Introduction to Ayurveda

Ayu means life and Veda means knowledge, and so Ayurveda is often referred to as the "Science of Life" - however it is more an instruction for enhancing life and is both a living system of medicine and one of the oldest continuously practiced in the world.  Ayurveda is the traditional health system in India and is more than 5,000 years old.  It uses a constitution based model (the doshas) for determining your state of health.

Thousands of years ago, India’s Rishis and seers observed the rhythms of the universe and the interaction of the flow of energy throughout the body/mind during deep states of meditation – these insights form the basis of Ayurveda and were documented in ancient Indian texts such as the Charaka Samhita.  

They realized that good health can be maintained through diet and lifestyle, and the use of herbs and minerals. The principles of Ayurvedic medicine and the harmony between mind and body have been documented and practiced in India for thousands of years.

What is the basis of Ayurveda?

From observing the universe, macro-cosmos, climate differences in various geographical locations and seasons the Rishis discovered that these principles can be applied to the human body. We are a micro-cosmos living in macro–cosmos. They realized that the body has certain rhythms, similar to nature. When these rhythms are balanced the body is healthy; when they are imbalanced the body becomes sick - this system is governed by Dosha - biological force or humor - which defines your constitution, Prakriti or nature. Dosha is the “password” of your body, once you understand your unique password you will be able to understand how to keep your body balanced.

Rather than treating the symptoms of disease directly, Ayurvedic treatment aims to rebalance your doshas according to your innate constitution, resulting in a body and mind that is healthy and sound. By becoming familiar with your own unique dosha pattern you can lead a life that is more in harmony with your individual nature.

Ayurvedic Medicine describes a complete system for restoring, maintaining and enhancing health, advocating the use of natural healing methods tailored to the individual - such as diet and life style changes, Ayurvedic remedies, Detoxification treatments (Panchakarma) , Rejuvenation preparations (Rasayanas) and Yogic and Tantric practices.

For an overview of the Ayurvedic approach, watch our short video "The Beauty of Ayurveda":

To learn more about the history of Ayurveda, watch the video below: