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 Sandra from Sacramento

1)  What inspired you to study Ayurvedic Medicine?

Ayurveda’s holistic approach to diagnosis and treatment instantly captivated my interest as an aspiring healer, educator and patient of allopathic care for chronic disease management. Assessing the whole person with respect to health and offering natural methods of healing along with health education, is what I aspire to offer as a healer and receive as a patient. After consulting with an Ayurvedic Practitioner, I quickly noticed the benefits of the practice and began my studies in Ayurveda to serve as a guide in offering the ancient wisdom to others.

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

Ayurveda is an ancient healing system that empowers us to take health into our own hands utilizing the gifts of mother earth and the wisdom we possess. The earth provides us with natural resources that bring us into balance when used wisely. Many of us have a great desire to learn to use our resources for well-being as it is inspiring and exciting to know that what we grow in our backyard, what we have in our kitchen and what we do on a daily basis can heal and bring us to our highest potential. The wisdom of Ayurveda helps us live in alignment with our true nature, where we find harmony in the body, mind and spirit.

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

Ayurveda is steadily gaining interest in the United States as we fully acknowledge that our well-being is dependent on the health of our physical, mental and spiritual bodies as a whole. As rates of chronic and preventable disease increase, we are ready to transform the quality of care we currently receive to care that addresses our whole being and provides tools that support our innate ability to heal and experience health. Such tools include health education, a supportive patent-provider relationship and prevention based techniques to encourage health. Traditional methods of healing such as Ayurveda, are gaining greater support and interest in our communities as they prove to offer what we need to be healthy, happy and empowered.

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

Panchakarma is my favorite therapy as it combines all of the therapies into a complete package to allow deep healing of every part of our being. The physical body is nourished with delicious, healing foods, daily massage and sauna. The mind body is pacified with Shirodara and meditation and the subtle body is supported by Marma Therapy and Yoga Nidra. The insights gained, obstacles overcome and release that come with this therapy are invaluable.

5) What does your path to Ayurveda look like?

I was born in Visalia, a small town in the Southern Central Valley of California. Upon receipt of a Bachelors of Science in Psychology from the University of California at Davis, I began a service project with AmeriCorps delivering hands-on health education lessons to youth and families in Sacramento and Yolo Counties and concurrently organized access to health information and screenings for the underserved and uninsured communities of Woodland, California. After a year of Post baccalaureate studies in biological sciences in preparation for medical school, and a few years of clinical services and reproductive health education, I began my practices in yoga and meditation. This quickly captured my desire to learn the intricacies of the human experience both physically and mentally. Unbeknownst to me, I would soon be intrigued by the spiritual and energetic aspects. In 2010, I began a yoga teacher training where I had my first consultation with an Ayurvedic Practitioner and enrolled in the study of Ayurveda. I am thrilled to begin this internship as it allows me to take the wisdom of Ayurveda and offer it with hands and heart to those who are so inclined to receive. My other interests include dancing, singing, journaling, hiking, reading, spiritual ceremony, shamanic journeying and cooking.

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