Ayurveda: The world’s oldest and most holistic health care system
Ayurveda, the traditional system of medicine in India, is the world’s most ancient and comprehensive science of health. Rather than focusing on disease, as the Western system does, Ayurveda focuses on health by creating balance. The purpose of Ayurveda is to promote balance in every level of life by maintaining a lively connection between the diverse parts of life and their common source, the field of pure intelligence.
One of the most important relationships, where balance is desirable, is between our body and the food we consume. Ayurveda recognises food, eating and digestion as being central to health. It sees food and digestion as the major factor in creating balance or imbalance in the body.
The main concepts of Ayurveda include:
- the three Doshas, the fundamental principles in the body and in the food we eat that we need to balance to stay healthy;
- the seven Dhatus, or body tissues that need to be nourished and kept in a healthy balanced state;
- the Malas, or waste products that are the product of digestion and that should be successfully eliminated from the body;
- the Agnis, or digestive fires that breaks down the food we eat to supply each cell of our body with nourishment;
- Ama, the product of poor digestion and, according to Ayurveda, the main source of over 90% of all illnesses;
- Ojas, the product of perfect digestion and the source of strong immunity, robust health and happiness;
- the six Rasas, or tastes that all have to be satisfied to obtain full nourishment from our meals.
The three fundamental principles (Doshas) in the body
Ayurveda sees health as the result of balance between the three fundamental principles of life. These fundamental principles are known as the three Doshas – Vata, Pitta and Kapha, which are themselves a re-constitution of the five elements of Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space. The three Doshas are said to be the basis of the whole universe, as well as the basis of our body.
The Five Elements
In the ancient Veda, the body of knowledge from where Ayurveda derives, life is said to have, at its core, eight basic laws of nature: ego; intellect; mind; and the five senses. The five senses need their object of perception so, in the process of creation, the five elements, Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space, appear. These five elements are the building blocks of creation:
- EARTH represents stability. In our body, the parts such as bones, teeth, cells and tissue are manifestations of the earth. It is associated with the sense of smell.
- WATER represents adaptability. It characterizes by flow and movement. Blood, lymph, and other fluids flowing around the body bringing nourishment and carrying away wastes are aspects of the water element. Water is associated with the sense of taste.
- FIRE represents change and purification. Fire is the transforming power of any substance. Fire converts food to into energy and into our body. Fire is associated with the sense of sight.
- AIR represents integration. It is the integrated state of all forces and is mobile and dynamic. Within the body, air (oxygen) is the basis for all energy transfer reactions. It is associated with the sense of touch.
- SPACE represents growth. It is the space in which life grows. It is the arena on which all the other elements do their work. Space is the gaps between bits of matter. Space is associated with the sense of sound.
Three Doshas
In Ayurveda the three Doshas are a re-categorisation of the five elements.
- VATA (space/air)
- PITTA (fire/water)
- KAPHA (water/earth)
Vata is the principle of movement, as exemplified by the movement of air through space. It is the basis of all biological movement, including breathing, blood circulation and the movement of nerve impulses throughout the body.
Although Pitta is a combination of Fire and Water, it is usually translated as just Fire. In Ayurveda Fire represents change and transformation. In terms of the physiology, Pitta represents heat, energy, digestion, metabolism and nutrition.
Kapha gives structure and fluidity to the body. It contains the elements of Earth – strength, solidity and stability, and Water – fluidity and adaptability.
In Ayurvedic terms imbalances between the three Doshas are the basis of disease. The body has the capacity to overcome minor disturbances in the equilibrium of the Doshas, but if the equilibrium is disturbed too much the body succumbs to disease and decay. When the imbalance is small a person may just have the experience of discomfort and dis-ease. If the imbalance is not corrected, and even increases, pathology sets in and eventually identifiable diseases appear. Diagnostic techniques used by Ayurveda, such as pulse diagnosis, are designed to identify these imbalances long before they surface as disease. At these early stages, often simple rules, of diet and lifestyle, will be sufficient to prevent these imbalances from becoming serious illnesses.
The Ten Body-Types
According to Ayurveda, we are each born with a unique mixture of Vata, Pitta and Kapha, and an Ayurvedic doctor can diagnose and identify this mixture as our body-type, or constitution.
There are three basic body-types, named after the three Doshas: Vata, Pitta and Kapha. You can have dual body-types, for instance Vata/Pitta body-types, where two Doshas predominate to a similar degree (the first name will indicate the more predominant Dosha). You can also have a type where all three Doshas are in almost equal balance (this type is rare). This constitutional type is called Vata/Pitta/Kapha.
In total there are ten body-types:
- Vata;
- Pitta;
- Kapha;
- Vata/Pitta;
- Pitta/Vata;
- Pitta/Kapha;
- Kapha/Pitta;
- Vata/Kapha;
- Kapha/Vata,
- Vata/Pitta/Kapha
The purpose of Ayurveda is to restore and maintain the Doshic balance that is natural to each person. If a person’s underlying body type is Vata (60%), Pitta (25%) and Kapha (15%), they would be classified as having a Vata Pakriti body-type and maintaining that particular balance will ensure good health for them. Each Dosha should be maintained at its optimum level, neither becoming too weak, nor too strong. If a Dosha becomes too strong, or aggravated, imbalance is created and disease can begin. Whichever Dosha predominates in our physiology is the one most likely to become aggravated and out of balance. A Vata Pakriti body type will have to ensure Vata Dosha does not get too aggravated. With some knowledge of Ayurveda, he can take measures calculated to calm down his restless, anxious tendencies. For example, he can ensure that he gets plenty of rest and perhaps has an oil massage to calm himself down. He can try to avoid watching thrillers just before going to bed or doing fast exercise in the cold evening air.
For a course that includes knowledge of Ayurveda contact Peter Brown .