Published
in Spa Management Magazine, October 2000. Reproduced with permission.
by Linda
Egenes
Pele,
the great Brazilian soccer player, wrote that when he was playing
in the Zone he entered a euphoric, dreamlike state while in the midst
of competition. Now estheticians that give authentic ayurvedic beauty
treatments are also having this same experience, which has long been
the domain of professional athletes. A kind of osmosis happens in
the treatment room, allowing the ayurvedic esthetician to enter the
same relaxing, euphoric experience that the client is enjoying.
Estheticians who work in the Zone say they enjoy their jobs more and
have less fatigue at the end of the day. This is of great benefit
to the client, who enjoys the esthetician's heightened energy and
enthusiasm. This is also a great benefit to the spas, whose estheticians
enjoy greater job satisfaction and are less likely to leave their
jobs.
"It's fun and very blissful," says Terri Gee, 47, who administers
ayurvedic beauty treatments at The Raj, the luxury Maharishi Ayurveda
Health Center in Fairfield, Iowa. "There's a lot of quiet and
peace. I feel the transformation and rejuvenation at the same time
it's happening to the patient." John Good, who has given beauty
treatments for the past five years, reports, "Men and women enjoy
the overall rejuvenation as well as the smoother, more youthful appearance
of the skin. The treatments are not difficult or taxing to give, which
makes them very relaxing and enjoyable for me." Authentic ayurvedic
treatments include all-natural ingredients such asfloral muds, milk
foams, and specialized massages. By enlivening all five senses, these
time-tested beauty treatments translate into one-of-a-kind experiences
that the clients never forget--and will want to experience again and
again.
"I find that people come back for more treatments," says
Gee. "It's a total sensory experience. The floral smells hit
you as soon as you walk in the room. Whether you're giving or receiving
the treatment, you feel so pampered and nourished."
More
than Skin Deep
Why
do the ayurvedic beauty treatments create this magical feedback loop,
with estheticians feeling energized and customers signing up for repeat
visits? According to Russ Guest, marketing director of Maharishi Ayurveda
Products International (MAPI) and vice president of the new M.Spa
division, it's because the treatments themselves-based on the holistic
knowledge of ayurveda-are more than skin deep.
"While these authentic ayurvedic beauty treatments do not include
any clinical or medicinal ingredients," says Guest, the results
are not purely esthetic. They bring balance to the skin, the body's
largest organ, and through this they balance the whole person."
These profoundly rejuvenating beauty techniques are found in the 5,000-year-old
system of health care known as ayurveda (literally, "knowledge
of lifespan"), which create a highly integrated and balanced
state of mind, body, emotions, and spirit. Since outer beauty is a
reflection of inner balance, ayurvedic beauty treatments start from
the inside first.
Dr. Ayurvedic Expert is an ayurvedic dermatologist who comes from
a long line of ayurvedic skin care specialists and is director of
research and development for MAPI.
"The treatments are based on the authentic knowledge of the ancient
seers," Ayurvedic Expert explains. "These treatments create profound
effects because they are based on the fundamental principals of ayurvedic
beauty. This process is described by the Sanskrit word Subhanga Karanam,
which means making the whole body not just beautiful, but auspicious."
Customized
Treatments
One
of the most significant features about ayurvedic beauty treatments
is the fact that they are all individualized. Skin types and imbalances
are first diagnosed according to the three doshas-the three mind-body
operators-known as Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Then the spa technician
administers a Vata (dry), Pitta (sensitive), or Kapha (oily) pacifying
treatment and prescribes products that are also individualized according
to skin type. As a result, the client experiences a state of balance
far beyond the skin. Says Guest, "As the technician gives the
multi-step ayurvedic beauty treatment, the person comes out having
balanced all three doshas, from the inside out."
Clients report many practical benefits, including a stronger connection
with their inner self, as well as greater confidence, relaxation,
and bliss. As a result of this inner transformation, the skin radiates
more of an inner glow and luster, and a smoother, more balanced texture.
Advantages
for the Ayurvedic Spa Technician
In
addition to increased client satisfaction, repeat business, and increased
revenues, there are other advantages for the technician who uses ayurveda.
The treatments use formulas and techniques that were developed long
before the advent of modern technology, and thus are completely pure
and natural.
"The
ingredients in the ayurvedic beauty treatments and the follow-up products
are pure and balancing," says Guest, "and nature's intelligence
has been retained in their processing. Therefore, the esthetician
never touches or inhales any product that contains damaging synthetic
chemicals." Working with all natural products is a great boon
to the health of an esthetician. And it eliminates the chance of inadvertently
damaging her skin with caustic chemicals. Judy Patton, an instructor
at the International Dermal Institute, says this is a major concern.
"We are always worried about dermabrasion," says Patton.
"I call it the 'thinning of America,' meaning the thinning of
the skin due to sun damage and other factors. Sensitivity is a big
issue."
In
addition, ayurvedic beauty treatments are always administered by hand,
which avoids the consequence of using instruments that can actually
harm the skin. The hands are considered an extension of consciousness
in ayurveda. When estheticians leave the machines behind and learn
to use their own hands, they enter an entirely new realm of experience
in which they are literally more "in touch" with their clients.
"The
first thing we teach is how to make the esthetician's touch more nurturing,"
says Ayurvedic Expert. "By using natural products and human touch rather
than machines, ayurveda stays as close as possible to nature. Our
tools include natural aromas, a naturally pleasant environment, and
a naturally nourishing hand." The spa technician is also trained
to nourish the physiology by massaging in a way that doesn't disturb
the natural rhythm of the biomagnetic flow. "They are trained
to touch specific zones with specific pressures," says Ayurvedic Expert.
"That's how the mind, body, and self come into balance."
Sallie
Morgan, who has administered ayurvedic treatments at The Raj since
1993, says she notices this effect during the facial massage. "Even
though we're only touching the face, the technique allows tension
to drain from the whole body. It's simple but very powerful."
Even
if a client comes in feeling restless and anxious, they leave feeling
very relaxed and settled, wearing a calm and glowing radiance.
"As
an esthetician, I feel a great sense of satisfaction watching this
transformation happen before my eyes," says Morgan. "When
the patient walks out, I feel awed. The treatment is not superficial-it's
holistic and works at a deep level. That's why it's long-lasting.
The client experiences that beauty really does come from the inside."
Training
is Simple but Profound
M-Spa
now offers two levels of training to licensed estheticians that is
simple and easy to learn:
- The
short-form facial. By viewing a training video, the licensed esthetician
learns how to administer each step of an ayurvedic facial and how
to prepare the muds, milk foam and herbs for application. The spa
technician learns how to perform the correct hand motions and how
to maintain a settled awareness while working, which is the key
to creating the benefits for both client and esthetician. Upon completing
the video instruction, the esthetician becomes authorized to offer
ayurvedic beauty facials in her practice.
- The
full-body treatment. Licensed estheticians can extend their knowledge
by attending an intensive, three-day weekend training program to
learn the fundamental theory of Maharishi Ayurveda as well as the
ayurvedic principles of anatomy and psycho-physiology of the skin.
Taught by Ayurvedic Expert and a trained esthetician at the MAPI headquarters
in Colorado Springs, the course also includes hands-on training.
Upon successful completion of the program, the esthetician receives
a certificate of completion, which enables her to offer full-body
treatments in her practice.
Training
includes seven steps, for both the short-form facial and the full-body
treatment. These include: 1) milk
foam, 2) specialized
ayurvedic massage of the face or body, 3) herbalized
clay treatment for specific areas of the face or body, 4) herbalized
steam treatment, 5) care
of the eyes, 6) post-facial
care, and 7) home
program and follow-up.
Becoming
a Holistic Ayurvedic Beauty Advisor
The
three-day intensive training program is beneficial to the esthetician
in two ways. It provides a new specialty for treating customers more
effectively, which attracts more clients. But even more importantly,
it teaches estheticians how to transform their own mental and physical
health
"Training
involves first teaching estheticians how to balance their own bodies,
mind, senses, and self to keep their touch auspicious," says
Ayurvedic Expert. "Once they learn these ancient principles, they can
avoid incurring stress in mind or body, even when they work hard."
The
goal of this training is to become a holistic ayurveda beauty advisor.
Estheticians learn how to prescribe natural, effective ayurvedic products
that nourish the skin from the inside. Even more, they learn to identify
the dietary, behavioral, and lifestyle factors that are causing imbalances
in the skin. Then they can prescribe simple home-care programs to
rectify them. For example, if the client has dry skin and dark circles
under the eyes, which are signs of a disturbance in Vata dosha, the
esthetician may ask a series of questions such as, "What time
do you go to bed? What do you eat?" This is because sleep disturbances
can create Vata imbalance, as can eating irregularly or eating food
that is too light or dry. For a person with a Kapha disorder, the
esthetician recommends a different set of guidelines that are tailored
for that individual's skin type and imbalances. The spa technician
is also trained to recognize whether a skin problem is within her
range of treatment or should be referred to a medical doctor. These
lifestyle tips make the esthetician more effective, because clients
[who follow these tips] stop undoing the benefits received in the
treatment room. And surprisingly, it's not so difficult to get the
people to try them.
"After
receiving these ayurvedic beauty treatments, the client often realizes
that she needs to take care of her inner and outer self, and is much
more open to making lifestyle changes after that," says Morgan.
Russ
Guest believes that clients often wake up to their inner needs after
having a transcendental experience in the treatment room. "The
ayurvedic beauty treatment is an immersing experience that allows
the person to rebalance the physiology," says Guest. "Then
the mind is better equipped to receive stronger, clearer messages
from the body, such as 'This food is not good for me.'"
When
customers begin to make positive lifestyle changes on their own, they
bring less stress into the treatment room-again resulting in less
fatigueand hard work for the spa technician.
"If
the client continues with the at-home recommendations for creating
inner balance, she can enjoy even greater anti-aging effects,"
says Ayurvedic Expert. "For instance, if she follows-up with some of
the stress management techniques like the daily practice of Transcendental
Meditation, in addition to getting healthier skin, she will be getting
the bonus of a relaxed mind."
And ultimately,
the esthetician gains even more than the client.
"Estheticians
will learn enough about ayurvedic principles to make them part of
their own lives," says Guest. "Then they give the best treatment
not only in the technical sense, but by being the most settled and
balanced individuals they can be."
For
more information about M.Spa's ayurvedic beauty and spa training programs,
call 800-361-8332. Linda Egenes is a freelance writer living in Fairfield,
Iowa. She is the author of For A Blissful Baby and other books on
Ayurveda.
