issues that have most likely brought them to a state of imbalance or ill health. Anu passionately believes that healing should be a journey of self-discovery bringing lasting insights. All of this can be discovered through programs such as panchakarma.

Anu loves being creative in applying ancient wisdom of healing into modern context. She empowers her clients to take charge of their own health by increasing awareness in nutrition based on their individual needs. Incorporating her fifteen years of practice and teaching of yoga Anu’s approach to healing is almost unique to anywhere in London or the UK.

Frequently Asked Questions

Prices: 

12-night stay in Wraxall Yard, Lower Wraxall, Dorset. Shared occupancy cottage.

Twin room (based on two sharing) £5500 per person 

Double room £6000 per person

Separate cottage for sole use, price on request. 

There are a few options when you plan for your payments, which come with benefits the sooner you pay. Long term payment plans have an additional cost.

Deposit

To hold your reservation you will need to pay a non-refundable deposit of £500 unless you want to make a full payment immediately.

Full payment

Full payment will be required 30 days before arrival. 

Payment plans:

You can arrange a payment plan according to the time that is left between the first installment and the retreat. Full payment has to be made a month before the payment. 

Due to the nature of the therapy, length of the reservation, pre-purchasing of prescribed of materials in addition to staffing and logistics we cannot offer full refunds within 30 days of arrival. 

Our prices include VAT. 

After booking in, you will receive a welcome email and request to fill in the consultations forms and a  a meeting set-up in zoom for the initial consultation. 

You should also read the terms and conditions on our website. 

Ayurveda promotes something called self-regulation, or the body’s own ability to heal itself. It means coming back to balance with bodymind’s own genetically wired mechanisms which are promoted by the use of correct diet, lifestyle, herbs, massages and detoxing. 

The aim is to bring the client back to a state of homeostasis, i.e. balance and a feeling of wellbeing in a changing environment. This place is where we feel safe and comfortable. 

The bodymind regulates itself through autonomic nervous system (ANS), the one responsible for all activities that go “under the bonnet”, out of our awareness. When we perceive safety the ANS works in harmony. In distress the ANS changes its functioning to a fight or flight mode. It is useful if the stress lasts for a short period of time. Prolonged periods of stress consume the body and create a chronic state of inflammation. These states are best remedied by longer stays in nature, enjoying massage treatments that quickly bring the bodymind back to a place of comfort and regulating metabolism with diet and herbs. All these elements are brought together in our retreat environment and we expect great healings during our time together. 

Panchakarma is a process of rejuvenation of the whole system, the psychophysical self that has manifested an imbalance. From this point of view, any imbalance can be addressed by it. The end result can be complete healing or better disease management and thus improved quality of life.

Panchakarma is especially good for chronic lifestyle conditions caused by faulty diet and bad habits. Digestive disorders particularly are the speciality of Ayurveda and majority of the disease is, in fact, a caused by a digestive issue. Here’s a list of most common chronic conditions that in Ayurveda panchakarma process is the recommended remedial routine:

Acidity, nausea, gas, bloating, diarrhoea, constipation, yeast infection, food sensitivities, lethargy, lack of energy, chronic fatigue (ME), fibromyalgia, long covid, autoimmune disorders such as Crohn’s disease, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes type 2, neurological disorders such as spasms, tremors, rigidity, insomnia, anxiety, shifting pains and aches, subclinical conditions (can’t be diagnosed), psoriasis, eczema and other skin conditions, inflammatory conditions of any kind.

Panchakarma can also be taken preventatively and for the purposes of rejuvenation. This approach is called rasayana in Sanskrit.

Increasing stamina and resilience, vitality and possibly reproductive capacity come under the purview of rasayana of approach. Improved strength, adaptability and mental acuity can be expected as a result of this type of panchakarma. Season specific imbalances can be avoided with increases immunity and resistance to seasonal bacteria and viruses.

The program is designed to be a state-of-the-art Ayurvedic experience created by Jivita Ayurveda and is unique within the UK. At the heart of this program is the intention to provide a powerful,  embodied and enlightening experience of healing within nature’s bosom with authentic clinical ayurvedic methods.

We carefully personalise the experience to match the specific needs of our clients. Our team includes Doctor Mitali Patel who will be on hand should  additional medical consultation be required for those on medication or undergoing medical treatments.

Additional therapeutic services can be arranged upon request.

Wraxall Yard is designed for optimised accessibility including wheelchair use. The location, a village within one of Dorset’s Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, offers the opportunity for everyone  to enjoy the many delightful and peaceful aspects of this stunning part of the country.

The cleansing body needs to feel relaxed, safe and comfortable. A nice lush resort can certainly provide that but there are a few things that need to be considered, factors that can put the body out of balance: travel, climate, bacterial exposure and jet lag. It is highly recommendable to reserve time for acclimatisation in the new location before and after the actual detox. Many clients return from overseas retreats only to see the benefits disappear soon. Detoxing and re-establishing a good routinely daily detoxing rhythm require stability. Travel and all its dimensions can be counterproductive for this purpose.

Detox carried out as close as possible to home environment is a better choice. The new diet and lifestyle habits learned during detox should be adopted for a long term and applied in life after detox. Aftercare of a strong detox program is as important as the detox itself. It should be a fortifying experience of building strength and resilience onto a new level. Traveling can seriously disrupt the recovery from panchakarma and opens the gate for toxicity to settle in again.

The initial assessment of toxicity and strength determines the ideal detox program and its location. If the choice is to go abroad for example to cure a chronic long-standing health issue, it is recommend booking at least a week off on both sides of the actual cleanse. A successful panchakarma increases vitality and tolerance levels and consequently the travel back home might not be a problem after all. There is, however, a clear risk if acclimatisation, preparation and aftercare are ignored.

Every detox program is uniquely designed and might already start before the actual residential stay starts. The clients will undergo a thorough assessment before the retreat and will be prepared to start on the first morning of the residence

The arrival is on the preceding evening, on Sunday. We can arrange a pick up from the nearest train station such as Crewkerne for London arrivals.

The program ends on Wednesday and the check-out is on Thursday morning.

Generally speaking, be prepared to eat simple yet delicious foods. For this reason, it would be good to avoid heavy evening meals towards the start of the arrival.

Avoid bringing any food and snacks with you as we provide everything necessary. Eating out of the rhythms of our program can severely interrupt the on-going healing. 

You will need comfortable season appropriate clothing for day and night, toiletries to cater for your most basic needs. Bring books to read with light content, unlikely to create upset or induce negative mindsets. Do not bring work with you and prepare to minimised online presence as much as possible. Tell your family and friends to prepare for your retreat time and only contact you if it is absolutely necessary.

Bring a daily journal to write down your healing experiences. Photos can be taken with discretion (read T&Cs) and shared online after your retreat. 

Our journey of healing is a full day activity. Come with an open and motivated mind, with an attitude of acceptance of what is and the potentials of healing when it starts manifesting. The program can bring up feelings and emotions that are lodged in the tissues and their release might be necessary for the recovery of the bodymind. The aim of the process is exactly that. Release the patterns or conditionings that maintain ill health in the physical self so that energy flows, nutritions is received and toxins come out. 

A retreat entails the creation of a healing sanctuary that shields the bodymind from the routines and stressors that typify our everyday lives. Interruption will severely limit the benefits of the program.

You will be requested to commit to stay within the locality unless a specific excursion is included.

Usage of mobile phones or other screens is kindly requested to be kept to a minimum. 

As your healing will be the focus and priority, we will encourage minimizing external interferences and distractions as much as possible. Please remember, prior to arrival, to plan and request that calls and messaging whilst you are at the retreat are kept to a minimum.

Expect to be in a group of 2-4 people during this time. Anu might have an assistant, depending on the size of the group. 

You can book a room for yourself or share with someone and the overall price will vary according to your choices. 

We are willing to consider a family member, a friend or an assistant of your own, if your health condition requires it. There is also an option of hiring a separate cottage just for yourself and your company. 

Wraxall Yard is located in the picturesque village of Lower Wraxall in the heart of West Dorset. 

Address: Wraxall Yard, Lower Wraxall, Dorchester, DT2 0HL

The closest towns with train stations are Crewkerne, Dorchester and Weymouth.

We can arrange transport to and from nearby stations for an additional fee.

Check the map. (link)

After ten days of healing through carefully designed meal plans, stress management, massage treatments, herbs and cleanses, you can certainly expect to be in a different place from when you came in. Having gone through a journey of learning through experience, you should be able to take the teachings to life beyond the retreat with confidence. You will be have learned a whole new way of effectively managing your health and wellbeing. Our aim is to prepare your bodymind to be more resilient and adaptable to ever changing life situations, your sense of wellbeing will last outside of the retreat and hopefully long into the future.

If treatment protocols have been followed to the letter you can expect more vitality and energy, good digestion, more focus and improved cognitive functions, confidence and competence in understanding what is good for you as an individual. You should be able understand how to take charge of your own health and not depend so much on others for advice. 

Free On-Demand Workshop

Not quite ready to commit? Check out our free on-demand workshop where you learn to use food as a medicine.

In this training you will learn a fresh model that allows you to practice and apply authentic Ayurveda by syncing with the seasons and timing your activities right.
 
Anu will lay out the Ayurvedic diet and lifestyle into an easy and fun everyday practice without complicated food lists and doshas to think about. There’s no obscure terminology and – if you stay to the end – there’s even more more free learning material.

Get the Ayurveda Detox book

How To Cleanse, Balance and Revitalise Your Body

Ayurveda Detox Book Anu Paavola

Your practitioner Anu is the author of Ayurveda Detox:  How To Cleanse, Balance and Revitalise Your Body, available from Amazon, Waterstones and Blackwell’s. 

Her book will inspire you to try pace your daily and seasonal rhythms in a way that additional detox programs become almost redundant. Ayurvedic living is detoxifying per se and if you haven’t experienced it yet, learn from this book and create a new detox program for yourself that not only cleanses you but teaches you habits of a lifetime. 

Find out more about Anu’s Ayurveda Detox book.

Jivita Ayurveda in London is an organic wellbeing centre where ayurvedic treatments and detox programs are offered along with organic ayurvedic beauty treatments. Residential panchakarma detox programs run regularly in Dorset in an authentic ayurvedic hospital set up, unique in UK.

Jivita Academy of Ayurveda offers ayurvedic education in the form of ayurvedic nutrition and ayurvedic massage techniques. Courses in ayurveda are adapted to the modern urban life without compromising tradition. Online education programs in ayurveda are run on demand. In person courses in ayurvedic massage are run regularly in London in our ayurvedic clinic, Jivita Ayurveda, in Kensal Rise. 

 

 

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