By: Majo Perez
Āyurveda from the Sanskrit: आयुर्वेदwhere:
āyus means "life"& veda means"knowledge”.
Āyurveda means the knowledge of life & longevity.
Origins
Āyurveda comes from the Vedaवेदः,lit. 'knowledge. The core texts of Hinduism composed in Saṃskṛtam or Vedic Sanskrit -the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature-.There are four Veda texts: the Rigveda, the Yajurveda, the Samaveda and the Atharvaveda.
Vedas are śruti -"what is heard"- distinguishing them from other religious texts, which are called smṛti -"what is remembered"-. Vedas are considered to be apauruṣeya "superhuman"and "impersonal, author-less". Even thought they are assigned to the Ṛṣis they are revelations of sacred sounds and texts heard by them during intense meditation. The Veda is formed of mantras.
Veda believes that the universe is a net of natural laws and so once one understand this one would be able to live the life intelligently. Veda is for everybody, contrary to what some people may think, the only thing necessary before start practicing anything that comes from it is eligibility: commitment from the Self, Self discipline.
From the 4 Veda, Āyurveda is Upaveda considered to be a branch of the Atharvaveda. Āyurveda, just as the Veda,isn’t attached to a certain caste or a particular region but has a universal appliance. However we need to acknowledge the place where it comes from and not try to diluted in our own way. We need to respect its origins and basic principles for it to be effective.
The Science of Āyurveda
The genesis of Āyurveda is embedded in our natural inclination towards health & happiness. Today we are use to hear more and more about: homeopathy, nephropathy, acupuncture, aromatherapy, herbalism, circadian rhythm, digestive health, enemas, supplements, intermittent fasting, intuitive eating and you know what? All of this comes from Āyurveda!
Āyurveda is a comprehensive science of holistic healing which provides detailed and organized information about both health & ailments. It is holistic because it not only focuses in the physical aspect but also in the mental and spiritual well being of all living beings.
Don’t think that Āyurveda is confined to medicine, rather think of it as a complete lifestyle which goal is for us to have a relevant longevity. This means that we can life until an old age without having to give up to any of our systems nor depend of any external machine. We’ll have the energy & will to continue to do what we love.
Basic Principles
The basic principles of Āyurveda are in accordance with other great Darshan/Philosophies from India like: Sankhya, Yoga, Uttar Mimansa.
The 5 Mahabhutas/ Elements -Ākāśa/Ether,Vāyu/Air, Agni/Fire, Jala/Water & Pṛthvī/ Earth- combine to create the entire living and non-living worlds. Āyurveda is also based on the belief that the human body it’s constituent energies -Doṣa-, tissues – Dhātu – and waste products – Mala – also are comprised of these 5 elements.
Although ALL the 5 elements are p resents in a particular substance one or two of these are going to dominate the others, on this basis any substance is classified accordingly. To identify the category that a particular substance belong to we must know its Gunas/ Qualities inherent in it’s nature and it’s effects. In Āyurveda we have 20 common qualities used to classified any substance or matter.
The Principle of Tridoṣa
Nowadays when we listen to the word “Āyurveda” we think of doṣas: Vata, Pitta or Kapha. This may be confusing when we don’t know the basic principles of this science and most of the time it leads to misconceptions of the theme.
These 3 doṣas are considered to be the pillars of the body. Responsibles for its creation, preservation & destruction. All our bodily processes are controlled by them, they act as basic constituents and protective barriers for the body in its normal physiological condition. When we’re conceived a unique combination of these doṣas is created, that is our ayurvedic nature, our homeostatic state. A healthy body is possible as long as they are in balance.
Doṣas change their natural state due to an increase, decrease or dominance. They also vitiate the balance of our tissues and waste products which could cause an imbalance or doorway to disease.
Your Ayurvedic Make up
Each person is made up of their own special mix of the three fundamental energies or doṣas. Like the foundations of a building these underlying forces determine who we are, what we like to eat, how thirsty we get, what’s the perfect quantity of sleep we need & our predisposition to illness.
From the moment of our conception, each person has a unique blend of the 3 doṣasand this will make up the essential part of our being. That’s what we call Prakriti. The tendencies we were born with. Each individuals Prakriti is just like they’re fingerprints, unlike anyone else's.
The way we lead our lives will definitely generate some alterations of our external as well as our internal worlds. Our Prakriti changes from minute to minute, day to day & season to season. This variance is called the Vikriti. The temporary state of flux in the doṣas.
Conclusion
Āyurveda is a complete holistic medicinal system that has been practiced in India for thousands of years. This doesn't mean we need to replicate the Indian lifestyle in order to follow it because what really matter is it’s source: The Veda. A series of mantras that describes the principles of nature in order for us to live our lives in the best way as possible, the goal is to achieve a relevant longevity. Good health and bliss is our natural state of being, the Veda is a map that shows us the way back
As a complete system that treats every person as an individual, Āyurveda is perfectly customized, you can learn to know yourself and to discriminate what helps you thrive and what don’t.
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