Introduction to Ayurveda

Ayurveda is the oldest surviving systematic healing tradition in the world (Wujastyk: 1998), and as such, claims a very long tradition of practice.  The word Ayurveda is derived from two Sanskrit words, ayus (life) and veda (knowledge or science) and can be translated as “the knowledge of life”.  As the name implies, it is much more than a science devoted to enhancing health. Encompassing both preventive and prescriptive aspects, it provides practical advice on most aspects of life, but also includes specialized areas of knowledge.  The foundations of Ayurvedic healing principles are centered around three main conceptual categories: humors, body tissues, and waste products. A thorough understanding of all of the many subdivisions of these three categories is essential for providing effective treatments in the system of Ayurveda, but one general rule of thumb that is apparent in all classic Ayurvedic texts is the emphasis of moderation in everything (food, sleep, exercise, sex, medicines, etc.) as a means to achieve balance in one’s life (which is essential to healthy living).  Pathogenesis in Ayurveda is, in essence, a matter of imbalance in one’s life. Specifically, the three doshas, tissues, and waste products of the body must be in harmony to create good health for any individual.  The three doshas balance differently for each person, but one universal in Ayurvedic principles is that health is happiness, and conversely, disease is sorrow.  Thus, Ayurveda encompasses a much greater spectrum, more aptly described as the art of living. As such, Ayurvedic treatments and remedies are approached from a holistic point of view regarding one’s health.  In order to achieve effective healing, Ayurvedic practitioners seek to treat the patient as a whole, not simply as a sum of parts.  This often results in what may be conceived of as lifestyle prescriptions, and treatments that address all three parts of a human: mind, body, and consciousness alike.  It is this style of holistic treatment that has lent Ayurveda much of its popularity, for many unsatisfied with other systems may find in Ayurveda treatments addressing all aspects of life, not only the body.

A Sister Blog

If you find this site lacking in anything at all (yeah right), here is another blog called Natural Health Tips and Ayurvedic Medicine that provides everything from natural remedies for your baby to information about Ayurvedic history. Enjoy!