Kathā Cikitsā:
The Healing Power of Storytelling

where the ancient art of narrative meets the wisdom of Ayurveda

A Satsangam Retreat w. Drs. Robert Svoboda, Ramkumar, Claudia Welch, Fred Smith & more.
Daily Yoga with Scott Blossom

USD 300

Join us to explore where the ancient art of narrative meets the wisdom of Ayurveda. Drs. Ramkumar and Welch join special guests Dr. Robert Svoboda, Fred Smith and others along with the Satsangam team to delve into the therapeutic dimensions of storytelling. The course is designed for those who cherish stories, as well as for anyone seeking to understand how to construct or choose stories that act as the right medicine in varied situations.

Throughout this engaging course, participants will explore the principles of Ayurveda applied to storytelling, learning how to discern whether a story is stabilizing (bṛṃhaṇa) or activating (laṅghana), and how it can be tailored to pacify vāta, pitta, or kapha imbalances.

The correlation between traditional principles like the five vāyus and the dynamic qualities or “shapes” of stories is a key focus, empowering students to identify the therapeutic potential of narratives. Participants will gain an enhanced ability to determine the healing properties of stories, recognize those suitable for specific individuals, and enrich their therapeutic toolbox with new, meaningful stories. This course is an invitation to immerse in the profound legacy of the Indian tradition of storytelling (Kathā Paramparā) and discover the potent blend of storytelling and Ayurveda as a tool for healing and connection.

The course is designed for those who cherish stories, as well as for anyone seeking to understand how to construct or choose stories that act as the right medicine in varied situations.

Course Structure

Recordings from live 3-day retreat in New Mexico
You will learn from stories and have time to integrate with personal experiences
6 prerecorded 2+ hours videos you can watch at your own pace

This course may be a good fit for you if you:

Provide counsel to others personally or professionally
Would like to bring more awareness to how to construct or choose a story that will act as the right medicine at the right time
Are a student or practitioner of any Indian knowledge system and would like to enrich your study and/or practice
Desire to enhance your understanding of the context from which Indian knowledge systems arise
Are hungry for a rejuvenating retreat from the comfort of your home
Are interested to hear Dr. Svoboda Would like to sink into a magical journey

Learning Objectives

How to identify whether a story is building and nourishing (bṛṃhaṇa) or stimulating and motivating (laṅghana)
Determine whether a bṛṃhaṇa or laṅghana story will be more medicinal in any given situation.
How to identify whether a story is more vāta, pitta or kapha pacifying
Learn the correlation of the five vāyus with the properties and movement of qualities, (“shapes”) of stories
Acquire guidelines for determining whether a particular story will act as medicine or poison
Learn some stories to add to your therapeutic toolbox
Sankalpa is establishing a very specific intention and committing to it.
Name the various aspects that inform sankalpa
Discover how the subtle world has the stronger influence on the causal world than the causal world does on the subtle world
Discerning that if you don’t know the truth in the moment, the truth knows the truth.
How to see things and understand it matters- it materializes.
Identify when there are too many brmhana gunas that they increase stubborn, inertia, and laziness.
Identify when there are too many langhana gunas that they increase stimulation, lightness, depletion.
The ability to listen to stories and observe which medicine of opposites they create in you.
Learn the lessons of steadiness, tapas, and devotion through the story of Dhruva.
Define the purshatras- 4 aims of life
Digest the story of Ravana kidnapping Sita
Name the three states of mind in their balanced state and imbalanced state
Discover the story of Indra and the passionate Parrot from the Mahabharata
Impact of pravritti and nirvritti
How Pancha Tantra- written 1,000 years ago written by Vishnu Sharma is relevant
Experience that stories are historically told, not read- they are handed down orally.
Experience the story of the yaksha and Yudhishthira in the Mahabharata
Learn a brief history of bone throwing.
Sit in a collective group reading of the bones.
Meditate with the reading to see what is true for you.
Reimagining what work is for you.
Ponder what is mercy?
Invite the the stories of
- Kabir
- The story of the god turned to pig
- The story of the rabbit and the lion.
- King Janak- the story of mercy from the Upanishads
- The story of the gods, demons, humans and Brahmin related to sattva, rajas and tamas
Digest the differences between gods, goddesses and demons

Outcomes

Experience the effect of different types of stories
Determine the properties and movement qualities of individual stories
Determine what properties or types of movement will act as medicine for a particular person
Learn new stories to use as medicine
To be able to share an understanding of the various facets that influence sankalpa.
Create your personal sankalpa that is not limited by our personal lives, but the larger subtle world.
Stores need prana to stay alive and be passed on through generations.
To create a personal sankalpa as a vow.
When listening to a story, notice which gunas are being activated.
Notice that stories have different effects on individuals- or even you at different times in your life.
Acknowledging the unseen forces in your life and the power of secret.
Discern when your mind is oscillating through sattva, rajas and tamas.
Walk away with a brief history of storytelling in the Waldorf School curriculum
Observe, reflect and notice how a story lands in your physical and subtle body.
Going with the spirit of stories as a vehicle for healing rather than justice.
Deeper understanding of nagas
Integrate the bone throw reading.
What in this reading is true for you
To spend time contemplating aligning with patience