Often referred to as the mother of medicine, Ayurveda was only recognized as a medical science by the World Health Organization in 1979, although its roots date back to the 12th century BC. It is now seen as the cradle of medicine. It is therefore a misconception that it is alternative medicine. It is a traditional Eastern system of treatment that aims to find a balance between body, mind and spirit.
Ayurveda what is it?
Ayurveda is the ancient Indian art of holistic healing. From the Hindi “ayur” meaning life, and “veda” meaning science, Ayurveda is the knowledge of life. In addition to medicine, psychology and philosophy are important and inseparable aspects of it. As such, it is recognized that any physical and mental condition can be cured through ayurveda. It is a holistic way of treatment in which massage, proper diet, exercise, and herbs are important factors. Nevertheless, Ayurveda, is much more than medical treatment. It’s the science of how to live in harmony with yourself and your surroundings in full harmony.
Physician in Ayurveda
A doctor in Ayurveda approaches the patient individually. He takes into account a range of relevant information, such as daily habits, diet, emotional reactions, emotional situation, life situation, and even goes back to family history. Such an interview reveals the full picture of what psycho-physical condition the patient is in. This allows the Ayurvedic practitioner to tailor an appropriate formula for healing the patient. The key is not just to treat the disease, but to prevent it from occurring. In this way, according to the philosophy of Ayurveda, the patient can enjoy a long and happy life in harmony with nature. Harmony with nature, it is worth emphasizing, is central to the Ayurvedic approach.
Basics of Ayurveda
In Ayurveda, everything is composed of 5 elements corresponding to the elements: air (vayu), water (jala), fire (tejas), earth (prithvi) and also ether (akaśa). Since there is a belief in this healing art that everything is interconnected in the universe, so humans are made up of the interconnected 5 elements. Consequently, the energy in our body manifests in 3 forms:
- Vata – a combination of ether and air
- Pitta – a combination of fire and water
- Kapha – a combination of water and earth
These elements influence our appearance, character traits and health predispositions, as well as certain behavior patterns. Each person has a unique and individualized combination of these energies, and their imbalance causes disease. Ayurveda aims to maintain a balance between them.
Ayurveda, or in a healthy body a healthy spirit
Since in ayurveda the balance between body, mind, and spirit is important, one cannot enjoy full health while imbalancing at least one of the elements. This means that mental and emotional balance is identical to the body. Hence, persistence in stressful situations, feeding negative thoughts affect health in the body. The saying that anger harms beauty is reflected here. Anger accumulates in the abdomen, and emotions take their toll on the face as well. Balance in ayurveda also depends on acting in harmony with oneself. If we make choices as a result of external pressure rather than our own desire, we disrupt the energy balance. Any incongruity within ourselves is reflected on other planes of our existence.
Ayurveda, though it sounds exotic, really just seeks to maintain inner balance and live in harmony with oneself. It’s about deepening one’s awareness of one’s being and recognizing that a person is not just a body, but also a spirit and mind. This is followed, therefore, by the belief that a negative attitude towards oneself and the world will not allow us to fully enjoy health and balance. Only the harmonization of all these factors is the achievement of health and the chance to enjoy life to the fullest.