We should be frank, it is nearly impossible to lead a perfectly Ayurvedic life in the modern times. With work schedules, social and occasionally the urge to have pizza, who is going to manage to stick to the ancient wellness routines on a daily basis? Therein lies the 80/20 rule of Ayurveda and it is quite literally a game changer.

I have witnessed numerous individuals who came back to their usual way of living in awe after the wellness retreat and failed miserably to maintain the same state just weeks later. It is not that they do not have the will power, they have unrealistic expectations. This 80/20 method also alters a lot because now Ayurveda can be possible even in the lives of ordinary people.

What's This 80/20 Thing Anyway?

The Ayurveda principle of the 80/20 rule in Ayurveda is also surprisingly straightforward. Adhere to Ayurvedic rules 80 percent of the time, and wring not about the remainder 20 percent. That's it. No guilt attacks, no perception that you have failed since one morning you had coffee rather than herbal tea.

And your body is not as dumb as you think. As long as you are constantly feeding it with good practices the majority of the time it can take the occasional late night or luxurious meal. It has nothing to do with getting it right, but establishing a platform.

What is the purpose behind Ayurveda basing their whole philosophy on this realistic approach. They know that to be sustainably healed, there are no hard rules, but instead the practices that they can carry over the years, not weeks.

Why Kerala Changes Everything

When you study Ayurveda where its origin is, there is something special about it. It is not just a vacation, but a trip to the source a health retreat in Kerala. The medicinal plants that are used in the treatments are suited to the climate. The healers have generations of experience and have passed this over to the practitioners. This even includes the food, which is different as the food is growing in the same place.

You are not reading about ayurveda when you are at The Ayurvedic Healing Village or such other centers, you are experiencing it. You are not woken up by the traffic. The food is cooked in the manner of your particular body type. All the treatments involve fresh herbs and oils prepared in the old fashioned manner.

There is something deep that this immersive ayurveda does. It makes you feel what it really means to have a balanced feeling in your body. When you have experienced such feeling, then you can reproduce it back to your home, even though not perfectly.

Building Your Daily 80 Percent

You will set routines that will be your 80 percent base during your Ayurvedic retreat in India. The riddle is to find out what practices are the most important to you as a person.

Morning Rituals That Stick

Probably you cannot manage the entire two-hour morning program at home but scraping your tongue, drinking warm water and five minutes of breathing exercises? That's doable. These are your non-negotiables.

During the retreat, observe what morning practices leave you feeling the most energetic. And those are the ones you have something to look forward to when you get home.

Food That Makes Sense

Ayurvedic diet may seem like a complex one but once you have experienced it. During the retreat, you will find that some combinations of foods make you light and energetic and others make you sluggish.

You do not have to prepare any Ayurvedic retreat in India  every day. Mere knowledge of the fact that warm and cooked foods suit you better than cold salads, that you need protein at lunch and not at dinner, the little things like that are your 80 percent.

The chefs of the retreat will demonstrate that ayurvedic food is not exotic or foreign. It is usually less complicated than what you are already consuming, only that it is more considerately made.

Treatments You Can Take Home

The Ayurvedic medicine on your vacation--warm oil massage, herbal steam bath, special kind of treatment, these clean up your system. Clearly, you cannot get professional treatments on a daily basis at home.

But rub yourself with warm sesame oil a couple of times a week? Need to make ginger tea because you are cold? Scraping your tongue with copper every morning? These combined rudimentary measures sustain the advantage of those intensive therapies.

Your 20 Percent Freedom Pass

This is what makes the 80/20 rule in ayurveda effective--the 20 percent is not a failure. It's built into the system.

Italian food is the only thing served at the birthday dinner of your sister? That's your 20 percent. The job assembly at which you subsist on coffee and sandwiches served by caterer? Twenty percent. That once a week when you feel like sleeping and having takeout? Also 20 percent.

At Why Ayurveda, they will even make you determine the times you will require such flexibility. It eliminates the embarrassment and assists you in strategizing. You may shorten your 80 percent ahead of time when you are aware of a busy week at the workplace. You rest knowing that you are well off on vacation.

The experience of the retreat teaches you to listen to your body such that you will be aware that you have been living too much in that 80/20 rule in Ayurveda. Your body will know- through your level of energy, or the quality of your digestion or sleep- when you need to revert to your usual condition.

Making It Last Beyond Kerala

The greatest error that the people commit is in the attempts to continue their retreat plan at home. You can't. And you have a different life, and that is fine.

Rather, find three to five mainly practices of your retreat that seem fundamental. It is the morning habits and having a warm breakfast to some people. In some cases, it is meditation and a dinner at an early time. The answer is not one.

Note down all the things during the retreat. What were your feelings upon oil massage? What foods made you feel best? When did you wake up naturally in accordance with your body rhythm? This turns into your personal guide book.

It is important to remember that ayurveda and ayurvedic medicine appreciate the fact that we evolve with changing seasons and changing life stages. What was 80 percent in summer, would be different in winter. You may require additional grounding practices when you are stressed. At the times that you are low energy, you may require warming foods more.

The Real Magic

The application of 80/20 rule with a legitimate health retreat in Kerala is effective since it will be a combination of the ancient knowledge and a modern fact. You receive the transformational force of being fully immersed into Ayurvedic practices, and a practical system of sustaining those advantages in domestic environments.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 80/20 rule in Ayurveda?

Ayurveda 80/20 rule entails the adoption of the most vital Ayurvedic principles on a regular basis without worrying about perfection. This will strike a balance and be able to fit into the modern lifestyles.

Ayurveda and a hectic schedule: Can it be really possible?

Yes. Ayurveda is meant to reinforce the actual life. Simple habits, conscious eating, and decent rests consumed the majority of the time will result in changes.

Is an ayurvedic diet hard to adhere to?

The ayurvedic diet is easy and adaptable. It dedicates itself to fresh, warm and digestible foods as opposed to rigid limitations.

Why does Kerala have a reputation of Ayurveda?

Kerala is considered to have a true tradition of Ayurvedic, competent practitioners as well as a natural surrounding hence ideally suited as a health retreat in Kerala.

Are Ayurvedic medical practices safe to use in the long term?

Ayurvedic health treatments and ayurvedic medicine are safe with long-term wellness provided one is directed by trained professionals.

Should I book into a retreat in order to enjoy Ayurveda?

No, regular daily lifestyle changes will be of a lot of benefit. Nevertheless, an Ayurvedic retreat in India can help to speed up the process and learn more about Ayurveda.