Ayurveda, The Science of Life
Ayurveda was revealed to the Seers of India thousands of years ago. It is thought by many scholars to be the oldest healing system in the world at over 5000 years old. It has persevered through many hardships while being suppressed and discouraged by government policies. These Seers or Rishis, came to understand the principles by which health and well-being can be nourished or depleted depending on the quality of daily routines, diet, exercise and mental nourishment. Ayurveda is based on universal principles and is a living, growing body of knowledge - as useful today as it was in past centuries. This knowledge was passed down to us in sutras, or small phrases, a form of poetry whose words bring forth hidden knowledge of consciousness. This medical system views health through observing the body-mind-spirit in relationship to nature, whose roots are deeply embedded in centuries of oral and written lineages of practiced medical science with eight branches of specialties - general medicine; pediatrics; psychiatry; diseases of the head, neck and face; surgery, toxicology; geriatrics/rejuvenation; and fertility/reproductive science.
Ayurveda is concerned with a broad scope of the total health of the individual - physically, emotionally and spiritually. This healing system offers a deeper awareness of how the body and our experiences are a microcosm of the greater universe and the relationships between our inner and outer worlds. Ayurvedic purpose is to heal and maintain both quality and longevity of life, an art of daily living that offers a profound understanding of each person’s unique body, mind and consciousness - an essential foundation of health and happiness. Ayurveda embraces all health care disciplines and weaves them into an integrated treatment plan for each individual.
Through the five elements or pancha mahabhuta, the world is composed around us and within us. This view is the connection between the macrocosm and the microcosm, from the universal to the individual, what exists outside also exists within. These elements of ether; air, fire, water and earth, form the building blocks of life and are present in all aspects of existence. All of these elements are found in each individual in unique proportions and combinations. Through different combinations of these five great elements come the doshas. We are taught through this system that health is maintained by the balance of the three subtle energies or doshas known as Vata, Pitta and Kapha. These energies make up all form of matter and as all life forms possess these qualities. The purpose of Ayurveda is to bring these forces into harmony so they can promote physical, emotional and spiritual growth. All routines and treatments are designed to restore these forces to a harmonious balance rather than concentrate on what their imbalances manifests. It focuses on root cause rather than symptoms. As each individual has their own unique balance of these three forces of Vata, Pitta and Kapha, these routines and treatments are geared towards the individual rather than the disorder. To learn how to balance body, mind and consciousness requires an understanding of how Vata, Pitta and Kapha work together.
This healing system has been adopted all over the world and is growing widely as an empowering process for personal health and wellness through everyday self-care. The word for health in Sanskrit is svastha, an aliveness that is palpable and magnetic. Our health is the absence of disease, a dynamic state of harmony between our physical body, mind, senses and soul. Ayurveda teaches us how to care for these four aspects by paying close attention to the ways our surrounding environments affect our state of health, proper thinking, diet and lifestyle to maintain an inner equilibrium. By utilizing these tools, one is able to synchronize nature’s rhythms and reignite a connection that will allow them to thrive and unlock their true potential.
