Blueprint for Freedom from Anxiety and Chronic Stress

Achieve Vibrant Health Using a Time-Tested, Proven Holistic Approach

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“I was able to let go of a lot of stuck and negative emotions I had.” —Natalia P.

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What is getting in the way of your best life?

Anxiety and chronic stress are two of the most common mental illnesses in the United States. In fact, 1 in 5 adults experience anxiety—approximately 46.6 million adults in a given year. Anxiety disorders are considered to be highly treatable, yet less than half of those suffering receive treatment. In addition, chronic stress is a national epidemic for all genders and ages, which can be both the cause and the effect of anxiety. Despite conventional medicine’s best efforts, the numbers of those affected by anxiety or chronic stress continue to rise.

If anxiety, chronic stress, or even just plain overwhelm are getting in the way of your true happiness, the authentic time-tested proven practices of the science of Ayurveda has solutions—holistic solutions that address your body, mind, and spirit.

Ayurveda is a 5000-year-old wellness and healthcare system that provides a solid foundation for individuals seeking to regain a life without anxiety and chronic stress. The Western approach of one-size-fits-all solutions just doesn’t work. We’re all different and when it comes to wellness our unique imbalances, history, and mindset are important to consider in regards to treatments and therapies.

Ayurveda’s authentic approach includes rejuvenation and detoxification—integrated with various tools for stress reduction, exercise, cleansing, and lifestyle practices—to heal and restore the body to its optimal health.

Your Blueprint for Vibrant Health

The Blueprint for Vibrant Health 21-day program is a 3-phase approach to detoxifying your body and mind, restoring balance, and resetting your entire being. The program is led by our expert Ayurveda practitioners who are committed to guiding you successfully on your journey.

Three Pillars of the Program

Pillar One: Your Unique System

The program begins with a pre-cleanse consultation. In this interactive session, you will work with an Ayurveda expert to understand your unique body-mind system in order to customize your cleanse experience.

Throughout the week, you'll watch video presentations introducing you to Ayurveda and Ayurvedic cooking and participate in live group check-ins as you prepare for cleansing in week 2.

Pillar Two: Digestion Reset

The second phase of the program is the reset phase. This is where you'll begin to release the toxins that are preventing you from experiencing optimal health and vibrancy.

During this week, you'll experience daily yoga and meditation, presentations on self-care, anxiety, and the Ayurveda daily routine. You'll receive a complete cleansing guide, daily recipes, and continue to participate in live group check-ins.

Pillar Three: Diet & Lifestyle

Phase three is where we teach you how to create sustainable lasting changes that help you stay balanced, prevent disease, and take control of your health.

You'll have a post-cleanse consultation with an Ayurveda expert to set your health and wellness goals and create your lifestyle plan. You'll also experience our renowned Happiness Program—a powerful, evidence-based breathing practice.

Our Holistic Approach to Addressing Anxiety and Chronic Stress

Ease Stress

Sometimes our autonomic nervous system gets stuck in “fight or flight” mode, creating long-term, or chronic, stress in the body which can lead to serious health problems, including mental disorders such as anxiety.

You’ll learn how to settle the nervous system and restore inner balance with Ayurveda. Effective for centuries, this authentic, transformative health care and wellness system helps individuals holistically manage stress and regulate the nervous system balance, a major component in the restoration of health. A highly-effective, powerful stress reduction tool is the cultivation of meditation practice.

Meditation techniques:

Are proven to reduce stress and anxiety
Can be adjusted to your unique spiritual path
Can be practiced daily to bring the body into alignment with the rhythms of nature
Create a sense of stability within your body so that when life throws you a curveball, your body doesn’t take the blow

Special breathing techniques and meditations, such as Sudarshan Kriya® (SKY), will be taught during the program so you can find a deeper sense of balance and well-being. Our SKY technique has been scientifically-proven to reduce levels of stress and decrease the stress hormone cortisol by 50%.

Additionally, SKY also:

Relieves anxiety and stress
Supports the immune system
Promotes feelings of well-being
Improves physical, psychological, and social health
Improves overall quality of life

Heal with Food

Diet is the the most powerful intervention for dis-ease and disease. More and more research is finding that a eating nutritious food is good for the body AND the mind.

Did you know that your digestion and diet can play a significant role in anxiety and chronic stress?

A healthy gut can significantly contribute to a more steady and calm mind and body state. In the health and wellness system of Ayurveda, it is recognized that each individual has a unique genetic makeup or constitution, and foods that are good for one individual may be bad for another. For example, certain types of food like spicy or fermented foods may be beneficial for some, while harmful to others. If you are not eating the right food for your unique body type, and your digestion is not functioning correctly, it can cause toxic build-up or inflammation in your body which can result in anxiety and depression and further imbalance.

This is just one of the reasons we take an individualized approach to health and well-being.

With our program, you will work one-on-one with a world-class Ayurvedic practitioner to determine a customized diet specifically for you.

Yoga for Mind-Body Balance

Yoga consists of natural rhythmic exercise that are calming in nature and help boost the production of the happy hormone serotonin.

There is evidence to show that chronic stress can cause the onset of anxiety and depression. Likewise, the daily management and impact of anxiety can create stress, and so the cycle perpetuates. Stress heavily impacts the mind state, sleep, general daily functioning, and may cause physical symptoms such as headaches and tension. The body and mind then struggle to manage the increase in stress hormones, which can trigger the body to shift into a permanent ‘fight, flight, or freeze’ mode, distort perspective leading to negative thinking, and much more. The connection between stress and anxiety is clear, and the approach to the restoration of health must encompass all elements.

Yoga is an effective holistic tool to manage physical, mental, and emotional well-being—daily and in the long-term.

It has been practiced for over 5,000 years and is one of the most natural movements to the body. Have you ever seen a baby or a dog waking up from a nap? Have you noticed how they naturally stretch and perform yoga poses intuitively?

Yoga consists of natural rhythmic exercise that are calming in nature and help boost the production of the happy hormone, serotonin. In addition, yoga can increase your heart rate variability (HRV), “an indicator of the body's ability to respond to stress more flexibly.”

Another aspect of yoga is breathwork, and this can restore present moment awareness to help stabilize the mind from oscillating between past regrets and future worries—a major factor that can trigger anxiety. Awareness also positively enhances the mind-body connection and supports individuals’ ability to regulate breathing to rebalance in moments of stress and anxiety.

Remove Toxic Build-up

Toxic build-up in the body and mind can cause many underlying health issues. An Ayurvedic cleanse will deeply heal and restore your well-being and natural vitality.

In Ayurveda, toxic build-up can block channels in the body and be the underlying cause of many health issues, including anxiety and chronic stress. There are various causative factors like the consumption of particular foods that are unsuited to your unique your body type, a too low or too high digestive capability that prevents the absorption of nutrients, and environmental toxins, just to name a few. Diet and exercise alone may not be successful in clearing out the toxic build-up.

During your cleanse, we’ll focus on the elimination of these toxins in the body. Through a specialized cleansing process unique to Ayurveda, you will work one-on-one with an Ayurvedic practitioner to determine which Ayurvedic cleansing techniques are best for you. Ayurvedic massages and a gentle detoxification process will be used to mobilize and eliminate toxins in the body.

These techniques have been shown to restore digestive power, energy flow in the body, inner balance, and vitality.

Rebalance with Medicinal Herbs

Support your health with the most natural, highly effective, remedy the planet has made available to us for thousands of years.

Your dedicated Ayurvedic practitioner will recommend a combination of medicinal herbs based on your genetic makeup or constitution. These herbal supplements will help balance the mind, cleanse the body, and restore overall well-being.

Live Well with Ayurveda

Lifestyle choices have a big impact on well-being. Learn how to balance your mental, physical, and emotional wellness through the life-enhancing power of Ayurveda.

Contemporary society is evolving at an ever-increasing rate, at a speed far greater than our minds and nervous system are capable of replicating—there is information and stimulation overload. The rise in anxiety and stress-related diseases is a natural consequence. Learning how to balance your mental, physical, and emotional wellness through various lifestyle changes is fundamental to living well.

The Ayurvedic routine is a powerful way to regulate the system and provide daily balance. The daily routines are based around the cycles of nature—when these routines are established, and we are in harmony with our natural rhythms, including the seasons, it provides a strong foundation for overall wellness. The practices are very simple and include oral and personal hygiene, meal times, sleep schedules, care for the senses (eyes, ears, mouth, and skin), bathing, exercise, and meditation practices, which all bring balance to an otherwise chaotic world. The practices are very simple, easy to integrate into even the busiest of lives, and all bring balance to an otherwise chaotic world.

During your program, we’ll empower you with healthy living seminars focused on diet and lifestyle choices for restored health, vitality, and lifelong well-being.

Topics include

Self-care with Ayurveda Therapies
Benefits of Ayurveda Cooking
An Introduction to Ayurveda
Incorporating the Ayurvedic Daily Routine into Your Life

Pre-cleanse consultation with Ayurveda expert to determine your specific needs and goals, and tailor the cleanse to your unique constitution
Personalized cleanse starter kit
Pacifying yoga sessions
Guided meditation and breathing practices
Live interactive sessions with Ayurveda experts
Recipes
Educational videos:
An Introduction to Ayurveda • Benefits of Ayurvedic Cooking
Self-Care with Ayurveda Therapies • Freedom from Anxiety
Incorporating the Ayurvedic Daily Routine
40-day complimentary access to Art of Living Journey app
A cleansing guide
Access to private Facebook support group
Post-program and cleanse follow-up consultation

This Retreat Will Change Your Life

Feel lighter
Increase energy
Improve strength
Boost your immune system
Remove toxic build-up

Manage stress effectively
Experience a calm mind
Feel more relaxed
Enhance your quality of life
Experience mental clarity & vitality

Deepen your connection to what matters most
Establish practices to support mind, body, & soul
Be part of a supportive community
Experience greater contentment

Gain new & enjoyable approaches to living well
Establish healthy eating patterns
Understand how food affects the mind & body
Improve your relationship with food

Research

Recent studies from Yale show the SKY Breathing practice is an effective breathing technique to eliminate stress and improve mental health and well-being. The Yale study—which was conducted with 200 participants over eight weeks—showed significant improvements in six mental-health and psychological thriving outcomes: stress, depression, mental health, social connectedness, positive emotions, and mindfulness.

Shankara Ayurveda Wellness: Authentic Ayurveda

At Shankara Ayurveda Wellness, located deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the authentic ancient practices of Ayurveda are integrated with contemporary wellness to bring you the ultimate therapeutic experience. Our expert team of Ayurvedic practitioners and therapists are dedicated to providing excellence in Ayurvedic health and well-being. Together, we specialize in individualized holistic care to the whole mind-body complex and the management of health conditions.

Your journey to health and vitality begins now.

“2016 Winner: Best Hidden Gem, Best for Yoga, Best for Mind, Body, Spirit”

“A 380-acre sanctuary… a balancing act of rest and activities”

“5 Wellness Retreats You Should Escape to ASAP”

“2016 Reader’s Choice Winner: Best Health & Wellness”

Program Leaders

Kimberly Rossi

Kimberly Rossi has been studying, practicing, and teaching Vedic science—Ayurveda, yoga, pranayama, and meditation—since 1998. Her passion is sharing the teachings, making things easy to follow, and empowering people to make positive lifestyle changes, so one may be happy, healthy, and whole—the best version of themselves and creators of the best life possible. Her professional career has been leading wellness-based businesses in four and five star destinations around the world for more than 25 years. Currently, she is the Director of Business Development at the Art of Living Retreat Center and Shankara Ayurveda Wellness.

Program Leaders

Kimberly Rossi

Testimonials

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Reviews

“Emotionally I feel less heavy, as though I was able to let go of a lot of stuck and negative emotions I had. I feel happier and feel as though I know myself more and are accepting of myself more as well."

"I learned so much and was able to release a lot of emotional energy that I no longer needed. All the stress and anxiety I have been holding in my body is gone."

"Before I started my cleanse, I had lot of anxiety and stress. I didn't have coping skills to deal with a very bad lifestyle for the last 2+ years. Now, I feel calm, relaxed, my diet is much better. I have made personal corrections that helped me work through some deep personal issues."

“I am able to deal with stressful thoughts better. I don’t feel that immediate worrying in my body. I had a great experience. I was able to go deep in my thoughts. I am excited about all the tools I'm taking with me."

“I was feeling low and nervous. My life felt stuck and in an unhealthy place. I feel the opposite now. It was very challenging but nurturing."

"I had started my cleanse feeling very stressed and anxious—tight as strings on a violin, physically and mentally. The cleanse was like a child's pose in yoga, a time of rest between asanas, a time of stress relief between times of effort.

“I feel more relieved from thoughts and my anxiety somewhat dwindled as well. I definitely feel lighter as a whole. I am most grateful for the opportunity to learn about Ayurveda while going through the detoxification”

“I feel wonderful, calmer, cleaner, and clearer. More energy. Less heavy. I am grateful for myself and for all the wonderful support, wisdom, knowledge that everyone shared with me. Wonderful pace.”

“I feel lighter, less anxiety, less racing thoughts...I am so grateful for the harmony, nature, and connection.”

“I am clearer (like a crystal). I feel so much lighter, more activated and expanded with more positivity overall and more grounded, peace, and confidence.”

“My experience was loving, healing, and energizing. I am so grateful for the peace, strength, and focus that I have found.”

“I feel really good and have the tools to continue to heal and find more happiness. My body is less stressed and tense, my mind is calm and certain negative emotions have been released.”

“Dramatic transformation. Clarity. Calm. Focus.”

“Very educational in terms of Ayurveda and learning specifically about my body. Unexpected that the cleanse was as much mental as physical —but wonderfully so. My energy levels are high and I feel much lighter. I feel mentally clearer, calmer, sharper, more positive. My sleep progressively improved each night.”

“Less anxious, more energy, more focus, calmer.”

“So much clearer in my mind. I feel so much better. I am clear on what direction to go in and what ‘feeds’ my soul."

“I feel refreshed, centered, and relaxed. I feel lighter and energized. My mind is more calm. Wonderful information, instruction, and guidance. Completely worth the time, effort, and investment.”

“I have gained mindfulness and am more aware of what my body’s needs are. I am most grateful for the knowledge to improve my health.”

“I feel much more relaxed and calm. I am most grateful for a place that can take you through the experience as authentically as possible.”

“I had a wonderful experience—this was exactly what I was looking for. I am more calm and at ease, more emotionally stable, and rested and nourished. Thank you!”

“I feel lighter as if a cloud and weight has been lifted. I feel clearer and bright! I had a wonderful experience.”

FAQs

Is this program suitable for me?

This is a specialized program for the treatment and management of anxiety and chronic stress. The program is suitable if you experience any of these health concerns or if you have a personal history or family members that have anxiety and chronic stress, as this can be used as a preventative measure.

However, we are unable to accept:

Anyone who has a medical history of Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenic, and/or Schizoaffective Disorder.
Anyone that has had recent hospitalization for depression or anxiety in last year.
Anyone who is pregnant.

During your initial consultation please inform us of any current prescription medication you are taking and medical history.

Does this program work for all forms of anxiety?

Once you register for the program, you will receive an initial consultation to determine whether the program is suitable for you. To ensure you receive the maximum program benefits, it is essential at that stage we are informed of any current prescription medication you are taking and your medical history.

What is the cancellation policy?

Cancellations less than two weeks, prior to the program, will be charged 50% of the full program fee.

I have a food allergy or specific diet, can I still eat there?

Please discuss your special dietary need or allergies with an Ayurveda specialist. Dietary requirements, such as gluten-free and vegan options are generally available.

Can I stop my medicine?

No. If you have anxiety and/or suffer from chronic stress, you will work with our team to help manage your health condition. However, it will be up to your primary care doctor to make the decision on whether you are in a place to adjust, reduce, or stop your medications.

Will I no longer have anxiety and/or chronic stress after this program?

A lot of participants feel more balanced, physically, mentally, and emotionally and empowered to create positive change in their daily life. However, results are completely dependent on how your body reacts to the treatments. It also depends on how closely the diet and lifestyle recommendations are followed.

What foods can I eat on the program?

During this specialized 21-day retreat, you’ll receive an individualized diet specific to your unique body type to rebuild your body and your digestion. A lot of the foods that you will be recommended are based around a plant-based diet.

What if I'm not in good physical shape?

Everyone has unique physical capabilities. All of the programs are adjusted to meet the attendee where they are at to help build up your strength and endurance.

Does this program require eating a raw or plant-based diet?

During your pre-cleanse, cleanse and post-cleanse a plant-based diet is recommended. However, we will create a program which is sustainable for long-term success.

Do I have to experience anxiety and/or chronic stress to participate?

No. If you have a personal history or family members that are struggling, this can be used as a preventative measure to help you avoid experiencing anxiety in the future. The program can also be beneficial in managing chronic stress.

Will there be emotional support during the program?

You will receive support throughout the program. Our team is dedicated to providing individualized holistic care to the whole mind-body complex.

I experience severe anxiety, would the program be suitable for me?

Important Note: This program is not suitable if you are pregnant.

Get the Details About Anxiety and Chronic Stress

Discover how the authentic approach of Ayurvedic medicine, diet, and lifestyle practices can help you regain a life with happiness, clarity, and emotional stability.