Ayurveda

It treats the person as unique in relationship to consciousness and mind, physiology, behavior and environment. The holistic system of Ayurveda was developed over five millennia ago in India. Ayurveda helps the person to heal her or himself with the use of food, lifestyle changes, body treatments, herbal remedies and yoga practices.

Based in Samkhya philosophy, Ayurveda views the human body and the world around us as composed of five great elements: space, air, fire, water, earth. The proportion of the elements varies and forms the individual’s physical, physiological and psychological make-up or constitution. Ayurveda calls this the person’s dosha, which was formed at conception.

Unlike the Western approach to illness of treating the symptoms, Ayurveda works with the client to try to remove the cause of the disease. The person’s dosha is determined and her/his balance or imbalance is studied. An Ayurvedic practitioner investigates the current diet and lifestyle choices of the individual as well as her/his hereditary patterning. Once one’s dosha at birth is determined (prakruti), it’s important to look at where one’s doshas are currently (vikruti). Once the imbalance is determined, a practitioner can use their knowledge of the five elements to bring balance back to the body, mind and soul. This happens primarily through lifestyle changes, dietary changes and specific herbs and treatments (like yoga, massage, other complementary therapies) to support the person

At Casa San Juan, the food is Ayurvedically inspired. This does not mean all meals are Indian food. It means that the primary concepts of Ayurveda are taken into account when preparing each meal, regardless of the type of food being prepared. Ginger combines her study of Ayurveda with her knowledge of cooking to create healthy, wholesome and tasty meals. She has worked with the CSJ staff to assure that the meals you will enjoy are properly prepared with the finest ingredients.

The main principles of Ayurvedic cooking are

• Use fresh, local, organic ingredients when possible.
• Eat food that has been freshly prepared
• Use cooking methods, spice and herbs to make the food more digestible.
• Eat food that has been prepared with love and care.
• Be grateful for your food before you consume it.
• Pay attention to the qualities of the food and eat the foods that agree with your constitution.