Stay Somagenic! PLUS: Ayurvedic Bodywork Training with Maharani – your SV Ayurveda Newsletter July 31, 2025 – #28, Vol 14

Staying “Soma-genic”

despite the

Summer Heat!

Soma is the cooling, nurturing, materializing, vibrational energy of nature that helps us grounded so we can be and grow. It’s the foundation to great health and happiness. Without soma nothing would exist! Without soma, Agni would not exist, because Agni burns, and it burns up soma. Without Soma and Agni there would only be an endless space of vacuous space/ether extending infinitely…. 

In the summertime, we receive more agni from the sun and so does our environment. The light and heat from the sun makes everything blossom and grow. But it is also very drying. So in the summertime, it is important to balance things out by having lots of soma. For example, you should consume fresh easy to digest delicious somagenic food: fresh juicy sweet fruits, yoghurt, grains, milk, and other prepared foods. However, ironically, in the summertime, Agni goes low because pitta goes high! It’s a beautiful SVA teaching that requires more delving into with Vaidya Mishra. But this is one of the reasons why in high climates, traditionally, such as in South India, the consumption of somagenic foods – and coconut is a great example – is a staple in the diet. However, that is why it’s also heavily spiced! To help in the digestion and absorption of the much needed soma. 

This is on the internal side of things. On the external side, it is also important to use somagenic oils, lotions, creams, that help pacify without freezing and therefore clogging the pitta in the skin – bhrajak pitta. The key, as Vaidya always reminded us, is to cool things off without putting out the fire, or Agni. Most of the time this subtle yet central distinction between Agni and pitta is lost in mainstream Ayurveda, and a plethora of problems ensue.

High Pitta people applying bushels of coconut butter on their skin to cool off, or being told to eat watermelon or melon right after meals to “cool off” digestion and/or heartburn in the stomach. What happens is things get worse because in response, the body produces even more pitta to help burn the heaviness off, and this further aggravates the dosha and perpetuates the problem because Agni, the digestive flame (in the stomach and/or in the dhatus/tissues) is already weak or completely off! You can’t start a fire without a flame. High pitta people end up with trapped heat, specially if they are strong by constitution and shleshak kapha kicks in to buffer the extra pitta heat! As you gather, this is big detailed topic of teaching that Vaidya Mishra gave us. But for now, in order to stay cool, you can use one of his many somagenic Summer lotions that will not clog your shrotas and further trap pitta in. They will help cool you off from the outside-in AND also soothe your heart and mind. 

Surya Shanti Cream can be used whenever your skin is hot and burning. The Sanskrit word, surya, mean “sun.” And shanti means “pacification.” Surya Shanti Cream pacifies the heat generated by too much exposure to the sun.

This cream is an Ayurvedic sunscreen substitute, with SPF of 15 or 30. Please note it does NOT contain any chemicals for sunscreen approved by the FDA. It balances bhrajaka pitta, the pitta located in the skin. It helps reduce hot burning sensations on the skin, whether caused by internal toxins, like amavisha, or by sunburn, or by touching hot objects. Because it cools bhrajaka pitta so deeply, it can be a good preparation for exposure to the sun’s hot rays. 

Surya Shanti Cream has not been tested by the FDA as a sunscreen, and should be used with caution. However, some people are reporting that it is very helpful for preventing sunburn. 

We suggest that you test it for yourself. Try it on a section of skin for a moderate exposure time. You may need to keep applying during the day as it is not not waterproof, and sweat may dilute it as well.

Sunlight heats the skin dramatically. If your skin is cooled by this cream prior to sun exposure, your skin’s own natural resistance to sunburn will be stronger. It is also great to apply after sun exposure. Many of our customers have written back saying it pacifies redness caused by sunburn in just a few minutes. We invite you to test it for yourself.

The formula contains no chemicals or preservatives and delivers lots of cooling soma to the skin. It not only cools the skin, but opens the skin’s reception to soma in the environment.

This cream will not block the good things you need from sunlight. Your skin will receive what it needs to make Vitamin D from sunlight without getting imbalanced by the sun’s burning quality. If you are a high pitta type, you may experience burning sensations anytime for no apparent reason. This cream can be useful for restoring balance quickly. You may want to apply it on the neck or even the scalp whenever it starts to burn. It can also be helpful for cooling the body before sleep.

This lotion comes in two variations: regular coolness (Surya Shanti) and strong cooling Surya Maha Shanti.

Study the

Ancient Art of Ayurvedic Bodywork &

Transform Your Healing Practice

300-Hour Vocational Certification Training

Begins September 13th, 2025

Are you called to study Ayurveda not just as a science, but as a living tradition—and to support others in finding their way back to wholeness, a balanced mind, and radiant health? This Fall, you are invited to join a comprehensive and enriching training in the art and practice of Ayurvedic Sacred Bodywork™ and PanchaKarma, led by longtime SVA practitioner and educator Corinna Maharani. This training draws from over 30 years of her clinical experience and more than two decades of direct study under the guidance of her teacher, the honorable master healer and brilliant visionary, Vaidya R.K. Mishra, custodian of the Shaka Vansiya (SVA) lineage.

Rooted in ancient Ayurvedic wisdom, yet addressing the needs of our modern time, this 300-hour professional certification training explores the foundational principles of Ayurveda’s rejuvenating treatments and healing rituals.  You’ll learn how to apply these with precision, care, and presence—in your personal life and your professional healing practice.

Previous Student Experiences:

“This training holds so much depth, meaning, and sacredness—it was invaluable and will stay with me forever.” — Vella C.

“It was an amazing and transformational experience.”

— Shivaa Singh, San Diego

“The hands-on approach gave me a solid foundation and boosted my confidence and healing practice.”

— Gayathri N.

What Will You Learn?

• Classical therapeutic bodywork techniques and Ayurvedic healing sequences, taught through the lens of a living lineage, in a way that is both gentle and deeply transformative.

• Signature PanchaKarma treatments, including Abhyanga, Shirodhara, Nasya, Udvartana, Pinda Sveda, and more.

• Marma Therapy, vibrational healing, and SVA Samadhi Marma.

Program Details:

• Training begins September 13th, 2025

• 12 weekly live-online classes (Saturdays, 9–11 AM PST)

• Optional 10-day hands-on practicum in Santa Barbara

• Small, supportive cohort and intimate learning environment

The Maharani Academy is an approved educational provider with AABC, CAAM, and a NAMA PACE provider. This training offers pathways to certification as:

• Ayurvedic Bodyworker (AVB)

• Certified PanchaKarma Therapist (CPT)

• Ayurvedic Spa Technician (AST)

If your heart is drawn to this path,

we warmly welcome you to join us.

 www.maharaniacademy.com

Free Student Orientation Sessions

 August 9th & 23rd at 7:00 PM PST

 RSVP or ask questions: info@maharani.us