How to Become Fit, Focused, and Have More Joy – Spend Some Time at Ayurveda Health Retreat

“Love, Serve and Remember” is a song by John Astin.

My husband, Eddie, drove me from South Carolina to Alachua, Florida. I spent eight days at Ayurveda Health Retreat, practicing one of the world’s oldest whole-body healing sciences. Ayurveda facilitates health and, with practice, leads you to become more fit and focused and have more joy. We were apprehensive about the subject, and Eddie was reluctant to leave me there. He lifted my bag over the threshold and told the person who greeted us at the front office, “I know where I dropped her off.” The way he said it implied, “She better be here when I return.” We chuckled, and Eddie was gone.

We needn’t have worried. It was Emily who greeted us. She is one of a handful of affable and experienced retreat managers who facilitate guests’ comfort during their stay. One of the first things Emily asked me was whether I had warm bedroom shoes. I didn’t have warm bedroom shoes, only yoga slippers. After showing me to my room, where I dropped my bags, she promptly drove me to the drug store, where I purchased warm bedroom shoes. Later, I was very grateful for them since much of your time at Ayurveda Health Retreat is spent shuffling from one restorative health activity to the next.

“Ayurveda is the mother of all healing arts. It is one of the world’s oldest sciences with roots in ancient India dating back over 5000 years.” – Ayurveda Health Retreat.

Ayurveda comes from the Sanskrit words Ayur (life) and Veda (science or knowledge). Practitioners teach you to be fit, focused, and joyful. Ayurveda Health Retreat is an Alternative and holistic Health Service.

Yoga/Meditation (one-hour sessions twice a day at 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.)

Guests of Ayurveda Health Retreat benefit from yoga’s liberating powers with the assistance of expert practitioners. At the risk of oversimplification, yoga is a practice that joins the essence of life (breath or self) with consciousness or oneness with the universe. Practicing yoga is an ongoing, lifetime endeavor for the best health benefits.

Over time, yoga and meditation combine to create “harmony in body, mind, and spirit.” In this picture, Ceilah uses the singing bowls to enhance relaxation and healing.

In just seven days, I was stretching to limits I wouldn’t have thought possible and controlling my breathing in conjunction with the movements. I was learning to become fit, focused, and have more joy!

Sprinting through the airport bookstore a few years ago, I came across the book 10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Works-A True Story by Dan Harris. Harris explains how his meltdown on National TV led him to search for methods that would enhance his recovery and continued success. He discovered that meditation did this and more. After reading his book, I began researching and found that Ayurveda practitioners have been using meditation to calm the mind and increase happiness for 5000 years.

Yoga itself is a practice of meditation. As you learn to hold your position, control your breathing, and focus your thoughts, you gain control over your body and mind. The practitioners at Ayurveda Health Retreat provide yoga twice a day and meditation instruction in one-on-one sessions upon request.

Ania teaches guests how to control their wandering minds during meditation, which can be especially difficult for beginners. “Your mind is like a playful puppy. While you focus on breathing, visualize the puppy wandering and returning to lie at your side.” She explains that meditation becomes easier with practice, and even a few minutes of practice each day is beneficial for reducing stress and building resiliency.

Breathing (Pranayama)

Visualize the puppy sleeping and how his whole abdomen moves up and down. When you breathe correctly, you expand your entire upper body when you inhale. By contrast, shallow breathing comes from the upper chest. It is referred to as fight-or-flight breathing, and it can lead to all sorts of ailments over the long term, from neck and shoulder pain to digestive problems.

Find out if you’re breathing correctly by placing your hand on your tummy to see if it expands when you inhale and contracts when you exhale. Breathing this way may not feel comfortable initially, but it comes naturally with practice.

Narayan Das is a manager and yoga practitioner at Ayurveda Health Retreat. He taught Samone, Ritu, and me how to focus our thoughts during our yoga practice by focusing on our breathing.

Panchakarma Treatments (massage) 2.5 hours daily!

Close your eyes for a moment and imagine not one but two therapists and four hands massaging your body in a synchronized pattern from head to toe with warm herbal oils.

Next, imagine an aromatic steam bath followed by warm herbal oil pouring over your forehead. (Picture courtesy Ayurveda Health Retreat.)

“My mind drifted to a special place that was profoundly calming. From there, I looked down and saw myself on the table. I could see the warm oil stream pouring onto my forehead. I didn’t intend for it to happen. It happened of its own accord. It was my first out-of-body experience.” – Marie Goff.

Studies show that the ancient Panchakarma practice removes 50% of toxins from the body in just a few days. Read more at Ayurveda Health Retreat.

Third Eye Treatment, or Shirodhara, is one of the most soothing treatments in Ayurvedic medicine. The continuous stream of warm oil cleanses and heals your body as it flows over your forehead. When the massage therapist moved the vessel from side to side very slowly, as she did during one of my sessions, it brought about a trance-like state of mind.

With my morning treatment scheduled, I arrived for lunch a few times in my bathrobe, my oil-drenched hair wrapped in a towel.

Energy Healing

Hearing about the incredible transformations of fellow guests after sessions with a healing energy practitioner, I added a session to my schedule. The practitioner assists guests with removing negative energy caused by past traumatic events. Removing trauma is a powerful experience, leading to overall well-being and joy.

About Ayurveda Health Retreat

Richard A. Masla founded Ayurveda Health Retreat in 2001. His mission as an Ayurvedic Practitioner is to “share the wisdom of Ayurveda and Yoga in a spirit of healing, love, transformation, and service.” He’s helped thousands of people attain healthy living with his knowledge of Ayurveda. Richard began studying Yoga and Ayurveda at 17, traveling to India at 21 with his spiritual teacher, Swami Prabhupada, widely regarded as a Vedic scholar, translator, and teacher. He also studied with Dr. Vasant Lad at the Ayurvedic Institute in New Mexico and, in 1994, graduated as a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine from Clayton College. (Picture courtesy Ayurveda Health Retreat.)

Retreat guests come from all walks of life. I met young mothers, corporate leaders, and other professionals. Practitioners are members of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association. In addition to the United States, many guests and practitioners were born or have origins in Brazil, India, Africa, Poland, and Peru, to name a few.

Even though we’d just met, I felt like I’d known many of them all my life.

Despite our busy schedules, Samone, Ritu, and I managed an excursion to the beautiful freshwater springs nearby.

In addition to healthy lifestyle coaching, yoga, and Ayurveda in the Kitchen on-site, the Health Retreat offers online meditation and other training. For information about online training, visit Ayurveda Health Retreat.

Find Ayurveda Health Retreat on Facebook.

Discover the ancient system for bringing out your full potential in the Book of Dharma by Simon Haas.

Mouthwatering Meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

You’ll forget about burgers, potato chips, and fries at Ayurveda Health Retreat. Every meal is a superb combination of taste, texture, and presentation using the healthiest ingredients. And you’ll learn a lot in the dining room and kitchen. For example, eating small, thinly sliced portions of ginger marinated in lemon/lime juice before each meal promotes healthy digestion. Drinking Cumin, Coriander, and Fennel (CCF) tea throughout the day supports digestion and detoxification of the liver.

Saturdays at Ayurveda Health Retreat are special! Guests learn Ayurvedic cooking with an experienced practitioner, Krishrapriya, in the middle of the picture below. Under her guidance, Samone, Sara, Ritu, and I prepared a healthy vegetarian dinner fit for royalty. See the recipes below.

As part of the health evaluation, Richard, the retreat director, cautioned me that I could afford to miss some meals. I replied that I wouldn’t be missing any meals at the retreat. The food was way too good!

“When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use.” Ayurveda Health

Recipes from the cooking class

Find Himalayan Chai Tea in the Ayurveda Health Retreat Cookbook and other health products at the online store. Many ingredients are familiar and easy to find at your local grocery store and a few in an Indian grocery store. The only thing you can’t make yourself is Yugala’s delicious bread from her secret recipe. To enjoy that, you’ll have to go to the retreat!

Ingredients

• 1 cup dal (you can use any lentil)
• 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped ginger
• 8 fresh curry leaves
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons ghee
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped coriander leaves
• 1 carrot
• 1 celery stick
• 1/2 sweet potato
• 1/2 cup cubed buttermilk squash

Optional Spices

• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon kalonji
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel

Directions

Soak 1 cup of dal (lentils) in boiling water for 10-20 minutes. During this time, you can cut vegetables and prepare the spices.

Boil the dal (lentils) in 4 cups of water until the beans are very soft. Then add the vegetables.

Now for spices! These should be prepared in a small pot or skillet.

Combine the ginger, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves, and saute in the ghee. Once the mustard seeds pop, add asafetida. Take the pan off the stove and add the powdered spices. Add this to the dal (lentils).

Add salt and more water if needed. Garnish with coriander and serve with rice.

Simple White Rice (Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 1 cup of white basmati rice
• 2 cups of water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ghee

Directions

Rinse the rice. Add the ghee to a saucepan and heat. Sauté the rice until it becomes opaque.

Add 2 cups of boiling water and put a lid on the pot. Turn the heat to low.

Cook for 8 minutes until soft but not mushy between the fingers.

Ingredients

• 2 cups chapati flour (or very finely ground wheat flour)
• 2/3 cups water
• 3 tablespoons ghee or olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Directions

Mix all the ingredients and knead to a soft dough. Roll into 1-1.5-inch balls. Lightly flour a clean, dry surface and roll the balls into a disc.

Toast on a hot skillet. When tiny bubbles appear, turn the chapati. Brush with melted ghee and serve.

Kitchari (lentils and rice) (serves 4)

Ingredients

• 1 cup dal (lentils) (yellow split mung)
• 1/2 cup white basmati rice
• 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped ginger
• 8 fresh curry leaves
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon asafetida
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 cups water
• 2 tablespoons ghee
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped coriander leaves
• 1 carrot
• 1/2 sweet potato
• 1/2 cup cubed butternut squash
• 1 cup spinach
• 1 cup kale
• 1/2 cup peas

Optional Spices

• 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon Garam Masala
• 1/2 teaspoon kalonji
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

Directions

Soak 1 cup dal in boiling water for 10-20 minutes. Use this time to cut vegetables and prepare spices.

Boil the dal in 4 cups of water until the beans are very soft. Add any root vegetables and cook until tender.

Wash the rice and add it to the dal mixture. Add salt and other vegetables.

Now for the spices! These should be prepared in a small pot or skillet.

Combine the ginger, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves, and saute in the ghee. Once the mustard seeds pop, add asafetida. Take the pan off the stove and add the powdered spices. Next, add them to the dal mixture.

Add leafy greens and more water if needed, and serve with chutney.

Vegetable Soup (serves 6)

Ingredients

• 6 carrots
• 3-4 celery stalks
• 1 tablespoon ginger (fresh and finely chopped)
• 1 sweet potato
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon Italian dressing
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 4 cups water
• fresh parsley

Optional Ingredients

• Add frozen peas/corn at the end
• White beans (or bean of your choice)
• A couple of drops of Braggs

Directions

Finely cube three carrots and 1-2 celery stalks and saute in a skillet with the fresh ginger. When the mixture is golden brown, blend it with a bit of water.

Add the remaining carrots, celery, and sweet potato in a pot, cubed to a similar size. Cover with water and add the blended mixture. Add basil, Italian seasoning, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Cook until the vegetables are soft. Add nutritional yeast and optional Braggs. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Beet Salad (serves 4)

Ingredients

• 2-4 beets(depending on size)
• 2 lemons, freshly squeezed
• Honey or maple syrup to taste

Directions

Boil the beets until tender, wash the beets under cold water, and peel. The skin should slide off easily.

Slice the beets into thin circles and place them in a serving dish. Add lemon, honey, and salt to taste.

Coconut & Coriander Chutney (serves 6)

Ingredients

• 1 cup grated coconut
• 1 cup of fresh organic plain yogurt or coconut milk
• 1/2 teaspoon asafetida
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1 fresh green chilies
• 1/4 cup fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon raw sugar
• 1 large bunch of fresh cilantro
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup of water

Directions

Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend till smooth.

Almond & Nutritional Yeast Salad Dressing

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/2 cup raw almonds
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon asafetida
• 1teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 cup of fresh basil or three tablespoons of dry basil leaf

Directions

Add ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. If necessary, add water to thin.

Become fit, focused, and have more joy!

Tahini Dressing

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup tahini
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
• 1 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon rice or apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/8 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper or to taste

Directions

Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend till smooth. Add water to thin, if necessary. Refrigerate before serving.

Cashew Vegetable Sauce (serves 4)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup cashews
• 1 can of coconut milk
• 1/8 teaspoon fenugreek powder
• 1 lemon or lime freshly squeezed

Vegetables

1 cup brussels sprouts or cauliflower

Spices

• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoons ghee
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 4 fresh curry leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

Directions

In a skillet, saute ghee, ginger, and curry leaves until golden brown. Add curry powder and turmeric. Add vegetables of choice and cook for 1 minute to coat them with the spices. DO NOT WASH YOUR SKILLET.

Line a baking tray with parchment paper and bake the veggies for 20 minutes.

Blend the cashews, coconut milk, fenugreek powder, and lemon. Add this mixture to the “dirty” skillet. Cook on low heat until it thickens.

Add to the sauce once the vegetables are cooked to your desired texture. Garnish with coriander.

Note: If you’d like to make this dish using soft vegetables such as broccoli, kale, or spinach, cook the vegetables in the spice and add the blended sauce, skilling the baking.

Ghee (clarified butter) Recipe

Ghee is essential in Ayurvedic cooking. We prepared it ahead of time and used it in the recipes listed.

Ingredients

5 pounds of butter (should yield over 1/2 gallon of ghee)

Directions

Melt butter in a thick-bottomed pot and simmer on medium heat. Don’t stir, or the butter will burn. As the butter cooks, the impurities will gradually separate to the bottom of the pot and the ghee to the surface. When bubbles appear on the surface and/or the butter has become rich amber, could you remove it from the heat and let it cook? Strain through cheesecloth into a clean jar.

Ghee is clarified butter with milk solids removed. It is pure, does not require refrigeration, and can be stored indefinitely. Additionally, it is healthier than other cooking oils.g oil.

Ghee can be used for deep frying, making spicing masala, regular cooking, pan-frying, and bread and baked goods. When it becomes filled with food particles from repeated deep frying, it can be cleaned by heating to a liquid and straining through cheesecloth.

Ghee is very important, being the essence of the miracle food, milk. Dietary fats are perfect for their palatability and satiety value, as a source of concentrated energy, as a carrier of fat-soluble vitamins, and as a source of essential fatty acids. You should derive at least 35% of your daily calories from fat. Ghee is the basis for being a satisfied vegetarian. In Ayurveda, ghee is a Rasayana or rejuvenator that supports overall health and well-being. It is lactose-free and helps to balance excess stomach acid and maintain a healthy mucus lining. It enkindles the digestive fire without aggravating pitta. Ghee is one of the most valuable foods for mental and physical health. Ghee is alkaline, while other milk products are acidic.

Other stories with recipes at Travel Notes and Storytelling

Colorful Cooking Experience in Bo-Kaap

‘Taste’ of Hygge – Nordic Cooking with MasterChef Karsten Kroman

Travel Notes

“Love, Serve & Remember” is a touching song with an instructive message—to serve everyone and remember God. The version at the beginning of my latest story is by John Astin, a Ph.D. in Psychology and accomplished songwriter, recording artist, and author. The first time I heard the song was at the Ayurveda Health Retreat, which fits nicely in a place dedicated to helping people heal in body, mind, and spirit.

It was February 2021 and almost a year of COVID-19, with shutdowns and seemingly constant bad news. My canceled trips paled in comparison to the sufferings of others, both in the news and my family members and friends. In my family, there was a loss from another source, the unexpected news of cancer, quickly taking the life of my sweet nephew Tony way too early. 

I started researching health spas in search of respite and, particularly, a place to learn more about the health benefits of meditation. 

I never expected to find Ayurveda, one of the oldest health practices in the world. Reading health literature for many years, I’d never looked into Ayurvedic medicine. 

Using the instructions on the website, I prepared for my visit to the Ayurveda Health Retreat. By eliminating sugar, fried foods, and dairy products from my diet, I began to lose weight. Even though Ayurveda is about health and not weight loss specifically, I’d lost 20 pounds by the end of my stay there, and I was eating three large meals a day, with dinner at 7:15 p.m.! 

Although I didn’t know it before my visit, Alachua, Florida, is home to many Hare Krishnas, perhaps the largest in North America. The ISKCON Alachua Hare Krishna Temple is located there, and I had the opportunity to visit it briefly. The gentle place seemed in contrast with the souped-up engines of trucks occasioned from time to time on the oak-lined streets of the beautiful town. However, Richard, the director of Alachua Health Retreat, explained that all the residents of Alachua get along very well.   

What I learned at the Ayurveda Health Retreat in eight days was the tip of the iceberg of that science. But it was enough to convince me that the practices they teach there improve health beyond measure. Every activity is designed to cleanse your body, mind, and soul, helping you become fitter, more focused, and more joyful!

“Practice healing before illness.” – Marie Goff