Ayurvedic Spring Retreat at Menla (upstate NY)
Guided by Noël (Ayurveda) and Elitza (Yoga)
May 2-5

Ayurveda is a Sanskrit word meaning 'life knowledge'. It is the name of the world's oldest, most comprehensive health system, which offers unique insight into creating balance among all facets of wellness — physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual — using tools such as diet, plant remedy, daily schedule and lifestyle practices, movement and yoga, meditation, breath work, color, and aromatherapy to establish coordination and cooperation between body, mind, and the natural world.

Ayurvedic medicine teaches us how to observe the way our body/minds are influenced by the transitions within our environment — the basis of our existence — so that we may practice yoga, the remembrance of our interdependence and unity with all of Nature. In doing so, we can consciously work with the ever-changing tides of life around us, strategically aligning ‘internal and external rhythms’ to create a healthy, harmonious, content state of body/mind.

Ayurveda and Yoga recommends a cleanse to accompany a change in season, to clear and open physiological and psychological channels in the body/mind. Spring is an especially important time of the year, when nature re-awakes from the long, heavy winter and provides us with all the dietary and herbal tools we need to rid our bodies of excess fats and proteins which keep environmental, hormonal, and emotional toxins bound in bodily tissues; allowed to remain, they disrupt functionality of the tissues, establishing foundation for disease.

A Spring cleanse helps the body to identify stored fat tissue as use-able energy, retraining and firing up digestive capacity within the GI tract, bodily tissues, and the mind. Accumulated and stored toxins are brought to the surface of tissues and gently escorted out through elimination channels.

During this group-oriented Spring cleanse, Noël and Elitza will introduce traditional Ayurvedic and Yogic cleansing techniques through diet, daily ritual and somatic movement to restore functionality to your digestive capacity, organize communication within your tissue layers, increase endurance within your nervous and immune systems, and awaken peace within your mind, so you may transition gracefully and energetically into the light, auspicious Springtime. Our intention is to teach you how to create the conditions internally for body/mind cooperation using yoga, breathwork, bodywork, meditation, simplified diet and educational workshops.
*No previous cleanse or meditation experience is necessary.

This retreat will include:

• A preparatory (group) Zoom call

• Cleanse-week Manual PDF (sent ahead of time)

• An Ayurvedic mono-diet of organic kitchari and tisanes (herbal teas)

• Appropriate herbs to support detoxification (triphala, Aloe vera)

• A ‘dinacharya’ kit with tools to use during the retreat and at home including: copper tongue scraper, nasya (nasal) oil, neti pot (nasal rinse) and salts, body massage oil, rose eye drops, essential oils blend, eye mask, acupressure mat

• Two 30-minute sauna sessions are included for each participant during the cleanse at the Dewa Spa ○ *Participants are highly encouraged to book a massage at Dewa Spa (not included in retreat package)

• Daily group meditation, pranayama (breath work), and yoga, including evening yoga nidra and a sound bath

• Daily Ayurvedic theory classes

• A cooking demonstration to learn about spices, kitchari, and ghee

• Daily opportunity to convene with Mother Nature

Āyurveda is a Sanskrit word meaning “life knowledge.” It is the name of the world's oldest holistic health system, which offers unique insight into creating balance among all facets of wellness — physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual — using tools such as diet, plant remedies, daily schedule and lifestyle practices, movement and yoga, meditation, breath work, color, and aromatherapy to establish harmony between body, mind, and the natural world.

Balance in mind and body within the context of nature is divine natural order, according to Āyurveda. Action taken to cultivate cooperation between mind and body and the environment yields the symptoms of health that lay the foundation for true happiness and longevity. As preventative wellcare, Āyurveda is behavioral medicine at its finest, making it a science of personal responsibility — one which trains you first intellectually, then intuitively, to make intelligent decisions that invite health and harmony into your experience.

Āyurveda recommends a cleanse to accompany a change in season, to clear and open physiological and psychological channels in the body and mind. Spring is an especially important time of the year, when nature re-awakes from the long, heavy winter and provides us with all the dietary and herbal tools we need to rid our bodies of excess fats and heavy proteins which keep environmental and emotional toxins bound in bodily tissues.

A Spring cleanse helps the body to identify stored fat tissue as useable energy, retraining and firing up digestive capacity within the GI tract, bodily tissues, and the mind. Accumulated and stored toxins are brought to the surface of tissues and gently escorted out through elimination channels. The results of the Spring cleanse are empowered digestive and immune systems as well as a purified mind to transition gracefully and energetically from the heavy, dulled winter into the light, auspicious Springtime.

The sophistication of the software and hardware of the human being is an absolutely magnificent phenomenon. And yet, without realizing it, we are getting in the way of its natural and spontaneous self-healing capability by inundating our systems with excessive consumption and exposure to toxicity. We are interrupting restoration and repair of our physical vehicles with careless lifestyles.

The goal of this retreat is to provide the tools and space for a gentle yet thorough cleansing of the body and mind, as well as a foundation for understanding how your physiology and psychology work together, why it is important to detoxify the internal organs and the sense organs, and how to use the things you are engaging with each day, knowingly and unknowingly, through environment, society, lifestyle, and diet, as tools to cultivate the physical state and state of mind of your own choosing.This retreat will include:

• An Āyurvedic mono-diet of kitchari and tisanes (herbal teas)

• Appropriate herbs to support detoxification (triphala)

• A ‘dinacharaya’ tool-kit of copper tongue scraper, nasal oil, mouth gargle, neti pot and salts, essential oils, body massage oil, and a candle to use during the retreat and at home following the retreat

• Daily group yoga, pranayama (breath work), and meditation

• Daily body work (massage or traditional Āyurvedic oil therapy)

• Daily Āyurvedic theory classes

• A cooking demonstration to learn about spices, kitchari, and ghee

• Daily opportunity to convene with Mother Nature

ScheduleThursday, May 23rd

• 3 - 5pm Check-in

• 5:30pm Welcome

• 6 - 7pm Vegetarian Dinner

• 7:15 - 8:30pm Intro to How / Why to Spring Cleanse

  •  Tool Kits distributed + instructions shared for morning rituals

• 8:30 - 9:30pm Yoga Nidra - led by Noël

Friday, May 24th

• 7 - 8am Yoga + Pranyama

• 8 - 8:30am Meditation

• 8:30 - 9:30am Kitchari Breakfast

• 10am - 12pm Āyurvedic Philosophy Class / Introduction to Āyurveda

• 12 - 1pm Kitchari Lunch

• 1 - 4pm Free Time for Being Outside, Resting, Journaling / Bodywork Therapies

• 4 - 6pm Āyurvedic Philosophy Class / 6 tastes + Seasonal Eating + Ritucharya/Dinacharya

• 6 - 7pm Kitchari Dinner

• 7:15 - 8:15pm Yoga Nidra - led by Noël

Saturday, May 25th

• 7 - 8am Yoga + Pranyama

• 8 - 8:30am Meditation

• 8:30 - 9:30am Breakfast - Kitchari

• 10am - 12pm Āyurvedic Philosophy Class / Digestion + Seven Tissue Layers

• 12 - 1pm Kitchari lunch

• 1 - 4pm  Free Time for Being Outside, Resting, Journaling / Bodywork Therapies

• 4 - 6pm Āyurvedic Philosophy Class / Agni + Food Sadhana

• 6 - 7pm Kitchari dinner

• 7:15 - 8:15pm Yoga Nidra - led by Noël

Sunday, May 26th

• 7 - 8am Yoga + Pranyama

• 8 - 8:30am Meditation

• 8:30 - 9:30am Breakfast - Kitchari

• 10am - 12pm Āyurvedic Philosophy Class

• 12 - 1pm Kitchari lunch

• 1 - 4pm  Free Time for Being Outside, Resting, Journaling / Bodywork Therapies

• 4 - 6pm Āyurvedic Philosophy Class

• 6 - 7pm Kitchari dinner

• 7:15 - 8:15pm Yoga Nidra - led by Noël

Monday, May 27th

• 7 - 8am Yoga + Pranyama

• 8 - 8:30am Meditation

• 8:30 - 9:30am Kitchari Breakfast

• 7 - 11am Check-Out of Rooms

• 10am - 12pm Cooking Class / Demo : Intro to Spices, Ghee, Kitchari

• 12 - 1pm Kitchari Lunch

• 1 - 1:30pm Questions + Closing

• 1:30 Departure

For many, the journey to  Ayurveda arrives from the bountiful relationship with yoga, when we realize the practices of asana, pranayam, and meditation are shared components of the Ayurvedic life sciences. Another critical component to complete wellness, especially in the modern world, is Panchakarma: seasonal cleansing rituals. Cleansing rituals are critically important to urban people in these times. The Panchakarma traditions of India are ancient, yet powerful, as if intended to be carried into this active modern world to enable deep healing. Through Panchakarma, we are able to address many of the acute and equivocal factors of dis-ease at the roots of the matter. 

MYNYC is teaming up with Ayurvedic nutritionist and cook Noël Graupner to offer Modo yogis a unique opportunity to learn about Yoga's sister science, Ayurveda, and experience a comprehensive Ayurvedic Spring cleanse (also known as Panchakarma) which includes diet, herbal, and movement purification practices aimed at helping the body identify stored winter fat tissue as useable energy, resetting the metabolic function and digestive capacity of all the tissue layers of the body. Accumulated and stored toxins are brought to the surface of tissues and gently escorted out through elimination channels. The result of the Spring Panchakarma are empowered digestive and immune systems as well as a purified mind to transition gracefully and energetically from the heavy, dulled winter into the light, auspicious Springtime. 

The cleanse will be offered in 3-, 5-, and 7- day packages, and will include a daily 3-meal supply of Ayurvedic kitchari*, daily herbal tisanes*, a jar of Noël’s home made ghee*, a pouch of triphala*, as well as a daily yog classes at Modo West Villag. A complete toolkit containing Ayurvedic cleansing tools and oils (herbalized body massage oil, herbalized oil-pulling oil, herbalized nasya oil, copper tongue scraper, copper neti pot, thymed-neti salt) may also be purchased separately for $130. 

Daily kitchari and tisanes may be picked up at Modo West Village between 730-8am.
*All organic ingredients
*Background classes on Ayurvedic and Panchakarma theory will be taught in March and are highly recommended but not mandatory for the cleanse. 

$135 3-day cleanse
$225 5-day cleanse
$300 7-day cleanse 

AYURVEDIC AUTUMN CLEANSE

MYNYC is teaming up with Ayurvedic nutritionist and cook Noël Graupner to offer Modo yogis a unique opportunity to learn about Yoga's sister science, Ayurveda, and experience a comprehensive 5­ day Ayurvedic Autumn cleanse (also known as Panchakarma) which includes diet, herbal, and movement purification practices aimed to alleviate the body of stored heat which has accumulated throughout the summer.

The cleanse begins with a 2 hour introduction orientation on Sunday, in which participants will be introduced to Ayurvedic theory, receive a kit of tools to use throughout the cleanse, and have the opportunity to sign up for a 30 minute private consultation (included) with Noël. In the week following, there will be a 5­day detox beginning each morning with a class at Modo (incorporating pranayma and meditation), after which all participants will receive a juice and a daily supply of cleansing yet nourishing Ayurvedic kitchari. The result of the Panchakarma cleanse is a restored and rejuvenated digestive and immune system, and a purified mind to move gracefully into the colder months with strength and clarity.

West Village: Intro Workshop on Sunday Oct. 23rd 11am-­1pm, Cleanse Oct. 26­-30th
Williamsburg: Intro Workshop on Sunday Oct. 30th, 11am­-1pm, Cleanse Nov. 2­-6th

$300 ­which includes:
* 2 hour Intro to Ayurveda + PK Orientation
* 30 min private consultation + daily check ins
* Ayurvedic Tool­Kit
* 5 Yoga classes with Pranayam + Meditation
* 5 days of 1x serving fresh breakfast juices, made with all­organic ingredients
* 5 days 3x servings of kitchari, made with all organic ingredients

Ayurvedic tool­kit includes:
* a jar of homemade organic ghee
* a pouch of organic triphala powder, and a secondary powder blend (if personally necessary)
* a tisane of cleansing herbs for this seasonal transition
* a bottle of massage oil, (blended oils if necessary)
* a bottle of nasya oil
* cleansing tools: dry brush, tongue scraper, neti pot, jar of thymed salt

AYURVEDIC AUTUMN CLEANSE

MYNYC is teaming up with Ayurvedic nutritionist and cook Noël Graupner to offer Modo yogis a unique opportunity to learn about Yoga's sister science, Ayurveda, and experience a comprehensive 5­ day Ayurvedic Autumn cleanse (also known as Panchakarma) which includes diet, herbal, and movement purification practices aimed to alleviate the body of stored heat which has accumulated throughout the summer.

The cleanse begins with a 2 hour introduction orientation on Sunday, in which participants will be introduced to Ayurvedic theory, receive a kit of tools to use throughout the cleanse, and have the opportunity to sign up for a 30 minute private consultation (included) with Noël. In the week following, there will be a 5­day detox beginning each morning with a class at Modo (incorporating pranayma and meditation), after which all participants will receive a juice and a daily supply of cleansing yet nourishing Ayurvedic kitchari. The result of the Panchakarma cleanse is a restored and rejuvenated digestive and immune system, and a purified mind to move gracefully into the colder months with strength and clarity.

West Village: Intro Workshop on Sunday Oct. 23rd 11am-­1pm, Cleanse Oct. 26­-30th
Williamsburg: Intro Workshop on Sunday Oct. 30th, 11am­-1pm, Cleanse Nov. 2­6th

$300 ­which includes:
* 2 hour Intro to Ayurveda + PK Orientation
* 30 min private consultation + daily check ins
* Ayurvedic Tool­Kit
* 5 Yoga classes with Pranayam + Meditation
* 5 days of 1x serving fresh breakfast juices, made with all­organic ingredients
* 5 days 3x servings of kitchari, made with all organic ingredients

Ayurvedic tool­kit includes:
* a jar of homemade organic ghee
* a pouch of organic triphala powder, and a secondary powder blend (if personally necessary)
* a tisane of cleansing herbs for this seasonal transition
* a bottle of massage oil, (blended oils if necessary)
* a bottle of nasya oil
* cleansing tools: dry brush, tongue scraper, neti pot, jar of thymed salt