PK Prep | Pre-Saturation: Ghee, Guidance, and Group Calls

There is a specific moment when a trip stops being a date on the calendar and starts becoming a lived reality. For me, that moment wasn’t when I landed in Asheville – it was a month earlier, when I started filling out health questionnaires and mind-mapping my packing list. Preparation for panchakarma is a multi-week pre-saturation of the body, mind, and spirit before you ever leave home.

The Digital Mirror: The Healthie App

The transition from daydreaming to reality started with the Healthie app. This was the HIPAA-compliant digital repository for my relevant health history: filling out forms and, most strikingly, uploading specific photos of my face, ears, hands, and tongue. In Ayurveda, the tongue is a map of the internal organs.

The Design Calls: Mapping the Path

During my individual design calls with Dr. Lad and Suhanee, the concept of panchakarma began to feel deeply personal.

• The Consultation with Dr. Lad (Feb 2): Sitting on a Zoom call with Dr. Vasant Lad and ~20 of his students was a joyful and quietly focused experience. He asked questions about my work in pharmaceutical policy and as a yoga teacher, my family, and aspects of my health, such as my history of vertical double vision and anxiety. He identified my natural “Prakruti” state as Vata 2, Pitta 3, Kapha 2, and my current imbalanced “Vikruti” state as Vata 3, Pitta 3.5, Kapha 2. His handwritten notes were the roadmap for calming my Vata and Pitta doshas, including an individual herbal protocol and treatments for my eyes (Netra Basti) and thyroid (Jatru Basti).

• The Logistics with Suhanee (Feb 3): While Dr. Lad provided the map, Suhanee provided me with the compass. She helped translate the protocol into real-life steps, explaining how to use the contents of my prep care package that was on its way to me. I could start drinking the Detox Digest Tea (CCF tea with turmeric and calendula) right away; the Liver Detox Ghee was for internal oleation (“Snehapana”), and would begin Thursday before my trip; and the Bhumyamalaki powder would support my liver and be taken at night when the oleation started.
• The App I Didn’t Know I Needed: Along with the design calls, I received access to AyurPrana+, including a “Welcome to Panchakarma at SoHum Mountain Healing Resort” course, and so much more (practices, information, movies, and a community). The app truly delivered what the welcome email promised:

This isn’t another platform filled with endless content and noise. AyurPrana+ is a living library of wisdom and story – where ancient teachings, modern seekers, and conscious storytelling come together to help you restore rhythm, self-reliance, and connection to what truly matters.

The Group Calls: First Glimpses of My PK Companions

The two group Zoom calls the week before my trip were my first moments of connection with the other 5 souls who would be walking this healing path with me.

• The Why (Feb 9): Joane dove into the concepts of Agni (our digestive fire) and Ama (the toxic “sludge” created by undigested food and emotions). She also shared lifestyle recommendations for the prep phase, like going to bed by 10 and switching to gentle movement rather than intense workouts. I started to understand that this wasn’t just a physical cleanse; it was a “digestion” of everything I’d been carrying physically, mentally, and emotionally.
• The How (Feb 11): Suhanee provided more guidance on the process of inner oleation. In the same way lotion on your hands loosens a stuck ring, ghee loosens internal ama. She shared the process for melting, measuring, and swallowing ghee. Her best tips included holding your nose while chugging the melted ghee, and having a line-up of lime wedges, ginger pickles, and a cup of hot water ready as a chaser (yes, I had flashbacks to college tequila shots).

Strategy Meets Spirit: The Suitcase

Packing was a mix of practical planning and deep intuition. My Mindmap Packing List helped me organize the chaos:

• Clothes: I packed with comfort and oil in mind:
  • Layers: SoHum recommended packing cozy layers for the fluctuating mountain weather; I relaxed in yoga pants, a cardigan, and t-shirts of various weights.
  • The “Oil-Ready” Wardrobe: Because of the daily oil treatments, I packed mostly black cotton clothes I wouldn’t mind staining. This ended up being unnecessary, as SoHum has a white-robe-and-shower system that kept my clothes oil-free. Next time, I’ll bring a more colorful wardrobe!
  • Swimsuit, Sunglasses, and Sneakers: Essential outdoor items included a swimsuit for the outdoor cedar-soak tub, sunglasses to protect my eyes after the Netra Basti treatment, and sneakers for the mountain walking trail.
• Comfort and Connection: I made room in an already bulging suitcase for:
  • Eucalyptus Frog: My essential comfort stuffie.
  • Wipes and Soothing Balm: Recommendations from Colleen, a PK veteran: gentle wipes, soothing balm, and old cotton underwear that could be thrown away; I was grateful to have all these items.
  • Origami: A last-minute addition that became a defining part of my stay.
  • Crystals: Carefully chosen stones for healing and grounding; I surprised myself by giving many of them away to my new friends.

The Final Stretch: Ghee and Kitchari

The three days prior to my departure included drinking melted ghee in the morning on an empty stomach, followed by a kitchari monodiet.

• The “Liquid Gold” Ritual: I started with 3 tablespoons of ghee on Thursday and increased by increments of 3T each day. I followed Suhanee’s regimen: hold my nose, swallow quickly, and immediately chase it with a lime wedge, ginger pickle, and warm water to clear the oily taste.
• The Kitchari Monodiet: Kitchari is a traditional Ayurvedic dish of mung beans, rice, and spices. I accidentally made mine without enough water, but that worked in my favor, as the “soupy” consistency of properly prepared kitchari probably would’ve been taken away by TSA at the airport.

I was packed, prepped, and saturated with ghee. It was time to head to the mountain!

In my next post, I’ll share what it felt like to step out of preparation mode and into the sanctuary of the Isis room at SoHum.

Read part 4: PK Day 1 | SoHum Arrival: Where the World Hits Reset

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