Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and the Revival of Authentic Ayurveda

In the early 1980s, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, founder of the Transcendental Meditation® program and Maharishi International University, organized a systematic effort to revive the full authenticity and scope of Ayurveda.

Ayurveda is recognized by the World Health Organization as the world’s oldest continuously practiced system of medicine — a natural, comprehensive, prevention-oriented approach to healthcare, without harmful side effects.

Over the course of more than a century, during British rule of India, Ayurveda fell into relative decline. Western medicine became the dominant system in India, and generations were educated to view traditional knowledge as outdated. As a result, much of the practical application of this vast science became less accessible, and this living tradition risked being fragmented or lost.

Initiating a massive effort to restore Ayurveda to its full integrity and effectiveness, Maharishi gathered many of India’s most highly respected vaidyas (traditional Ayurvedic physicians), whose families had preserved this knowledge for generations, and brought them together with leading Sanskrit scholars.

Because the classical Ayurvedic texts had been written down more than 6,000 years ago in Sanskrit — a precise language with an unbroken scholarly tradition — it was possible to return to the original source texts and carefully re-establish the authentic curative herbal formulations, the full Panchakarma purification therapies, the comprehensive means to address the root cause of chronic disorders, and the prevention-oriented lifestyle principles that support long-term health and vitality.

Through years of collaborative review and restoration, a complete, holistic, and systematic approach emerged. This revived and organized body of knowledge came to be known as Maharishi Ayurveda™.

With this restoration, Ayurveda once again became available in a coherent, authentic, teachable, and clinically applicable form — not only for India, but for the wider world.

The Ideal Destination for Your Life-Changing Wellness Retreat

For 25 years The Raj has led the field in Ayurvedic treatments — gaining a reputation as America’s premier Ayurveda Health Center. By accepting no more than 15 guests at a time, The Raj is able to maintain a high quality of individualized service and treatment. The result is a unique experience of nurturing attention and care.

The Raj is the only facility outside of India specifically built to offer the traditional Ayurvedic purification treatments, known as Panchakarma. Our French country-style facility encompasses 36,000 square feet and includes two treatment wings, 15 single and double bedrooms, dining rooms, our Vedic health office, meeting rooms, and an exercise room. Guests can choose single or double rooms, with expansive views of the surrounding natural landscape.

Located on 100 acres of rolling meadows and woodlands in Iowa’s heartland, The Raj offers an ideal environment to transform and rejuvenate.

Transform Your Life

The Raj in-residence program offers a life-transforming opportunity to rejuvenate mind, body and spirit. At the heart of The Raj programs are the profound Ayurvedic purification treatments that once helped maintain long life for the royal families of India. Known as Panchakarma, these customized rejuvenation therapies help restore balance and reawaken the body’s natural healing mechanisms, promoting vitality and good health.

In addition, the profound knowledge of Ayurveda is fully integrated in every aspect of your visit, for the most powerful healing effect possible. Guests learn to understand how individual factors in their make-up affect physical tendencies, moods, cravings, motivation, and behavior.

Not only do guests go home feeling renewed, but they also report that the benefits from their stay continue to grow long after they return home.

Experience the Best of Ayurveda

All treatments and herbal formulas offered at The Raj are approved by the Maharishi Ayurveda Council of Physicians — a consortium of highly experienced Ayurvedic experts in India.

The Raj is located in Fairfield, Iowa, home to Maharishi International University and leading research institutions studying natural medicine and prevention.

Research conducted here has shown that Ayurvedic treatments can reduce dangerous fat-soluble toxins by over 50% — a result not achieved by other purification methods.

A Typical Day at The Raj

Your stay begins with an initial consultation, including Ayurveda Pulse Assessment — a diagnostic technique that identifies imbalances before symptoms appear.

Each day includes personalized Panchakarma treatments, nourishing meals, rest, gentle yoga, and optional learning experiences.

Guests often highlight not just the treatments, but the atmosphere — calm, supportive, and deeply restorative.

Mark Toomey

Over the last 30 years, Mark Toomey has worked with the world’s top experts in Maharishi Ayurveda in India, Australia, and the United States. In 2005, Mark became the Director of Maharishi Ayurveda at The Raj where he is available for consultations, works with visiting Ayurvedic experts from India, and oversees The Raj’s Panchakarma programs.

Mark has a BA from University of New England, Diploma of Ayurveda Consulting from Maharishi Vedic College, BA, MS in Maharishi Ayurveda and PhD in Physiology from Maharishi International University where he studied and did clinical training in Maharishi Ayurveda and NIH funded research at the Center for Natural Medicine and Prevention

Mark’s experience and expertise in Ayurvedic Pulse Assessment is foundational for developing an effective prevention or treatment program. In this, Ayurveda presages the trend toward “personalized medicine” now emerging within conventional medicine. The principle is that the diet, herbal supplements, lifestyle or treatment plan that is beneficial for one individual may different from those that will be beneficial for another individual—depending upon a person’s specific mind/body balance or state of imbalance.

Manohar Palakurthi

Manohar Palakurthi, BAMS, is an Ayurveda physician (vaidya) and a teacher and expert in the Maharishi Ayurveda and Maharishi Nadi Vigyan (Pulse Assessment). Manohar trained with three of the worlds top experts in Maharishi Ayurveda; Balaraj Maharishi,(world renowned herbalist), BD Triguna (worlds renowned pulse diagnosis expert), and VM Dwivedi (Vice chancellor of University of Jam Nagar). He has also worked closely with Asta Vaidyas and their traditional practices (Keraleeya Panchakarma).

Vaidya Manohar was instumental in establishing Panchakarma centers in USA, Europe and South East Asia . He practices as an Ayurveda clinical consultant, teacher, and course developer for health professionals and modern physicians. He has presented seminars and lectures on Maharishi Ayurveda all over the world. He has trained in Maharishi Aroma Therapy (France), and Ayurveda Ophthalmology (Kerala). He was one of the principal developers of the Maharishi Ayurveda Mother Baby program. Currently he serves as Professor of clinical Medicine at MUM and teaches MS MD Integrated health science in AUIS Caribbean.

Vaidya Manohar serves as Ayurveda products technical consultant and product development research for Maharishi Ayurveda Institutes in India, Netherlands, United States, Japan, and Italy. He is a Professor of clinical medicine (Ayurveda) physiology and health and curriculum developer for Ayurveda courses at the Maharishi University of Management. In 2015 he received the Dhanvantari award by MERU Netherlands.

Manohar graduated from Nagarjuna University in India AP,(1978 -83)At the heart of The Raj programs are the profound Ayurvedic purification treatments that once helped maintain long life for the royal families of India.

Sankari Wegman

Sankari has been a part of The Raj team of experts since 2003. Her extensive knowledge and experience in Ayurvedic Pulse Assessment provides a base for offering a personalalized wellness routine that encompasses Ayurvedic treatments, herbal supplements, diet and lifestyle recommendations.

Sankari has a life-long interest in empowering people to live their optimal health. Sankari has three Bachelor’s Degrees: Biology-PreMedical and Women’s Studies, Philosophy with a focus on Bioethics, and Maharishi Ayurveda. She has a Master’s Degree in Physiology and is currently pursuing a PhD in Maharishi Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine. Shankari has been a teacher of the Transcendental Meditation program for 18 years. She is on the Board of Trustees at the Maharishi School, an innovative Preschool-12 that combines preparatory academics and self-development. She gives lectures on Ayurveda at universities and high schools throughout the country.

Robert Schneider, MD, FACC, Medical Director

Dr. Robert Schneider is the medical director of the Raj Ayurvedic treatment programs. He is an internationally recognized physician-scientist-educator and leader in the field of integrative medicine. In addition, Dr. Schneider is Dean of the College of Integrative Medicine and Director of the Institute for Natural Medicine and Prevention at Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa.

Beginning in 1984, Dr. Schneider was one of the first physicians in the United States to practice, teach and research Maharishi AyurVeda, the modern reformulation of the ancient health science of Ayurveda. Over the past 30 years, Dr. Schneider had directed or co-directed more than $25 million in grant support from the US National Institutes of Health and other government agencies for clinical research on integrative, mind-body approaches to cardiovascular disease and aging. The results of these studies have been published in 150 peer-reviewed publications, including those of the American Heart Association, American Medical Association and featured in more than 1,000 television, radio, magazine, and newspaper reports, including ABC’s 20/20, CNN Headline News, the Discovery Channel,the New York Times, Washington Post, Newsweek, Wall Street Journal, and Time magazine.

Based on his groundbreaking clinical and research experience with Maharishi AyurVeda, he authored the popular book: TOTAL HEART HEALTH: How to Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease with the Maharishi Vedic Approach to Health. His second book, entitled SUPER AGING: Modern Medical Science Discovers Secrets of Ancient Ayurveda for Longevity, Health and Happiness is in progress.

Dr. Schneider has been a consultant to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Presidential Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine and the US Congress’ Prevention Coalition. Dr. Schneider is a frequent lecturer at academic medical centers, professional societies and public forums on four continents.

Dr. Schneider received his MD from Rutgers University Medical School and did his postgraduate training in internal medicine and hypertension at the University of Michigan Medical School. In 2005, he was elected as a fellow of the American College of Cardiology. He is a specialist in preventive medicine.

Nancy Lonsdorf, MD

Named “one of the nation’s most prominent Ayurvedic doctors” by the Chicago Tribune, Dr. Nancy Lonsdorf is an award-winning integrative physician and author specializing in Ayurveda and the prevention and reversal of Alzheimer’s and cognitive decline. She is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and did her residency training in psychiatry at Stanford University. Recently, Dr. Lonsdorf has trained in natural approaches to enhancing memory and mental clarity using the scientifically-validated Bredesen Recode Protocol for the reversal of cognitive decline and is an MPI Cognition-Certified practitioner.

Dr. Lonsdorf is also a recognized expert in women’s health issues and has authored two books on the topic; The Ageless Woman: Natural Health and Beauty After Forty with Maharishi Ayurveda and A Woman’s Best Medicine for Menopause: Your Personal Guide to Radiant Good Health Using Maharishi Ayurveda. She is also co-author of a best-selling Ayurvedic health guide for women, A Woman’s Best Medicine: Health, Happiness and Long Life through Maharishi Ayurveda.

Dr. Lonsdorf currently has a private practice in Integrative, Holistic Medicine and Ayurveda and teaches Maharishi Ayurveda to medical doctors and health practitioners at The Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine in La Jolla, CA, and at the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Center for Integrative Medicine.

Dr. Lonsdorf studied Ayurvedic medicine in India and the US with top Ayurvedic physicians and scholars and has worked closely with distinguished Ayurvedic vaidyas throughout her 25 years of practice. In 2011, she received the Atreya Award for excellence in Ayurvedic practice awarded by the Association of Ayurvedic Practitioners of North America.

Dr. Lonsdorf has lectured at some of the nation’s foremost medical institutions, including The National Institutes of Health, Johns Hopkins, and Columbia University, and has served on several editorial boards of both online and print journals in integrative and complementary medicine.

Over the past twenty-five years, she has treated nearly 20,000 patients using Maharishi Ayurveda. She is formerly the medical director of The Raj (2000-2005), and of the Maharishi Ayurveda Medical Center in Washington D.C. (1987-2000), a pioneering Ayurvedic medical clinic.