Ayurveda

Ayurveda is the ancient Indian science and philosophy of life, which originated some four to five thousand years ago. It is part of a body of Hindu texts, known as the VEDAS, which are some of the oldest surviving texts in the world, and were written by enlightened, meditative sages. The contents and knowledge contained in the Vedas were initially passed from the sages to interested disciples in oral form, and many years later, began to be written down. Ayurveda shows us how we are part of the universe, and reminds us of our relationship with Nature. Through its time tested principles, we begin to understand our mind, body and spiritual makeup, and learn how we uniquely respond to the food we eat, our movement, the time of day, the seasons, our stage of life, and our relationship with ourselves, and others. We are in a period of imbalance, both individually and societally, and modern life’s frenetic pace brings challenges that many people are unable to overcome. Ayurveda guides us to make measured, considered choices that will positively impact our balance, and thus bring greater joy to our lives, and help us to better contribute to the harmony within our circle of family and friends, as well as wider society.

The Doshas- Functional Principles

The philosophy of Ayurveda suggests that the universe is an interaction of the five elements of ether, air, fire, water and earth, which are grouped into three functional principles, called Doshas. These are Vata (ether and air) Pitta (fire and water) and Kapha (earth and water). They are present in everybody and everything, and can be described through their inherent Gunas (qualities).

The Doshas, and each of their 5 subtypes, have specific roles and sites within the body and mind. When in their normal state quantitatively and qualitatively, they maintain equilibrium, but as soon as they are out of balance, they can affect the deeper tissues, and potentially cause disease.
We all have a unique constitution, made up of different proportions of all three Doshas. However, whilst two people may be Vata dominant, they will not necessarily present with the same symptoms, or suffer from the same imbalances. This is because whilst one person may have more of the ‘cold’ quality of Vata, another may present more of the ‘mobile quality’. We are all unique, and this is why some people have more of a predisposition to a particular imbalance or disease than others.

The Gunas – Qualities

In Ayurveda, the principle ‘like increases like’ and ‘opposites decrease one another’ is key to equilibrium. There are 10 opposite pairs of qualities, for example, hot and cold, heavy and light, mobile and static. When we seek to re-balance and bring about holistic harmony, we observe the qualities that have become vitiated within the body and mind, and aim to introduce the opposite ones through foods, herbs, thoughts, and lifestyle adjustments. It is a fine balancing act.

Agni- The Digestive Fire

Hugely significant in Ayurveda, Agni is the fire found in every aspect of transformation in the body and mind. It is responsible for digestion, absorption, assimilation, and conversion of foods, and emotions into energy. Many holistic health issues are caused by digestive disturbances, which seem to be common in many people, and are the result of not following the rhythms of Nature, and consuming ultra processed foods, ready meals, takeaways, carbonated drinks, excess alcohol, as well as the suppression of emotions. All these things cause imbalances in the gut, and a build-up of toxins, which if left to fester, can enter the system, creating inflammation, and a cascade of damaging effects on our health. It is vital to optimise digestive health before attempting to fix any other perceived imbalances.

Nutrition

Ayurveda’s philosophy places huge importance on food, which represents life, love and benevolence. Nutrition is seen in a way that no other system of health sees it. It is finally becoming clear to many western clinicians just how crucial wholesome food is, but Ayurveda delves deeper into what, when, why, how, and even where, and with whom we eat. Foods in themselves are not going to be ‘healthy’ if they are not eaten in the right way and with the right emotions/intentions. The ancient Ayurvedic texts stress the importance of correct individual nutrition choices for maintaining holistic synergy, and achieving optimum immunity. Ayurveda’s deep wisdom understood all those years ago that calories mean nothing when it comes to balanced nutrition, which again is something that modern clinicians are finally realising. The ‘Gunas’ or qualities within foods, as well as how they are digested, is key to understanding how they might benefit us, or otherwise. Ayurveda considers appropriate eating habits to be key to balance of the mind, body and spirit.