What is Ayurveda?

Time to quit being lazy and post something new. This is a followup to yesterday's post on "Particle Physics and Ayurveda".

Ayurveda - The Science of Life

Ayurveda is a 5,000-year-old system of natural healing that has its origins in the Vedic culture of India. Although suppressed during years of foreign occupation, Ayurveda has been enjoying a major resurgence in both its native land and throughout the world. Tibetan medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine both have their roots in Ayurveda. Early Greek medicine also embraced many concepts originally described in the classical ayurvedic medical texts dating back thousands of years.

More than a mere system of treating illness, Ayurveda is a science of life (Ayur = life,Veda = science or knowledge). It offers a body of wisdom designed to help people stay vital while realizing their full human potential. Providing guidelines on ideal daily and seasonal routines, diet, behavior and the proper use of our senses, Ayurveda reminds us that health is the balanced and dynamic integration between our environment, body, mind, and spirit.

Recognizing that human beings are part of nature, Ayurveda describes three fundamental energies that govern our inner and outer environments: movement, transformation, and structure. Known in Sanskrit as Vata (Wind), Pitta (Fire), and Kapha (Earth), these primary forces are responsible for the characteristics of our mind and body. Each of us has a unique proportion of these three forces that shapes our nature. If Vata is dominant in our system, we tend to be thin, light, enthusiastic, energetic, and changeable. If Pitta predominates in our nature, we tend to be intense, intelligent, and goal-oriented and we have a strong appetite for life. When Kapha prevails, we tend to be easy-going, methodical, and nurturing. Although each of us has all three forces, most people have one or two elements that predominate.

For each element, there is a balanced and imbalance expression. When Vata is balanced, a person is lively and creative, but when there is too much movement in the system, a person tends to experience anxiety, insomnia, dry skin, constipation, and difficulty focusing. When Pitta is functioning in a balanced manner, a person is warm, friendly, disciplined, a good leader, and a good speaker. When Pitta is out of balance, a person tends to be compulsive and irritable and may suffer from indigestion or an inflammatory condition. When Kapha is balanced, a person is sweet, supportive, and stable but when Kapha is out of balance, a person may experience sluggishness, weight gain, and sinus congestion.
An important goal of Ayurveda is to identify a person’s ideal state of balance, determine where they are out of balance, and offer interventions using diet, herbs, aromatherapy, massage treatments, music, and meditation to reestablish balance.

A simple questionnaire can help you determine which ayurvedic element is most lively in your nature. Take the dosha quiz here. Answer the following questions as honestly as possible and see which element(s) receives the highest score.

The Chopra Center's approach to health and wellbeing fuses the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda with the most advanced developments in modern allopathic medicine. We offer ayurvedic lifestyle consultations. We also teach the practical tools and techniques of Ayurveda at all of our programs, seminars, workshops, and retreats. Bring Ayurveda into Your Life

From http://www.chopra.com/our-services/ayurveda

Like Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Ayurveda is based on 5 elements. In TCM the elements are wood, metal, fire, water and earth; while in Ayurveda the elements are ether (or space), air, fire, water and earth. The 3 doshas are made from combinations of 2 of these elements…vata is ether and air, pitta is fire and water, and kapha is a combination of water and earth. Most people either have a primary dosha, or maybe a combination of 2 doshas…bi-doshic. A few people tend to have equally balanced doshas and are considered tri-doshic. Here is an excellent article describing the doshas some more and discussing bi- and tri-doshas http://earthsongayurveda.com/sample-post/.

I tend to be very strongly Vata. Be sure to take the quiz above and let others know what your dosha is by commenting below.

Interesting days

Today - https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/chocolate-covered-peanuts-day/ I better pick up some Goobers or Mr. Goodbar today. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/clam-chowder-day/ Still looking for some good clam chowder. Don't most restaurants serve clam chowder on Fridays?

Tomorrow - https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/chili-day/ One of my favorites! Maybe Erik's Delicafe Chili in a sourdough bread bowl. Yum! It's also https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/pistachio-day/ Another favorite! 

Next Wednesday - https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/toy-soldier-day/ I remember these toy soldiers well, just like the ones in Toy Story.  It's also https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/international-scrapbooking-industry-day/ and https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/grammar-day/

And let's not forget https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/poundcake-day/ whose name comes from using one pound of each of its ingredients: butter, eggs, flour and sugar

March 25 - https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/pecan-day/ and https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/waffle-day/ Or you can celebrate both by having pecan waffles! It's also https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/manatee-appreciation-day/ Are manatees really the origin of the mermaid legends? And https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/tolkien-reading-day/