what is ayurveda?

It is steeped in mysticism and has been a healing resource to many from generation to generation.  Ayurveda originated over 5,000 years ago in India. It is the sister science to Yoga and Sanskrit.

Ayurveda is​​ an indigenous health system of India that explains the health and disease in our body. It offers simple techniques to solve more complicated issues. The goal in Ayurveda is to live in harmony with the natural world and to treat the cause of disease, not the symptoms. 

While Yoga deals with harmonizing of the mind, body and soul, Ayurveda focuses on the person’s physical and mental wellbeing through diet and lifestyle. Both Yoga and Ayurveda share the same goal- being in tune with your body and utilizing the power of nature to get the best results.

In Ayurveda it’s about knowing your body’s constitution, your doshas (we are born with our own unique ratio of the three dosha’s ) or energy types, called Prakriti. These unique features do not change, like the shape of your face, your body’s frame, or the color of your eyes.

The three dosha types are: Vata (Air & Ether)-Light, Flowy, Unpredictable, Pitta (Fire & Water)-Powerful, transformational, bold, Kapha (Earth & Water)-Grounded, Calm, Restorative.

We then have our Vikruti, which is the doshic constitution we carry in the present day. This is affected by our environment, diet, lifestyle, sleep stress, etc.

This traditional form of healing may seem new and complex but think of it in terms of how well we can understand our bodies in a deeper rooted sensibility. Please note, I am not an Ayurvedic practitioner, simply a student. I refer to this healing tradition as a guide. Use the link to see your own body’s constitution. A great resource is Maharishi International University. You can use this link MAPI .