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Despite amazing diagnostic machines,
skillful surgical procedures and powerful medicines,
society is suffering from preventable epidemics
of heart disease, cancer and infectious illnesses.
Of equal importance is the recognition that
a large segment of our population, while not
demonstrating full blown evidence of disease,
is nevertheless not living a true state of health,
not experiencing the fullness and richness from
life.
Ayurveda is a sanskrist word that
means "the science of life." It is an ancient
art of healing that has been practiced continuously
throughout India for over 5000 years. Ayurveda
is probably the oldest authentically recorded
healing science in existence today, incorporating
many philosophical systems and the integration
of body, mind and consciousness. Ayurveda seeks
to understand, correct imbalances and to restore
the innate intelligence and harmony of a person.
It gives us the insight to understand individual
constitution and to create balance within and
around us.
According to Ayurveda each person
has a unique constitution, which is the combination
of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual
characteristics. Many factors, both internal
and external, can affect this constitution,
for example: one's emotional and/or cognitive
state, lack of inappropriate exercise, environmental
toxins, daily diet, daily choices, seasons and
weather, physical trauma, job and family relationships.
Once we understand that these factors
can cause an imbalance in our constitutions,
we have a choice to take appropriate actions
to nullify or minimize their effects or to eliminate
the cause. Balance is the natural order; imbalance
is disorder. Health is order; disease is disorder.
Within our bodies (physical, emotional, mental
and spiritual) there is a constant interaction
between order and disorder. Even within the
chaos, the possibility of new and higher levels
of order exists. It is our responsibility to
find and to own it.
The understanding of Ayurveda helps
us to be more conscious of our body, mind and
soul. At the same time, it helps us to understand
our unique constitution. We can become more
aware of the needs and ways to nourish our body,
mind and soul and to understand and balance
our Biological Rhythms. Ayurveda helps us to
integrate our force of life with breath and
movement techniques. The access to our inner
pharmacy and the detoxification and rejuvenation
as well the accomplishments of intimacy with
higher stages of consciousness are part of the
profound teachings of Ayurveda.
The message of Ayurveda is simple:
health is more than the mere absence of a definable
disease; rather, it is the dynamic integration
between our environment, body, mind and spirit.
Health is the return of wholeness and ultimately
reflects a higher state of consciousness.
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