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Hidden Health Center
138-C W Gorgas Ln
Philadelphia, PA 19119
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Ayurveda
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Ayurveda
Featured Services
What is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda, meaning "the science of life," is the sister science/medical side of Yoga and is considered the most complete system of natural healthcare in the world today. This 5,000 year old model of medicine provides us with a unique opportunity to understand ourselves as a part of nature. Ayurveda encourages the concept that we each possess our own individual constitution based on 3 doshas. This allows us to take our well-being into our own hands using our unique traits. This holistic approach to maintaining and regaining optimal health depends on carefully constructing plans according to our Ether/Space, Air, Fire, Water and Earth elemental configuration. Ayurveda gives us the practical tools to re-establishing ourselves and taking charge of not only our health but also our lives. It focuses on an individually based diet and lifestyle protocol to help achieve a level of balance. Herbs and other supplements, spirituality, psychology, rejuvenation and revitalization, breathing exercises (Pranayama), meditation, physical exercises (such as yoga asana's, gym exercises, and other physical forms of activity) are some of the various tools recommended as part of this system to gain harmony and manage imbalances.
What are Constitutions (Doshas)?
Scroll over images below for more info on each dosha. If you have Firefox/Safari this capability is prevented. Works best in AOL or Internet Explorer.
There are three energy forms
Vata, Pitta and Kapha, that are found in the human physiology. Every person has all three energy forms in their physiology. The way these subtle energies interact is what gives rise to your specific constitution. An experienced Ayurvedic practitioner can determine which constitution is dominant by studying the pulse, bodily structure, diet and other factors.
Everything on the earth includes the three energy forms, based on air/ether, fire, water, and earth and can have an effect on our bodies
Thoughts, tastes, visualizations etc can have an effect on these aspects of energy. Learning more about these effects can help us to make better choices in our lives regarding diet, exercise, even climate to live in. The resources are unlimited and can all be found within ourselves.
Ayurveda Consultations Include
By determining your constitution and where you have imbalances within it, your practitioner can create a program suited specifically to your body's needs.
Pulse/tongue and Other Assessment Tools
Dietary/lifestyle Counseling
Management of Health (Prakruti) and Imbalances (Vrikruti)
Recommendations for Herbs, Foods, Spices, Colors, Asanas (Exercises), Pranayama (Breathwork), Mantra (Sound), Meditation and Ayurvedic Bodywork
Simple Steps for Detoxification
Yogic and Ayurvedic Psychology
Services
CranioSacral Therapy
CranioSacral Therapy reminds us of how everything is connected in the body and involves a subtle approach through therapeutic touch. CST is designed to align the body's physiological processes and energies as it protects and nourishes the central nervous system, having a deep and profound effect on the whole body. "CranioSacral Therapy is a very gentle, light touch approach that releases tensions in the central nervous system so that every other system in the body can relax, self-correct and free itself of pain and discomfort". - Sharon Desjarlais.
Swedish Massage
Manipulation of the soft tissues of the body, including skin, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and fascia. Most often performed with oil. Techniques include stroking, vibrations, shaking, effleurage (light long strokes), petrissage (circular manipulation), tapotement (percussive techniqes) and rocking. Relaxes, energizes, balances, loosens the tissues, increases oxygen flow throughout the blood and releases toxins from the muscles.
Thai Bodywork
Sometimes called lazy-man's yoga is a type of treatment to engage the body's health systems, known as meridian's (lines of energy currents), through a series of stretches as the individual remains in a resting position. Thai massage is a type of massage in Thai style that involves stretching and deep massage. This form of bodywork is usually performed on the floor, and the client wears comfortable clothes that allow for movement. No oils are used.
Shiatsu (Acupressure)
A Japanese bodywork technique involving finger pressure at specific points on the body mainly to balance “energy” in the body. The major focus is on prevention by keeping the body healthy. Helps to harmonize the underlying channels of the body, calms the mind and strengthens/restores you to a state of balance, through pressure points. All work is conducted on a floor mat.
Japanese Footbath
Feet are bathed in warm water, some pressure-point work is applied, exfoliation and cleansing are the major points of this treatment. Restores the integrity of the feet. Stimulates the entire body from the feet up, you can feel grounded and lite at the same time.
Hot Stone Massage (Shila Abhyanga)
Stone massage therapy uses heated stones to stimulate and/or calm the body. The hardness of the stones allows the therapist to address specific problem areas with more detailed work or deeper pressure. Designed to support circulation and promote lymphatic drainage.
Ayurveda Modalities Offered: Ayur-Yoga Session
Individualized yoga asanas and breathwork designed according to your constitutional type. This is a specific approach in using asana's to bring you more into balance and restore wellness.
Shirodhara Therapy
A steady stream of warm herbalized oil is poured onto your forehead, promoting positive brain waves, calming the mind and creating a deep sense of relaxation. (Great for insomnia, anxiety/stress and epilepsy.)
Marma Therapy
Similar to acupuncture, Marma therapy is a more precise system of working with the channels (lymph, blood, cellular intelligence) and overall physiology through special treatment of specific points. Marmas are known to be points regulate the flow of information, nutrients, and toxins throughout the human body. According to Dr. Lad, "A marma is a vital energy point accessed on the skin's surface, serving as a bridge between body, mind, and spirit. When you touch a marma point, you can change your body's biochemistry and unfold radical, alchemical changes in your psycho-biological makeup".
Ayurvedic Massage and Marma Therapy
Increases circulation, cleanses the lymphatic system, detoxifies and revitalizes the body. Warm oils are uniquely blended per your constitutional type. Also combined is Marma Therapy which enhances the healing capacity of the body by balancing specific subtle points and pathways. A sauna treatment is also the final step to enhancing the effects of this bodywork.
Ayurvedic Face Treatments
Nature's facelift designed to help slow the aging process and restore your natural beauty. This is what I would like to call a "Natural Facelift." From exfoliation to moisturizing, fresh fruits, herbs and oils are used according to your unique skin type.
Kati Basti (Lower back "cleanse")
A special technique aimed at providing relief to the lower back using warm medicated oils or herbal decoctions when bathing the lower back for 20 to 30 minutes. Helps with chronic and acute back aches, Prolapsed disc, Lumbar Spondylosis, Osteoporosis, Sciatica.
Hridaya Basti (Heart "cleanse")
This therapy at heart helps nourish, strengthen, and balance heart functions, and rejuvenate the heart. It strengthens the heart muscle, increases the contractile force of the heart organ, and benefits ischemic heart disease, cardiomyopathy, and congestive heart failure. This treatment relieves deep seated anger and sadness. This also tends to help frozen shoulder, asthma and other respiratory problems. Bathing the heart for 20-30 min with medicated oils in a dam placed over the heart.
Netra Basti (Eye cleanse)
An Ayurvedic therapy to prevent and treat a variety of eye ailments naturally. This Ayurvedic eye treatment involves bathing the eyes in plain or medicated ghee (clarified butter). The ghee is retained within a dam made of dough for approximately 30-40 minutes. Netra Basti addresses many eye-related issues such as fatigue, lazy eyes, distorted vision, removes wrinkles and calms the nervous system.
Svedhana Therapy (Sudation Therapy)
This type of therapy involves sitting in a wet sauna, either mixed with herbs/oils or plain water. In Ayurveda, swedana is used to relieve excess doshas (biological humors) from the body, establishing a state of balance which promotes general health. This type of treatment generally follows a specialized massage in order to encourage proper lymphatic drainage, muscular and organ detoxification and potential weight loss.
Karna Purna (Ear oleation)
Hearing is connected to the air element, so the ear is where Vata collects. Treating the ear with warm sesame oil and massage is an effective way of calming the nervous system. Effective treatment for reducing Vata, jaw tension, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), sinus infections, sore throats, colds, and head congestion.
Nasya Karma (Nasal cleanse/treatment)
Nasya or nasal therapy is a potent method to purify and nurture the mind and senses. Nasya is also used to nurture - herbal oils applied to the nasal passages heighten the sense of smell, promote complexion, improve memory and enhance creativity.
Garshana and Svedhana (dry powder massage with steam)
This is an ancient Ayurvedic treatment, featuring a dry lymphatic skin brushing with bare hands or traditionally a silk glove, followed by an herbal oil treatment. The brushing (garshana) increases circulation, promotes lymphatic activity, cleans the skin and stimulates the removal of accumulated toxins. Svedhana (steam treatment) involves entering into a sauna in order to support the detoxification further.
General Ayurveda Soaps
Turmeric and Lime Soap
Contains: turmeric and lime oils in goats milk base. Medicinal: antiseptic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, moisturizing and good for overall heat conditions of the skin such as inflammation, eruptions and excess oil. MainlyPitta Reducing, but can be neutral to Kapha and reducing to Vata.
Lavender, Alkanet Root Soap
Contains: lavender oil, alkanet root (for color) in goats milk base. Medicinal: antiseptic, calming, soothes emotions and nerves; moisturizing and lubricating. Vata reducing.
Rose Oil Soap
Contains: rose oil in goats milk base. Medicinal: balances the mind, anti-inflammatory, reduces scarring, cooling and alterative; moisturizing. Mainly Pitta reducing. VK neutral.
Bergamot and Lime with wild flowers Soap
Contains: bergamot and lime oils with wild flowers in an aloe base. Medicinal: calming, antiseptic, anti-infectious, hormonal support, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory; moisturizing. Pitta reducing.
Wild Chamomile and Clary Sage with oats Soap
Contains: wild chamomile and clary sage with oats (for exfoliation) in a vegetable glycerine base. Medicinal: calming, soothing, pacifying to the nerves, supports hormones, anti-fungal, antibacterial; moisturizing. Vata reducing, Pitta balancing.
Vanilla and Clary Sage Oil with Calendula Flowers Soap
Contains: vanilla and clary sage oils with calendula flowers in a vegetable glycerine base. Medicinal: anti-depressant, nervine, febrifuge, relaxing, supports hormones, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial. Vata/Pitta reducing.
Rose and Lavender Oil Soap
Contains: rose and lavender oils in a goats milk base with rose petals. Medicinal: balances the mind and nervous system, anti-septic, reduces scarring and anti-infectious; moisturizing. Vata/Pitta reducing. Kapha neutral.
Lavender Oil and Apricot Kernal Soap
Contains: lavender oil and apricot kernal (exfoliation) in an aloe base. Medicinal: antiseptic, calming, soothes emotions and nerves; moisturizing and lubricating. Vata reducing, Pitta/Kapha neutral.
Holiday Soaps
Egg Nog Soap
Contains: turmeric, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg oils in a goats milk base. Medicinal: anti-bacterial, promotes circulation, reduces pain; moisturizing. Vata/Pitta balancing.
White Balsam Fir Soap
Contains: Balsam Fir Needle in a goats milk base. Medicinal: evergreen scent that opens breathing, stimulates the spirit; moisturizing. Kapha reducing, Vata/Pitta neutral.
Pumpkin Spice Soap
Contains: vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg oils with pumpkin puree in a goats milk base. Medicinal qualities: calming, yet stimulating, warming, anti-septic, improves circulation; moisturizing. Vata/Kapha reducing, Pitta neutral.
Mint Chocolate Soap
Contains: pure coco and peppermint oil in a goats milk base. Medicinal: supports circulation, anti-oxidant, supports digestion, cooling, decongestant, anti-infectious and anti-bacterial; moisturizing. Vata/Kapha balancing and Pitta neutral.
Chai Soap
Contains: cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, clove oils and black tea in a goats milk base. Medicinal: anti-bacterial, anti-infectious, expectorant, slightly astringent, increases circulation, antispasmodic; moisturizing. Vata/Kapha reducing. Pitta increasing.
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General Info
Hours
Monday:
9:00am - 7:00pm
Tuesday:
9:00am - 7:00pm
Wednesday:
9:00am - 7:00pm
Thursday:
9:00am - 7:00pm
Friday:
9:00am - 7:00pm
Saturday:
9:00am - 7:00pm
Sunday:
9:00am - 7:00pm
About Us
The director and founder of the program, Vishnu (Antonio), incorporates a combination of yoga, Ayurveda, massage, meditation, breathing techniques, Reiki, Vastu/Feng shui and other techniques in order to support the body-mind-spirit paradigm. Vishnu is connected to many major resources (Western and Eastern) to encourage a holistic model and assist an individual in obtaining the highest level of care. What seems to be one of the pivotal contributions in this practice is Vishnu's healing hands, attentiveness to an individuals need and his accessibility. Vishnu has a deep love for all that he does and continuously seeks out ways to improve Hidden Health Center.