Hidden Gems: Meet Rita Burgos of Ayo Ayurveda

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rita Burgos.

Hi Rita, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have a comprehensive healing center in northeast Los Angeles called Ayo Ayurveda. The story of how I arrived in my current work is filled with twists and turns, but always guided by my wish to help others heal individually and in community.

As a young community organizer in the 1990s, I was drawn to healing with my words and hands. I understood very clearly that societal progress couldn’t happen if we didn’t also address trauma that people experience individually and collectively. In my shift from community organizing to motherhood decades ago, I also embarked on my search to learn how to address trauma through counseling and through the ways it takes hold in the body through subtle energy. My practice integrating trauma counseling and energy healing allowed me to be present with individuals to uncover and gently release and transform layers of unprocessed experiences that held them back from joy, connection and often physical well-being. But that work only held some of the answers, which led me to pivot to Ayurveda.

Having practiced yogic meditation since my early 20s, the pivot to Ayurveda was a natural one. I was drawn to Ayurveda because it answered deeper questions of why people get sick and offered such a wide array of tools to address both the symptoms and root causes of physical and emotional challenges. It was never a grand plan to open a comprehensive Ayurvedic center. The question I always asked myself is: what does this client need to heal? When I answered that question, the work I offered expanded.

And now, I have Ayo Ayurveda where I see individuals in-person and virtually. My main work focuses on guiding individuals through my Deep Healing Program, Panchakarma (comprehensive Ayurvedic detoxification), my Sage Passage program for the menopausal journey, and sharing the power of hands-on healing through our Ayurvedic body therapies.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Nothing is ever smooth. I finished a high level of studies in Ayurveda, finishing my Doctor of Ayurveda / Medical Ayurvedic Specialist program. Getting there, I took several stops along the way to have children, raise my family and respond to the joys and sorrows that come with life.

However, all the obstacles, challenges, choosing to slow down because of other priorities – this is all part of being human. When it was time to take a break from studies or slow down my work, I didn’t hesitate because it was the right decision for my family. And now, in this stage of my life, my work is the busiest it has ever been. This is the right time for this to happen.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Ayo Ayurveda?
Ayo Ayurveda is a comprehensive healing center, rooted in the ancient tradition of Ayurveda to meet today’s modern health challenges. We offer a variety of different levels that individuals can access.

For those who are new to Ayurveda, experiencing the deeply nourishing therapies is often a good place to start. We offer some amazing therapies that calm your body and mind, cleanse your lymphatic system and nourish your reproductive system. You can experience a traditional Ayurvedic massage (abhyanga) followed by an herbal or ozone steam treatment. You can also follow abhyanga with shirodhara (a gentle oil pouring on the forehead) that will transport you to a zone of peace and calm. There are other unique treatment blends, such as Bliss Therapy, Cleanse and Renew and Women’s Yoni Rejuvenation. (Explore the therapies section of our website to learn more – https://www.rebuildrecovery.com/body-therapies.)

These are other important offerings that I lead at Ayo Ayurveda.

Deep Healing Program – Longer term program involving weekly meetings for individuals who want to experience deeper breakthroughs to address deeper issues of chronic illness. These issues can range from autoimmune disorders, long covid, other chronic illness conditions and persistent emotional challenges.

Panchakarma (Ayurvedic detoxification programs) – This is one of the most comprehensive, multi-step detoxification protocols that supports removing toxins from the body, resetting the immune system and providing support to the nervous system.

Group programs such as the upcoming Sage Passage – I’ll be leading a group of women through the perimenopausal/menopausal journey. Yes, we’ll be covering the physical and hormonal transition, but the most important work will be to guide women through this next stage in their life, so that it can be glorious, filled with purpose, meaning and satisfaction.

I also offer a monthly drop-in class called Inspired Soul Saturdays where I guide participants through yoga nidra (guided meditative process) and share a little Vedic wisdom. That’s the first Saturday of the month. It’s only once a month, but for some of the people who participate regularly, it’s their monthly reset that helps them get clear on priorities for the following month.

How do you think about luck?
I would say that I’m ready to receive blessings and listen to my intuition about what direction I should take in life and business. Maybe that’s called good luck. When we are aligned with how we’re supposed to serve this world, things just flow more easily. There have been many challenges and probably many more to come. I just assume there will always be a challenge. But when we connect with what our heart tells us, opportunities arise. I have so many stories about this!

I have an online class that I’m developing called the Yoga Nidra Path of Manifestation. It focuses on utilizing yogic practices to understand and repattern beliefs so that we can produce a different outcome in our lives. The tools that I teach in this class have really helped me to tune in to what I want to offer. I knew a monk decades ago who officiated my wedding and did birth ceremonies for my children. He was asked on his 80th birthday about his important advice for life. Interestingly, he just said “mind your own business.” That’s it. I heard that message and took it as a reminder to be concerned with what I’m supposed to offer this world, be concerned with the changes I need to make within myself and don’t get distracted by things that are not relevant to how I need to grow and serve. Our families and communities will benefit because they experience the best version of ourselves.

One of my favorite quotes is from Emerson: “Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.” Maybe the universe conspiring is the good luck.

Pricing:

• Ayurvedic body therapies – cost ranges depending on the therapies (ranging from $127 to $450)
• Deep Healing Program – $1697 (3 month program)
• Transformation Package – $897 – New Client Consultation and 4-follow-up consultations
• Panchakarma – $260 for a Panchakarma consultation where I then design your individualized program (separate cost)
• New Client Consultation – $300

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.rebuildrecovery.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ritaayurveda/