A question we are often asked…
The easy answer is that Ayurveda is a 5000 year old traditional science that was designed to bring the
body back into balance in order to heal itself from ailment. But underneath that Ayurveda is so much
more…
The word Ayurveda comes from the combination of Ayur meaning life; veda meaning knowledge – it
essentially means “the knowledge of life” – How to live life the best possible way. It is about going back
to basics; the natural approach to living. One of my Ayurveda teachers says “Just eat what your
grandmother cooked for you. Worship the Gods of your own ancestors. Your body and spirit will be
nourished by that”
Everyone can benefit from learning the basics of Ayurveda – because it is about understanding one’s
body and mind, how nature works & how to align the mini universe of ourselves with the tides of nature
simply through self-observation and self-love.
Ayurveda is actually a sister science to yoga–both disciplines developed together and are rooted in the
Vedic tradition of India. As yoga was introduced to the West, it was presented without ayurveda, more as
a movement toward yoga therapy. Traditionally, yoga was not just physical therapy. Yoga was a
sadhana(spiritual practice), for realizing your consciousness. The therapy side to it originated more in the
field of ayurveda as treatment for the body and mind.
Much of this Ayurvedic tradition and philosophy was transmitted orally from teacher to student – but
somewhere between 450-1500 BCE texts were formed like Caraka Samhita, Ashtanga Hridyam etc. They
say that the colonization of India brought an abrupt ending to Ayurveda thriving in India. The British
considered it backward, inferior folklore and replaced it with western medicine. Luckily Ayurveda
continued to be practiced beneath the radar of colonists in rural areas.
Following the Vedic view of the unity of the individual and the universe as a whole, Ayurveda teaches us
that the same forces that work in the world of nature are present within us starting with the five great
elements of earth, water, fire, air and ether (space). And these 5 elements form the basis of the three
Ayurvedic doshas of Vata, Pitta and Kapha.
Each person is a unique combination of these three principles (or doshas) and one’s dosha depicts what
and how they eat, how they exercise, when they sleep and even where they prefer to live. Being aware
of your dosha will allow you to align your internal nature with the larger cycles of nature, like the daily
rhythms, seasonal cycles, circadian rhythms.
You don’t have to be a medical practitioner to study Ayurveda or use it for your individual well-being.
Ayurvedic wellness procedures of diet, herbs, yoga, mantra and meditation can be learned for one’s own
personal benefit and to help friends and family. Yes, the treatment of serious diseases should be left to
Ayurvedic practitioners with experience.
At SOMA, we encourage everyone to learn Ayurveda whether they wish to learn it with us or simply read
through the resources on Ayurveda available online. Because we believe that Ayurveda leads you
towards empowerment– it’s like having a road map that leads you closer to your best self – a journey towards health, strength and joy.
