Tag Archives: natural medicine

Ayurveda 101: What is Ayurveda?

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Hey friends!

A few followers of my old blog have emailed me recently asking me if I could re-post my series I did last year on the basics of Ayurveda. Unfortunately, that computer has journeyed to the land of electronic ghosts and I don’t have access to those articles anymore :(

What I can do, however, is start the Ayurvedic adventure from scratch! Please bear with me as I try to remember everything we discussed and if you have any other questions, please comment below or send me a little message over at absolutelyayurveda (at) gmail (dot) com.

To begin this series, I thought it would be best to start from the often asked question “what in the world is Ayurveda?” Surely the concept of an ancient system of health that is both all-encompassing and extremely individualized can be daunting. But have no fear, “Ayurveda 101″ will help explain what this incredible health modality is all about!

The term “Ayurveda” is Sanskrit and it means “the science of life,” or “the knowledge of living,” or “the art of longevity.” Ayurveda originated in India around 5,000 years ago, although it spread to the Middle East many centuries ago and influenced (and was influenced by) other forms of medicine, including Islamic medicine (often called “Unani”) and Indigenous Medicine of the Middle East.

The main concepts in Ayurveda are:

  • We each are a unique combination of elements, which results in our constitutional type (our “dosha”)
  • Each part of ourselves relates to a larger part of the universe
  • The definition of true health is a complete balance of body, mind and spirit
  • The body, mind and spirit are always interconnected. A symptom in any one may be the result of a deeper problem in another.
  • Prevention is always emphasized over cure
  • Ayurveda is a way of life, not a short-term solution or a superficial means to attack a symptom

Throughout this series, we will address these concepts in detail to better understand Ayurveda. This beautiful system of medicine is all-natural, holistic and healthy and is a great way to re-connect with your inner and outer self!

[photo found here, from the film Ayurveda: The Art of Being]