Suurata Reiki & Yoga
Collective Heart Reiki Ryoho
Home of Pine Forest Ayurveda
Welcome to Pine Forest Ayurveda
What is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda is a Sanskrit word meaning "knowledge/science of life." It was developed over 5,000 years ago on the Indian subcontinent, and the practice has remained firm in its roots while evolving forward through the millennia. Still practiced today in India and Nepal by more than 80% of the population, Ayurveda has spread worldwide with its teachings and practices because of it efficacy as an alternative system of medicine.
Ayurveda looks at the unique nature and characteristics of each person, and works to correct illness and disease within the person by realigning the person to his or her own unique nature through the use of herbs, food, yoga/body movement, meditation/breathing techniques, and mindfulness of syncing one's personal nature and needs with the changing seasons. Ayurveda works on the belief that mind, body, and spirit cannot be separated from one another, and treatment of one of these layers will holistically affect the "whole" person, in the same manner as psychological disturbance manifests itself in the physical body with pain and disease.
The approach of "Western Medicine" is typically much different, with is approach to disease focused more on symptom management, and less on eradicating, correcting, or balancing the root causes of disease.
Meet Your Ayurvedic Practitioner
Gretchen Swank is an Ayurvedic Practitioner who has been studying Ayurveda in numerous capacities for many years. Gretchen's first two teachers, Vishnu Das and Scott Blossom, both emphasized the necessity and importance of Ayurveda and Western Medicine working in cooperation with one another for optimal health as both traditions offer integrity and balance to the other, and to the individual. This is a philosophy embraced by Gretchen who chooses to live an intentional, authentic life aligned with her nature, needs, community, and the cycles of the seasons, while accepting that unpredictable factors of life force us to change course, make difficult decisions, and trust our own good sense. Of course, all of these things become easier to do when we become aligned through an Ayurvedic lifestyle.
An athlete with a strong understanding of nutrition and the mind, body, spirit connection and the role nutrition and physical movement in that chain, Gretchen became a Yoga Alliance certified yoga teacher in 2010, and in her advanced yoga studies thereafter at The Asheville Yoga Center in Asheville, North Carolina, is where she became familiar with, and began studying, Ayurveda. As previously mentioned, she first did a track of study with Vishnu Das, and a few years later she had an opportunity to do a track with Scott Blossom, at the AYC. These first two teachers laid a strong foundation for her personal Ayurvedic lifestyle and desire for further study.
Gretchen has well over 750 hours of combined study in the sister sciences of Yoga, Tantra, and Ayurveda, as well as specialty certifications in various aspects of Herbalism, a main component of Ayurveda, as well as unique study of herbs and healing related to our place in nature and our role in the cycles of the seasons as related to the folk healing practice of her Pennsylvania Dutch heritage. Here is a list of Gretchen's certifications, qualifications, and study related to Ayurveda:
2014 - Yoga and Ayurveda with Shala Worsley and Vishnu Das.
2016 - Yoga and Ayurveda with Scott Blossom.
2023: Ayurveda Practitioner Certification through PrimoLearn and recognized by Centre of CPD Excellence, ICAHP Accreditation Board, Complementary Medicine Association, and International Practitioners of Holistic Medicine.
- Fundamental Principles; Flavors and Constitutions; Biological Activity of the Body, The Body and the Energies; The Ayurvedic View of the Body, Health and Disease; The Panchakarma Detoxification Cure; Toxins and Diagnosis; Nutrition in Ayurveda; Physical Activity; Daily Routine; Evening and Seasonal Routines; Ayurvedic Massage; Understanding Body Movement; Ayurveda and the Couple; Pregnancy and Postpartum Care; Ayurveda for Children, basic principles; Ayurvedic Routine for Children; Conduct a Consultation
2023: Ayurveda Medicinal Plants Course with Dr. Maurya and Shanti Makaan
2023: Advanced Ayurvedic Medicine Diploma Course with The Academy of Ancient Magik.
2021: Introduction & Medicine Making Certificate with Elizabeth Heck
2022: Essential First Aid Remedies Certificate with Elizabeth Heck
2022: Identify & Harvest Medicinal Plants with Elizabeth Heck
2024: Herbal Medicine with Brianna Cherniak
2024: Herbal Body Care: Formulate Your Own Natural Products with Brianna Cherniak
2010: Yoga Alliance 200 Hour Registered Yoga Teacher
2016: Yoga Alliance 500 Hour Registered Yoga Teacher