Do you want to positively transform people’s lives through the wisdom of Ayurveda?
Do you agree with the sayings, “food is medicine” and “you are what you eat”?
Do you care deeply about others and desire that everyone feels vibrant, inspired and whole in body and mind?
You have arrived!
Ayurvedic lifestyle coaches have never been in higher demand nor more needed – we’ve grown disconnected from our food, the natural world, and our bodily intelligence and intuition. We have forgotten how to read the signs of our body and listen to our own being – this is where Ayurvedic Health Counselors come into play.
An Ayurvedic lifestyle is one in harmony with nature and the changing seasons that also supports your unique constitution and state of body, mind and spirit. It doesn’t have to be an elaborate routine that you do everyday, but it’s making choices in your daily life that serve your best self and honor your body’s natural intelligence.
A common foundation is waking before sunrise, gently scraping the tongue, drinking warm water, having a bowel movement, possibly different types of oleation such as self-massage with oil (abhyanga), oil-pulling, or oil drops in the nose (nasya), and then doing some form of breath exercises, movement, and meditation. It means only eating with true hunger and eating foods appropriate to your constitution and current state of imbalance – essentially listening to your body. For example if you’re experiencing cold, cough and congestion, your body will naturally crave hot, well-spiced soups and teas, but if you continue eating cold, sticky, slimy foods like ice cream, yogurt, and cheese, it will only create more mucus.
Ayurvedic Health Coaches or Counselors are trained in preventive healthcare and promotion of health and wellness, specifically via diet and lifestyle, through application of traditional Ayurvedic principles and practices.
Through a consultation, an Ayurvedic Lifestyle Counselor develops an understanding of your individual constitution (prakruti) as well as your current state of being (vikruti) and provides Ayurvedic education on your diet and daily routine to support you coming back into balance.
By the standards of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA), Ayurvedic Health Counselors have completed at least a 600 hour training program. They have had at least 75 clinical hours and at least 50 client encounters.
Most full-time Ayurvedic Health Counselor programs take a year to complete, however there are many online options as well.
The choices we make as humans on a daily basis – when we eat, what and how much, and the same with regards to hydration, movement, sleep, connection, purpose, and time outside – all of these factors play critical roles in how we feel physically, mentally, and emotionally.
It’s these elements of our daily lives that Ayurvedic Lifestyle Consultants tune into and begin to gradually shift to optimize our body’s overall functioning and health – for instance asking us to eat our biggest meal at lunchtime when digestion is strongest or to sleep by 10pm for deeper, more restful sleep and bodily recovery.
Our daily habits create our daily experience, and Ayurvedic Health Coaches specialize in just that.
Ayurvedic Health Counselors are educated to serve clients through prevention and promotion of health via predominantly diet and lifestyle. They are well versed in kitchen herbs and several classic Ayurvedic herbal mixtures but otherwise do not provide herbal education.
There are so many different avenues available to an Ayurvedic Lifestyle Counselor, particularly as Ayurveda becomes more and more well known. It’s become so popular, you will likely now find Ayurveda related job postings through a google search!
In addition to seeing clients, many health counselors will provide education to the community, whether through social media, online courses or webinars, or in person in their local community. These offerings are also an excellent way for people to get to know you and seek you out for private consultations.
As an Ayurvedic Health Counselor, there is a huge opportunity within the yoga community since so many individuals who have an asana and/or meditation practice are looking for ways to meaningfully connect their experience on the mat or cushion with the rest of their lives.
Reach out to your local yoga studios to inquire about offering workshops or weekend seminars on Ayurveda as well as posting a flier to recruit prospective clients!
As people increasingly seek out holistic practitioners instead of band-aid fixes to their much deeper concerns, integrative healthcare is on the rise.
The wisdom of Ayurvedic healthy lifestyle and diet applies to everyone and is the perfect complement to any other healing modality – whether you work in tandem with an allopathic doctor, physical therapist, acupuncturist, herbalist, yoga therapist, chiropractor or massage therapist…your client will benefit immensely.
Have you seen all of the amazing Ayurvedic products out there right now? From skincare lines to spice mixes to tinctures to bodywash, shampoos, toothpaste and mouthwash, the sky’s the limit!
Natural products rooted in the wisdom of Ayurveda are a field of opportunity.
Are you a chef or just love to cook? The demand for real, organic, healthy food has never been higher. With your knowledge of Ayurveda, you could write a recipe book, open a food truck or restaurant, teach cooking classes or show others how to cook on youtube! The options are endless.
Do you love writing and editing? There are many Ayurvedic companies out there now who could use your unique knowledge and understanding of Ayuvedic principles as they begin to market their products and services.
Looking for a workplace you can join without having to venture out on your own? Consider working as a panchakarma therapist doing treatments on those undergoing panchakarma, an Ayurvedic cleansing program. Often there is additional training required, but this may be offered to the right applicant or sought through a separate training program. Check with prospective PK clinics to find out more about their requirements.
Ultimately, a degree as an Ayurvedic Lifestyles teacher or Health Counselor can be shaped to complement your unique passions and interests, whatever they may be. Your understanding of the principles of Ayurveda in relation to daily lifestyle and diet will make your future inevitably bright.
The spiritual journey starts here
Alex is an Ayurvedic Practitioner with AyurPrana, she supports Vasant Lad in his consultations, and she moderates AyurPrana’s seasonal cleanses. Alex is also a faculty member at The Ayurvedic Institute, where she teaches Clinical Assessment of Srotamsi and Pathophysiology II and manages student clinic. Alex loves kids, hot drinks, and frolicking in the sunshine.
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