The California College of Ayurveda is pleased to introduce you to our Ayurvedic Health Practitioner Interns 2013-2014. Our Interns have completed their academic studies and are now working under the supervision of our experienced clinical instructors. The talented group of interns comes from throughout the United States, Canada and United Kingdom.

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

Interview with Rita from Southern California

1)  What inspired you to study Ayurvedic Medicine?

Many roads led me to Ayurveda. I was a community organizer for many years striving to build healthy and environmentally sustainable communities. I have also been involved in yoga for more than 20 years and I have worked as an Energy Healing Therapist and Body/Mind Counselor for eight years.  I have worked with many clients facing challenges with addiction, anxiety and an overall sense of disorientation in their life.  Something inside of me kept searching for a deeper approach to healing that explained physical, mental and spiritual imbalances.  Ayurveda was the answer to my question.  It bridged my many interests and provided answers to understand the causes of illness and solutions.

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

Ayurveda is so comprehensive.  There are so many different modalities of treatment that can connect to each person.  There is also a backlash to the impersonal nature of healthcare.  Ayurveda is individualized and allows for a deeper understanding of an individual.  Ayurveda also sets high expectations for the quality of our lives.  Balance in Ayurveda includes a joyful, calm, and inspired life. I think so many people are seeking this kind of life, not just a body free of disease.

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

I see a big future for Ayurveda in this country.  When I talk to friends or strangers about Ayurveda, there is so much interest.  With yoga, many people understood it to be only physical poses.  As the popularity of yoga has increased, there has been an a tremendous increase awareness of yoga as a spiritual path to contentment, self-understanding and joy.  I’m sure the same will happen with Ayurveda, the sister science of yoga.

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

I love so many therapies in Ayurveda from marma (Ayurvedic energy therapy) to abhyanga (oil massage).  However, it is work with mantra that I find fascinating.  I am most interested in Ayurvedic psychology and mantra is one of the most powerful tools that can be used for mental and emotional challenges.

5) What does your path to Ayurveda look like?

I was born in the Philippines and raised in central Los Angeles, living in one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the world.  Striving to create a healthier world started with my political activism in high school and Swarthmore College, where I began work on issues of women’s rights, environmental degradation and social inequality.  Through my political work, I was able to travel and experience many different cultures in Los Angeles, Native American reservations, rural villages in the Philippines, the Caribbean, and South America.  My work taught me so much, but I rarely perceived a true sense of joy among many political activists.  Their devotion to work for a better world was inspiring, but I wasn’t satisfied with the lack of happiness that was so prevalent.  After giving birth to my first child, I was inspired to turn to holistic healing.  I received my training at the Lionheart Institute for Transpersonal Energy Healing.  For several years, I have worked as an Energy Healing Therapist and Body/Mind Counselor.  My transition to Ayurveda has brought all these pieces together and I truly feel like I found my home.