Happy Holidays From NAMA President

Jai and Greetings to All of Our Members,

On behalf of the NAMA Board of Directors, I send you warm wishes during this holiday season as we reach the end of 2019.

Reflecting on the year’s closing has been incredibly inspiring as NAMA embarks on 20 years as an organization. This feels like a great celebratory moment for all of us who practice Ayurvedic medicine and for the forward momentum of our profession in the United States.

Not unlike what we experience as humans,  NAMA has come a long way in the last 20 years, weathering the natural changes which happen with organizational growth.  We are fortunate that Ayurveda has prepared us to flow with grace and integrity into our next decade, together.  Together, because we are lucky enough to also have a like-minded community of professionals who want to share and grow collectively.

This is a historical moment and I am hopeful that we can all pause and realize how much abundance is enveloping our community.

Each day I recognize that NAMA’s success has everything to do with the individual successes we all experience in our day-to-day.

Twenty years as an organization, means that ad infinitum testimonials have been generated on behalf of our professionals, crossing many borders as we share together in the force of being a dynamic healing art.

I am encouraged that through this next season and into 2020, we will all stay steady, quietly reflecting on the value of listening to one another and the obvious rhythms of NAMA’s continuous growth. I have confidence that we will be divinely inspired as we rest in Ayurveda’s guiding light, trusting in the greater good, beyond all time and space.

On behalf of the NAMA Board of Directors, I extend my gratitude for your continued support of the Ayurvedic profession.

I am honored to be your colleague and your President during such a monumental time.

In closing, it is my hope that we can all continue to be pillars of peace unifying all humanity in the name of Ayurveda.

Om Shanti,

Dr. Margrit Mikulis, ND AD
NAMA Board President

Herbs and Formulations for Digestive Disorders

Saturday, April 25, 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM

ADVANCED TRACK – Our panel of experts will share their experience of treating digestive disorders, focusing on their use of the Ayurvedic model of dravya guna to determine how to effectively integrate formulations from the Ayurvedic and Western pharmacopoeias. Each presenter will share a special case study that has proven successful in his or her practice and will include his or her top 10 herbs and formulations for digestive health. 

Presenters

Jay Apte, BAMS, AD Jay is one of the most experienced Ayurvedic Doctors practicing in the U.S. and has been teaching in the U.S. since 1996. She offers educational seminars, consultations, and panchakarma services at the DFW Ayurveda Center. She conducts radio talks to spread knowledge of Ayurveda and educate people.

Kamya Pillai, BAMS, CAP Classically trained vaidya (Ayurvedic Physician) with over eight years of experience in education and clinics. She graduated from Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, and is currently working as a practitioner and faculty member at Kerala Ayurveda Academy.

Namyata Pathak, BAMS, MD (Ayu), AD Namyata is a trained vaidya scientist, teacher, and physician of Ayurvedic and integrative medicine with a focus on internal medicine for all ages. She has developed integrative clinical programs for cardiometabolic disease prevention and also has experience with Parkinson's disease.

Jayarajan Kodikannath, BAMS, BS, AD Panel Moderator: Vaidya Kodikannath is a classically trained Ayurvedic Doctor from India and an accomplished teacher representing a lineage of traditional Ayurvedic Practitioners from Kerala, India, currently working as the VP and Academy Director of Kerala Ayurveda Academy (U.S.). He has gained extensive clinical expertise in traditional Ayurvedic practices in his more than 10 years as the Chief Medical Officer of Kerala Ayurveda, India.

Want to become a 2020 Conference Sponsor? Register soon, only 2 spots left!

We are looking for Sponsors and Exhibitors to help make this event truly special for our community.  If you are an Ayurvedically-focused business, your involvement will give your organization visibility in front of an informed audience who will appreciate being able to speak with you and become familiar with your offerings.

We only have a silver and gold sponsorship left. To find out all the great benefits of becoming NAMA sponsor take a look at the Sponsorship Information Packet.

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Early Bird Rate End December 15th! Register Today!

Ayurveda and Spirituality, April 24-26, 2020 at the Art of Living Retreat Center

Each year our board, committee, staff, and volunteers work diligently to bring an annual event that delivers an abundance of valuable tools and education to NAMA members and the community at large. Last year’s event was a significant achievement, with the highest number of attendees to date. Join us in 2020 for an event brimming with educational experiences and community spirit at the Art of Living Retreat Center in Boone, North Carolina!

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Sharing Ayurveda with Young Adults

by Lisa Weinberg, AD

Teenagers are searching for balance and direction in life. Most young adults in my community are overscheduled. Their days are filled with academics and extracurricular activities, such as clubs, sports, and projects related to their school and local community, as well as chores and jobs. 

 Their high school offers advanced placement courses, and most parents are directing their children to be involved in anything and everything that could benefit them in their college application process. The pressure is on and is felt by many. 

 How do we guide our kids to find success and joy and maintain good health in body, mind, and spirit so they can love, live, laugh, be present, have passion, and stay grounded? 

 Ayurveda. Over the past few years I have worked with local youth and high schoolers discussing yoga, meditation, and Ayurveda. High school seniors preparing for graduation and college are most interested in learning how these disciplines can help them to live and succeed away from home. 

 We discuss Ayurvedic healthcare routines, including daily habits that will serve them on their journey. Most important, we keep these routines simple and make adjustments along the way. 

 Recently I was asked to teach a week-long immersion for the local upper school in my community. Most students were fascinated by our discussion of the three doshas: vata, pitta, and kapha. The first few days featured conversations about prakruti and vikruti and how to know the difference. The kids also found discussion of the four elements—ether, air, fire, water, and earth—informative and helpful in understanding both themselves and their surroundings. 

 I still remember the two seniors I mentored in the spring of 2016. They worked with me learning the basics of Ayurveda and how to include simple Ayurvedic practices in their daily routines. We talked about their upcoming final exams and college selection. By the end of our time together, they were both committed to shifting their morning routines and sleep schedule along with incorporating daily meditation and personalized yoga sequences into their daily life. I was so gratified when they reported enjoying reduced anxiousness and better quality of sleep during the first ten days of their new Ayurvedic lifestyle. 

 We know that understanding who we are and how we behave/react will better equip us to deal with times of transition and struggle. Offering Ayurveda, yoga, and meditation to those students has made a difference in their life and approach to living. 

 One young lady who had enrolled in the week-long immersion course shared that she was excited to learn about Ayurveda, something she had never heard of before. She expressed her great enthusiasm to her parents. Her mom and dad appreciated their daughter’s newfound joy and interest in Ayurveda. They asked for book recommendations and thanked me for teaching their child and being open and engaging with her.

Reaching out to the next generation has been immensely satisfying. I have found that Ayurveda is more than just another tool in their toolbox. It has opened their minds and introduced their bodies to a happy, healthy way of being.

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About Author

 “My commitment is to helping others help themselves—living life healthy and well.”

Lisa Weinberg, AD Cranston, RI is based in Rhode Island, and has studied Ayurveda, Vedic astrology, yoga, meditation, and energy work and has earned certification in Pet Assisted Therapy Training (PATT). She has practiced Ayurvedic medicine since receiving her AD diploma in in 2001.

She has created wellness-inspired products, including chakra necklaces, essential oil blends, meditation candles, and custom-blended lip polish.

Understanding Relationship Between Malavsthbha and Dhatu Vichar in Chikista

December 9, 2019, with VedAcharya Dr. Dhanada Kulkarni, BAMS, LMT

“Dosha Dhatu mala mulam hi shriram” recalling this definition of sharir (body), Susruta considers Mala along with Dosha and Dhatu as roots (Mula) of the body. Proper regulation and elimination of faces (mala) is important in maintenance of health. Retention of mala (constipation) shows that Dosha-Dhatu and mala factors are disturbed and it may lead to the disease state. Hence it is very important to consider Dhatu analysis in the clinical management of Malavsthbha. This presentation highlights on new standpoint of treating Malavrodha which is Dhatu Depletion (Kshinata) and Increased (Virdhi) jaynya Malavrodha Chikista (treatment).

VedAcharya Dr. Dhanada Kulkarni - BAMS, MD-Alternative Medicine, AD, LMT, BCIM, International Master Ayurvedic and Yoga Specialist & Expert, Licensed Massage Therapist, B.A. Vedanga Jyotish, Diploma in Vastushasatra, Board of Directors at National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA), founder of Astanga Ayurved and Panchakarma wellness center, Vedic Astrologer and Vastu Consultant. A Yajur Vedic Brahmin by tradition. Her knowledge of Vedic Astrology and Vastu inherited to her DNA from her Vedic Brahmin family.

Call Details:

• 5:00 P.M. PACIFIC | 6:00 P.M. MOUNTAIN | 7:00 P.M. CENTRAL | 8:00 P.M. EASTERN

• CALL (712) 770-5603 AND ENTER ACCESS CODE 683432#

Watch the PACE "How-to" Webinar

Do you need help navigating the NAMA website to find PACE courses and learning how to submit your credits? Watch the 40-minute How-to PACE webinar to get your questions answered. At this point, staff may not have enough time to help everyone in a timely manner. 

The webinar covers:

1. Overview of PACE requirements

2. How to find FAQs about PACE

3. How to view your earned credits

4. How to find ethics quizzes

5. How to find the PACE Listings

6. How to find the SIAs

7. How to submit PACE credits

Be Sure to Complete Your PACE Requirements

Professional Members: If you have not completed your PACE requirements, then please hurry. The deadline to complete your PACE requirements is less than four weeks away: December 31, 2019.

 All your PACE credits must be submitted correctly no later than December 31, 2019, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time or your board certification will immediately lapse, your NAMA Professional Membership will cease, and you will need to pay penalty fees and complete your PACE requirements to reactivate it. You may also need to pass the exam.

If you haven’t already made your 2019 payment and completed your PACE requirements, then please hurry. If you’re still looking for opportunities to earn your remaining CEs, you can search the PACE Listings for courses that are happening this month—and there are always recorded sessions available as well.

Foods that Nourish the Mind (Panel Presentation)

Saturday, April 25, 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM at the 2020 NAMA Conference, Ayurveda & Spirituality

FOUNDATIONAL TRACK - Food provides us with not only sustenance for our bodies but also the basic gunas (“qualities”) that will either disturb or promote a peaceful and happy mind while nourishing our spiritual “bodies” as well. Our panel of presenters will provide examples of these foods as well as case studies from their practice that look at food’s role in emotional and spiritual health in a real-world context.

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Susan Weis-Bohlen, Chopra Center Certified Ayurvedic Counselor

Susan is a Chopra Center Certified Ayurvedic Counselor, meditation coach, and vegetarian cooking teacher. She is the author of the best-selling Ayurveda Beginner's Guide: Essential Ayurvedic Principles and Practices to Balance and Heal Naturally. Susan also leads tours to sacred sites in India.

Kate O'Donnell, CAP, Ashtanga Yoga Teacher

Kate is an author, CAP, senior yoga teacher, and international lecturer. She is author of three books, translated into five languages: Everyday Ayurveda Guide to Self-Care (2020); the bestseller The Everyday Ayurveda Cookbook; and Everyday Ayurveda Cooking for a Calm, Clear Mind.

Lissa Coffey, Author

Lissa is the author of Song Divine: A Lyrical Rendition of the Bhagavad Gita; What's Your Dosha Baby?; Ananda: Discover the Vedic Way to Happiness and Bliss; and What's Your Dharma: Discover the Vedic Way to Your Life's Purpose.

Heather Grzych, CAP, C-IAYT, E-RYT

Panel Moderator: Heather is an MA (Ayurveda), CAP, C-IAYT, and E-RYT 500. She is a writer and consultant and works to bridge the worlds of conventional and alternative medicine. She advises individuals, groups, and corporations. Her book, The Ayurvedic Guide to Fertility, will be published this year.

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Give Thanks! 20% off 2019 Conference Videos

Dear Members,

We are thankful for you, and we are honored you are a member of our Association! To show our appreciation, we are offering 20% off all 2019 conference videos. If you have not completed PACE, this is a good time to do it! Professional Members can earn credits for watching the conference videos. Each video has different credit hours given based on the duration of the program. Sale ends December 16th, 2019

Happy Thanksgiving from the NAMA Board and Staff!