Ayurbaby Update

Six weeks ago I blogged about our Ayurbaby in residence. Here is an update of 3-month old Aditya, who continues his Ayurvedic regimen, and in the photo below is pictured receiving his weekly baby massage.

It's good to be an Ayurbaby.

A Real Ayurbaby!

...and Ayur-mommy. Meet Meenakshi Singh, neice of Dr. Partap Chauhan, and her 1 month old son, Aditya. Being the grandnephew of a famous Ayurvedic doctor has its advantages, as his mother has learned to follow an Ayurvedic diet and regimen right from the start.

This includes eating sattvic foods (e.g., avoiding spices), creating a peaceful home environment, avoiding watching TV and using electronic gadgets, engaging in spiritual activities (books, music, mantras), and spending quality time with her baby. To keep her system strong and to provide her baby with extra nourishment, Meenakshi takes specially prepared Ayurvedic herbs created specifically for her pitta (fire) body type. She gets regular panch karma massage to ease the back pain and stress associated with newborns, and in turn, she regularly pampers her son with Ayurvedic baby massage with both natural oil and ubtan (a traditional paste made of herbs and pulses) to stimulate his rapidly developing body and brain.

It's no surprise that he's turning out to be such a cute, healthy baby boy. The Charak Samhita (Ayurveda's main treatise) assures this regimen will result in a strong immune system, a healthy body, and a balanced mind. It will be exciting to watch Aditya grow up with such a solid Ayurvedic foundation.

Ayurveda in Eastern Europe

Over the past few years we've had numerous groups come to visit Jiva from Eastern Europe--folks coming in from Poland, Latvia, and Lithuania. I was speaking with Ela Zuk-Widmanska of Poland (an Ayurvedic Lifestyle Consultant), who explained that these countries were trapped between Western Europe and Russia in Cold War. During this time, as she explains, the healthcare system was a complete mess. As a result, people took health into their own hands, resorting to numerous natural healing methods. Since the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the fall of communism, people of these countries have made India a preferred destination, traveling here to explore the depths of Yoga, meditation, and Ayurveda.

Here are some pics of Dr. Chauhan's Jivananda retreat in Lithuania.