WHAT IS AYURVEDA

Ayurveda is made up of two Sanskrit words "Ayu" and "Veda". "Ayu" means Life and "Veda" means Knowledge so Ayurveda means "Knowledge of life". It is also translated as the "Science of Longevity". It is the oldest and most holistic healing system available. Its origin dates back to 5000yrs in India and was placed in written form over 2000yrs ago. Before the advent of writing it was transformed orally for many generations. Sage Vyaasa put the complete wisdom of Ayurveda in to writing.

Around 1500bc Ayurveda was divided in to 8 branches of medicine.

Internal medicine
Pediatrics
Psychiatry
ENT
Surgery
Toxicology
Rejuvenation
Aphrodisiac (treatment of impotency and sterility)

PHYLOSOPHY OF AYURVEDA
 
Ayurveda believes that human body is the direct replica of the universe. It is the miniature of nature. The 5 building blocks of nature called elements are Space, Air, Fire, Water and Earth. Space is the first and most basic of all elements. All these elements are represented in the Human being as three life forces or humors or energies called Vata, Pitta and Kapha. These three humors govern all physiological and psychological process in the living beings.

Vata has space (rymd) and air (luft) element.

Pitta has fire (eld) and water (vatten)

Kapha has water (vatten) and earth (jord)

The harmony between these humors indicates health and their imbalance brings misery and disease. Pitta, Vata and Kapha cannot be seen. They are not substance. They are energies not perceived by the eye. Only by the results of their actions on the body can we understand their workings. Additionally, in Ayurveda everyone is an individual. The mixings of the doshas vary greatly from person to person and what would be a perfect harmony and balance in one person could mean imbalance and disease in another. Ayurveda believes in curing an individual than the disease. Just like two individual having the same disease suffer differently, the ayurvedic cure prescribed to two individuals suffering from same disease is different. This individualized approach makes Ayurveda very unique.

Just like these three biological forces Vata, Pitta and Kapha determine our physical health, our mental and spiritual health is governed by three psychic forces called Tamas or inertia, Rajas or activity and Satva which balance rajas and tamas. Ayurveda is thus a holistic science of health care that teaches us to balance these energies in order to achieve optimum health and well being.