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Contact us on :: mail - keralainfosite@gmail.com . Designed and published by Keralainfosite, keralaT30 October 2007 |
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AYURVEDA - THE SCIENCE OF LIFE
Ayurveda is made up of two Sanskrit words 'Ayur', which means 'life' and 'Veda', which means 'Knowledge'. To know about life is Ayurveda. According to the ancient Ayurvedic scholar 'Charaka', 'Ayur' is comprised of four essential parts, the combination of mind, body, senses and the soul. According to Ayurveda, the mind not only controls our thought process but helps us in carrying out day-to-day activities such as respiration, circulation and digestion. The mind and the body work in conjunction with one another to regulate our lifecycle. Maintaining the clarity of senses is an essential part in allowing the mind and body to integrate their functions and help in keeping us healthy and happy.
Ayurveda believes in soul and its importance. Existing in a more subtle form before the existence of physical form is known as soul. The ancient Ayurvedic Acharyas of India believed in the energetic essence of soul over illness. PRINCIPLES In Ayurveda, a person, as a unique individual, is made up of five primary elements. The elements are space, air, fire, water and earth. The food we eat and the weather are just two examples of the presence of the elements.
AYURVEDIC TREATMENT
Treatment in Ayurveda consists of anna and Vihara prescribed jointly or separately, depending upon the illness and the state of the patient. The various methods of treatment offer both preventive and curative forms of therapy.
FUNDAMENTALS
In Ayurveda we view a person as a unique individual made up of five primary elements. The elements are ether (space), air, fire, water, and earth. Just as in nature, we too have these five elements in us. When any of these elements are present in the environment, they will in turn have an influence on us. The foods we eat and the weather are just two examples of the presence of these elements. While we are a composite of these five primary elements, certain elements are seen to have ability to combine to create various physiological functions. Ether and air combine to form what is known in Ayurveda as the Vata dosha. Vata governs the principle of movement and therefore can be seen as the force which directs nerve impulses, circulation, respiration, and elimination. Fire and water are the elements that combine to form the Pitta dosha. The Pitta dosha is the process of transformation or metabolism. The transformation of foods into nutrients that our bodies can assimilate is an example of a pitta function. Pitta is also responsible for metabolism in the organ and tissue systems as well as cellular metabolism. Finally, it is predominantly the water and earth elements, which combine to form the Kapha dosha. Kapha is what is responsible for growth, adding structure unit by unit. Another function of the Kapha dosha is to offer protection. Cerebral-spinal fluid protects the brain and spinal column and is a type of Kapha found in the body. Also, the mucousal lining of the stomach is another example of the Kapha dosha protecting the tissues. We are all made up of unique proportions of Vata, Pitta and Kapha. These ratios of the doshas vary in each individual; and because of this, Ayurveda sees each person as a special mixture that accounts for our diversity.
Ayurveda gives us a model to look at each individual as a unique makeup of the three doshas and to thereby design treatment protocols that specifically address a persons health challenges. When any of the doshas (Vata, Pitta or Kapha ) become accumulated, Ayurveda will suggest specific lifestyle and nutritional guidelines to assist the individual in reducing the dosha that has become excessive. We may also suggest certain herbal supplements to hasten the healing process. If toxins in the body are abundant, then a cleansing process known as Pancha Karma is recommended to eliminate these unwanted toxins |
