Practitioners We Love: Ragaia Belovarac of Blue Sage Ayurveda

We are pleased to feature our dear friend and teacher, Ragaia Belovarac, and his healing sanctuary, Blue Sage Sanctuary. Ragaia is the Founder and Steward of Blue Sage Ayurveda/ Blue Sage Sanctuary. The Sanctuary is a PanchaKarma and rejuvenation destination located in our community in Northern California. Ragaia is also the primary Ayurvedic consulting practitioner directing programs and guiding clients during their in-house programs at the Sanctuary. To give a little background, Ragaia received his certification as a Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist (C.A.S.) and Pancha Karma Specialist (P.K.S.) from the California College of Ayurveda (CCA) and the American Institute of Vedic Studies. He then became the Co-Director of the CCA Pancha Karma (PK) Center, where he further deepened his understanding of facilitating the individual’s healing journey. While with the CCA, Ragaia helped to fund and design the renovations of the Pancha Karma Center and then co-directed the PK center and its programs until 2004. In 2004, Ragaia discovered a beautiful 20-acre location, and the vision of Blue Sage Sanctuary was born. To the present day, Ragaia continues to develop programs sharing the practices of Ayurveda and the ancient processes of Pacha Karma cleansing, elimination and rejuvenation.

As past students of the California College of Ayurveda, PAAVANI co-founders Leah and Trudy had the opportunity to train in Ayurvedic Body Therapies under the direct tutelage of Ragaia. Leah went on to work with Blue Sage Ayurveda and offered Ayurvedic body therapies to clients at the Sanctuary undergoing Pancha Karma. Through this direct experience, Leah gained the knowledge, experience and capability to properly facilitate a space for Ayurvedic body therapies at PAAVANI Ayurveda. Hence, Ragaia has been a motivational force for Leah and Trudy, and his work has inspired their path in Ayurveda personally and professionally.

Furthermore, while founding and stewarding Blue Sage Ayurveda/Sanctuary, Ragaia also maintains a connection to his past candle-making design studio, GaiaLight. He is presently the maker of PAAVANI Ayurveda’s Trataka Ghee Candle. We are proud to partner with Ragaia and Blue Sage Ayurveda to create this locally handmade and ethically curated one-of-a-kind ghee candle formulated with organic ghee, coconut wax and an all-natural wick. This candle is perfect for Trataka (candle gazing) meditation, a practice that helps to soothe tired, overworked eyes. To learn more about the benefits of Trataka, visit our blog about this topic.

We hope you enjoy learning more about the offerings at Blue Sage Ayurveda through this exclusive interview with Ragaia Belovarac!

PAAVANI: Thank you so much for taking the time to sit with us today, Ragaia! We are curious to know when you first learned about Ayurveda and what motivated you to study this ancient science.

Ragaia: It’s really difficult to remember when I first “learned” of Ayurveda as I had been exploring Ayurveda and Chinese medicine as holistic systems of natural medicine most of my life. There was a critical juncture however, that does stand out for me, it was around the year 2000, and I was in a deep conversation with Ram Dass where we both lived at the time in Marin, CA. In that discussion, he and I spoke of my journey pursuing a path of healing in which I could be of service. Many who knew Ram Dass may remember that he was very much about service and connecting with one’s Dharma. He and I had come to know each other over a few years time, and this conversation we were having on that particular day really stood out for me because it was then that it became clear that Ayurveda was to be my Dharmic path moving forward. At that time, I decided to fully pursue Ayurveda as a path of service and from that point began the journey more formally to become a full-time practitioner offering full consultations and eventually Pancha Karma immersion programs. 

PAAVANI: Could you tell us about what inspired you to create Blue Sage Ayurveda?

Ragaia: I think the emergence of Blue Sage Ayurveda, as a practice, was the natural result of my pursuit of Ayurveda as a healing path for myself and for the overall service and benefit of offering Ayurveda to those who seek it. At that time, I was also seeking “sanctuary” from a very busy life full of all the usual stresses of frequent global travel and living in urban areas. So, this was also a major motivator that inspired me to co-create the Sanctuary. I say co-create because it’s been my experience that I am supported by spirit and all that we may call “the creator,” and so, in this respect, it was an inspired co-creation for sure.

I would also like to mention that Blue Sage Ayurveda is the name of the practice, which is not specific to one site. In fact, Blue Sage Ayurveda may offer training programs in any number of locations. Blue Sage Sanctuary, however, is the name of the actual site, located in the foothills of the Sierra Mountains of Northern California, where Blue Sage Ayurveda is home-based.

PAAVANI: What are the various  Ayurvedic offerings available at Blue Sage Ayurveda?

Ragaia: There are many therapeutic modalities that we offer as a part of our Healing Programs.

It’s best to visit our new website to see many of them listed and described there!

PAAVANI: For people unfamiliar with Panchakarma, please explain what this term means and what happens during a Panchakarma.

Ragaia: This is a big question that would require some space in our interview to fully delve into here… however, I will do my best to summarize a high-level overview for you.

 Essentially, Pancha (five actions) and Karma (cause/effect) are the basic meaning of the term. In application, it translates to applying the classical “five actions”; these are tried and true therapeutic modalities that have shown high success in alleviating imbalances (cause/ effect “Karmas”)  that have accumulated over time as a result of a person’s daily choices and overall lifestyle choices. During a Pancha Karma program, one goes through a series of treatments to lubricate the internal tissues as well as the skin and musculature. Once that is complete, we move on to the process of moving what has been lubricated and dislodged into the digestive tract and elimination channels for removal from the body. This alone is a large biological relief for the burden that the body carries day to day as the result of simple everyday living in these modern times. 

PAAVANI: How does the process work if someone wants to sign up for a Panchakarma with you?

Ragaia: The very best way to begin the process is to visit our website and take a look at what we offer. On the site, you can also get a feeling for Blue Sage Sanctuary by exploring the photo tour and pursuing the site, reading testimonials, and visiting our YouTube channel. After visiting our site, if you feel we offer an environment that you're looking for, feel free to go to the Contact page and fill in the basic questions on the form there and hit submit!

 If you do not have access to the internet, you can also reach out to us via Phone; 888-878-5222.

If you choose this option, please leave us some details in our voicemail about what you're looking for and what your intention for creating a program for yourself is. No need to go into any major details about your symptoms etc. at this time of initial contact… that’s the next step : ) 

PAAVANI: Do clients stay on-site at Blue Sage Ayurveda?

Ragaia: Yes, all of our programs include being onsite for the full duration of your selected program. This is true for all who are in the program, whether clients are coming from local or from afar. It is important to feel grounded, safe and situated during these powerful healing programs. We have created an all-inclusive experience and do our very best to offer all details possible in creating a comfortable environment for you to totally relax into your program and fully receive all the benefits that you can. To hear a few past clients share about their experiences in programs, feel free to go to our YouTube channel and peruse what’s available there.

PAAVANI: Who is on the Blue Sage Ayurveda team and what are their qualifications?

Ragaia: We have a lot of information on our new website. If you were to go to; “About Us” on the home page, there are categories of Resident Core, Extended Core and past “Hall of Fame” practitioners that have been an important part of the history of Blue Sage Ayurveda / Sanctuary in some way over the years. We have also given acknowledgement to our “Inspired Teachers,” that have been gracious in sharing their knowledge and expertise over the years. It’s best to visit our new website to see many of them listed and described there! 

PAAVANI: Do you offer Ayurvedic training to Ayurvedic Practitioners, massage therapists, spa therapists and holistic practitioners? If yes, what kind of training do you offer?

Ragaia: Thank you for asking!

Over the past 20 years, we have offered professional certified training(s) through the California College of Ayurveda located in Nevada City, CA. We have also offered customized training over the years to spas who have sought out specialized Ayurvedic training to further increase their offerings in Ayurvedic treatments. I have also personally offered Pancha Karma programs in Europe (Spain / Ibiza) and worked with Shankara and Canyon Ranch in promoting and training their therapists in multiple locations between California and Italy. In the future, we will also be developing and offering special on-site immersion training and mentorship programs hosted at the Sanctuary.  Please continue to tune in to our website for future information on those programs! 

PAAVANI: Tell us about your Ayurvedic LifeLab™ Home Cleanse Program.

Ragaia: Ayurveda LifeLab™ is a new offering of Blue Sage Ayurveda and this year we are presenting some of the new programs that will be available. First, we are excited to launch our new 10 and 14 day Ayurvedic LifeLab™ at Home programs.

In the 10 day program you are free to select any time of year that works for you to begin a cleanse reset program. If you are new to cleansing or feel you would like some initial guidance with pursuing your 10 day at Home Program, you are welcome to contact us through our website and set up a consultation session to best understand and coordinate your home cleanse.

In the case of the 14 day Program, you would simply read about what our program includes and then follow the instructions we have on our website. At this time, you would then go to our contact page and let us know that you are interested in joining a 14-guided Home Program, and we would let you know the next available window we are offering that program and then get you set up to join the next scheduled group.

PAAVANI: What are your future visions and plans for you and Blue Sage Ayurveda?

Ragaia: The future is looking BRIGHT at Blue Sage Ayurveda! We are also excited to offer new programs in 2024 this coming year.

 We will be offering a new program called “Expanding your Creative Potential” (ECP). This will include both “Warm Programs”, which include Pancha Karma and Rejuvenations therapies as we have for the past 20 years, and…“Cool” programs that are focused on Cool/ Cold plunging and invigorating and cultivating the Creative energy. 

What?! Yes, you heard that right… tune in with our website this Fall and there will be more on this soon!

These programs will be dynamic and customizable per individual, facilitated by utilizing many different types of Ayurvedic therapies as well as sound, painting and introspective experiences while immersed in nature. Blue Sage Sanctuary IS a “Forest Bathing” experience by design - we are happy to see so many now consciously embracing this!

Please check our website soon to also learn more about the launch of these new programs this Winter/ Spring, and we hope to hear from you and see you here soon! 

Contact Blue Sage Ayurveda:

Email: bluesage.ayurveda@gmail.com

Phone: 888-878-5222

Get social with Blue Sage Ayurveda:

IG: @ayurvedabluesage

YouTube: @ayurvedabluesage