What is Ayurveda About Surya Spa About Martha Soffer
Consultations with Martha Panchakarma
Mother Baby Offerings Meet the MB Team
From Clients From The Press
Authentic Ayurvedic Clinic
 

Ayurvedic Clinic - Los Angeles

 

Surya Spa is an authentic, artisan Ayurvedic Clinic offering consultations and traditional treatments, focusing on 3 to 21 day highly-personalized Panchakarma Series. 

 
 

"Ayurveda," meaning the science and wisdom of life, is a comprehensive system of health and well-being, born 10,000 years ago, its ancient roots with the Tamil Siddhas of southern India, who worked developed a system of life-extension, life-enhancement, and a natural approach to nourish body, mind and spirit.  Ayurveda knows that our bodies are the careful balance of three elemental forces or doshas, Vata, Pitta and Kapha (wind, fire and the solidity of earth and water), and understands that disease and discomfort are manifestations of what’s knows as a doshic imbalance. Using personalized treatments, diet changes and herbal remedies, Ayurveda aims to restore balance to the body and mind, and to do so in a way that has profoundly restorative and lasting effects. When the fire of an aggravated Pitta is cooled, or the sluggishness of Kapha is stirred and activated, or the overstimulation of Vata is calmed, discomforting symptoms and associated disease naturally vanish, and, more importantly, so do their underlying causes. The ancient art and science of Ayurveda guides us to heal ourselves, as well, using the simple and beautiful gifts of the natural world and even the quiet intuition of our own beings, as we learn to feel our own imbalances, and easily correct them before problems arise.

What are your health and wellness concerns…?

 

"My soul rejoiced the moment I lay down on the massage table. Panchakarma has been the most sublime treatment I have ever received, gently healing layer after layer, once and for all."

Alexandra Db

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Consultations 

Ayurvedic consultations are a great way to begin your journey, in which your Ayurvedic pulse will be taken, as well as an understanding gained from your tongue, which in many ways acts as a mirror for the body.  The pulse diagnosis itself is a fascinating process -- each fingertip is divided into five sections, and there are seven levels of pressure, all of which help the Ayurvedic doctor have not only a full and accurate picture of your situation, but understand the best remedies. In a consultation at Surya, Martha, Surya's Ayurvedic doctor, will assess your body's core nature and imbalances, and create a plan for your unique situation, which may simply be some diet changes and herbal recommendations, or recommendations for self-care at home, or restorative and rejuvenating treatments, as well.

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Panchakarma 

Panchakarma is the ancient Ayurvedic series of nourishing, detoxifying and restorative treatments, which, at Surya, typically occur over the course of 5-7 consecutive days, and often extend to 21 days.  These Ayurvedic treatments, or Panchakarma Retreats, dramatically improve health and wellbeing by returning balance to the body.  They’re also wonderful to receive, as two therapists work on you simultaneously in a synchronized massage therapy, using warm oil that’s been herbalized and cooked all night, for your specific health concerns.

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Mother & Baby

At Surya, one of the most wonderful applications of the restorative and nurturing power of Ayurveda is in the field of fertility, conception, pregnancy, and, the first six weeks of postpartum.

The transformation that begins at conception and continues through postpartum is one of the rewarding gifts a woman receives, and during this period of rapid change, Surya’s Mother Baby Program supports new mothers and their partners every step of the way, setting the stage for the growing baby, and for the ongoing health and wellness of the family.

Surya’s Mother Baby Program focuses on natural fertility, maximizing conception, traditional and restorative prenatal massages and treatments, as well as a personalized in-home program beginning immediately when upon return from the hospital, or directly after a home birth.

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Surya Spa Bread

Grain-Free, Sugar-Free, Paleo, Absolutely Delicious

"Despite being a dedicated baker myself, I frankly must admit that this bread surpasses any paleo bread I have made or eaten. The care & Ayurvedic knowledge they craft their bread with gives it its cachet. The light sweetness and its pillowy texture reminiscent of bakeshop sweet breads is unsurpassed."

Almila, The Thirlby

 
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OIL PULLING// The mouth holds many secrets about the internal body. At Surya, Martha uses 1 tablespoon of a mixture of sesame oil, coconut oil, and various herbs to swish around the mouth. You can do this for around 10 minutes, but the true way to know you are done oil pulling, Martha says, is when the digestive enzymes in the saliva turn the oil in the mouth into a more watery substance. Doing this every morning helps prevent gingivitis, pulls bacteria from the teeth and gums, removes mucus, decreases inflammation and so much more!
ARTICHOKE // Around this time of year, we start planting our big and beautiful artichoke plants. Artichokes are special -- they have high concentrations of Cynarin and Silymarin, both of which lower cholesterol, protect and support liver function, increase bile production and prevent gallstones. If you have some garden space with lots of sun, consider planting some of these beauties!
EVERYDAY AYURVEDA // Ayurveda is a lifestyle. Coming into balance requires us to make small choices every day that make us healthier, bit by bit. Sometimes it can feel daunting but creating routines around healthy habits makes it easier. Try to create even 5 minutes each day to say hello to your body: do some meditation, get physical, practice some self massage or even scrub yourself down with some silk Garshana gloves before your shower. It may seem simple, but the more you "live in your body" the easier it is to know to your bodies needs, to make simple choices that make each day more balanced, to trust your intuition.
SEASONAL & LOCAL EATING // Ayurveda loves seasonal, local eating for optimal health. ⠀ ✨ Balance doshas: Local, seasonal food tends to naturally balance doshas and prevent us from getting sick. For example, citrus, pitta fruits packed with vitamins, helps keep us balanced, energized and healthy during the winter months (kapha season), when we tend to experience more sluggish immune and digestive systems.⠀ ✨ Prevent allergies: By eating local foods grown in local soil, you automatically ingest small amounts of allergens in your local environment, which helps your body prevent allergies by starting to develop antibodies and keeping your immune system active. ✨ Eat fresh food: Local and seasonal foods tend to spend much less time in transit between the time they are harvested to the time they are on your plate, which also means they aren't harvested prematurely, making them less nutrient dense. Fresher food is also said to be better for your digestive system because, unlike older food, it doesn't not cause ama or toxic buildup.⠀ ✨ Know your farmers: Buying from farms you trust helps you to ensure that the food your eating isn't treated with chemicals and pesticides that damage your digestive system.
WELCOMING THE NEW YEAR // As we walk into the new year, we are focused on the opportunity for rebirth: shedding our old leaves for new, stronger, healthier ones, watering and nurturing our roots, grounding ourselves so we can grow taller, looking within so we can move through the world with ease. 💛 What are you focused on this year?
PULSE DIAGNOSIS // Reading the pulse is a glimpse into an individual’s psycho-physiology in which the three doshas represent a flow of consciousness - every cell a center of awareness. The snake of vata, the frog of pitta, the swan of kapha. Reading the pulse means learning to sense the subtle essence, movement and inertia in someone's pulse. It is said that in order to heighten sensitivity in the fingertips and read a pulse with accuracy, it is common practice to place one strand of hair under a piece of paper. Each day a new sheet of paper is added until the person can feel the strand of hair under hundreds of pages. How magical! @hillariely thank you for the beautiful words 🐍 🐸 🕊️
WINTER BATH // Another great way to boost your immune system, is to soak your body in epsom salts! Soaking in hot water with epsom salts triggers a process called vasodilation, which helps to increase your white blood cell count and fight illness.
NASYA // Another great Kapha season remedy is the traditional Ayurvedic treatment - the Nasya. During Kapha season, congestion stagnates in your chest and head, causing excess mucus, trouble breathing, respiratory infection etc. Nasya helps to open the nasal cavities and strengthen the upper respiratory system. It also feels amazing! ❄️🤗