Ayurveda in Idaho: Consultations with Daya Devi

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The California College of Ayurveda is pleased to introduce the Ayurvedic Health Practitioner Interns 2014. Interns have completed their academic studies and work under the supervision of experienced clinical instructors. This semester’s talented group of interns comes from throughout the United States, Canada and United Kingdom.

Ayurvedic Health Practitioner (AHP) interns work on supporting patients to adopt a healthy lifestyle that is in harmony with their constitution. Patients learn about their constitution as well as the nature of any imbalances. They will also receive support to adjust their diet and lifestyle accordingly and to normalize your digestion and elimination. As part of the Ayurvedic program, an intern can include ayurvedic herbs, aromatherapy, color therapy, sound and mantra, and Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy. This is is the best of preventative health care! For those who have a specific condition and are looking for clinical management through Ayurvedic Medicine, they should consider having a consultation with an Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist intern or graduate. 

Interview with Daya from Idaho

1)  What inspired you to study Ayurvedic Medicine?

A desire to approach health from a spiritual perspective. After my father died of colon cancer, I started to explore life’s symbolism and metaphysics through yoga. It helped me grieve in a meaningful way. My first exposure to Ayurveda was when I traveled to an Ayurvedic resort in Kerala, India, for a yoga retreat and received a consultation and a couple basic body therapies. I was so intrigued by this approach to health; it was all new to me! Over the next few years I continued to use some Ayurvedic practices under little guidance and with varying results and finally decided I wanted to know more about what I was doing. That brought me to the college!

2)    What do you think makes Ayurveda attractive to the public?

Ayurveda offers the chance to live without disease. Not only to treat existing conditions but to avoid them before they begin. This frees up our energy to pursue whatever is truly important to us, like family, creative projects, or other ways of enjoying life!

3)    What do you think about the future of Ayurveda in the United States?

The future of Ayurveda depends on the willingness of US citizens to participate in their own healing. I know that as a country our collective awareness is always expanding and I believe more and more people will become drawn to preventative medicine as they see the effects of modern lifestyle and pharmaceutical treatments have on their quality of life. Ayurveda will make sense to more people as they confront the the fact that disease is more than just symptoms.

4)    What is your favorite therapy in this traditional system of medicine from India?

I think Pancha Karma is the best thing Ayurveda has to offer. It is an individualized treatment so it includes a variety of therapies over a course of time. The process gives each patient the perfect grounds to know themselves more intimately from the inside out and become more of their own intuitive healer.

5) What does your path to Ayurveda look like?

Ayurveda gives me access to spirituality in everyday life. I used to live as a full-time staff member in an ashram (monastery where yoga is practiced) where spirituality was at my fingertips; there were less worldly distractions and more structure in place to cultivate an even mind. Now that I am a working mother, I rely on my Ayurvedic knowledge and practices to help me connect with the divinity in every  moment. I may not always do it perfectly, but my life is full of purpose because I have an example of perfection through Ayurvedic teachings that guide my actions and intentions.
 
 

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