“Hitahitam sukham
dukhmayatsu hitahitam Manam ch Tacch Yathoktamayurveda sa uchyate ”
Ayurveda is the science which treats what is advantageous and what is
harmful for the body and also the happy and unhappy state of life. It
describes what is good and what is not good for life, it's measurement and
other related matters."
Ayurveda is a system of self-care that originated in India more than 5000
years ago, Ayurveda is becoming very popular all over the world, with
hundreds of healers incorporating it into their practices and thousands of
people using its well-tried principles and therapies to improve their
well-being.
It is a holistic system of medicine from
India that uses a constitutional model. Ayurveda aims to provide guidance
regarding food and lifestyle so that healthy people can stay healthy and
folks with health challenges can improve their health.
Ayurveda is made up of two Sanskrit words: Ayu which means life and Veda
which means the knowledge of. To know about life is Ayurveda. However, to
fully comprehend the vast s cope of Ayurveda let us first define "Ayu"
or life. According to the ancient Ayurvedic scholar Charaka, "ayu"
is comprised of four essential parts. The combination of mind, body, senses
and the soul.
"Ayu Iti Jivitkala."
Ayu(life) is the lifespan of an individual from birth to death
Ayurveda,
recognized as alternative medicine now, represents the science of life and
longevity originating in the Vedic traditions of India. Based on the
principle of eternal life, this holistic health care system has a vast body
of knowledge covering eight branches. Its major premise involves the
symbiosis of mind, body and spirit. Any imbalance in this synthesis results
in physical ailments. This ancient Indian medicine seeks to reestablish the
harmony between the body and its habitat by creating the optimum health
environment.
The entire science of ayurveda is based on the 'Five Great Elements'
(Panchmahabhuta) theory. These five elements are earth (prithvi), water
(jal), fire (agni or tej), air (vayu) and ether or space (akash). In popular
tradition, the universe is understood to be made up of these elements.
Ayurveda comprehends body, mind and spirit likewise and has specific methods
for working on each. It divides the constitution of people into three
humoral categories-Vata (ether/air), Pitta (fire) and Kapha (water/earth).
Vata rules mental mobility. Pitta, or fire, governs digestion and
assimilation on all levels from food to ideas.
"Samadosha samagnisch
samadhatu malakriya Prasanna atma mana swastha iti abhidhiyate."
Having
a balanced state of Doshas, Agni(Digestive Fire), Dhatus(tissues) and normal
functioning of Mala(waste products), cheerful state of Atman(soul), sensory
organs, mind are the symptoms of healthy life.
There are several aspects of this system of medicine which distinguish it
from other approaches to health care:
1. It focuses on establishing and maintaining balance of the life
energies within us, rather than focusing on individual symptoms.
2. It recognizes the unique constitutional differences of all
individuals and therefore recommends different regimens for different types
of people. Although two people may appear to have the same outward symptoms,
their energetic constitutions may be very different and therefore call for
very different remedies.
3. Ayurveda is a complete medical system which recognizes that
ultimately all intelligence and wisdom flows from one Absolute source
(Paramatman). Health manifests by the grace of the Absolute acting through
the laws of Nature (Prakriti). Ayurveda assists Nature by promoting harmony
between the individual and Nature by living a life of balance according to
her laws.
4.
Ayurveda describes three fundamental universal energies which regulate
all natural processes on both the macrocosmic and microcosmic levels. That
is, the same energies which produce effects in the various galaxies and star
systems are operating at the level of the human physiology--in your own
physiology. These three universal energies are known as the Tridosha.
5. Finally, the ancient Ayurvedic physicians realized the need for
preserving the alliance of the mind and body and offers mankind tools for
remembering and nurturing the subtler aspects of our humanity. Ayurveda
seeks to heal the fragmentation and disorder of the mind-body complex and
restore wholeness and harmony to all people.
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