Ayurveda
What Is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda is a Sanskrit term made up of the words ayus and veda. Ayus means life and Veda means knowledge, therefore, Ayurveda might be translated into „science of life“.
Ayurveda is an ancient medical system that originated in India. The basic principles of Ayurveda are found in the Hindu scriptures Vedas, the primary texts of Hinduism. The oldest of the four Vedas, the Rig Veda which is believed to have been composed about 1500 B.C., contains a number of prescriptions for various ailments.
Balance The Key To Ayurveda
Ayurveda can be described as a system that uses the principles of nature to help a person to stay healthy by keeping this person’s body, mind, and spirit in perfect balance with nature. A plant will flourish only when its roots are nourished and watered. To maintain good health, simple things such as diet, sleep, liefestyle, and internal cleansing are just as important as herbs or potions. The aim of Ayurveda is equally about maintaining good health as it is about treating diseases.
Balance is the key. Ayurveda is based on the belief that the universe is made up of five elements: air, fire, water, earth, and ether. In humans, these elements are represented by three biological principles or doshas, Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. When any one of these doshas goes out of balance within an individual, illness results. There are many factors that can cause the doshas to become imbalanced, such as improper diet, stress, or pollution, and so on. Each of us has a distinct balance, and our well-being depends on maintaining this balance of the three doshas. Ayurveda helps to regain that balance by suggesting a specific lifestyle or by giving nutritional guidelines.
A healthy person, therefore, is someone whose doshas are in balance, whose appetite is good, whose body tissues and natural urges are functioning properly, and whose mind, body and spirit are cheerful.
The Three Doshas of Ayurveda
The three doshas, or biological energies in our body are:
Vata relates to air and space. This energy is the force that directs nerve impulses, circulation, respiration, and elimination. Vata is considered the lead dosha, as the other two doshas, Pitta and Kapha, cannot move without Vata.
Pitta relates to fire and water elements. This energy governs heat, metabolism, and transformation. An important Pitta activity, for instance, is digestion.
Kapha relates to earth and water elements and is linked to structure and moisture balance. Kapha for example controls weight, the lubrication in the lungs, and the cerebral-spinal fluid that protects the brain and spinal column.
Each of the doshas is also related to a season: Vata to fall and winter, Pitta to summer, and Kapha to spring.
Ayurveda Theory of Disease
Ayurveda has an interesting theory of disease which says that proper digestion is crucial for good health. Whenever digestion is not optimal, toxins will build up in the body and block all the channels, such as blood vessels and energy pathways, as well as all the microcirculatory channels in the body. Toxins weaken the physiology and make room for disease and infection. One of the therapies of Ayurveda, the cleansing process known as Panchakarma, can help to purge these unwanted toxins.
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