about ayurveda

Ayurveda is a comprehensive system of holistic health care that originated in India several thousand years ago. Its objectives are to establish optimum health in each individual, physically, mentally and spiritually, through the art of living in harmony with the laws of nature.

Ayurveda literally means “the art of living wisely” or “the science of life”. A profound science of living that encompasses the whole of life and relates the individual to the universe. It is a holistic system of healing in the truest sense. In working to create health Ayurveda takes into consideration the constant interaction of body, mind, consciousness and environment. As a system of self healing it encompasses diet and nutrition, lifestyle, massage, yoga, meditation and herbal remedies to suit our individual make-up.

Ayurveda is timeless - it has existed for over 4000 years but yet it still applies to modern day life. Today it is recognised by the World Health Organisation as a natural health care system. The key to its longevity is because Ayurveda is logical. An early description given in the Charaka Samhita (the earliest Ayurvedic literature) written circa 150BCE-100CE says:

“It is called ayurveda because it tells us which substances, qualities and actions are life enhancing, and which are not.”

The wisdom of Ayurveda encourages us to take responsibility for our own health according to the different stages of our lives, the seasons, and the environment we live, work and play in. These factors all have a big impact on our health and it makes sense to adapt our lifestyle accordingly so we can continue to live in harmony with our body and stay at optimum health.

The play of the doshas

According to ayurveda, health is a perfect state of balance between the body’s three fundamental energies or doshas (vata,pitta, kapha) and an equally vital balance among body, mind and soul or consciousness. In working to create health, Ayurveda therefore takes in to consideration all these different levels of life and how they are interconnected.

From the moment of conception, this individual constitution is created by the energies of Space, Air, Fire, Water and Earth. These five elements combine into the three fundamental energies or doshas.

• Ether and air constitute vata, which is the energy of movement
• Fire and water constitute pitta, the principle of digestion or metabolism, the transformation of matter into energy
• Water and earth make up kapha, the energy of structure and lubrication.

In our bodies, these three doshas or humours govern our psychobiological functioning. Vata-pitta-kapha are present in every cell, tissue and organ. When in balance they create health. When out of balance they create disease.

Ayurveda teaches us that we have a constitution, our own mix of the doahas, which is our individual psychobiological makeup. In modern terms we speak of this blue print as our inherited genetic code, from ancient times Ayurveda has called it prakruti, a constant factor that does not change throughout life.

The underlying structure of our prakruti remains a fixed reality, but it is bombarded by numerous forces every day of our lives. Changes in the environment, age, emotions, the food we eat and the work we do will all affect us and our natural constitution. Unhealthy diet, excess stress, insufficient rest or exercise and repressed emotions all disturb our doshic balance. Depending on the type of changes and the individuals underlying constitution, various ailments may develop:

• Kapha aggravation – manifests as colds, congestion, sneezing, allergic manifestations, as well as attachment, greed and possessiveness.
• Pitta aggravation – an individual may become highly critical, angry or perfectionistic, or may develop physical symptoms such as acid indigestion, heartburn, diarrhoea, hives, rash or acne.
• Vata aggravation – imbalances may cause constipation, bloating, arthritis, or insomnia, along with psychological symptoms like fear, anxiety and insecurity.

These conditions upset the body’s inner ecology, creating biochemical changes that may ultimately lead to disease. Therefore, the Ayurvedic system of medicine stresses the need to treat the individuals current doshic balance – the vikruti. As the internal and external conditions of our lives change, to remain healthy, we must constantly adjust in order to maintain our equilibrium.

To maintain health and balance we have to juggle with the three doshas, taking action to increase or decrease vata, pitta or kapha as conditions demand. This requires moment to moment awareness, consciousness and healing.

Ayurveda is not a passive form of therapy but instead asks each individual to take responsibility for his or her own daily living. Through our diet, our relationships, our work, and our daily life as a whole, we can take simple actions for prevention, self healing, wholeness and growth toward fulfillment.

Whatever your age, lifestyle or state of health, Ayurveda can help you rediscover your own unique state of positive health so you can meet life’s challenges with renewed vitality and confidence.

 

 

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