Professionals in Ayurvedic Healing

Ayurveda is an ancient Indian healing system that strives to balance the physical, mental
and spiritual aspects of life to achieve optimal health. It uses natural herbal remedies,
non-traditional therapies, yoga and meditation, among other things, to correct or maintain
that balance. Its popularity in the US as an alternative medicine continues to increase
steadily. As more and more people turn to Ayurvedic healing for their healthcare
solutions, the search for trained professionals in this specialty field also grows.

What is an Ayurvedic professional? In the US, the term can refer to an assortment of
different practitioners that might vary from highly trained physician to self-taught novice.
Since the practice of Ayurveda embraces the belief that treating the emotional and
spiritual states is equally as important as treating the physical, the vocational possibilities
for potential future Ayurvedic professionals are numerous.

In the US, there are no regulations on Ayurvedic training or practice. What this means to
the person considering Ayurvedic healing as a profession is that, no matter what an
institution proclaims about the title you receive from them, there is no Ayurvedic medical
degree recognized in the US. This is important to remember because a number of schools
found online award Bachelor and even Master Degrees in the specialty, but these are
certifications that are only recognized by the institutions themselves.

Many Ayurvedic practitioners in the US have had previous formal medical training
before specializing in Ayurvedic medicine. Other professionals in the field who have no
medical training may narrow their focus to specific areas of Ayurvedic healing, such as
massage therapists or yoga instructors.

More typically, most Ayurvedic practitioners in the US today practice as consultants.

There are some excellent schools found in the US that offer comprehensive training in the
discipline, including color therapy and the preparation of herbal medicines.

The National Ayurvedic Medical Association is the nationally recognized professional

association for the US. The purpose of the group is to increase the credibility of the
Ayurvedic healing arts and ultimately establish licensing regulations. To date, they are
responsible for establishing a set of minimum standard requirements for Ayurvedic
practitioners in the US today.
As with any other doctor, true Ayurvedic physicians are formally trained. They attend
medical school in India for 5-6 years, at which point the successful candidate is certified
by a medical degree in Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery. If an Ayurvedic physician
chooses to practice in the US, he is restricted by law from using the title of doctor in any
form. He will, however, have BAMS listed after his name to indicate his certification.

of pursuing a professional specialty status becoming an Ayurvedic practitioner might

specialize in a

What should you look for in an Ayurvedic practioner?

The true Ayurvedic medical doctor has been formally trained in India. The letters DAMS
or BAMS will follow his name, signifying his degree in Ayurvedic Medicine and
Surgery. As an extra precaution, you can check the doctor’s certification by his degree-
registration number with the Department of AYUSH in India, since all practitioners are
required to register with the government. The increasing popularity of ayurvedic
medicine has, unfortunately, also increased the number of professional imposters that
only claim to be practioners. If an Ayurvedic physician chooses to practice in the US, he
is restricted by law from practicing as a doctor.

Since the US has no national regulations on who can be called an Ayurvedic practitioner,

Ayurveda can be defined as a system which uses the inherent principles of nature to help
maintain health in a person by keeping the individual's body, mind, and spirit in perfect
equilibrium with nature

Practice in the United States

Practitioners of Ayurveda in the United States have various types of training. Some are trained
in the Western medical tradition (such as medical or nursing school) and others in a whole
medical system called naturopathic medicine, before or after they study Ayurveda. Many learn
at one of India's many colleges for Ayurveda. Practitioners may differ as to which aspects of
Ayurvedic practice they are trained in (for example, being trained in massage but not in
preparing herbal treatments, and vice versa).
The United States does not have a national standard for certifying or training Ayurvedic
practitioners. Some Ayurvedic professional organizations are collaborating to develop licensing
requirements. Consumers should know that not all practitioners who offer services or
treatments that are called "Ayurvedic" have been trained in an Ayurvedic medical school.
(Services in spas and salons often fall into this category.) It is important to ask about a
practitioner's training and experience.

Ayurvedic Health Studies include training in Ayurvedic physiology, traditional vedic medical
theory, healthy living practices and disease management. Students will learn how to determine
body constitutions (prakriti), and how to treat disharmonies of the constitution through the four
main classifications of Ayurveidic disease management: cleansing (shodan) palliation (shaman) ;
rejuvenation ( rasayana) ;.and, or mental hygiene (satvajaya).

Students will learn how to serve as lifestyle counselors regarding diet, breathwork and
yoga instruction, and as therapists performing vedic massage, herbal, and aroma therapy
treatments.

FCIH is offering the first degree granting program for Ayurveda in the U.S. The Associates degree
program also includes a massage diploma thus giving the graduate a gateway to practice. The
certification programs interface with the degree program giving an option also to allied health
professionals and lisenced massage therapists to learn this ancient effective healing system.
Lisenced massage therapists and allied health professionals may elect to take the certification
courses or transfer into the Associates degree program.

Graduates from our Ayurvedic Practitioner Certification II and Associates of Science in Ayurvedic
Health Studies Programs are eligible for the National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA)
certification. In a culture changing its attitude toward health, and with increased

An Ayurvedic practitioner may choose to have a private practice or to join other health care
practitioners at a wellness center, teach public education classes on Ayurvedic principles,
supervise a pancha karma center, teach at an Ayurvedic college, and conduct workshops,
seminars and retreats. There is a bright future ahead for dedicated and competent Ayurvedic
practitioners, both as this type of healing increases in popularity, and personally and
financially. As with other holistic health practices, the amount of money an Ayurvedic
practitioner can expect to make varies with location and their client base, as well as how they
apply their practice.

Certified Ayurvedic Consultant

Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner, Licensed Massage Practitioner
Master of Arts – Ayurveda
The NIAM Ayurvedic Spa Training Program
Ayurvedic Massage Therapist

As of this writing, the quality of educational programs in the United States continues to vary widely.
However, in 2004, the National Ayurvedic Medical Association established the first educational standards
in the United States . Graduates of schools that meet these minimum standards are able to receive
practitioner status in the national association. These standards, while not legal precedents, have
motivated schools to uplift the quality of their practitioner training programs.

The focus or vision of schools varies in the United States . The California College of Ayurveda is the leader
in clinical practitioner training with the intention of educating its students to be fully qualified
practitioners capable of disease management as well as lifestyle training. Almost all other schools focus
on training students in lifestyle management and do not address clinical disease management.

Ayurveda training programs in the United States fall into four major categories: (1) correspondence
programs, (2) full-time training programs (3) weekend training programs, (4) short-term seminar courses.
There is also a division within practitioner training programs, with some of these program offering
internship and others not.

In most States, schools require State approval to operate. State approval is based primarily upon financial
stability and professional operation. Several institutions in the country have successfully by-passed State
regulations by declaring themselves religious institutions or churches. While State approval is required for
non-religious institutions, there are several programs operating in the United States without proper
approval by their State governing body. These schools, operating illegally, are much less professionally
run. Because of limited oversight, these schools continue to operate. The National Association has not
taken any action against these schools.

Development of Ayurvedic Associations

The National Ayurvedic Medical Association is the major body in the United States representing the
Ayurvedic profession. A non-profit association, it was founded in 1998 by four individuals: Dr. Marc
Halpern, of the California College of Ayurveda, Wynn Werner, of the Ayurvedic Institute, Kumar Batra,
and Cynthia Copple. The National Association represents the interests of Ayurvedic practitioners while
trying to advance the Ayurvedic profession. The Association has held annual conferences attracting 150-
250 practitioners each of the past three years. The Association's most important accomplishment to date
has been the establishment of minimum practitioner standards.

The California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine is the only established Ayurvedic State Association in the
United States . A non-profit association, it was founded by Dr. Marc Halpern along with his graduate
students in 1997. Dr. Halpern left the board in 2001. The organization has held several State conferences
attracting 75-300 practitioners. The State Association has been minimally active in recent years owing to
political infighting. The Association has adopted the National Association's guidelines for practitioner
training.

Regulation of Ayurveda in the United States of America

There is no significant regulation of Ayurvedic practice or education in America . Schools in most states
must apply for a State license or State approval to provide education. Several states do not have this
requirement. The practice of Ayurveda is not formally regulated either. None of the fifty states require a
license to practice Ayurvedic health care. Ayurvedic massage is regulated through the massage laws of
most states. In two states ( Minnesota and California ) specific laws were passed protecting the practice
of alternative medicine and the practitioners who provide those services. The practice of Ayurveda is
protected within these laws so long as the practice falls within the limitations of the law and does not
impinge on the scope of practice of other licensed health care professions.

A range of therapies:

An Ayurvedic practitioner uses a range of healing therapies to balance the doshas and bolster
prana, including:

• Acupuncture
• Aromatherapy
• Diet
• Herbal medicine
• Massage
• Meditation
• Pancha karma - (lit. 'five therapies') a specialised treatment consisting of five
therapies resulting in internal detoxification and balancing of the doshas or the three
energies (Vata, Pitta and Kapha)
• Sound therapy, or the use of mantras
• Yoga.

WHO PRACTICES AYURVEDA?

There are three categories of ayurvedic practitioners. Some have undergone a

rigorous medical training for five or six years in India or Sri Lanka and are awarded
degrees in Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery - they have the letters BAMS or DAMS
after their names. There are also many western trained healthcare practitioners
(both orthodox and complementary) who incorporate ayurvedic principles into their
practices. There is no means of assessing or accrediting such trainings. The third
type of ayurvedic practitioner is one who offers lifestyle guidance using ayurvedic
principles. They do not offer medical advice but teach how to use the principles of
ayurveda in everyday life. Practitioners from all three categories can be very helpful
and, if at all possible, you should be guided by personal recommendations. If that's
not possible, I have listed resources at the back to help you find an ayurvedic
professional.