"Exploring the Depths of Self-Discovery: The Ayurvedic Approach to Understanding the Total Self"

All ancient Indian science has its roots in the Vedas and strives towards a common goal, moksha. Ayurveda and its paradigms too, are robustly rooted in Vedas and in the ethnic-cultural context of "Bharata", thus its association with Vedas is indissoluble.

Motherland India, is a land of magnificent diversity, a place where archaic structures, concepts and traditions rub shoulders with up-to-the-minute formations, where variety and extremity stride hand in hand. Well, no country any less richly textured could have given birth, thousands of years ago, to Ayurveda, and no other country could have prompted the sometimes bewildering multiplicity of principles and practices that have sprouted from Ayurveda’s roots. Ayurveda is the articulation in human terms of the Ayur Vidya, the “ lore of life,” the power of Nature that cures disease and promotes health. Well, no doctors can themselves cure diseases; as they can only act to assist Nature’s healing efforts. Even the first-rate physicians serve as vehicles for the Ayur Vidya, but too often they perform this service unaware of the nature of the Ayur Vidya herself.

As blessed by the Nature and Source, I pray to Nature and Lord Dhanwantari

“Om Namo BhagavateMaha SudharshanaVasudevaya Dhanvantaraye;

Amrutha Kalasa Hasthaaya

Sarva Bhaya Vinasaya

Sarva Roka Nivaranaya

Thri Lokya Pathaye

Thri Lokya Nithaye

Sri Maha Vishnu Swarupa

Sri Dhanvantri Swarupa

Sri Sri Sri

Aoushata Chakra Narayana Swaha”

(We pray to the God, who is known as Sudarshana Vasudev Dhanvantari. He holds the Kalasha full of nectar of immortality. Lord Dhanvantri removes all fears and removes all diseases. He is the well wisher and the preserver of the three worlds. Dhanvantari is like Lord Vishnu, empowered to heal the Jiva souls. We bow to the Lord of Ayurveda.)

योगेन चित्तस्य पदेना वाचा

मालं शारिरस्य च वैद्य केना

योपकरोथं प्रवरं मुनिनम्

पतंजलिम् प्राञ्जलि रानातोस्मी

( I bow with folded hands to supreme Patanjali, who eradicated the impurity of mind through Yogashastra, impurity of speech through Vyakarana Mahabhasya, and impurity of the body through Ayurveda literature)

(May there be Well-Being in all

May there be Peace in all

May there be Fulfilment in all

May there be Auspiciousness in all)

MAY EVERY BEING ON THIS PLANET EARTH BE BLESSEDWITH GOOD HEALTH ALWAYS

स्वस्ति प्रजाभ्यः परिपालयन्तं न्ययेना मार्गेण महिं महिषः |

गोब्रह्मनेभ्यः शुभं अस्तु नित्यं लोकः समस्तः सुखिनो भवन्तु ||

(May the rulers of the Earth protect the well-being of the people, with justice, by means of right path. May there always be good fortune for all living beings. May all the inhabitants of the world be full of happiness)

The concepts and fundamental ideas of Ayurveda as in seed form, had been current in the Vedas and before them. Ayurveda practices enhance the "ayu"(lifespan) of an individual.

हिताहितं सुखं दुःखमायुस्तस्य हिताहितम्| 
मानं च तच्च यत्रोक्तमायुर्वेदः स उच्यते|| (CHARAKA SAMHITA 1.41)

Ayurveda is the science of life. Ayurveda gives remedies for…Hitayu – an advantageous life, Ahita Ayu – a disadvantageous life, Sukhayu – a happy state of health and mind Ahitayu – an unhappy state of health and mind. It also explains what is good and what is bad for life and how to measure life.

प्रयोजनं चास्य स्वस्थस्य स्वास्थ्यरक्षणमातुरस्य विकार प्रशमनंच|| (CHARAKA SUTRA 30.26)

Yoga and Ayurveda are sister sciences, as both show a way to live naturally and achieve radiant physical, mental, and spiritual health. Ayurvedic and Yogic scriptures describe the ethics and daily, monthly, and yearly practices of a healthy life as they cover topics that include diet, physical exercise, use of breath, senses, emotions, and mind. When we start living as told in an ayurvedic yogic way and it becomes part of living, the meditations start to provide a step-by-step guide to complete peace and harmony—bringing a balance of the mind, body, and heart which opens up the deeper potential of our and human awareness.

Ayurveda means “science of life,” and is comprised of a vast body of information about healthy living

and treating disease. It covers areas of medicine ranging from psychology to surgery, and the branch of medicine dealing with children to geriatrics. Ayurvedic knowledge was eventually written in Sanskrit after having passed through mouth to mouth. Charaka, Sushruta, and Vagbhatta are the three main authors of classical Ayurvedic scriptures.

इह खलु पुरुषेणानुपहतसत्त्वबुद्धिपौरुषपराक्रमेण हितमिह चामुष्मिंश्च लोके समनुपश्यता तिस्र एषणाः पर्येष्टव्या भवन्ति| 
तद्यथा– प्राणैषणा, धनैषणा, परलोकैषणेति|| (CHARAKA SUTRA 11.3)

A person of normal mental faculty, intelligence, strength and, energy has to seek three basic desires of life ...... 1. Praneshana - desire to live 2. Dhaneshana - desire to earn 3. Paralokeshana - desire to have a superior position after death.

Lord Dhanwantari, father of Ayurveda is regarded as the God of Ayurvedic medicine in Ayurveda.

“Ayurveda is the knowledge of happy and unhappy, a good and bad life, and that which contributes to the four aspects.” - CHARAKA

The four aspects -

1. DHARMA (the right way of living) - Dharma is the principle that promotes one’s life in a way inner and outer health and harmony, and per the universal principle of peace. The following dharma means to be truthful to one’s nature and acts from a sense of duty and respect toward it, rather than being driven by compulsive habits. This means living life with a sense of responsibility toward oneself, other people, and the world as a whole, and acting for the good of all.

2. ARTHA (material wealth) - A certain amount of money is needed to comfortably support oneself. Ayurveda and yoga place no judgment on the gaining of wealth, as long as it is done without causing harm to others, and that any abundance is shared.

3. KAMA (sensory pleasure) - Ayurveda and yoga recommend moderation when it comes to the pursuit of sensory pleasure. While it is beneficial to experience the positive influences of art and nature, overindulging the senses can lead to addiction, frustration, and disease.

4. MOKSHA (enlightenment) - Moksha means to overcome our limitations and become truly free within. This is a freedom from identification with the body and mind, and the realization that our true nature is a consciousness beyond those two things. This is a very difficult goal, and so the practices of hatha and raja yoga are devised to help one achieve it.

The first step towards moving in is by asking oneself the 5 questions - Sit in a comfortable position, close

your eyes, and relax your body and mind. Detach yourself from the concerns of the past and future, and

focus on the now. Ask yourself the following questions and let answers come from a deeper part of yourself:

1. What is my purpose in life? 2. How can I contribute to this world? 3. What are my values and

how can I uplift them? 4. What gives me the highest amount of contentment? 5. What is the next step in

my development?

“The three doshas, the seven dhatus, the three malas, and Agni these constitute the human body according to Ayurveda.” - SWAMI SIVANANDA

These are the four aspects of the body that need to be kept in balance to maintain good health—

“The balance of the doshas is health, and imbalance is the disease.” -SWAMI SIVANANDA

To have good health we need to examine Ayurveda's understanding of how the body works. Ayurveda teaches that the central principle of health is the balance of the four components to be in

a state of harmony—neither too strong nor too weak—for the body to remain healthy. This provides

vitality by allowing greater capacity for prana (life energy required for all of the body’s functions), and

immunity from disease.

The three doshas - vata, pitta, and kapha are energies present within the body and mind. Maintaining the balance of each dosha allows the body's systems to work effectively.

The seven dhatus - rasa, rakta, mamsa, medas, asthi, majja, and shukra are the tissues that make up the body’s physical form. Healthy dhatus allows the body to produce ojas, a form of energy that helps the body supports prana (vital energy) and protects the tissues from damage.

The body’s excretions—urine, stool, and sweat—are called malas. Passing them on timely manner helps to keep the body balanced, as otherwise they build up and cause disease.

There are 13 types of agni, the concept of digestive fire in Ayurveda. Healthy agni allows food to be digested so that strong tissues can be formed. It also prevents the build-up of ama, undigested food that acts as a toxin and leads to disease.

त्रय उपस्तम्भा इति-आहारः, स्वप्नो, ब्रह्मचर्यमिति; एभिस्त्रिभिर्युक्तियुक्तैरुपस्तब्धमुपस्तम्भैः शरीरं 
बलवर्णोपचयोपचितमनुवर्ततेयावदायुःसंस्कारात् संस्कारमहितमनुपसेवमानस्य  , य इहैवोपदेक्ष्यते|| (CHARAKA SUTRA 11.35)

The three supports of life are the following.

• Ahara – food

• Nidra – sleep

• Brahmacharya –  moderation of sexual intercourse (neither very frequently nor infrequent)

Healthy habits about food, sleep, and celibacy lead to good growth and full health for the full span of one’s life.

UNDERSTANDING THE 3 DOSHAS, THE 5 ELEMENTS AND THE 3 GUNAS

Vata, pitta, and kapha are the three doshas—three energies that are crucial to the healthy functioning

of the different body systems and the mind. Each dosha is made up of two of the five elements (air,

earth, ether, fire, and water), the building blocks of all matter. The elements have different characteristics (“gunas” in Sanskrit), and each has a principle—The doshas take on the characteristics of the elements from which they are made up. These characteristics define a dosha’s nature and its role within the body.

Vata is made up of the elements air and ether. Air gives it characteristics such as mobility and dryness, while ether makes it subtle and light. Vata is the most important dosha in the body and mind, as it is the force of all movement (such as blood circulation) and sensation. The main seat of Vata is the colon.

Vata’s functions - 1. Providing movement, such as for breathing, circulation,

transmission of nerve signals, and elimination of waste. 2. Providing all sensation in the body. 3. Igniting agni. 4. Supporting memory, drive, and understanding.

Pitta is made up of the elements fire and water. It takes on characteristics such as heat and sharpness from fire, and fluidity and oiliness from water. Pitta is the source of transformation (such as digestion) and provides internal heat. The main seat of the pitta is the stomach and small intestine.

Pitta’s main functions - 1. Digesting food and fueling agni. 2. Producing blood and coloring the skin. 3. Providing intelligence and self-confidence. 4. Providing sight.

Kapha is the dosha of earth and water. Kapha qualities that come from earth include heaviness and stability, and that from water include oiliness and smoothness. Kapha gives the body substance, strength, cohesion, lubrication, cooling, and immunity. It is also responsible for healing. The main seat of Kapha is in the stomach and chest.

Kapha’s functions - 1. Providing moisture to food in the stomach. 2. Providing strength and cooling to the heart and the sensory organs. 3. Stabilizing and lubricating the joints. 4. Providing taste.

Vata dosha of movement, Pita dosha of transformation, and Kapha dosha of substance.

JOIN THE AYURVEDA ONLINE CLASSES AND LEARN THE ART OF BEING HEALTHY ALWAYS - PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY, AND EMOTIONALLY TO RIDE THE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY WITH EASE. WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE COURSE CLASSES

1. HOW ENERGY WORKS - Learn about Chakras and the flow of energy, the Nadi’s or the channels of energies and energy channels attuned to Vata, Kapha, and Pitta- Ida and Pingala. Understand what the location of weight deposition on your body tells about your personality, the factors behind feeling weighed down- and the elements affecting your weight.  The energies of Kapha, Pitta, and Vata and different zones of the face where different imbalances are indicated.

2. DAILY RHYTHMS - Discover how the 3 Doshas work through the daily patterns, dominant energies at different times of the day, how to organize your day according to energetic requirements, how we are naturally attracted to eating at certain times, how, by sleeping and waking at the right time, we can facilitate the bodily function of repair and how-, by eating at the right time we can facilitate the bodily function of cleansing and transforming.

3. HABITS - Through Ayurvedic wisdom learn how to choose and sculpt your habits, why you think what will or won't work for you, what your habits do to your identity, the 3 Gunas that will actually make you see the power you have over your life, by tantric understanding of the Gunas.

4. THE KOSHAS AND PRAKRUTI - Learn about the 5 different bodies, the different needs of the different bodies, ways ,and practices to ‘feed’ each of your 5 bodies, practicing 5-body hygiene, habits that will help you align with the Koshas. The energies of Kapha/Pitta/Vata, Intrinsic abundance, When your constitution is your ‘Prakruti’ and when it's your ‘Vikruti' and the different workout for different purposes: to center, to cool and to energize.

5. AYURVEDA ON THE MAT - Learn about Ojas, Agni, Pranas, Tejas

6. WHAT TO EAT, HOW TO EAT

7. HOW TO HEAL - Ayurvedic, how to create your own healing space, cleaning your physical space- architect better choices, a key link to the development of auto-immune diseases. The healing diet, disease and disease process, how to tap into your healing sanctuary