The Ayurvedic Institute 2018-2019 Academic Year

Weekend Seminars & Summer Intensives

Participant Guide

The Ayurvedic Institute

11311 Menual Blvd NE Albuquerque, NM 87112

Effective Date: October 1, 2018

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Namaste and Welcome!

Whether this will be your first time here or you are a long-time friend of The Ayurvedic Institute, we appreciate your presence in our Weekend Seminar and Summer Intensive programs and want your time with us to be one of profound learning, healing, transformation and fun! Many of our participants who meet here make connections that last a lifetime.

These pages will help you with your planning and preparation before you come, and with your navigation and coordination while you are here, so that you can set yourself up for having a wonderful time. Our intention is to provide a safe, nurturing environment for all students, guests, clients and employees of The Ayurvedic Institute, and we ask you to help us collectively create this by reviewing and observing the rules of etiquette found in this guide. We know many of you often say you really want to do that and aren’t always sure what’s appropriate or not so we have put this together to help you with that. In addition, staff and student assistants are always available during seminars and intensives to answer your questions and offer guidance in the moment.

We are so excited you are here. Thank you for joining us!

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Travel and Preparation

When should I arrive and leave Albuquerque?Before booking your flights or making your travel plans, please note the beginning and ending times of the Seminar or Intensive you are enrolled in. We recommend you arrive early enough to get settled into your housing and have dinner before coming to the 7:00pm Friday evening opening session. This can help reduce your stress of wondering what to do if your flight is delayed. If you do arrive late, please still come. Just enter the room calmly and quietly and we will help you get settled. Though the Friday evening session is streamed live, you will be expected to be here in person if you want to receive the certificate of attendance which requires in-person participation in all sessions. This Friday session is open to the public so it can be crowded. Many people feel more comfortable getting here early to pick out a seat and get settled. We open the doors at 6:30pm on Friday evenings and often times people like to line up before then. Waiting for the doors to open can be a great time to meet new people! The last few hours of any seminar or intensive can be very special so you will want to book any flights for after it has ended or the next morning.

Do I need to rent a car? Is there public transportation?Albuquerque doesn’t have a robust public transportation. It can also be difficult to walk to many places like restaurants, especially given that most people are coming to a significantly higher altitude then they are used to so many students find they need to pull back on the amount of exercise or exertion they engage in. Many participants rent a car at the airport or they use ride sharing services like Uber and Lyft. If you drove here, have a car rental or ride sharing app, consider offering to take people with you to meals with you and if you don’t have these, consider asking to join people! Carpooling can be a great way to make new friends, digest the seminar or intensive material, and reduce our ecological footprint.

Any tips on how to think about hotels or housing?The Ayurvedic Institute does not have on campus housing and participants are responsible for finding their own housing arrangements. Some people opt to rent a room in someone’s house and others prefer hotels. In finding housing, it can be helpful to determine your individual priorities. For example, is it most important to you to be within walking distance of campus, to have inexpensive housing, to have enough space to to do your asana in the morning, or to take walks? The answers to these questions will be different for everyone and it can be helpful to look for housing based on those preferences. The Ayurvedic Institute does have a

list of some housing options people typically make available to participants, however it is a very limited list and we do not pre-screen or endorse any of the options - only gather and pass on the information. If you are interested in that list our Front Office can send it to you, however we don’t have the resources to be a housing guide. It will be your responsibility to explore housing and procure your housing arrangements.

One tip that may be helpful when you are doing your research is to know that Albuquerque is divided into 4 quadrants - the NE, NW, SE and SW. The Ayurvedic Institute is located in a part of the NE quadrant often referred to as the Northeast Heights. If you see something listed as Nob Hill, that’s an area close to the university and has a lot of trendy eating establishments and farther from the Ayurvedic Institute. You may also hear about Uptown which is a quieter outdoor mall area that isn’t too far. The North Valley is farther but may have more moisture, water, greenery etc. depending on the time of year. Do yourself a favor and think about what might be nice for you while you are here for such an intensive program. We would encourage your priorities and needs to inform where you stay. Don’t be shy about asking questions to the places you contact about different housing options and keeping it simple and practical for yourself.

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Special Note: Our clinic appointments book out in advance. If you are hoping to get an appointment in our clinic while you are here, call ahead and see what is available before you make your flight plans. The further ahead you call, the better chance of getting in for one of these wonderful consultations. Thursday appointments are typically with our Senior Practitioners who are Faculty at the Ayurvedic Institute. Friday and Saturday appointments are typically with our second year Ayurvedic Practitioner students and those appointments are supervised by our faculty. (Please our website for more details. )

I didn’t realize Albuquerque was at high altitude! Though many of our seminar and intensive participants don’t realize it before they come, Albuquerque is actually one of the highest altitude cities in the United States. It has a dormant volcano to the West and mountains to the East that border the city. The lowest point in the valley is still 5,000 feet/1524 meters above sea level; at the top of Sandia peak, the city’s eastern mountain, the elevation is 10,378 feet/3165 meters. Our campus location is comparable to or higher than Denver, Colorado.

We refer to this area as the high desert. Albuquerque’s climate is usually sunny and dry, with low humidity. The brilliant sunshine and blue sky define the region, averaging nearly 300 days of sun a year with four distinct seasons. Winters do have cold nights: December and January daytime temperatures can be cool with cold nights. Spring is usually windy yet warm and the driest part of the year, while summer is considered our wettest time of the year. Summer days can be hot with cool evenings. Most rain occurs during the summer monsoon season, typically starting in early July and ending in mid-September. Low humidity and the afternoon showers moderate the summer heat. Overall, it is often very dry here with an average yearly rainfall of 91⁄2 Inches. This can mean that in the summer it doesn’t feel as hot as similar temperatures in places with higher humidity but it also means that the combination of dryness and high altitude can be quite vata-provoking. This altitude makes Albuquerque a very etheric, prana-full space.

Will I be able to schedule an Ayurvedic consultation while there?If you are looking for an Ayurvedic Consultation, we have some great options and they typically need to be scheduled in advance and sometimes arrive a day before the seminar or intensive begins. Most of the appointments take place in our on campus clinic - The Ayurvedic Center for Healing, Life, and Longevity. It is our goal to support you through your healing journey with not only great skill and knowledge but also with compassion and understanding. Our clinic employs practitioners with different areas of focus and price points. Each category of practitioner visit is based on a sliding scale. Please see our website for more details. The clinic is open Monday-Saturday. For weekend seminar participants, if you can come a day early, Thursday appointments are typically with our Senior Practitioners who are Faculty at the Ayurvedic Institute. Friday and Saturday appointments are typically with our second year Ayurvedic Practitioner students and those appointments are supervised by our faculty. (There may be very few Saturday appointments that take place outside of your seminar or intensive schedule.) Summer intensive participants, please know that the clinic is part of our school and we follow an academic calendar for appointments. This means that from May to October each year, the clinic has limited hours and appointments so please do call ahead. To keep our clinic accessible, our clinic pricing uses a sliding scale. When you call to make an appointment, we will try to match your concerns to the most appropriate practitioner category, the day of the week and your preferred price point so we can best support you on this journey. In addition to appointments at the clinic, Ed Danaher, our Panchakarma Department Manager, may have some time available in his schedule for appointments. Those appointments have a set fee point. For more information on his schedule, our Clinic Coordinator can transfer you to the Panchakarma Department.

Should I do any preparation before I come?These seminars and intensives are open to people of all skill levels. We do recommend that before you come you read through the recommended reading listed on our website with each seminar and intensive’s description. This will help you follow along in the lectures and practice exercises. In addition, we begin and end each class with chanting Vedic prayers and we know that many participants are excited to join in. If you would like to begin learning those, turn to the appendix for translations and transliterations of these class prayers. You can hear them spoken out loud at the beginning and ending of each of the Friday Night lecture videos we have posted for free on our website. You will be welcome to take notes on paper (no electronic note taking) and many people appreciate having colored pencils or pens available to help them draw the diagrams and pictures on the board. We also have a Resource section on our website that might be both interesting and helpful to read before coming.

What should I wear? What should I pack?We consider the classroom a sacred space where we learn about professional work. Participants are expected to dress in a way that demonstrates respect for those elements, for our community and for the work we do here. This includes wearing clean, modest, respectful attire that would be appropriate to wear to a professional

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environment or in a temple. Keep in mind that clothes must also be modest while sitting in Backjacks on the floor and when lying on the floor in the classroom (for example, during a demonstration). Dress is personal and varied and it can be difficult to give an exact formula. If you have questions about what is appropriate, please ask. We will in turn tell you if we think something is inappropriate for the classroom. Some basic clothing requirements for non-client oriented sessions include:

•No tight pants – Leggings, tight jeans, etc. must have something over them that comes to the knees or longer •Skirts are required to be mid-calf length or longer unless you have leggings (these are

thicker than tights) underneath and then they can come to the knees • No shorts • No low cut tops, bare shoulders or bare midriffs - including no tank-tops or sleeveless shirts • Athletic pants (including what is often sold as “yoga” pants and sweatpants are not appropriate for the

classroom) • Shirts with inappropriate writing or images are not appropriate for the classroom • No netted or loose knit clothes without a layer underneath for modesty • No undergarments should be visible • No disheveled appearance including no stained or torn clothing (as seen in many trendy pairs of jeans) • No hats in the classroom • If you choose to wear jeans, please make sure they are neat and meet the above

criteria

As the temperature can vary in the room we recommend bringing a shawl or other layers to help keep you comfortable and appropriate.

In addition to the standard dress code, many members of The Ayurvedic Institute community enjoy the tradition of wearing certain colors on particular days of the week. The colors relate to the days of the week and astrological planets. People may choose to wear clothes that bring in the corresponding color for each day of the week in order to absorb the planetary energy in a positive way. This is an option and by no means something that you are required to participate in. Some people choose to dress in colors which help to balance their current imbalances (vikruti) or support their health and well-being in other ways. If you do want to incorporate the planets in this way, please see the appendix on Planetary Colors.

For the comfort of others, please leave perfumes and products with heavy fragrances at home.Please also see the section on Altitude for tips on what to pack to help with the dryness and altitude. While You Are Here

Where do I go the first day and when should I arrive?Our campus is set up a bit like a train with different buildings all lined up in a row. If you are using a GPS or giving a driver an address, you want to use the address 11405 Menaul Blvd NE, Albuquerque New Mexico 87112. That will get you to the correct building for Friday evening’s start.

If you are driving, a map of our campus parking areas is located in the appendix. As Albuquerque is an urban area, you are advised to keep your car locked and valuables out of sight. If you are biking, there are several bike racks on campus for your convenience - remember to lock your bike!

In order to have enough time to find a seat, enjoy some tea, and settle in, we ask that you arrive at least 10-15 minutes prior to the start of each session, however on Friday evenings, when we open the session to the public, please arrive even earlier as it may get crowded. We will open the doors at 6:30pm on Friday and there may be a line at the door at that time.

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PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CELL PHONES before entering the classroom. Upon entering, a classroom monitor will remind you to sign the attendance sheet and, according to Vedic custom, to remove your shoes and place them neatly in the shoe rack provided.

Please note, there are client oriented sessions where even more professional dress is required. These sessions will be indicated in your course details.

Anything I should know about food, drink or making lunch plans?We provide tea and filtered water during each of the sessions. We strongly encourage you to bring a reusable water bottle or hot water thermos with a hole for drinking to use for the tea and water. We will have disposable cups available however, these aren’t recyclable in Albuquerque once they have been used for beverages. Whether you have brought your own beverage or are enjoying a cup of complimentary tea, we ask that all cups and bottles have lids on them at all times to protect both our floors and your neighbor’s belongings. Please avoid bottles where you need to have the lid off like mason jars. We have seen people’s precious notes accidentally destroyed, clothing stained, and classes disrupted when lids are not used. In addition, we would like to avoid the need to use cleaning chemicals due to spills, so please respect this class rule.

While we may sometimes share an afternoon sweet together, individual meals and eating are not allowed in the classroom. On the weekends, the whole campus will be closed during lunch breaks with the exception of weekend seminars when the store will typically be open on Sundays. We find that having lunch with other participants can be a great way to get to know neat people, digest the material, build contacts and community and just generally enjoy the experience. You may also be someone who wants some quiet time your first day or so here. Whatever feels best to you, please make arrangements to go out to eat or return to your accommodations for those weekend lunches. For weekdays during the summer Intensives, we will have a student break area, library and store open during lunch. There are no cooking facilities available though, so we find that if you want to bring a lunch, it’s best to bring it in a thermos or other insulated container so it remains at the appropriate temperature. There is limited access to a refrigerator during the week when the break area is open. That area will be closed by the time the session ends each day. Please note that The Ayurvedic Institute is a meat free campus so please refrain from bringing lunches or leftovers on campus if they contain meat. Thank you.

What should I know about mobile phones, cameras and other electronics?Thank you for asking! There is a lot of habitual energy developing in our culture around electronics. We encourage courteous and mindful use of electronics campus-wide. In addition, we have special rules regarding electronics in the classrooms. Electronics are generally not permitted in the classroom except under special circumstances.

Phones must be turned off upon entry to the classroom – not on silent, nor vibrate. Among other things it is a great practice in mindful awareness. You may send and receive messages and make calls during your break times but please step outside to do that. If an emergency situation necessitates you having your phone on, please inform the staff prior to the session and then step outside when you need to answer the call or text. Thank you. Please note that faculty, staff and on occasion students in designated roles may have their phones with them and on in class to fulfill their duties and requirements.

Though in traditional Vedic learning environments, students did not take notes in order to be fully present with their teacher, our students take notes with pencils and pens on paper. We do not allow the use of laptops or tablets to take notes while in class.

Many of us have cameras on our phones these days and we welcome you to take photos of each other outside of the classroom to help remind you of your experience here. Please note, you are not allowed to take photos of material covered or presented in class including drawings on the whiteboard, demonstrations, etc. As a reminder, cell phones need to be turned off in the classroom. There are rare times when teachers will make exceptions on a case by case basis. Please wait until invited to do so and refrain from asking. Do not assume that if you are permitted to take photos once, that the standard policy has changed in that particular course. These photos are not intended for

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distribution including posting on websites, social media, used in your promotional materials, etc. As indicated above, there will be times where Ayurvedic Institute staff will be taking photos for Ayurvedic Institute related business. It is possible that they may ask for your help with this. Please do not take photos for these purposes unless invited to.

We do not allow the use of audio, video and photographic recording devices of any kind within the classroom, including the use of phones.

Can I bring my child or my pet?Babies, young children and pets are not allowed in the classroom during class sessions. If you have a service animal, we appreciate you letting us know in advance so we can check in about your preferences and needs.

Do I have to sit on the floor or will there be chairs?When you arrive, the classroom will typically be set with folding chairs and back-jacks. It is important for everyone’s safety that we keep the aisles clear, so please keep the room arranged as is without adding or taking away seating options. For your comfort you may help yourself to a bolster, cushion or blanket or simply request one from a classroom assistant. Please make sure that when you are seated, the bottoms of your feet are not facing the altar or people (the teacher or your classmates.) If you need to stretch your legs, feel free to do so, but please keep your feet covered with a blanket or a shawl.

I really want to be polite and respectful. How do I best do that?This is a great question. We appreciate that you want to be respectful and know that our classroom culture can be a little different than what many people are used to so we will help you with this as you go. In general though, here are some guidelines on asking questions, volunteering for demonstrations, taking notes, chanting class prayers and what to do with your feet.

Inquiry is an incredibly valuable part of the learning process and we want you to ask questions. Our request to you is that you keep your questions until asked for them (rather than interrupting the flow of the teachers), and keep them pertaining to the course content rather than using that time for diagnostic or prescriptive inquiries. Much of the material you will learn in your studies can provide great insight and understanding regarding your own health and well-being, especially those teachings of a more personal nature like your jyotish chart, pulse, tongue, etc. Undoubtedly, personal questions will arise. We request that you use your discernment when asking a question inspired by your personal experience and reflect whether the question serves the greater understanding of the group. If it does not and is strictly a personal question, it is probably not appropriate to ask in class. Even when you are being used as an example, what you learn in class is intended to be educational rather than consultative and is not a complete analysis. You may seek out the support outside of class time or from an Ayurvedic Practitioner for additional personal support. Along these same lines, we know that learning can lead to excitement about what else you don’t know. Please keep your questions aligned with the subject matter and respect the scope of practice the teacher is asking you to practice within. We also ask that you practice awareness of how you are living into the space by sharing the opportunities to ask questions with others.

We love it when as many participants as possible have a chance to take part in practicums and demonstrations — please volunteer only once per seminar so everyone has the opportunity.

Vedic learning is based on the concept of transmission. Sitting in silent reflection/meditation before Vasant Lad or another instructor arrives in the classroom and after they leave helps to establish a calm, grounded atmosphere in which the subtle yet powerful exchange of teaching and learning can begin immediately.

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Classes begin with chanting, at which time we ask that participants remain seated. All are welcome to participate. Chant sheets are available from the classroom helpers and they are included in this packet’s appendix. You can hear the chants ahead of time by watching our free Friday Evening Lectures posted on our website. If you choose not to join in chanting, please observe silence. Should you arrive after chants have started, a classroom monitor will request that you wait outside until chanting is finished, at which time you will be welcomed in.

It is a sign of disrespect in Vedic culture to point the bottoms (soles) of one’s feet toward the teacher, altar, or fellow classmates. If you need to stretch your legs out straight in front of you, please cover your feet with a blanket/shawl.

We will help you out by letting you know if there is something you may want to ask of everyone to help build the respectful space we know you would like to build.

Can I book an Ayurvedic consultation?Due to his demanding schedule, Vasant Lad no longer does personal consultations except within the context of our 5-day Panchakarma treatment programs. Visit Ayurveda.com/panchakarma for more information about panchakarma (PK), or call the Panchakarma Department at (505) 291-9698 x114. Also see the section in this handbook on “Scheduling a consultation in our clinic” for more details on how to do that.

Will there be breaks scheduled throughout the day?Yes. There will typically be 2 scheduled short breaks and one long lunch break. When we are ready to break, as a sign of respect, remain seated and settled until Vasant Lad or the other instructors have left the classroom. Also allow them to take a rest during breaks by not approaching them for photos, book signings and personal inquiries. We may also make announcements or do a quick check-in after the teacher has left and before we all break. Student assistants will be available during break times to answer general questions and assist you.

Please remember to step outside if you need to check messages, make phone calls, check social media, research something on-line or otherwise use your phone.

See the section in this handbook on “Food and Drinks” for more information on lunch breaks.

Can I purchase products while I’m there?You can! The hours of operation for The Ayurvedic Institute Store are Monday to Friday 9:00 am to 6:00 pm and we ask that all purchases are completed by 5:45 pm. For weekend seminars, we are also usually able to open the store on your Sunday lunch hour. If you don’t want to take your products with you (for example if you are on a plane with just a carry on) or you don’t want to be spending time here on purchase, you can also order online and we can ship it. The Ayurvedic Institute Store Product Catalogues are available in the Main office and online at www.ayurveda.com

In addition to the store itself, we are very fortunate to have an onsite Ayurvedic herbal pharmacy that fills formulas for our in-house clients as well as many clients of graduated practitioners around the country. The Herb Department supplies USDA certified organic products whenever possible, and ensures that all our products are of the highest quality commercially available. The Herb Department sells both pre-made products and custom blended dry herb formulas. As much as possible, we deal with suppliers who support sustainable harvesting of plant product and do not carry plants known to be endangered. The Ayurvedic Institute is a member of the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA). A listing of available herbs is in the Product Catalogue which can be picked up at the Main Office. Herbal formulas usually need a minimum of 24 hours to fill. We can also ship those. Please note that in certain sessions you may hear of a formula that feels like something you or someone you know could use. Please remember that Ayurveda isn’t a medicine of the masses but customized to each client and their unique constitution and imbalances at that time. That means that these formulas we talk about in class are general ideas and not prescriptions for anyone.

If you are an Ayurvedic Institute Member or a Senior Citizen you can receive 10% off of products. If you don’t know about membership, go on our website or ask us. It’s a great deal!

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Can I sell or advertise my own products while I’m there?The Ayurvedic Institute does not permit the promotion, sale or distribution of merchandise, courses or services that are not official Ayurvedic Institute offerings.

Will I receive a certificate?A Certificate of Attendance is available at the end of the seminar or intensive. To be eligible to receive a certificate you will need to:

1. Make sure tuition is paid in full before arriving.

2. Attend 100% of the seminar or intensive sessions.

3. Sign-in on our attendance sheet for each session (Friday evening and each morning and afternoon after that.) Please make sure your name is spelled correctly on this sheet as we do find there are sometimes typos when people are typing in their details to register.

4. On the last day, complete and hand in the reflection and feedback form that we will give you.

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Day Planet Colors

Monday Moon White

Tuesday Mars Pink, Orange

Wednesday Mercury Green

Thursday Jupiter Yellow

Friday Venus Purple, Gray

Saturday Saturn Blue

Sunday Sun Bright Colors: Red, Orange

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PARKING MAP

YOU CAN PARK:

In front of 11311 Menaul anytime, and in back of 11311 Menaul only after 6:00PM.

In front of 11405 Menaul and in back of 11405 Menaul anytime.

On Paisano St next to The Ayurvedic Institute campus buildings only. Please DO NOT park in the neighborhood to the north of the campus.

THE AYURVEDIC INSTITUTE’S PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

The Ayurvedic Institute has multiple programs and services that allow one to learn and better understand the wisdom of Ayurveda. These include:

Ayurvedic Education Programs: Offering the Ayurvedic Studies Program, Level I and Level II, advanced study in Pune India, and various weekend seminars and summer intensives with Vasant Lad, MASc, and others.

Ayurvedic Consultations: The Ayurvedic Center for Healing, Life, and Longevity offers Ayurvedic consultations to the public.

Products Available: Ayurvedic and Western herbs, books, incense, audio CDs from our programs and a variety of Ayurvedic and other products.

Panchakarma: Traditional Ayurvedic therapies for purification and rejuvenation that include oil massage, herbal steam treatment, shirodhara, cleansing diet, herbal therapy and other treatments.