Ayurveda Program Curriculum
Ayurveda Program Curriculum
Program Overview: The curriculum is designed to give students a solid foundation in the fundamental principles of Ayurveda with an in-depth exploration of disease prevention and health maintenance. The program takes one year to complete and consists of 12 weekend workshops plus 40 weekly conference calls which last 2.5 hours each. Internship hours are interwoven into the curriculum: students complete a minimum of 50 client encounters through our in-class Supervised Student Internship weekends (minimum of 30 client encounters) and one-on-one consultations with clients (minimum of 20 Client Encounters, see Part 3 below). Students must be prepared for outside of class assignments including reading, practice of Ayurvedic self-care regimens, client consultations, and private consultations with members of the Faculty.
Program Curriculum Part 1, Weekend Workshops:
Ayurvedic History, Philosophy, and Doshic Theory - (25 contact hours)
The purpose of this workshop is to give the Ayurvedic Wellness Counselor (AWC) a strong understanding of the history, philosophy, fundamental principles and basic vocabulary of Ayurveda. Students will complete the workshop feeling competency in determining which gunas are predominant in their own and their clients’ constitutions. They will receive instruction on how to do a basic client intake and assessment to determine the role and influence of the 10 pairs of opposing qualities in their clients’ constitutions.
Ayurvedic Daily and Seasonal Routines for Wellness - (25 contact hours)
Ayurveda recognizes that the time of day, season, and time of life have a significant impact on a person’s health and constitution. In this workshop, students learn how to minimize the disturbance that these life cycles can create by making significant changes in daily routines. The AWC will be able to demonstrate by example and offer simple at-home preventative, strength building, and positive conduct measures for daily, seasonal, and life-long balance. AWC’s will also learn communication skills that will help them build effective relationships with their clients.
Food as Medicine: Ayurvedic Nutrition and Cooking - (25 contact hours)
The purpose of this workshop is to provide the AWC with the knowledge and skills to recommend appropriate food choices and proper eating behaviors in accordance with constitution, season, digestive strength, and age of the client. AWC’s will gain an understanding of how the 6 tastes can lead to the use of food as medicine in Ayurveda. Counselor’s will also gain proficiency in selecting and preparing foods and spices according to constitution, season, digestive strength, and age and will be able to demonstrate proper eating behaviors through their own practice. The focus will be Ayurvedic routines for proper, efficient digestion, improving digestion, and digestive disorders as well as practices that support healthy elimination.
Ayurvedic Use of Herbs for Health and Healing - (25 contact hours)
The purpose of this workshop is to give the AWC the knowledge and skills necessary to recommend herbs to balance digestion and eliminate toxins, while protecting and building the immune system. By the end of this workshop the counselor is able to recommend pre-designed herbal formulas and create custom herbal formulations that include the use of herbs, minerals or other natural substances for internal or external use with considerations of dose, carrier, and timing.
Ayurvedic Cleansing & Detoxification - (25 contact hours)
New skills gained during this workshop include: identifying the cardinal signs toxins in the body, demonstrating methods for preventing and treating toxins in dosha specific ways, creating safe at-home cleanses, and demonstrating yoga asana/pranayama/meditation techniques which pacify the doshas.
Ayurvedic Body Treatments & Marma Points - (25 contact hours)
This workshop covers health and well-being through the vitalization of the marma points of the body. Techniques include: yoga for marma points and the following Ayurvedic bodywork sessions- self-massage for marma points, Shiro-Abhyanga-Nasya, which is a nourishing bodywork treatment for the head, neck, arms, and feet, as well as an abdominal treatment for the toning the internal organs. Note: While everyone can practice these techniques with friends and family, in the state of NC, you must be a licensed massage therapist in order to charge for bodywork services.
Ayurvedic Approach to Reproductive Health - (25 contact hours)
For thousands of years, Ayurveda has provided a supportive approach to reproductive health and vitality. Ancient doctors of Ayurveda understood how overall health and nutrition play a crucial role in reproductive wellness. In this workshop, students will gain the skills and knowledge necessary to support women during every phase of their development and into menopause. Students will also gain an understanding of male reproductive health, with a focus upon vitality, fertility, and prostate health. Topics will include: ojas, vitality, nutrition, menses, fertility, breast health, prenatal and postpartum care, menopause, hormonal health, and prostate health.
Yoga of Ayurveda – (25 contact hours)
This three day training focuses on the basic principles of Ayurveda as they relate to the personal practice of yoga as well as Yoga as Therapy. Students will learn to address imbalance through asana, pranayama, deep relaxation, and meditation.
Vedic Astrology & Vaastu - (25 contact hours)
This workshop explores the science of Vedic Astrology and how it relates to spiritual development and Ayurveda. Students will gain a basic understanding of the planets, signs and houses which are fundamental building blocks to understanding astrology correctly. Students will benefit from personal insights revealed by looking at their own charts and those of their classmates.
Advanced Case-taking Skills (including pulse assessment) – (25 contact hours)
This workshop helps students refine their client assessment skills by taking an in depth look at Ayurveda pulse, tongue, face, and nail assessment. The weekend will include discussion, demonstration, and practice of all assessment skills covered as well as instruction on how to improve client interview and Wellness Counselor skills.
Supervised Internship I – (25 contact hours)
In the first Supervised Student Clinic, members of the general public will be invited into the classroom to receive an Ayurvedic consultation. During this weekend, the entire class will observe and assist in live case assessments and participate in the creation of detailed lifestyle plans and menus for a minimum of twelve different clients.
Supervised Internship II– (25 contact hours)
During the second Supervised Internship, students work more independently participating in a minimum of 18 client encounters. In small groups of two or three, student Wellness Counselors greet clients from the general public in private treatment rooms at the school. Each student has the opportunity at some point during the weekend to take the role of “lead Wellness Counselor,” communicating with the client and doing the health history intake while others in the small group observe. The students discuss their case within their group and create a suggested Ayurvedic lifestyle plan for their clients. The teacher observes the clients and the students as they meet and discuss. Before offering their suggestions, students share their cases with the entire class and refine their plans with the help of the Lead Instructor.
Program Curriculum Part 2
Weekly Conference Calls – (100 contact hours)
Students are required to participate in 40 weekly conference calls which last 2.5 hours each. During these classes, a lead instructor will cover the following topics in depth: Ayurveda anatomy, physiology, and pathology; Ayurveda disease theory; and case management. Class time will be divided between lecture and discussion with ample time for students to bring up any questions they have about the material covered in the program so far as well as their one on one client encounters. This course is vital for a deep and comprehensive understanding of Ayurveda and the ability to apply its principles safely and effectively.
Program Curriculum Part 3: Out of Class Assignments (200 non-contact hours)
In this portion of the program students gain confidence as Ayurveda Wellness Counselors by putting into practice what they learn throughout the year. Part 3 of our curriculum consists of assignments spread throughout the year which include:
- Reading/studying (75 hours)
- Practice and documentation of Ayurvedic self-care regimens (75 hours)
- Unsupervised internship: one-on-one client consultations (minimum of 20 client encounters). Cases will be discussed with a lead instructor during conference call classes (40 hours)
- Private consultations with members of the faculty (10 hours)