NORMAN Vincent Peale, the famed cleric, author and self-actualisation advocate who literally wrote the book on The Power of Positive Thinking and led the cultural charge fot Americans to embrace that philosophy in the 1950s, once said: "The life of inner peace, being harmonious and without stress, is the easiest type of existence."

Unfortunately stress is something that affects all of us in today's busy Bermuda. High levels of untreated stress can cause numerous ailments which include heart attacks, chronic headaches, back and neck ache, mood swings, anxiety, insomnia, depression and outbursts of anger. Some evidence even points to stress as being a cause for certain types of cancer.

Ayurveda, the longest unbroken medical tradition on earth, can help relieve stress and ward of the unwanted effects.

Ila Jadhav is an Ayurveda therapist with Ayurveda's Amrita at The Bermuda Integrative Health Co-op Limited. The Health Co-op is located in Warwick and offers instruction in Pilates, yoga, Feldenkrais, and prenatal yoga and education as well as massage therapy.

Ayurveda's Amrita opened earlier this month at the Health Co-op and the Mid-Ocean News recently spoke with Ms Jadhav about Ayurveda, its benefits are and the different types of massage therapies that are available.

Ayurveda is over 6,000 years old and is based on the belief the five elements of earth, water, fire, air, and space form both the fabric of both the universe and our bodies. Practitioners of Ayurveda believe it detoxifies, cleanses and revitalises the body, the emotions and the spirit.

Ayurveda focuses on exercise, yoga, meditation and massage. The therapy is based on the underlying premise that building a healthy metabolic system, eating right, attaining good digestion and proper excretion of bodily fluids leads to good health and long life. Its goal is to heal the body and the mind at the same time and seeks to prepare humanity for the "realisation of its full potential".

In Sanskrit, a liturgical language of Hinduism and other Indian religion, Ayurveda is comprised of the two words: "ayus", meaning life, and "veda:, meaning science.

Ayurveda is based on the principal that we are all unique and the therapies at Ayurveda's Amrita are tailor-made for each client.

"Your body is different, my body is different, and everybody is different," said Ms Jadhav. "Ayurveda relates to nature and believes that you can get everything your body needs from nature and you can heal yourself. It depends on clarifications, purifications and the regenerations within your body. If your body is not clear then you will not be able to function properly."

The types of massage offered are a synchronised body massage, head massage, foot massage, back massage, post-natal massage and there is even a baby massage offered for newborns.

The first step in the therapy is having a consultation with Ms Jadhav who will determine your "dosha". Your dosha is a unique mix of three mind/body principles which creates our specific mental and physical characteristics.

Ms Jadhav said there are three different types of doshas and we have all three in our physiology, just in different proportions.

Once the consultation is done and your dosha determined then Ms Jadhav determines the course the therapy will take.

During the course of the massage therapy the body is introduced to a number of organic oils and herbs which have different properties. The oils used are determined by the consultation in order to figure out a person's body type and what suits a person best for the therapy.

As our bodies change with the seasons, the oils and treatment can vary during a persons massage.

"Prevention is better than cure," said Ms Jadhav. "We are so fast in this life that we don't have time to think at all. Ayurveda will give you the awareness of your self.

"After the massage you will be less stressed."

Ms Jadhav, who is from India, says the benefits of Ayurveda are numerous. "After my consultation starts I want to take people from their childhood to today," she said.

"In doing that I am allowing them to think about themselves and their bodies and how they have changed over the years.

"In this society people try to hide their flaws from one another and sometimes we are hiding many things from our self."

Ms Jadhav added: "The consultation brings awareness to the body and mind and a realisation that there is room for positive change.

"When you are getting the massage you will be focussed on how to create that positive change.

"When the massage is done you will be relaxed and you will feel good. The goal of Ayurveda is to give you knowledge about your life and the self-awareness."

Ms Jadhav has some advice for people looking to get an Ayurveda massage: "With the consultation I am trying to give people positive energy while I'm doing the consultation. It helps people relax and they absorb my positive energy."

Ms Jadhav noted: "Some of my clients are very stressed or lonely. Sometimes they emotionally break down.

"While I'm doing the consultation I try to let them know how the therapy will be and I'm giving them positive energy.

"Ayurveda heals you physically, mentally and spiritually with the mind, body and soul."

For more information please visit www.healthcoop.bm

There is an open house on November 8 from 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. where the community can learn more about the services The Bermuda Integrative Health Co-op Limited provides.