Because
Ayurveda sees a strong connection between the mind and
the body, a huge amount of information is available
regarding this relationship.
Origin
Ayurveda
is an intricate system of healing that originated in
India thousands of years ago. We can find historical
evidence of Ayurveda in the ancient books of wisdom
known as the Vedas. In the Rig Veda, over 60 preparatison
were mentioned that could be used to assist an individual
in overcoming various ailments. The Rig Veda was written
over 6,000 years ago, but really Ayurveda has been around
even longer than that. What we see is that A yurveda
is more than just a medical system. It is a Science
of Life. We are all part and parcel of nature. Just
as the animals and plants live in harmony with nature
and utilize the Laws of Nature to create health and
balance within their beings, we, too, adhere to these
very same principles. Therefore, it is fair to say that
Ayurveda is a system that helps maintain health in a
person by using the inherent principles of nature to
bring the individual back i nto equilibrium with their
true self. In essence Ayurveda has been in existence
since the beginning of time because we have always been
governed by nature's laws.
Meaning
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.
Mind,
Body and Senses
We
tend to identify most with our physical bodies; yet,
in actuality, there is more to us then what meets the
eye. We can see that underlying our physical structure
is the mind, which not only controls our thought processes
but helps assist us in carrying out day-to-day activities
such as respiration, circulation, digestion and elimination.
The mind and the body work in conjunction with one another
to regulate our physiology. In order for the mind to
act appropriately to assist the physical body, we must
use our senses as information gatherers. We can think
of the mind as a computer and the senses as the data
which gets entered into the computer. Smell and taste
are two important senses th at aid in the digestive
process. When the mind registers that a particular food
is entering the gastrointestinal tract, it directs the
body to act accordingly by releasing various digestive
enzymes. However, if we overindulge the taste buds with
too much of a certain taste, such as sweet, we may find
that the ability of the mind to perceive the sweet taste
is impaired; and thereby the body becomes challenged
in its ability to process sweet foods. Maintaining the
clarity of our senses is an essential part in allowing
the mind and body to integrate their functions and help
in keeping us healthy and happy individuals.
Soul
Ayurveda also sees that before we exist in physical
form with the help of the mind and senses that we exist
in a more subtle form known as the soul. The ancient
seers of India believed tha t we were comprised of a
certain energetic essence that precluded the inhabitance
of our physical entity. In fact, they hypothesized that
we may indeed occupy many physical bodies throughout
the course of time but that our underlying self or soul
remains unchanged. What we see to help illustrate this
concept is what transpires at the time of death. When
the individual nears the time to leave the physical
body, many of his/her desires will cease to be present.
As the soul no longer identifies with the bod y, the
desire to eat food or indulge in a particular activity
that used to be a great source of satisfaction for that
person drops by the wayside. In fact, many individuals
have been documented to experience the sensation of
being "out of their bodies."
These are just a few examples of how we are made up
of these four components that we call life.
Principles
Now
that we have a better understanding of what comprises
life, let's look at some of the principles of Ayurveda
and how they might affect us.
In Ayurveda we view a person as a unique individual
made up of five primary elements. The elements are ether
(space), air, fire, water, and earth. Just as in nature,
we too have these five elements in us. When any of these
elements are present in the environment, they will in
turn have an influence on us. The foods we eat and the
weather are just two examples of the presence of these
elements. While we are a composite of these five primar
y elements, certain elements are seen to have an ability
to combine to create various physiological functions.
Ether and air combine to form what is known in Ayurveda
as the Vata dosha. Vata governs the principle of movement
and therefore can be seen as the force which directs
nerve impulses, circulation, respiration, and elimination.
Fire and water are the elements that combine to form
the Pitta dosha. The Pitta dosha is the process of transf
ormation or metabolism. The transformation of foods
into nutrients that our bodies can assimilate is an
example of a pitta function. Pitta is also responsible
for metabolism in the organ and tissue systems as well
as cellular metabolism. Finally, it is pr edominantly
the water and earth elements which combine to form the
Kapha dosha. Kapha is what is responsible for growth,
adding structure unit by unit. Another function of the
Kapha dosha is to offer protection. Cerebral-sp inal
fluid protects the brain and spinal column and is a
type of Kapha found in the body. Also, the mucousal
lining of the stomach is another example of the Kapha
dosha protecting the tissues. We are all made up of
unique proportions of Vata, Pitta and Ka pha. These
ratios of the doshas vary in each individual; and because
of this, Ayurveda sees each person as a special mixture
that accounts for our diversity.
Ayurveda gives us a model to look at each individual
as a unique makeup of the three doshas and to thereby
design treatment protocols that specifically address
a persons health challenges. When any of the doshas
( Vata, Pitta or Kapha ) become accumulated, Ayurveda
will suggest specific lifestyle and nutritional guidelines
to assist the individual in reducing the dosha that
has become excessive. We may also suggest certain herbal
supplemen ts to hasten the healing process. If toxins
in the body are abundant, then a cleansing process known
as Pancha Karma is recommended to eliminate these unwanted
toxins.
Conclusion
This
understanding that we are all unique individuals enables
Ayurveda to address not only specific health concerns
but also offers explanation as to why one person responds
differently th an another. We hope that you will continue
to explore Ayurveda to enhance your health and to gain
further insights into this miracle we call life.
