Ayurveda
The Scientific healing branch
of this ancient art of self mastery
Ayurveda is a 5000 year old medical system originating in India. It is derived from the Sanskrit words "ayu" and "veda" meaning, "The science or knowledge of life." The surprising thing is that it is still relevant today and a viable way to maintain balance in the body. If the body is in balance, it is much easier to exercise, meditate and in general to live a happier life.
When people began to leave their rural roots and began to make their way into the cities, they found that it was hard to hold onto the balance they had come from. The Rishis or sages meditated on the need for a system which could help people stay in balance even in "un-natural" living conditions.
Ayurveda is based on the concept of the three "gunas" or energies present in everything. Sattva guna is balance, harmony. Rajas guna is activity, movement. Tamas guna is inertia, darkness. Sattva is the guna that we strive to achieve. Often, though, it takes Rajas guna to create change thru activity. Sometimes we need Tamas guna, or inactivity to create the desired balance.
Briefly, the gunas eventually translate into the 3 body type distinctions known as the 3 doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. The word dosha literally means, "that which can go out of balance"! Balancing the doshas creates balance in the body. Pretty simple! Just like the 3 gunas, the 3 doshas are in all things: food, time of day, seasons, emotions, and so on. Being aware of these energies can help you focus on what to do if you begin to recognize imbalance occurring.
The Doshas
VATA
- Vata is: quick, dry, cold, light, subtle, sharp, rough
- Vata people move and talk quickly (often talking with their hands), are spontaneous (erratic when out of balance), have irregular eating, sleeping and bowel habits, are creative and live very much in their minds. There is a tendency to feeling overwhelmed, anxious and exhausted.
- The key things that balance Vata are routine, warm nourishing foods and quiet/ inactive times.
PITTA
- Pitta is: hot, moist, sharp, sour-smelling, light, quick
- Pitta people are natural managers (they often try to manage all things- much to the dismay of those around them!), have good/ strong digestion (and appetite for life when in balance), are intense, are good with routine and discipline. There is a tendency to angry outbursts, work-a-holicism, criticism (self and others).
- The key things that balance Pitta are: moderation, cooling foods and activities.
KAPHA
- Kapha is: Cold, moist, heavy, oily, gross, dull, slow
- Kapha people are steady, grounded and slow. Kapha is all about conservation of energy (they often do as little as possible to get the job done). They tend to be slow learners and very good on remembering. Digestion is slow and steady as well as emotions. There is a tendency to lethargy and laziness.
- The key things that balance Kapha are stimulation, heating foods and activities.
In addition to foods and activities, there are also seasonal routines to help restore balance to the doshas.
Vata benefits from doing pranayama ( breathing techniques ) which balance the right and left brain. Also by doing self massage with warm sesame oil to alleviate the dryness that Vata often experiences.
Pitta being a warm dosha benefits from self massage with coconut oil to cool the body (especially helpful in the summer heat). Another cooling activity for Pitta is to walk barefoot in the grass at midnight in the moonlight! What an amazing therapy!
Kapha is needing the stimulation of a dry brush massage. To benefit Kapha’s constitution, intense exercise is very helpful. Dancing Shiva yoga pose is specifically for Kapha body types.
Here are a couple of suggestions for resources that will explain Ayurveda in much more detail...
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