Ayurveda in India

Ayurveda dates back an estimated 5,000-10,000 years and is widely considered to be the oldest form of health care in the world. It is understood by many scholars that knowledge of Ayurveda spread out from India and influenced the ancient Chinese system of medicine, Unani medicine, and the humoral medicine practiced by Hippocrates in Greece. For this reason, Ayurveda is often referred to as the "Mother of all healing."

The knowledge of Ayurveda is believed to be of Divine origin and was communicated to the saints and sages of India who received its wisdom through deep meditation. Ayurvedic knowledge was passed down orally through the generations and then written down in the Vedas, the sacred texts of India believed to be the oldest writings in the world. Written in Sanskrit, the Vedas cover a vast number of subjects from grammar to health care. The Vedas were written approximately 2500 BC or earlier. Current knowledge about Ayurveda is mostly drawn from relatively later writings, primarily the Caraka Samhita (approximately 1500 BC), the Ashtang Hrdyam (approximately 500 AD), and the Sushrut Samhita (300 - 400 AD). These three classics describe the basic principles and theories from which Ayurveda has evolved. They also contain vast clinical information on the management of a multitude of diseases expanded upon by later writings and research.

The Knowledge of the Vedas is vast. The knowledge pertaining to health is known as Ayurveda or the knowledge of life. The knowledge of Ayurveda was given to the rishis so that they might know how to stay physically and emotionally healthy so that they could pursue their deeper spiritual goals.

The Vedic teachings thrived in India and Ayurveda thrived as well for several millennia. Scholars, philosophers, and doctors journey from a far to India to study and each took pieces of this knowledge home with them. Then between 700AD and 1000AD, India was invaded by the Middle East. The Muslims went on anti-Hindu crusades and destroyed many of the ancient books and the knowledge of Ayurveda began to slip away. Later, in the 1800's the British invaded India, destroying what was left. Schools were closed and books were destroyed until Ayurveda vanished into the corners of society. In place of the Ayurvedic schools, Western medical schools were established. In 1947, when India gained her Independence, interest in Ayurveda was renewed and scholars and spiritual teachers tried to pick up the pieces of this profound science. Schools re-opened and began to train Ayurvedic physicians. By the early 1990's there were several hundred small schools in India. Still, India is a vast country and the number of Ayurvedic practitioners relative to the population is very small. Ayurveda remains a secondary system of health care to the Western influence health care system. In the mid 1980's great interest emerged in the West about the science of Ayurveda as Westerners began to question the tenants of their own health care system.
Ayurveda is a science that is first and foremost about creating harmony with one's environment. Ayurveda teaches us that when we live in harmony we shall be healthy, and that disease is the normal expression of living out of harmony. Hence, Ayurveda is a health care discipline that first and foremost asks us to look inside of ourselves so that we may discover how we are living out of harmony. Only then can we make the life changes necessary for healing to take place. Ayurveda gives us back both responsibility for our well being and the power create our state of health. Ayurveda teaches us that we are all unique individuals and that each individual's path toward perfect health is equally unique. Ayurveda is not a dogma of "how to, " rather it is a system which illuminates our unique journey and helps to guide us to our destination. Ayurveda utilizes diet, herbs, aromas, colors, meditation and yoga, along with special cleansing techniques known as Pancha Karma to assist each person in his or her process. Most importantly, however, Ayurveda helps each person to look at their lifestyle, discover areas that are disharmonious, while empowering greater harmony. Where there is harmony, there is health.