Discover the healing art of Abhyanga,
the signature Ayurvedic massage

Professional course
10-14th May 26
London

Price: £1300

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This immersive 5-day Abhyanga training is designed for both professional massage therapists seeking to expand their skillset (CPD course) and individuals interested in learning the ancient wisdom of Ayurvedic bodywork for personal use. Rooted in the Ayurvedic tradition, Abhyanga is a deeply nourishing full-body oil massage that restores balance, calms the nervous system, and promotes profound relaxation.

Throughout the course, you will gain both theoretical understanding and practical skills. We’ll explore the principles of Ayurveda and how abhyanga supports dosha balance, self-regulation and overall vitality. Each day combines guided demonstrations with supervised hands-on practice to ensure confidence and competence.

Whether you are a therapist looking to offer authentic Ayurvedic treatments or a wellness enthusiast wanting to bring healing touch into your home, this course provides a comprehensive and enriching foundation in Abhyanga massage.

PROGRAM SCHEDULE

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LIFE FORCE

Life force resides is in us all. We human beings are deeply integrated in the web of life. We are nature, not a separate entity from nature like some Oxford dictionary wants us to believe:

“the phenomena of the physical world collectively, including plants, animals, the landscape, and other features and products of the earth, as opposed to humans or human creations”

Instead, humans are a big part of the phenomena and use the intelligence within the life force to create life, evolve and thus heal, repair and to rejuvenate. We are part of nature and without it we would not have intelligence of evolution.  

Our bodies are highly sophisticated and intelligent. The reason why we suffer is because we’ve created barriers for the intelligence to flow. Our body clocks are out of alignment with the light and dark cycle, we eat anytime we feel, we are stressed out, anxious, depressed by living in an environment that does not feel safe and comfortable anymore.  We’ve lost emotional intelligence and resilience because of the amount of challenges we need to face on a daily basis.

As mentioned above, healing and recovery are possible if we remove the barriers and allow the body do its own work, called self-regulation. The life force, called prana in ayurvedic terms, is strong and intelligent and will start flowing as water does when a dam is broken

ADVANTAGE OF UK BASED RETREATS

UK based retreats create an advantage with respect to the ones abroad. Stress (causing tension) by travel, long flights, crossing time zones are able to nullify the effects achieved. If you travel far to be healed, you will need time around the retreat to adjust to the environment, climate, new foods, microbial environment, the pace of life and many other factors. You also need to be established well in your wellbeing before you should travel back. If you intend to spend two weeks on an exotic retreat location, you should book at least a month away.

Here in UK, we can create a diet and lifestyle that matches with your local needs and resources, not disturb body clocks by jet lag nor immunity by a drastic change of bacterial exposure. When healing is priority, removal of barriers around it is the most important thing. Traveling far can, on its own, create another layer of barriers and slow or prevent healing all together.

About Anu

Anu is the founder of Jivita Ayurveda Spa and Clinic, director or Jivita Academy of Ayurveda and author of Ayurveda Detox: How To Cleanse, Balance and Revitalise Your Body.

She has been involved in education in Finland already when studying in the university of Helsinki in the Nineties. The real passion for teaching was inspired by her turn of career from language studies to Ayurveda. 

Trained in clinical Ayurveda, Anu released soon that to get results with clients they needed fundamental education on basic healthy living. Ayurveda is mainly about self-care and most of the times clients need help in understanding what is in their power to do.

Having started teaching in a yoga teacher training school called Yoga London in 2010 she developed her interest in education and launched Jivita Academy of Ayurveda to respond to the high demand of quality courses with hands-on approach for therapists and nutritionists.

Her passion in education is also visible in client work. Anu is passionate about translating 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 twenty years of practice and teaching of yoga Anu’s approach to healing is almost unique to anywhere in London or the UK.

Anu has created a community of enthusiasts by teaching that health in its right form brings about joy in life. Healing and recovering in her opinion do not exclude fun and enjoyment but are an extension of balanced and abundant life.

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Autumn is the season of withdrawal. It makes you want to put warm slippers on and enjoy a warm cuppa on the couch. After a long period of growth and production in spring and summer, nature is preparing to rest and gather strength for the growth season ahead in spring. The climate is always changing but something remains constant and that is the repeating sequence of seasons. No matter how warm or cool our climate gets, we cannot change the order of appearance of seasons.

Each repeating season brings along qualities of its own kind. With recurrence there is predictability and predictability in its turn allows prevention. We know well how winter is cooler than summer, spring brings warmer rains and autumn is the time of shedding leaves, hibernating and saving energy. Knowing the qualities of each season we can prevent seasonal disorders.

In my last message I already discussed how the qualities of each season determine our cravings and aversions. They guide our behaviour which, in a set rotational appearance, create patterns which manifest in our conscious and unconscious choices for food and activities.

The autumn qualities of cold, dry and light create cravings for warm comforts, cosy nights and hearty heavy food, both sweet and savoury. Food is a stabiliser for an anxious mind as it is both nourishing and comforting. Best seasonal foods now are full of proteins and fat that keep our nervous systems pacified.

Seasonal disorders present themselves mainly in our nervous system. Sensation of pain is more heightened now. Headaches and joint pains are more prominent in this period. Dryness of winter might manifest in constipation, irritation,

itching, split fingertips and dry mucous membranes. Seasonal affective disorder, insomnia, anxiety and general feeling of instability is how late autumn and winter can assault the mind.

Resorting to diet and lifestyle that counteracts these tendencies is essential. The task is not difficult. Mother Nature provides all necessary items and important nutrients in her seasonal produce.  Everything that grows in late summer and autumn is heavy in quality. You notice it because these items sink in water. Spring food, light in quality, floats. Heavy foods are also dense in nutrients. Cook these foods with a hefty amount of good fats such as organic ghee and if you are an omnivore, you can add a bit of meat. Otherwise always add some pulses in your meals. Increased fat and protein intake is necessary, as mentioned earlier. As for spices all spices are good but be mindful not to overdo it with chilli. Just a pinch is enough now as it irritates the nerves.

Finally, an addition of fermented foods in your meals is highly beneficial in order to help your friendly bacteria to grow. They are excellent in increasing your defences against unfriendly microbes and also contribute to your vitamin C reserves. Ferments should be a condiment in your food, not the main course. They are highly heating, acidic and tamasic in energetic terms. A spoonful at every meal is enough. Options to consider are sauerkraut, kimchi, yoghurt, cheese and chutneys.

Another way of counteracting seasonal tendencies for imbalance is to have a calming and relaxing massage. Full body massage with warm nourishing oils can do magic to both body and mind. An hour session can change the tide dramatically creating a calm, focused state of being in a relaxed and vital body. Check out our seasonal offer with our new covid safe infrared mini sauna on the couch after the treatment.

Stay warm and healthy!

Anu & the Team

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From an Ayurvedic perspective having a strong routine and a framework around which conduct our lives increases our tolerance levels and resilience. A solidly structured life decreases reactivity and reduces the incidence of losing control. But what if the structures around us start disintegrating as we have seen in the last week or so? What if we have much less or no control in maintaining and arranging our lives as we like them to be? What if we are forced out of our comfort zones and still required to maintain calm, be tolerant and resilient for the greater good? People are asked to stay home for weeks now and that alone can be a cause for more worry than the virus itself. How can we survive this confinement without losing our heads?

CONNECTION FROM THE START

The most important factor for mammalian wellbeing is the connection we have with one another. Mammals deliver offspring that are not able to cope on their own and therefore need 24h surveillance for feeding and maintaining a sense of safety. We are born into this world dependent on our parents or carers and this early connection is what defines us for the rest of our lives. We are social animals and the mutual relationship is defined right from the start, even before we are born.

The baby and the mother establish cues between themselves to communicate safety. These behaviours are universal for all mammals, the most important being the vicinity with one another. The mother’s presence is felt by touch but can also be conveyed by the sound and eye contact. Hearing mother’s soothing voice has a calming effect on the baby. Imagine breastfeeding where all these elements come together: touching the skin, hearing mother’s soothing melodious voice and staring lovingly at each other’s eyes. Without these elements a child is less able to thrive.

These features that establish connection with one another persist for the rest of our lives. Social connection is an elementary need without which we do not thrive. We need safe and loving engagement with one another and we need to vocalise our needs and hear comforting words. When we feel isolated, lonely and unable to establish a safe connection with others our bodies will respond by turning on defences and a survival mode. In this state healing is difficult.

What do we do when these connecting elements disappear from our lives because of self-isolation or even being forced to isolate? How are we able to thrive and have strong resilience against any disease not to mention an invisible threat like the coronavirus? Especially, how are the old and lonely people coping when even the limited interactions are cut off?

SATTVIC LIVING

In Ayurveda and in Yoga philosophy positive social engagement is defined by word sattva. It is a state of mind which helps to connect with one another from a perspective of loving kindness. It is an attitude established in empathy and compassion towards ourselves, towards other fellow beings and the environment around us. It is an approach that encompasses the whole range of living experiences in order to create a place of safety and comfort.

We need to cultivate sattva now more than ever. Our lives have been turned upside down and we are called in by Mother Nature to express the best in us by showing determination in maintaining a sattvic mind during this period of global emergency. Sattva can be cultivated on our own and with others. The practice of sattva starts from simple things like creating a routine. Routine creates anticipation which is generally a comforting thought for the mind. Knowing what happens next reduces anxiety about the future. Sleeping, eating, exercise, hobbies, screen time and personal hygiene routines can be timed in our schedules around which we can do ad hoc activities. After routine has been created, self-development and emotional maturity exercises, mindfulness and other inspiring activities help the mind be focused and stay present. Lastly, thinking about routines as rituals that help fortify the mind and keep connected to the force field of your belief. If you have a spiritual life integrate practices every day and be methodical. Discipline and repetition are the key words for success in mind control and doorways to access emotional maturity and spiritual emancipation.

I want to share a few tips with which improve our ability to maintain sattva in all moments of our lives.

• Maintain the rhythm of the body clocks. Create a routine – Write down what you need to do daily at home. Create variety within the basic routine
• Limit times around the screens especially in the evening
• Read a book or listen to an audiobook before you go to sleep
• Try to live with more in sync with the dark-light cycle – go to bed earlier and wake up earlier
• Eat two good meals per day – have late breakfast and late lunch, especially if you are doing less exercise than usual. Fast in the evenings, or have only a piece of seasonal fruit
• Do your aerobic exercise in the morning and low impact in the evening
• Practice meditation – download an app e.g. Headspace which is has an excellent journey for starters
• I also recommend binary beat meditation (for example Holosync), an audio meditation that regulates brain waves
• Drink hot water in sips throughout the day
• Have a bathing/shower routine: Do body brushing before shower/bath. Then self-massage with an organic oil

• Act from a place of loving kindness. Make a conscious effort for extra acts of kindness. Say or do or just think something nice, make a comment that would solicit a smile. Create good karma. Think about your actions and act with intention of creating good
• Dedicate time for self-development. Read inspiring books, listen to calming music, do art. Listen to experts and spiritual leaders you feel affinity towards
• Make eye contact with loved ones but don’t force it
• Talk in melodious voice, low monotonous voices are subconsciously considered threatening
• Smile to the ones you can reach
• Smile at your own, even if it is not genuine. It promotes the body to start self-regulation and healing
• Talk about issues, worries, anxieties and problems but don’t force a conversation. Many of us are in a defensive state, either aggressive or dissociated and are not able take information in. Be patient and wait for a right moment to talk or give advice.

On that last note I realise there are innumerate situation of life and my advice do not apply to everyone. I am just sharing a few pointers that might be useful and lessen the burden of confinement. Being in a closed environment with the same people for a long time puts pressure on anyone and we need now to step up with our game to show patience and tolerance like never before. This advice might not work for you and this is perfectly fine.

If you’d like to talk more use our email anu@jivitaayurveda.com if you have any questions that I might be able to help you with. Happy to be of service.

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Oh boy, we are getting closer and closer to the climax of vata! Every time period of the year of a specific dosha exhibits an increasing amount of their characteristic attributes by the end of that period. Summer, the pitta period, is at its hottest in August.

Spring, the kapha time that we are moving towards right now, is wettest at the end of May. Our current period of winter is a time when qualities of dry, cold and lightness are felt in abundance. We feel these qualities on our skin, in our sleep, in our gut activity and so on. These qualities irritate the nerves and mess up with our brain activity.  Our nervous system is clearly under attack. Here’s a list of seasonal disorders you might be feeling.

• Runny nose: light, watery mucous and lots of sneezing by irritation of mucous lining by cold
• Insomnia and/or anxiety due to all the above-mentioned qualities creating restlessness and worry
• Constipation by dehydration in the gut
• Cold hands and feet: tension created by cold sensation
• Increased blood pressure: cold induced tension
• Increase urination: increased blood pressure
• Dehydration: increased tension by cold leading to increased urination
• Increased sensation of pain: hypersensitive nerves
• Dry lips and skin, cracked nails, dry hair, dandruff: dehydration as per above
• Toothache by tense nerves

What to do is relatively simple. Enjoy the opposite qualities of wet, heavy and warm. Avoid anything cold, drinks and food included. Make sure you have a routine in your days and that you rest more than usual. Take a nap after lunch if you can.

• Keep warm, especially head, neck and chest, lower back and kidney area
• Drink hot water in sips throughout the day
• Avoid raw and cold foods
• Eat warm cooked food with plenty of healthy fats and a good amount of natural salt
• Use mild spices, avoid chilli
• Ayurvedic massage brings all the qualities you need in this season; relaxation, safety, calms the nervous system, warm oils feed the body and skin, lymphatic drainage, as well as invigorating the energies
• Nourish your nose with ayurvedic nasya oil, especially if it is dripping and irritable
• Make sure you are warm when you go to bed. If your bedding is thin, take a hot water bottle and place it on your heart or tummy. Put on your woolly socks, long johns and what have you to make sure you are warm
• If you catch cold make sure you warm up immediately when you get a chance. A warm bath, or even sit next to a radiator to get the warmth back into your body as soon as
• Enjoy a hot herbal tea or even better, have a drink of Chyawanprash jam in hot milk of your choice, both dairy or plant based ones are good
• Sesame oil gargling:
  15 min swishing around, spit and rinse with warm water

Generally, avoid extremes, don’t push your limits now but take it easy and hold on to the middle path for a month or so now. Otherwise you’ll go into the springtime congested and cold and will risk the load of seasonal disorders from that period as well. One of the reasons why we do season appropriate activities is also to prepare for the next season. We want to enjoy the delights of spring in good health and vitality instead of potential congestion, asthma, hay fever, tiredness, water retention, depression and all sorts of ills brought by the qualities of the new period. Get ready now, be comfy and stay warm.

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