Well-being and Regeneration in One
Does it ever feel as if your body and mind needed a freshness booster? Would you like to feel more awake again, to look forward to your everyday challenges and to be able to go through the day with an open mind for its little pleasures? Then try Dr. Schrott’s Ayurveda Revitalisation Weekend! You can do it comfortably in your own home, without the hassle of travel and accommodation costs. In his book "Ayurveda für jeden Tag", Dr. Schrott explains how you can follow a complete ayurvedic fitness and regeneration program over just one weekend, for the good of your mind and body.
This is how an Ayurveda weekend works:
Before You Start: A Few Pointers
- Prepare your Ayurveda Weekend without stress. This way you can start looking forward to the weekend while planning your meals and doing groceries.
- Ayurveda classics such as breathing exercises, yoga asana and morning ”oil pulling” (gandusha), i.e. swishing ripened sesame oil through your teeth and mouth, will be your constant companions during this weekend. If you like, you can already familiarise yourself with them in advance.
- Make sure that you have no other commitments for this weekend. After all, you should be free to act in tune with your inner needs during your personal fitness and regeneration weekend.
- Approach your Ayurveda Weekend in a relaxed manner. Even if you don’t implement all suggestions perfectly, you will noticeably profit from this weekend.
- Let your happiness guide and inspire all your activities.
Friday: Starting to Relax
After the routine of a whole week is behind you, a shower or bath will help you relax. Maybe treat yourself to a nice bouquet of flowers that will stimulate your senses and will accompany you throughout your Ayurveda Weekend.
All-round relaxation
Take 15 minutes for some simple yoga postures and breathing exercises that will help you release blockages and strains and improve your mind and body coordination.
If you like, you can top this off with some Transcendental Meditation. This will give you deep calm and new energies. Regular Transcendental Meditation is proven to improve your health (for more information visit http://www.tm.org).
Light dinner
How about a nice watercress soup for your first dinner? You can get the recipe here. However, in the evening the soup should be prepared without crème fraiche. A light vegetable dish or a vegetable soup would also optimally support your inner cleansing. Hot water, vata tea or a mild herbal tea are particularly suited to drink with your dinner. You can sip these beverages during every meal.
To strengthen your agni (“digestive fire“), choose a small digestive drink (pancha) matching your dosha type, which you drink 15 minutes before each meal:
- Vata type: ginger juice with unrefined cane sugar, some salt and lemon
- Pitta type: light tea made from fresh ginger and some unrefined cane sugar
- Kapha type: ginger juice with honey
You’re not sure what Ayurvedic dosha type you are? Take our dosha test to find out!
Let the evening fade away
Now let your first evening fade away with, for example, a short after-dinner walk or a relaxing bath before you go to bed during the Kapha phase (until 10 p.m.) Soft music and an aroma lamp with Vata aroma oil will help you relax and fall asleep even more easily.
To prepare your cleansing for the next day, drink a light laxative drink before going to bed, consisting of the following:
- 1 tbsp castor oil
- Some water
- A few drops of lemon juice
- A pinch of salt
- Some ginger powder
Saturday: Cleansing
It’s best to start your second day early, if possible before 6 a.m. during the morning Vata period. Cleansing and detoxification are on today’s agenda. You can best support this by drinking a glass of water at room temperature immediately after waking up, followed by a glass of lemon water. Next within the course of your Ayurveda morning hygiene routine, clean your tongue with a tongue cleaner. Two to three minutes of oil pulling also contributes to cleansing. Ripened sesame oil is absorbed especially well by the skin and is thus also ideal for your subsequent 10 to 20 minutes of self-massage. Warm the oil to body temperature and massage it into your skin. Enjoy the feeling! After a hot bath or shower, you can comfortably repeat the yoga postures and breathing exercises from the previous day. For more information about the Ayurveda morning routine click here.
A breakfast suited to your dosha type
Your inner cleansing will be supported by a particularly light breakfast suited to your dosha type.
- Vata type: soaked almonds or dried fruit; alternatively, spelt porridge – shortly boil spelt with water or milk and add maple syrup, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and turmeric
- Pitta type: a glass of lukewarm water with some honey, or some fruit
- Kapha type: only hot water; may be supplemented with diluted fresh juice, or fruit
Promote elimination in the morning
An extensive walk or light sport will stimulate your metabolism and make elimination easier. Enjoy a visit to a sauna to stimulate elimination via the skin. Your dosha type will tell you what type of sauna is best for you.
- Vata and pitta: slightly humid heat, i.e. a steam bath or infusion sauna
- Kapha: dry sauna
Lunch
For lunch we suggest a light rice soup and a lassi. Depending on your appetite, you can add dry bread (toast, crisp bread). Take a rest, but do not nap, then take a “digestive walk”.
Relax in the afternoon and evening
In the afternoon you have plenty of time for light exercise and relaxation. Do whatever brings you joy. Read or enjoy your hobby. If you didn’t go to a sauna in the morning, you can do that now. Your dinner will be the same as your lunch: a light rice soup, lassi and optionally bread. Another digestive walk will stimulate your metabolism and awaken your spirits. In the evening you can treat yourself to a facemask suited to your skin type. Depending on your skin type, gently remove the face mask after 10 to 20 minutes with a cotton pad soaked in almond oil. After a cleansing day like today, your skin will absorb the healing substances of the face mask especially well and can then thoroughly regenerate overnight.
Sunday: Regeneration
Today you will again start with the Ayurvedic morning routine including morning drink, mouth cleaning, breathing exercises, yoga postures (asanas) and ayurvedic self-massage. This will get your circulation going, revitalise you, and make you feel fresh for the day.
Strengthening breakfast
Sunday is meant to transition back to a normal diet and to regenerate. Therefore, your breakfast can be a little heartier today. Your morning activities can also be a little more intense. Maybe you feel like going for a hike or on an outing?
Lunch – your banquet
If you want to have guests over during your Ayurveda Weekend, now is the best time. Treat your guests and yourself to an Ayurvedic banquet!
- Aperitif: ginger water that matches your dosha type
For the main course you have a choice between:
- Main Course 1: Asparagus and zucchinis on basmati rice topped with basil sauce and some moong dal. If asparagus is not in season you can prepare the meal without it.
- Main Course 2: Eggplant & tomato puree on pineapple rice and red lentil dal.
Your meal will be accompanied by:
- Lassi with the main course
- Fig & whipped cream dessert
- Chai for dessert
Enjoy your afternoon
The afternoon should be all yours. After an extensive walk, do whatever brings you joy.
Dinner
For dinner have a light rice or vegetable soup again. After a short break to relax, enjoy the fresh air during a leisurely evening walk.
The finishing touch
Fully enjoy this last evening of your Ayurveda Weekend! Listen to relaxing music or read a good book. Treat yourself to a foot massage with warm cured sesame oil. Soothed by the smell of Vata aroma oil, you should be able to easily fall into a relaxing sleep.
Thank You
In a way, an Ayurveda Weekend is a wellness, fitness and regeneration program all in one. For newcomers to Ayurveda it is a great opportunity to get to try out many of its time-tested recommendations. This weekend is also a good opportunity to find your way back to new energy, wellness, a fresh look and a clear mind. Treat yourself to this mini-vacation without much effort and expense!
A big thank you to Ernst Schrott, M.D., for his wonderful suggestions for this weekend!