the thermal spa experience
Water (Ap or Jal)
Humidity, fluidity, nourishment, viscosity and heaviness are particular characteristics of the Water element. An excess or scarcity of water on planet Earth impedes the development of various forms of life: for example, too much in the soil renders it waterlogged, hindering vegetation, whilst a scarcity of water means that plants do not receive nourishment, making them dry and leafless. In the human body the Water element manifests itself as plasma, protoplasm, cytoplasm, lymphatic fluids etc. An excess provokes obesity and oedema, while a scarcity is the cause of states of overall or localised dehydration. An immoderate consumption of milk, sugary fruit juices, oil, water and butter, provokes an increase of the Water element in the body.
Air (Vayu)
In nature the Air element is light, dry, cold, unstable and imperceptible. In the Universe it is responsible for the movement of matter. In the human body functions like the movement of limbs and muscles, the flow of bodily fluids, the transmission of nervous impulses, respiration etc are controlled by the Air element. An high presence of Air renders the body very light and thin, and leads to diseases connected to mobility such as, for example, arthritis, asthma, constipation, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease etc. Mental and physical stability also appear disturbed. The Air element predominates in lentils, beans, chickpeas etc.
Earth (Prithvi)
In the Universe, the Earth element provides solidity and density, it structures the planet and gives sustenance and nourishment to living beings. Similarly, in the human body the Earth element is found in the structure of bones and muscles that form and support the body. If the Earth element is in excess, it manifests itself in heaviness, obesity and slowness of movement. An exaggerated consumption of meat, minerals and sweet things leads to an excessive formation of the Earth element in the human body.
Fire (Tej)
Heat and intensity are the primary characteristics of Fire whose function consists in promoting digestion and the correct functioning of the metabolism. In the Universe, solar energy stimulates the metabolism and the transformation of energy into nourishment in plants. In the human body, the Fire element regulates the secretion of enzymes, of gastric juices, the blood, the metabolic cycle etc. An excess of the Fire element in the Universe burns vegetation while a scarcity inhibits its growth. An excess of heat in the body provokes sensations of burning while a shortage alters metabolic and digestive functions, hindering the growth of the body. The Fire element is particularly found in hot and spicy foods.
Ether (Akash)
This element is characterised by its lightness, softness, imperceptibility and volatility. Space is the emptiness of the Universe that favours mobility. Indeed, if a room is full of solid objects, movement will be impossible or limited. In the same way the human body is composed of numerous empty structures, like the digestive tract, the blood vessels, the pores of cellular membranes and the spaces inside the ears, which permit a constant movement of solids and liquids. The absence of ether in one of these empty organs would provoke blockages with a consequent limitation on movements.
Hot Stone
Since antiquity shamans from around the world have used stones to regenerate the mind and body. Reports of the use of heated stones have reached us from the Orient (China and Japan), from Africa, from American Indians and from the healing techniques of nomadic communities in Hungary. Stones of volcanic origin, or from riverbeds, are heated in water and then used to massage the body or placed in areas of tension. 'Cold' stones, composed of marble or quartz, on the other hand are used to stimulate circulation.
Energy (Ki)
The techniques for rebalancing the vital internal energy that flows through the body by the use of pressure from the fingers (Shiatsu) and other parts of the body come from the Far East. The practitioner relates to the patient by manual contact so as to determine the balance of energies on which they need to work, thereby also making an energy diagnosis. The rapport between therapist ("tori") and patient ("uke") is therefore a two-way process.
Lights (Colours)
Chromotherapy has very ancient origins, because traditional medicine has always attributed great importance to the influence of colours on man's health and state of mind. The Egyptians, Romans and Greeks used to practice heliotherapy (exposure to direct sunlight) to cure various ailments. In India ayurvedic medicine has always held that colours influence the balance of the chakra, the centres of subtle energy associated with the principal glands of the body. The Chinese also used to entrust their physical wellbeing to the actions of various colours: the colour yellow served to cure the intestines, violet to prevent epileptic attacks.In China, in fact, the windows of the patient's room were covered with curtains of an appropriate colour and they wore garments of the same hue. In recent years chromotherapy has had a noticeable growth thanks to numerous scientific studies that have shown the influence of colours on the nervous, immune and metabolic systems.
The senses (Oils)
Energy: the perfume with its subtle vibrations interacts with the human magnetic field aligning its energy. Mental: calms, invigorates and rebalances the nervous system. Physical: the principal active ingredients of essential oils have varying properties, bactericidal and antiseptic (they disinfect, kill viruses, bacteria and germs), and cytophylactic and bio-activating (they promote the repair and regeneration of damaged tissue, triggering the natural defence processes of the organism).
Meridians (Nadi)
Nadi is a term from Advaita philosophy, from Vedanta and in general typical of the philosophy of the traditions of Yoga. Some theories consider the nadi to be related to the meridians of traditional Chinese medicine, to Acupuncture and to Japanese Shiatsu, even if the methods are different. The term comes from Sanskrit and means tube, channel or vein. These channels would be the routes through which passes the prana, or vital energy or breath, that feeds all the parts of the body. There are three main nadi. Sushumna is the most important channel of energy. It is found in the Merudanda (Danda: stick; Meru: the mountain which is the axis of the world in Hindu mythology), the cerebro-spinal axis from the base of the trunk to the top of the head, the so called crown. Sushumna is described as being fire red (Agni). The other two, Ida and Pingala, are wrapped within the first, carrying the two polar energies and ending at the nostrils.
Peace (Yin Yang)
Through the study of 'Ki' (energy), the Chinese tried to explain the balance between the primordial forces of the universe 'Yin' and 'Yang' and the 'Tao' (the way of nature), main theme of the Chinese philosophy. The idea has been used not only to understand the nature, but also the mankind. The Chinese studied the Tao to improve health and prolong life, with the consequent development of the Eastern medicine. The movement of the vital energy (Ki) became the search field. According to the chinese medical theory principles the Ki, or energy body, is considered to be Yin, while the physical body is considered Yang. The Ki can be heard, but not be seen. The Yin of the body is linked to thoughts, the soul, the spirit, while the Yang is used to express decisions or impulses of the Yin. Neither part can survive alone or exist without the complementary opposite. The opposing poles must balance and coordinate among themselves to allow life. The Ki, energy, is the invisible source of life. When is strong, even the manifestations of Yang may be strong. When the Yin is weak or too strong, the Yin and Yang are unbalanced. For this reason the primary aim of Chinese medicine is to maintain a balance of Yin and Yang.
