WHAT IS AYURVEDA?
The history of Ayurveda.
We often joke that we wished we had a set of instructions for this life… What “on earth” are we doing? I’ve come to discover that we in fact do and these guided instructions have been around for approximately 5,000 years…
Ayurveda
Ayu = Life. Veda = Science or Truth
Ayurveda = The science of life or The truth of life
Ayurveda holds an ocean of wisdom as to how we can live a life full of contentment, good health and in a sense of alignment to our truest Self through simple everyday lifestyle, nutrition and spiritual practices and principles.
I invite you to dive into this ancient holistic ocean with me. I am no guru. I did not create any of these practices or principles you will find here. I only wish to share with you EVERYTHING I discover on my journey and studies that I truly believe will not only change your life but the state of our beautiful planet, not only consciously but environmentally.
"What are you studying?" - Is quickly becoming a dreaded question of mine. I'm struggling to construct an answer that truly embodies the essence of Ayurveda. How do you construct the science of life into a few sentences? There is nothing more I want than to share the teachings of Ayurveda to all those who are yet to come across it. There is no other subject I believe should be taught as a major school curiculum. In this space I hope to capture it in bite size pieces for you to be able to integrate, relate and land the truth of the in-depth yet simple Ayurvedic principles… There is no knowledge or explanation of life that has sang truer to me than the wisdom of Ayurveda. It truly is "The truth of life".
Ayurveda is a holistic healing tradition derived from India. This wisdom is ancient. Vedic scriptures of Ayurveda date back to around 5,000 years ago, all knowledge prior to the vedas was verbally passed through generations. Ayurveda is not a religion. It is wisdom discovered by seers with a deep connection to nature and the universe surrounding us asking the question we all naturally poneder "What is life?". Such insight was discovered through observation of nature, meditation and practical experience. The simplistic teachings of Ayurveda make so much sense as it truly is "common sense" or "instinct" knowledge. We just need to to re-ignite the memory of our natural being within us.
AIM OF AYURVEDA
To first maintain the health in the healthy and to heal or cure the disease in the sick.
Traditional medicines are often designed to support us once we are already unwell or a disease has manifested. Ayurveda is fore-mostly about prevention of disease and the maintenance of a balanced state within not only our physical body but the mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of the human being. Great health is our true and natural state of being. Somewhere along our evolution we decided that it's "normal" to live with disease and discomfort, to suffer from colds, coughs, diabetes, asthma, skin conditions, digestive issues (the list goes on…) and to become brittle and immobile as we age. We decided that it's "normal" to take a handful of drugs daily to function and that a "quick fix" was a true "fix" to our suffering.
Ayurveda does not look at health this way. What we label in the west as "diseases" Ayurveda labels as "symptoms" to a much deeper root cause. Diseases are progressed manifestations of imbalances within the body and mind that through the practices of Ayurveda can be prevented, managed or reversed dramatically through natural means with no adverse side effects, no "quick fix" cover up but a return to a true natural state of health.
Ayurveda knows that we are not separate to nature. We were not placed on this earth to suffer. Our body is our greatest healer if we provide an internal and external environment and space for it to do what it is so magnificently design to do. The earth provides us with everything we need to live a life of great health and wellbeing. "Mother Earth" or "Mother Nature" is an expression for a reason. She truly cares for us in a divine, nourishing and rhythmical way. We are so disconnected to the natural rhythms all around us that our lifestyles and own rhythms do not match that of our mothers. The mis-aligned view that nature is separate to us… the modern view that our actions do not have cause and effect on our environment and the actions of the environment do not have cause and on effect on us is fatal to our experience of true health and being.
Ayurveda is ancient and from India, this is true. But this often creates a stigma or view that it is outdated to our modern way of life and the present diseases and ailments we face. As stated earlier Ayurveda is not a religion, it is not saying this is the right and only way. Ayurveda's principles are adaptable. It forsore the unfolding of mankind and left space for adaptation. It simply suggests you do or follow "this principle" to achieve "this desired state of being". Ayurvedic scriptures state to take the principles of Ayurveda and adapt and apply them to your current stage of life and location.
I am so thrilled to have you join me in the unpacking of the foundational principles of Ayurveda and the roots of its practical and scientific understanding of life. This ocean is so expansive, I am not only here to attempt to translate my understanding of Ayurveda but to learn and practice alongside you.
I acknowledge and thank my teachers and the teachers who came before them for sharing the science of life.