Theme: Fundamental Concepts of Ayurveda

Immerse yourself in the essence of Ayurveda through a deep exploration of its fundamental concepts. In this retreat, we will cover the following:

1. Reviewing Sankhya philosophy and its practical applications in Ayurveda.
2. Unveiling the significance of the doshas and understanding how they specifically influence physiology.
3. Assessing the intricate structure and vital functions of Ayurvedic anatomy.
4. Exploring the different types of Agni (digestive fire) and their impact on the body.
5. Gaining the skills to identify and evaluate ama (toxins) and comprehend its effects on the body.
6. Unraveling the profound wisdom of the Vital Essences: Prana (life force), Tejas (metabolic fire), and Ojas (immunity).

This week is dedicated to building greater confidence as an Ayurvedic Health Counselor. You will develop counseling skills, refine your counselor toolkit, take practice exams, and prepare for the NAMA board exam by studying terminology, selecting classical references, and working with selected ausadhas from the AHC herbal formulary.

The residential week offers you the opportunity to be in the community. Cultivating sattva under

the guidance of Kim Valeri Povey is a transformative theme throughout the week. She will

guide you in sattvic practices that begin each day at yoga practice and are woven during meals

and throughout the day, both in and out of the classroom.

The retreat is comprised of twenty-five hours spent on your NAMAC competencies and twenty hours are dedicated to working on five-eight supervised clinical cases at the Marc of Healing Center. 

 This retreat is part of a 4-retreat series tailored to the following students:

1. Students already enrolled in an Ayurvedic Health Counselor program with a NAMA-recognized school or not.
2. Students or graduates from any Ayurveda school who wish to continue their education in a topic-specific retreat or clinical encounter internship.
3. Students who wish to prepare for the NAMA Board Exam 
4. Students who want to refresh their learning with a Preceptor.

You can take this retreat as a solo program or complete series (#1-4), which includes all 180 hours of in-person requirements, of which 75 are curricular about topic-specific material relevant to NAMA's competencies and exam preparation, which exceeds the 75 minimum requirements of clinical hours by offering 105 clinical hours in-person. Exceeds the 15 residential encounter requirements (out of 30 supervised required, 15 can be online) by giving all as 30 residential encounters.

NOTE: If you choose to complete all of your residential hour requirements through these retreats, a total of four (4) retreats are required to meet the NAMAC track for the AHC level. Each

week is 45 hours (5 days). These Internship weeks are divided into two formats: Three (3) are

topic specific, and one (1) is clinical Intensive.

 Kim Valeri Povey CAP, CHW, AYT, CIAYT, is an Ayurvedic Practitioner, Yoga Therapist, and a 2024 candidate for Doctor of Ayurveda Medicine (A.D.) with a specialty in Ayurvedic Psychology.

Kim Povey has been training Ayurvedic Wellness Professionals, Yoga Therapists, and Yoga Teachers for decades through prestigious schools around the Country. As a mentor for others in the profession, she is shaping the next generation of natural health professionals to impact the direction of complementary healthcare outcomes. She is passionate about Ayurveda’s role in integrative healthcare.

She is a leader in the field of Ayurveda and is passionate about making Ayurveda accessible in the community. With forty years in the industry, Kim is the Founder and Owner of Yogaspirit Studios, the former C.E.O. of Kerala Ayurveda Academy, U.S.A, former Academic and Clinical Director of Boston Ayurveda School and, Founder of KV Institute of Health and Wellness.

Kim’s client-centered care, lifestyle guidance, Ayurvedic traditional herbal preparations, and yoga therapy protocols support the individuals and families at her clinic, Veda Vita Family Health and Wellness. Her team delivers the interconnected body, mind, and spiritual, holistic healing that society and the modern world need now.