What is Āyurveda?

If we are to decode the word, “Ayurveda”, we get “ayu” which means “life”, and “veda” which means “science”, or “knowledge”. Therefore, Ayurveda is often referred to as the science or knowledge of life. Ayurveda has two main aims; to maintain and promote the health of healthy persons, and to bring balance back when it may have gone out of balance or where there may be disease present.

Though excellent at managing chronic conditions, Ayurveda emphasizes the importance of prevention. It also has a large focus on, and an abundance of strategies for promoting longevity, often being referred to also, as the science of longevity. In Ayurveda, longevity is not just about living longer, but living and feeling well, balanced, and without disease well into your later years.

Ayurveda is a comprehensive system of holistic health, and the oldest system of recorded medicine in the world. It originated in ancient India, over 5000 years ago. Ayurvedic philosophy is centred on the human connection to the laws of nature and the forces of energy that exist within, and all around us. A person is a microcosm of the macrocosm; the universe. Ayurveda brings us back to living in harmony with nature, and re-establishes this link which can often get forgotten in the modern day.

Ayurveda is complex and multidimensional. It considers not just the physical body, but the mental and emotional bodies too. Our bodies can hold onto emotional disturbances, stress, trauma, and this can manifest into disease. While modern medicine looks at, and treats just the physical symptoms, Ayurveda looks at the individual as a whole, and how various interconnected factors could be at play. It seeks to uncover the root causes of a particular imbalance or disease, and eliminate them. It takes a personalised approach and this is of utmost importance in Ayurvedic medicine because no two people are considered exactly the same at any given moment. There is no “one size fits all” in Ayurveda. What may work for one person may be another’s poison, and vice versa.

Ayurveda believes that everything in the universe is made up of the five elements; ether, air, fire, water, and earth. Out of these five elements, we derive the three primordial forces of energy, or the doshas; vata, pitta, kapha. Ether & air make vata, fire & water make up pitta, while kapha is made up of water & earth.

Each person is made up of a unique combination, or ratio of each of the three energies of vata, pitta, and kapha. Though we all have all three doshas, most people have an abundance of one or two. The ratio of these doshas in a person comprises their prakriti, or constitution. Prakriti is deemed as an individual’s personal blueprint or genetic code. It is determined at conception and does not change throughout one’s life. By examining and understanding a person’s prakriti (constitution), we are able to suppose their strengths and weaknesses, anticipate the types of diseases and imbalances they may be prone to and prevent them, and determine the right diet, lifestyle, and herbal remedies suitable for them.

An Ayurvedic Practitioner is trained through this lens, and this is precisely why they can’t help but take a personalised approach with each client they encounter.

While prakriti is considered one’s true nature, and does not change throughout life, vikriti does. Vikriti is characterized as a person’s current imbalances. The doshas are constantly fluctuating due to diet, lifestyle, seasons, the external environment, age, and much more, and this called vikriti. This imbalance of the doshas can affect health, mood, and energy levels. The goal of Ayurveda is to bring the balance back to the doshas and bring a person back to homeostasis, i.e. their prakriti (constitution).

An Ayurvedic Practitioner has many tools at their disposal to bring balance back to an individual’s physical body, mind, and emotional state. They recommend medicinal herbs, diet and lifestyle modifications, personalised practices of abhyanga, pranayama, yoga asanas, meditation, mantras, and more.

Ayurveda teaches us that we can indeed take charge of our own health, and it empowers us to do so. Our world has become more and more complex, however living in balance need not be. Sometimes all we need is simple modifications, that although subtle, have the potential for big impact and beneficial results. Ayurveda is a fan of the 80:20 rule. When we follow what works best for our bodies most of the time, the best part is that it will be more resilient when do occasionally indulge. The goal is to make changes adaptable so that they will be sustainable long-term.