Ayurveda

Ayurveda is a 5 000-year-old way of life and system of natural healing with origins in the Vedic culture of India. The word ‘Ayurveda’ is composed of 2 Sanskrit terms: ‘Ayus’ meaning life, and ‘Veda’ meaning science or knowledge. It has come to be known as the Science of Life and embodies all aspects related to the physical, psychological, social and spiritual fact of human life.

The four main aims of Ayurveda are Dharma (religious and ethical rules and conduct), Artha (wealth), Kama (desire) and Moksha (salvation). These aims can only be achieved if one remains healthy, not only physically but also mentally and spiritually.

Ayurveda offers a body of wisdom designed to help people stay vital while realizing their full human potential. By providing guidelines on ideal daily and seasonal routines, diet, behaviour and the proper use of our senses, Ayurveda reminds us that health is the balanced and dynamic integration between our environment, body, mind and spirit.

Recognizing that human beings are part of nature, Ayurveda describes three fundamental energies that govern our inner and outer environments: movement, transformation, and structure.

Known in Sanskrit as Vata (Wind), Pitta (Fire), and Kapha (Earth), these primary forces are responsible for the characteristics of our mind and body. Each of us has a unique combination of these three forces, with one or two dominant elements. For each element there is a balanced and imbalanced expression:

Bliss is not a feeling but a state of being. ~ Deepak Chopra

Dominant Force	Characteristics	Balanced expression	Imbalanced expression
Vata (Wind)	Thin, light, enthusiastic, energetic, and changeable	Lively and creative	Anxiety, insomnia, dry skin, constipation, and difficulty focusing
Pitta (Fire)	Intense, intelligent, goal-oriented and a strong appetite for life	Warm, friendly, disciplined, a good leader, and a good speaker	Compulsive, irritable and may suffer from indigestion or an inflammatory condition
Kapha (Earth)	Easy-going, methodical and nurturing	Sweet, supportive, and stable	Sluggish, experience weight gain and sinus congestion

An important goal of Ayurveda is to identify a person’s ideal state of balance, determine where they are out of balance, and offer interventions using diet, herbs, aromatherapy, massage treatments, music, and meditation to re-establish balance.

A simple questionnaire called the Dosha Quiz can help you determine which ayurvedic element is most lively in your nature.

I share this knowledge in deep respect to “my” great teachers Robert H. Swami Persaud and from the Chopra Centre: Deepak Chopra, David Simon and Roger Gabriel.