Ayurveda is a 5,000-year-old complete medical system originating from India. It is believed that Ayurveda is the oldest and longest continually practiced medical system in the world and the origin of some medicine practices used today. Ayurveda:
'The Science of Life'
Ayu 'Life' Veda 'Science'
Ayu roughly translates as 'life,' and Veda roughly translates as 'science'.
The 'science' of Veda, is not what we know as science today, with stethoscopes and lab results, but one rooted in wisdom and self-empowerment. The 'life' of Ayu , is 'life' on the plane of human existence. It encompasses the full range of what it means to be a human being, with all its nuances and life stages. 'Life,' referred to by Ayu, incorporates individual karma and the understanding of reincarnation- that this current life is a collection of previous lives.
Ayurveda, endows human kind with the principles 'to know thyself.' These principles of Ayurveda to 'know thyself,' are based on harmony between mind, body and spirit. They address and prevent disease, while establishing and maintaining health. With disease averted and health maintained, the full extent of a human life can be fulfilled and life can be lived in harmony with nature.
Did you know: All aspects of life can be addressed through Ayurveda.
There are 8 limbs [ashtanga] of Ayurveda:
Kaaya Chikitsa (Internal Medicine),
Baala Chikitsa (Treatment of Children / Pediatrics),
Graha Chikitsa (Demonology / Psychology),
Urdhvaanga Chikitsa (Treatment of disease above the clavicle),
Shalya Chikitsa (Surgery),
Damstra Chikitsa (Toxicology),
Jara Chikitsa (Geriatrics, Rejuvenation),
Vrsha Chikitsa (Aphrodisiac therapy).
Origin:
Origin of Disease & The Three Doshas:
With Ayurveda's origin in the furthest antiquity, it explains that disease starts in the gut. Health is inexplicably linked to good digestion, thus making the alimentary canal the origin of disease in Ayurveda.
If we look at the human physiology, nearly 30 feet of digestion is taken up by the body- from mouth to anus. This is 30 feet of energy and potential. If discomfort errupts at any point along these 30 feet, it can then travel to peripheral areas of the body, take up residence and contribute to disordered functioning of that area. Examples of this : clicking of joints, dry eye, migraines, growths, skin disorders, and more. Disordered physiological functioning looks and feels different to each person, and the likelihood of what disorders manifest is understood through the 'Three Dosha' system of Ayurveda.
The Three Doshas: Vata, Pitta and Kapha
Ayurveda is a medical system focused around the five elements, Pancha Mahabhutas; ether, air, fire, water and earth. The five elements align themselves into three working parts, the hallmark of the Ayurveda system, the tri-doshas: Vata, Pitta and Kapha. According to Ayurveda, the mind-body complex and all of life can be categorized by the three doshas. Down to the basic mechanics and functions of a cell, and up to the planets- all can be explained and categorized by Vata , Pitta and Kapha. The three doshas are energies that contribute to the value which we experience life. They are psychological as much as they are physiological, and their balance determines our lived experience. For example, feeling light-headed or 'spacey' is synonymous with having air in the abdomen in the form of gas/flatulence, feeling hot-headed is synonymous with having a hyper-acidic digestive environment contributing to acid-reflux and feeling depressed or mentally lethargic is synonymous with fat and phlegm contributing to weight gain and fluid retention.
These three pillars, Vata, Pitta and Kapha, briefly explained below, create a harmonic union, where one influences the other.
As humans we need these three energies to produce, metabolize and maintain health.
The Three Doshas
Vata:
Elements: Air/Ether.
Action: Movement, Creativity, Lightness.
Vata is in charge of nerve communication, functional body movements, feeling inspired and creative. Vata's contribution to the body is seen through its production of gas or flatulence, constipation, anxiety, dry wrinkling skin, cracking joints, aching pains, tics and twitches.
To balance this:
Warm well cooked food.
Consistent lifestyle routine.
Rest and relax.
Pitta:
Elements: Water/Fire.
Action: Metabolism, Intelligence, Lustre.
Pitta is in charge of digestion, metabolism, eye sight, temperature/warmth of the body, mental acuity, and transformation. Pitta's contribution to the body is seen in hot flashes, rashes, acne, rosy cheeks, freckles, anger, inflammation and burning sensations.
To balance this:
Avoid overly spicy food.
Avoid overly oily & salty food.
Enjoy activity during the cooler parts of the day.
Kapha:
Elements:Water/Earth.
Action: Cohesion, Stability, Lubrication.
Kapha is in charge of supple joints, oil secretions, salivary secretions for tastes, phlegm and mucus, cerebral spinal fluid, sinus issues, growths, fat, and feelings of contentment and sluggishness.
To balance this:
Exercise
Consume hot and well spiced food.
Avoid daytime naps.
Eat dark leafy greens.
Strategy for Wellness
Balancing these three doshas of the body is the goal. Each individual has a unique energy-ratio or dosha type, known as Prakriti. Knowing this, is the first step to wellness and should be done with an Ayurveda professional.
Food
On a practical level, knowing one's Prakriti, helps one navigate food selection. Food selection can be an easy way to fuel the energies which need support and calm the energies which need pacification. Since disease starts in the digestive tract, the utmost importance is put into what we eat, how we eat it and when we eat it.
One of the avenues where we can alter our lived experience, is through our relationship with food. Food is an easy and vital tool that we can control. What we nourish our body's with has impact on the subtle body-mind-spirit energetics.
Herbs and lifestyle changes are also incorporated in Ayurveda.
Conclusion:
Ayurveda is a subtle and complex system and is just as much a philosophy as it is a science. Through this holistic system, one finds a way of life. Ayurveda advocates a pro-active approach to the mantainence of one's physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. This ancient science supplies solutions to ailment, and at the same time imparts wisdom and self-knowledge to support harmonious living, peak health, and ultimatly freedom from disease.
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