As I entered Michal’s room at Saranya Ayurveda Hospital, she was surrounded by half a dozen people. Some were helping her pack; some were giving her farewell gifts and some were checking on her health. She invited me to settle down at one corner and offered some local filter coffee of Coimbatore that she believed was one of the finest she had had.
We had agreed on 30 minutes of conversation, but it soon extended to over an hour and a half. Michal narrated every part of her journey that eventually brought her to Saranya Ayurveda Hospital where she finally found peace, if not a cure.
From Israel to Egypt to Japan
“When I was young, my mother, a Holocaust survivor and my father were separated so my mother had to manage many things on her own and she decided it was best if we moved to a Kibbutz. At the Kibbutz, most resources were shared by the community of Jews living there and children had to go through common care. I had ADHD from an early age and sometimes the restlessness was not taken well by other children and adults in the kibbutz.
At the age of 15, I became interested in studying human anatomy and learning how our body works. I was hoping to find answers to my ailment as the doctors knew nothing about it.
When I was 19, I had to mandatorily serve in the army but I was told I wasn’t fit for the army and was made to feel unwelcomed. In order to leave the army, I had to prove that either I had a mental disorder or had to get married. I chose the latter and got married in a religious customary manner. However, my mother wasn’t happy with my choice and I had to leave home. With no job or money, I travelled and found some shelter in Egypt. There I lived with the Bedouins and one of the families gave me a job of selling Bandalones, traditional pyjamas to tourists. Through this, I earned some money. I also learnt how to fetch fish, ignite the fire using stones or wood and many other survival skills. I was living in Sinai where the sea beach and the mountains were very close. Living closely with nature gave me a new perspective and strength. I realised I did not have to take myself so seriously but rather embrace life.
However, as the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty came into action, I had to move back to Israel. Upon returning, I joined the Ministry of Agriculture and started working with a Strawberry specialist. This gave me practical experience of working in an organised setup.
But more than that, the one thing I became very proud of was my ability to ride a bicycle uphill without using my hands. I used to go to Tel Aviv, and find a library or bookshop where I would sit and sip my coffee. There I saw a call for physiotherapists to study acupressure. When I went in, I met an old physiotherapist who was willing to impart the education for free because he just wished someone will continue his legacy. My passion and willingness to learn drove me throughout the course and upon finishing it, I became his assistant. My desire to learn more took me to Japan where I became an assistant to my acupressure teacher. In Japan, I learnt Taichi as well. Upon returning to Jerusalem in 1987, I started working as an acupressure therapist.”
This knowledge of alternative healing systems helped Michal understand the deeper nuances and functioning of the human body. Her belief in different non-conventional forms of healing grew stronger. This helped her immensely as the modern medicine doctors had no answer to her medical condition, which deteriorated further.
Paralysis and Treatment in Israel
“I was born with a rare syndrome called KTS (Klippel-Trenaunay) as a consequence of which, my bone and tissues were overgrown and a red-purple mark covered the upper layer of my skin. With a lack of knowledge at that time, doctors studied my condition but did not do anything about it, to the extent that they did not even admit me in the hospital.
With age, my condition worsened. One day, my daughter, a classical saxophonist was playing at Jaffa Gate. I was 52 years old then, and at the time of her performance, I suddenly felt terrible pain and got completely paralyzed. I was put under neuro care and given painkillers. But that did not help my condition and I got completely bedridden. I could not move at all so after one month when my condition got a little stabilised, I was sent to the hospital of disabilities. Even here, my condition could not be diagnosed and instead of being treated, I had to go through harsh therapies. For instance, I was put in the swimming pool but the water only aggravated my condition. With no respite, I was finally sent home after a month.
My veins had become weaker, they had changed shape and started touching each other internally as well. I couldn’t walk or move at all. I knew I had to look for a solution outside as modern medicine wasn’t helping me. But I did not know what and where to look out for.”
In Search of an Answer - Discovering Saranya Ayurveda Hospital
I visited India in 2017 for the first time, landing in Kerala where we travelled across Kochi and Alleppey (current day Alappuzha). To me, it felt like a movie where something was happening all the time. It still feels that way whenever I come to India and I thoroughly enjoy it.
It was my intuition that brought me to Saranya Ayurveda in Coimbatore. When I arrived, the doctors told me that they did not know about my condition and took me for a second opinion at AVP hospital in the city. Soon Dr Vinod and Dr Sreeja, at Saranya Ayurveda, were looking into my case. I felt confident in the doctors. Unlike in my previous treatments where doctors wanted to put me through chemotherapy without any cancer, the doctors here were very caring and considerate. Since my first visit, I have come to Saranya Ayurveda 3-4 times and every time I feel at peace. From the person who cleans my room to Krishna, the manager of the kitchen, everyone is very gentle and good. They take care of me like a baby.
Popularising Ayurveda in Israel
After my first experience, I have recommended many people to visit Saranya. Once, I sent a doctor from Israel and another 10 people. The doctor affirmatively told me “I don’t know what is the secret here, but I will come again.”
There needs to be a doctor and therapist in Israel who can teach Ayurveda. But to get treated, one needs to be in India. The atmosphere, people and energy of the place make a lot of difference.
Michal continues to visit Saranya Ayurveda Hospital every few years. She also recommends it to many people who have benefited immensely from the place. As we concluded our conversation, Michal fondly remembered Margarete Mota, an Ayurvedic practitioner in Brazil who brings her students every year to Saranya to either go through the Panchakarma treatment or to further their studies in Ayurveda there. Michal and Margarete became close friends at Saranya. For Michal, Saranya is not just a treatment center but a lifestyle and a deeply healing experience.
