AYURVEDA & ME - EDITION 6
6/12/202515 min read
This blog series is my offering to you, a chance to see how Ayurveda is weaved into my life & how you can apply these principles to your own life.
Welcome to the sixth edition of Ayurveda & Me!
This blog format is a little different, it is based on my diary extracts from the at-home Panchakarma program I did last year. Panchakarma (PK) is a transformative process, a suite of Ayurvedic purification procedures to cleanse and detox, normally followed by a rejuvenation period.
So what does this mean? The word panchakarma is derived from two words; pancha = five, karma = procedures Ayurvedic cleansing and rejuvenation procedures.
The 5 karmas:
Basti, which used herbal enemas to purge the large intestines
Nasya, which is the method used to clean the nasal passage
Vamana, removes toxins in the stomach through therapeutic vomiting
Virechana, removes toxins from the small intestines
Raktamokshana, purifies the blood with letting of small quantities of blood
As my treatment was ‘at home’ is excluded therapeutic vomiting or blood letting. I was guided & supported by my teacher Myraji & the Hale Pule PK team.
My intention in this blog is to give an honest, unfiltered account of how I felt physically, mentally, and emotionally and what you might expect should you choose to gift yourself this wonderfully rewarding experience.
It was in the early part of 2024 that I decided to that I would complete the Panchakarma program offered at Hale Pule. I viewed it as both a reward for committing to my training program as an Ayurvedic Health Advisor and an opportunity to deepen my understanding of these Ayurvedic treatments. Choosing to study with Hale Pule was an easy decision, Myraji had ignited something in me and I loved Hale Pule’s approach of walking the walk as it were. To experience a Panchakarma felt like the perfect compliment to my studying.
A prerequisite for completing the at home PK is to have completed their Agni Therapy program which I did in the 2023 so my first box was ticked – now I needed Myraji’s approval. Although I had been on many live lectures with Myraji I felt a little nervous speaking to her on a one to one basis. All that evaporated as I joined the video call, Myraji has this wonderfully gentle approach and I immediately felt at ease. I also opted to include a full consultation with Myraji in my package.
Following my consultation I received a bundle of personalised herbs, oils and tea in the post. I also received lots of supporting materials, including a 68 page document of fully detailed instructions, PK specific meditations and energy practices, all exceeding my expectations but also grateful to feel everything was covered and I was fully supported.
Day minus 1
“I am ready for the coming days, my goal is to fully embrace this shift towards a cleaner, calmer and fulfilling life change. I want to be sure that I am not holding on to any past emotions. I am looking to an inner peace that is long lasting, to have mental clarity. Today is a preparation day, I have enjoyed my kitchari meals today, no cravings. I walked after lunch and enjoyed being outside in the sunshine - this I will miss for the next two weeks. Looking forward to rejuvenation phase at the end of two weeks!”
Closing thoughts
I have continued to get up early, it has been great starting the day earlier than usual. To begin with it was easy, it was the middle of summer and light out - I was, however successful in continuing through the winter months. Being up at 6am, when it is cold and dark was a little harder. I reminded myself that I had slept for long enough, that I would feel better getting up, getting into my zen den for my morning practice. And it has worked, being awake early is now a natural habit - a helpful one when the puppy arrived in January….
I found the whole experience very rewarding, the space and time it gave me was beyond what I expected. It was fascinating. I know there will always be some areas of improvement, 2025 has thrown some extra wiggles on my path but I remain committed to living a clean, calm and healthy lifestyle. My focus now is to complete an Agni Therapy reset at the end of this month. I will also reassess my yoga practice. I have only returned to a regular yoga practice since fully adopting an Ayurvedic lifestyle so I remind myself to be patient, years of working at a desk will take some time to unwind the stiffness.
My daily diary entries served as an important reflection exercise during panchakarma, I have found it fascinating revisiting my diary a few times. It is a reminder of how strong my willpower is and also that these simple practices cultivate such calm and inner peace.
Towards the end of this month I will be doing a full reset for a week, not as deep as PK but certainly more than a simple reset, using Hale Pule’s Agni Therapy program as a framework. Returning to a state of pure peace and stillness within. Modernity doesn’t often afford us the luxury of space and time, life always seems busy, often glorifying a busy lifestyle, the mentality that only busy is worthy, like a badge of honour. You have to honour yourself instead and at times carve out that space and time that is so needed. I created my August Wellness Challenge with my reset in mind as it will be a perfect end to the month. If you haven’t checked this out yet head over to my Facebook Group – Inner Nourishment for details, it is FREE and easy to join in. It is never to late to join the slow living party!
f you’re curious about experiencing Panchakarma or Agni Therapy. Or simply introducing more rest and balance into your life I’d be happy to guide you or connect you with the team at Hale Pule. Their experience and expertise is second to none and much deeper than anything I can guide you through. To learn from the best is an honour and a privilege – a cliché I know but truly heartfelt.
You can join the August Wellness Challenge in my Inner Nourishment Facebook group—free and designed to bring you back to stillness.
This has been great to share this experience with you, I'd love to know what your thoughts are so do let me know.
Inside Panchakarma: Rest, Reset and Reconnect
My Personal Diary
Join my Facebook Group - Inner Nourishment or follow me on Instagram
It wasn’t any notable health concerns that led me down this path, it was more a completing of the circle if you will. A sense that this was required to finish off this particular chapter. As my start date approached I did question why I was putting myself through the program but ultimately I knew it was a gift to myself (my future self).
Myraji suggested a two week program:
Week 1: Oleation and purging (ghee drinking, internal oils, rest)
Rest Day
Week 2: Basti treatments (herbal enemas)
My meals were simple but familiar:
Breakfast – Kunyi (soft rice cooked with ghee, salt, ginger, turmeric)
Lunch & Dinner – Kitchari (rice, split mung bean, ghee, spices, vegetables)
I knew I could manage the food, I was only apprehensive about the treatments themselves. My daily instructions were very comprehensive which was comforting, however I did feel little nervous.
If you have ever wondered what panchakarma would be like or if you are curious about what genuine rest and stillness might feel like then take a look at the following extracts from my diary during my treatment. I jotted down my thoughts and feelings each morning and evening each. My aim was largely to document my journey but also as reflection exercise. During PK, rest is vital so using my time to keep a diary seemed sensible.
Two whole weeks of rest also seemed challenging as I am not one for sitting around for too long, partly fidgety and partly that there is always something to be doing. I can’t even watch a whole film in one sitting!! My diary entries reveal what happened when I finally learned to fully rest…
I had been practicing some journaling leading up to PK which took some time to fully get into. The day before starting was a preparation day. I had no hesitation about day minus 1 as most of the suggested practices were familiar. I also picked up my new notebook for journaling and made some notes about how I was feeling, my first diary entry to begin my PK journey.
Day 1
“A successful first day! Felt slightly nauseated around 30 minutes after drinking ghee but this subsided quickly. Triphala tastes odd, not unpleasant but just odd and at least tolerable. I didn’t enjoy lunch today. I also don't enjoy nasal cleansing, half the time I am unconvinced that all of the water has made it through my nasal passage rather than just run all over the sink!! The neti pot is ready for tomorrow, I am committed to this program and will just have to suck up the nasya each morning.
Helped Poppy book her holiday but I have mostly rested and did a little bit of sewing. Abhyanga was calming, it was lovely to really dedicate time to this without worries about what else is on the to do list. A strange sensation to dedicate a whole day to myself. All in all I am happy with day 1, off to bed early to read now”
Day 2
“Wow, I did not feel great after drinking ghee this morning. I felt better after breakfast for a short while but the nausea returned shortly after. I spent some time reflecting on yesterday’s journal prompts, focusing on my guilty working mum issue – something I knew would come up, I remind myself that our girls have had a blessed upbringing and although I worked they always had their dad here.
The nausea got progressively worse, lunch was unsatisfying, didn’t bother with cooking any veggies. Support from Myraji & the HP team has been fantastic.
Again, abhyanga was great today, meditation practice felt great too. Enjoying the rest which feels slightly strange as I never truly rested like this. My only ‘chore’ is cooking my food plus dinner for the family. Interestingly cooking dinner for everyone felt fine - I found the smell of the food was better than I expected as the nausea had passed. No other chores, just some reading, journaling and reflection exercises. The custom tea blend is delicious and feels like a real highlight. Empty house this evening so more peace and relaxation before an early bedtime.”
Day 3
“Up very early on day 3, tummy felt unsettled but otherwise all ok. Completed my dinacharya in a different order this morning to fit around the coming and going in the house and to not feel rushed. The ghee was really unpleasant today, I love using ghee for cooking so hope this doesn’t put me off using it. Everyone is out now so the house is quiet. Breakfast was just ok, hoping to enjoy lunch more today. I will have to make more ghee tomorrow as I am using so much of it!!
Some further reflections today, I am enjoying the specific meditations provided by Myraji. I love how everything for each day is set out with guidance on timing and options for what to do.
Dinner was very bland today, felt nauseated still so didn’t enjoy it at all. My evening has been less relaxing than planned but that is just family life – nothing stressful just not a calm as I expected. An early night will help.”
Day 4
“Good start to the day, feeling much less nauseated. Gave myself a talking to before drinking the ghee, not a pleasant experience but a necessary one.... Breakfast does seem to help even though I don’t look forward to it particularly. I did some sewing alterations and just basically rested. Daily abhyanga is amazing, so lovely to dedicate more time to this, the only downside is the hot shower in the heat of July made me feel well…too hot!
I tried some lefthand writing today – it felt strange at first but once I let go of what it looked like on paper I got into the flow of it. An interesting exercise, feel like a pro at journaling these days! I will definitely do some more tomorrow. Knowing I only have one more day of ghee drinking makes me feel good. That does mean day 6 will be next and I am a little anxious about that - I expect that will be worse! But….day 7 is a rest day, no treatments.
I am missing my garden and just being outside. I understand that not being exposed to the weather is a sensible idea at this time but I love my garden, especially at this time of year. I’d say this feels like one of the biggest sacrifices for me.”
Day 5
“Not feeling good today - nausea is pretty rough. Feeling a little hot and clammy. The warm weather is not helping either. Morning dinacharya was lovely and have watered the plants, other than that I have felt pretty lifeless... I have never rested quite so much in my life!!
Food is still not enjoyable, the nausea comes and goes. It is not terrible, just noticeable…and maybe more noticeable as I am resting and reconnecting with myself. Perhaps it would be less noticeable if I was busy and distracted. I am assuming (hoping) week 2 will be less nauseating. Looking forward to my custom tea soon.
Virenchana is tomorrow. Feeling apprehensive but glad that there will be more ghee drinking. I have to check with the HP team for signs that I am ready for Virenchana – if not it will be another day for ghee drinking. I will be so disappointed if I have to repeat day 5. My skin is glistening which is a good sign following oleation.
After some more lefthanded writing and lunch I am feeling more settled, lunch tasted better today. Myraji replied to some questions I had, she has been just lovely throughout this experience, feeling so well supported is comforting. I also got the go ahead for tomorrow, relieved but nervous all in one go.
I have spent a little time online, looking at a trip to Peru as something to distract my mind. Completely the opposite of what I should be doing so I will be better tomorrow. With the potential time in the bathroom that may not be that difficult….
Dinner was good, better than I expected, although I didn’t finish it all.”
Day 6
“Virechana day! A little apprehensive about today so say the least. My tummy feels much more settled at the moment but I have no idea what to expect later today. Obviously purging is part of the process but I really don’t know how that will play out.
Dinacharya needed to be before 6am today, it was so peaceful being up at 5am. I will definitely be making a new habit of getting up earlier. All I need is a strategic plan to get me out of bed in the winter months!
Breakfast tasted better today, I guess not drinking ghee has helped. I can say I actually enjoyed it for the first time this week.
Midday is castor oil and milk, followed by waiting…until purge time. Possibly my last entry for today….
Day 6 - continued....
I’m back. So the castor oil and milk mixture itself wasn’t half as terrible as I expected. Surprisingly it was easier to drink than the ghee. Aside from the purging experience itself I am happy with how today went. Plus its now done, I have given myself a pat on the back!
I was advised to only eat dinner if I had an appetite, which I did so I had some plain rice (cooked in a little ghee and salt). This has left me feeling quite settled. Now on to day 7, a day of rest and half way through. Looking forward to tomorrow.”
Day 7
“I woke up naturally at 5.15am. By 9am I am feeling well rested and relaxed. Mentally and physically lighter than before I started. Myraji has provided positive feedback about how my Virenchana day went so that is very pleasing.
I felt so hungry that I just ate breakfasst without worrying about taste. Just happy to not feel sick. Tummy feels settled and it feels good to have my appetite back.
Abyhanga and then maybe some light asana if I feel up to it this afternoon….
Dinner was uneventful, maybe tomorrow will be better. Small confession…I have been on my laptop, guess why? Looking at holidays !!”
Day 8
“First basti day. I am feeling great this morning. Light and bright! I ended up booking a holiday yesterday, I know, I know, I shouldn’t have been online but clearly was looking for a distraction. And maybe having less structure on my day of rest created a hole. And I filled the hole with holiday hunting.
Still slightly worried about this afternoon. Pranayama has helped me stay relaxed. Really enjoying this unprecedented level of self-care routine in the mornings and will stick with as much of this as I can.
So basti was ok, not good, just ok but I take that as a win. That’s all I will say ....
Appetite is feeling stronger, kitchari feels a tad boring, kunyi for breakfast is working better than I expected. Having some sort of appetite must be a good sign for my agni rebuilding itself- as I understand it my agni needs to be nurtured back to full strength so this feels good.
Jess and Harvey have visited today which was lovely! All is well in my world.
Contemplating whether to do basti in the morning rather than afternoon tomorrow, looking forward to a good sleep and feeling refreshed in the morning.”
Day 9
“Feeling refreshed after a good sleep but not thrilled to be up at 5.15am, that said the morning basti was the right decision, it took longer than I anticipated and it was almost 8am when I had breakfast.
Got distracted today with ordering presents for Poppy’s birthday. Refocused by listening to a Hale Pule case study. I will be more mindful of being on my phone today. Otherwise I'm feeling more energised each day. This is great but it makes resting a little harder than last week, and maybe after a week of not doing much I feel in need of doing something more physical.”
Day 10
“Wow – how is it day 10, all of a sudden there are only a few days to go! I have emailed Hale Pule with another update.
Appetite is so much better, looking forward to some variety next week. I love kitchari and don’t want to get bored of eating it so variety is very much a thing right now.
The whole relaxing thing is getting harder each day, the novelty of this much rest is wearing off. My good intentions are set in the morning but it my mind gets the better of me as the day progresses. Today I wrote out some plans and a long to do list. I am chilled and relaxed but I guess pitta and vata mind are making things rather active still. All interesting to notice.
Food was enjoyable today although I felt a little aggravated while cooking dinner, cooking for everyone still plus doing my own kitchari sometimes feel somewhat trying. I know I do this daily anyway, perhaps it is the frustration of wanting to rest more and be mindful of keeping myself on track.”
Day 11
“This morning’s pranayama and mediation felt really good, this consistent experience has deepened my practice and I know this will be long lasting.
Spent today journaling, sewing and reading. Also started thinking about how to reintroduce food for next week. I have sent some questions to the Hale Pule PK team about that. Introducing only one new food per day is going to be a challenge. I didn't fully appreciate that I would have to reintroduce other food one day at a time. All part of the rejuvenation period, which I hadn't given so much thought to before.
After today the remaining treatments will be in the early morning leaving the rest of my day free. Saturday morning is my mental target at the moment, although I must remind myself that the rejuvenation phase only starts once all treatments are completed.”
Day 12
“Almost there now, the end is in sight. While I haven’t struggled with PK it will be good to complete the 2 weeks. There will be a nice feeling of what I have achieved. I am also looking forward to getting outside, I miss my garden. Hale Pule PK team have responded to my questions about food options during the rejuvenation phase.
I am starting to think that I will miss the ‘quiet’ time this process has afforded me. I will need a plan to carve some quiet time into my day going forward. It is easy to allow life to carry you away from where you want to be.
Today has been great, some good journaling, food has been really enjoyable and I got plenty of rest too.”
Day 13
“Today started well with early morning abhyanga and basti. My peace was interrupted with a minor household emergency, nothing I couldn’t deal with just that it wasn’t on the agenda today. That said I did noticed how calmly I approached the morning, there is always something positive to find. All interesting to observe.
I will work on the basis that my pitta is calming down...."
Day 14
“So here we are at day 14 - what an experience!! Impossible to put into words. It has been an incredible journey. Final treatment completed this morning, breakfast was good, its 8am and I all need to do is make some ghee. Jeez, I have got through tons of ghee….I completely underestimated how much I would need and have made several batches in the last two weeks.
Reflecting on the last two weeks I feel like I will miss the quiet times more than I expected. It brings a sense of calm that I haven’t fully felt before. Even having music on in the background, which I normally do, clearly stops you reaching some level of inner peace. I love music, invariably I have something playing. You really do have to switch everything off to realise what peace and stillness feels like.
Lots of plans in my head to maintain a lighter and calmer way of living. Life is short and about balance, these 2 weeks have shown me that even though I appear to live a relaxed and stress-free life I can still bring more calm and clarity into my world.”
…no one wants to read the finer details of that….
