On Panchakarma in India with Dr Sreejit
What does it really mean to go to India for Panchakarma?
Before I came to Kerala, I had a vague sense that it would be nourishing, restorative… maybe even a little luxurious.
And while there were moments of deep care and tenderness, what I’ve experienced here is something quite different.
More disciplined.
More confronting.
And, in many ways, more transformative.
In this episode of A Grateful Life, I’m joined by Dr Sreejit, Chief Physician at Athreya Ayurvedic Centre in Kerala, where I’ve been immersed in Panchakarma for two weeks.
Together, we explore what Ayurveda actually is beyond the Western wellness lens, what Panchakarma really involves (and why it’s not a spa experience), and how this ancient system understands healing across body, mind, and what we might call soul.
Dr Sreejit brings over two decades of clinical experience, grounded in a lineage-based Ayurvedic tradition, alongside a refreshingly honest and pragmatic perspective on both the power and the limits of any healing system.
In this conversation, we explore:
✨ What Ayurveda is, beyond doshas and food lists
✨ The difference between curing disease and cultivating health
✨ Why Panchakarma is not designed to be relaxing
✨ What’s actually happening during detoxification and why it can feel intense
✨ The role of digestion in physical and mental health
✨ How Ayurveda understands anxiety, depression, and psychological suffering
✨ The importance of preparation, expectation, and commitment in healing
✨ Who Panchakarma is for and when it may not be appropriate
✨ How trauma can surface during body-based treatments, and how it’s supported
✨ Integrating Ayurveda with Western medicine, especially in complex conditions like cancer
✨ Simple ways to bring Ayurvedic principles into everyday life
✨ Why sleep may be one of the most important foundations of health
If you’re curious about Panchakarma in India, this episode will give you a grounded, honest insight into what it is and what it isn’t.
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Dr Lauren Tober (she/her) is a Clinical Psychologist, Yoga Teacher, founder of the Yoga Psychology Institute, host of the A Grateful Life podcast and author of Mental Health Aware Yoga: A Guide for Yoga Teachers.
Lauren developed the Mental Health Aware Yoga training to help yoga teachers make their classes safe, nourishing and transformative for all.
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As a Clinical Psychologist and Yoga Teacher of nearly two decades and the author of Mental Health Aware Yoga: A Guide for Yoga Teachers, I'm passionate about integrating yoga and psychology on the mat, in the counselling room and in the world.
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