Ayurveda has been at the forefront of Sri Lanka’s (and indeed India's) medical and holistic wellbeing scene for over three thousand years, founded on the belief that illness or disease is caused by an energy imbalance within our mind, body, or combined psyche. At a time when radical numbers of Londoners are suffering from burnout, stress, extreme fatigue, and a myriad of illnesses, there's little wonder that city dwellers are looking for an alternative to Western medicine and practices, and embracing Ayurveda treatments as part of their travels. In Sanskrit, ‘ayur’ means life and ‘veda’ is knowing or knowledge, so in simple terms, Ayurveda is ‘knowing life’ and the practice of keeping the mind and body in balance and fully connected to the planet.
Using expertise meticulously preserved over the years, Ayurvedic healers advocate plant and herbal treatment preparations, yogic poses, energy-increasing breathing techniques (Pranayama), natural herbal medicines, and oftentimes, a complete diet overhaul depending on your dosha type. There are three of these: Vata (air and space), kapha (water and earth), and pitta (fire) — with each of us thought to have a dominant dosha and differing quantities of the other two. When any of the five elements that make up the doshas are out of balance, biological, psychological, and physiopathological functions can be disturbed resulting in illness, stress, or pain.
Treatments to remedy these imbalances include deeply satisfying mas.