Introduction to Ayurveda |
Ayurveda is an ancient healing system that originated in India. ‘Ayur’ means life and ‘Veda’ means knowledge. This science is composed of teachings to understand life in its entirety and live life in a conscious way with the purpose of attaining a balanced mind and body and ultimately to attain a higher goal in life, that is, finding oneness with the supreme consciousness. The ancient teachers internalized and studied this system intuitively by means of observation, inference, analogy, logical reasoning, and testimony. Passed on from teachers to students since 6000 BCE, this ancient system strongly believes that every individual life is a microcosm of the cosmos. Therefore, every person is a complete whole being with spirit, mind, and body. All the 5 elements which created the cosmos such as space, air, fire, water and earth, are present in every being in the form of three governing energies called DOSHAS. Vata dosha is the air energy which is composed of space and air. Pitta dosha is the fire energy which is composed of fire and water. Kapha dosha is the earth energy which is composed of water and earth. Every person is born with an unique combination of the three doshas in their body and this is called the person's body constitution or the prakruti. Understanding our body constitution can help us to understand ourselves better and cultivate habits which can maintain the balance and harmony between these elements in our body. This will help to attain balance in the mind and body. Ayurveda teaches principles of building a healthy lifestyle, healthy eating habits, and prevention and healing of various ailments. Thus, this science prepares our mind and body to be healthy in a natural way so that we are able to carry on the journey of life in a balanced manner and be able to understand the higher aspect of existence and serve ourselves and others with a higher sense of purpose in life. Call 408.335.7640 to get an Ayurvedic consultation. |