Maybe next time, its a better idea to choose your hotels up front. For 6 dollars a night I would not expect a lot. I am undergoing the panchakarma right now in India and Im nothing but positive. Given that the people treating me are great and I mYself am reading enough to know which is which and WHY. the most important thing, is that an open mind and respect for this treatment is mandatory 👌

As an Indian myself who lives in the US now , I can understand your original post . However a lot has to do with westerners venturing into areas that I myself would not go when I lived there . You can’t go cheap for sure , you get what you pay . Organized tours and 4+ stars are way to go . Ayurvedic Panchakarma – gosh no way I would have done this with just anyone . Total no no. Your article has some factuals but it did not dwell on the positive side of india and the new stuff that’s now come up . I suggest you read up on some of the accomplished bloggers https://www.tripsavvy.com/sharell-cook-1538714 and another one is https://youtu.be/rpX8QRpaGys . Happy travels !

Hi Selin,
I agree 100% with everything you wrote! Panchakarma is not a spa retreat, and healing can be tough work. Also, the inner work I was already doing was likely exacerbated by the Panchakarma making everything even more challenging. Lastly, expectations do very much sabotage the healing process.
Thank you for your perspective and wisdom!

Thank you, Arshad. India is indeed huge. I’ll visit a different part next time! I’ve been curious about the South as well.

Feeling hard for not having a fabulous experience for you in India. From your perspective of view, you’re right. Anyway, the Union of India is an amalgamation of 29 different cultures. India is home to one of the wettest, coldest and humid places in the entire globe. “India is a country of many diversities: India is a country which comprises 29 states and 7 union territories together forming 36 entities in total.

So, next time visit other parts of India. Especially, south India where it is my favorite. At least south India is more developed in infrastructure ( especially Kerala ), not overpopulated.

Hi Yelena,
I have a friend who goes to Sri Lanka almost every year for Panchakarma, and she swears by it. I hope you have a great experience.

And yes, with a good dose of hindsight, these guys didn’t really know what they were doing, as I’ve been told that enema-inspired emotional releases are actually quite common.
Ah well – at least it made for a good story! 😉

I’m surprised, though, that your therapist in India wasn’t aware of the emotional impact of ayurvedic enemas. The meltdown you experienced is a *very* common phenomenon, in fact, and I witnessed it first hand in a number of the people who underwent the same 21-day Panchakarma treatment I did in Bali a few years ago. I personally didn’t have a strong reaction, and on second thought I suspect it’s because I need a considerably longer cleansing regimen due to the two chronic health issues I suffer from.

The ayurvedic clinics in Ubud (I believe there are 2 or of them now) charge very steep prices for their Panchakarma programmes. A good and much more affordable alternative are the German-managed hotel-clinics in Sri Lanka, several of which offer high-quality Panchakarma and other ayurveda treatments. I’ll be visiting a couple of them this coming summer and am really looking forward to the experience.

Glad you got such profound and immediate headache and insomnia relief from the clinic in Mississagua!

Hey, Justin: I’m living in Auroville, Tamil Nadu which is visionaries paradise-definitely NOT “real” India. You want me to Go Pro the cow shit on a well-travelled scooty ride to town? It’s like 50/ 50 cow shit/pavement. I think Delhi just broke the worst pollution world record with Diwali fireworks, garbage burning, and a thermal inversion to start with. I’m constantly amazed at noise levels even in “peaceful” rural areas. People in close proximity have never heard of “Inside voice” levels. I can share my own horror stories about Indian enemas: first customer finishes, gets off the table, toss the used newspaper on top, put fresh newspaper, your turn. Unwashed hands handling the equipment about to go up your ass. I saw the oil massages going on, but no way I’m lying on somebody else’s oil residue. THERE IS NO CONCEPT OF HYGIENE, DISEASE VECTORS, etc. “My infection is your infection” seems to be the mantra. I can go on-we haven’t even touched the Dante levels of foul smells.