Healthy Body, Healthy Mind, Higher Consciousness with Ayurveda
“Life (ayu) is the combination (samyoga) of the body (sharira), senses (indriya), mind (mano) and the reincarnating soul (atma).
Ayurveda is the most sacred science of life, beneficial to all sentient beings in this world and the world beyond”
-Sage Charaka, Author of the Charaka Samhita
What is Ayurveda?
'Ayu’ means ‘Life’ or ‘Longevity’. 'Veda' means ‘Science’ or ‘Sacred Knowledge’.
Conceived through meditation and intuition and passed on in the form of poetry from generation to generation, this ancient science of life is sacred.
Ayurveda is a holistic system of preventative and curative medicine that originated in India more than 5,000 years ago and is called the 'Mother of all Healing'.
Ayurveda teaches that the body, the mind, and the consciousness work together to maintain balance. A lifestyle approach, Ayurveda provides specific guidelines to help us identify our constitutional nature. It emphasises prevention through offering guidelines on ideal daily and seasonal routines, nutrition, exercise, and the proper use of the senses and herbs.
Through a constitutional approach, the knowledge of Ayurveda enables us to live gently and harmoniously on the Earth while fulfilling our own health and personal needs, staying vital, and fulfilling our potential.
Tri-Dosha
At the heart of Ayurveda is the understanding that all living and non-living things on our planet and in our universe are made up of the five elements - Ether (Space), Air, Fire, Water and Earth.
Using the five elements, Ayurveda defines physiology in terms of three biological energies found throughout the body and mind called the ‘Doshas’. These energies govern all physical and mental processes within the body and mind.
You have a combination of the three Doshas within you, with one or two being predominant. The balance of the Doshas within you is your Constitution or 'Prakrti', of which there are seven types - Vata, Pitta, Kapha, Vata-Pitta, Pitta-Kapha, Kapha-Vata, Vata-Pitta-Kapha.
Vata - Air & Ether
Vata is the subtle energy governing the physiology of movement in the body. Vata gives us qualities of air - dry, light, cold, rough, mobile, clear. Balanced Vata makes us creative, confident, artistic. Imbalanced Vata can cause anxiety, nervousness and spaciness.
Pitta - Fire & Water
Pitta is the subtle energy governing the physiology of metabolism in the body. Pitta gives us qualities of the Fire - oily, light, sharp, hot. Balanced Pitta makes us focussed, driven, clear and ambitious. Imbalanced Pitta can cause anger, jealousy, criticism and frustration.
Kapha - Earth & Water
Kapha is the subtle energy governing the physiology of structure in the body. Kapha gives us qualities of the Earth - heavy, sticky, stable, cold, oily. Balanced Kapha makes us loving, secure and grounded. Imbalanced Kapha can cause heaviness, lethargy and attachment.
Understanding Your Constitution
Your constitution is the degree to which the elements of Air, Fire, Water, Earth, and Ether interact with one another. The ratio of the elements in your constitution and the qualities they express are unique to you, as are your fingerprints and your DNA.
Your constitution determines your individuality. It provides a blueprint outlining your innate tendencies. It shows the functional habits of your body as determined by your genetic endowment and modified by environmental factors. It reveals your uniqueness and your hidden potentials – your challenges and lessons along with your gifts. Your personality, body, and mind are a direct reflection of your constitution.
Whilst your constitution remains largely unchanged throughout life as it is genetically determined at the time and place of conception, the three Doshas fluctuate in accordance with how you live your life. The altered state of the doshas is called 'Vikrti'. It indicates that the Doshas have deviated from their natural balanced state and this imbalance is what contributes to the disease process. By maintaining the balance of the Doshas or by bringing the Doshas back into balance, any disease can be prevented or alleviated.