What Is Ayurveda?

The name “Ayurveda” is derived from two words in Sanskrit, “ayuh” meaning “life” or “longevity” and “veda” meaning “science” or “sacred knowledge.” Ayurveda’s definition therefore roughly translates as “the science of longevity” or “the sacred knowledge of life.

At its root, Ayurveda is a holistic tradition and way of living that can help each of us to claim and celebrate our capacity for wellness. Understanding and balancing tri-Dosha’s vata , pitta and kapha (bodily humors) is the key component in Ayurveda.Primarily understanding one’s physical formation I:e prakuriti or Nature is vital and then one should eat or exercise accordingly. Wellness or ease is restored through Ayurvedic living and Medicine which have no or minimal side effects.

Ayurveda: A Brief History

The practice of Ayurveda as a medicine is believed to date back to over five thousand years, during the Vedic period of ancient India. The earliest known references to Ayurveda and its sister science, Yoga, appeared in scholarly texts from the time called “the Vedas.” Ayurveda experienced a period of prosperity as the Vedic texts were taught and shared, but this was followed by an almost thousand-year struggle to remain relevant in the wake of India’s political struggles with various invading countries—most notably the British Empire.2
Despite this, those who practiced Ayurveda on the fringes of society kept the tradition alive until India gained independence in 1947. Ayurveda then resurfaced as a major system of healthcare that endures in India to this day.
1 During the New Age movement of the 1980s, Ayurveda started to make its way westward, helped along by the expanding popularity of yoga and Eastern spiritualism.

Thanks in no small part to the teachings of respected physicians and herbalists like Drs. Vasant Lad, Deepak Chopra, and David Frawley, Ayurveda has gained notoriety among a growing population of health-conscious individuals in the United States and around the world.

Panch Tatva (Five Elements ) Bodily Constitution

Ayurveda recognizes five elements as the fundamental building blocks of nature:
* Earth
* Water
* Fire
* Air
* Ether (Space)
Every substance contains all five of these elements. That said, in a given substance, one or two elements are typically predominant over the others.
Which constitutes ones prakuriti (body type )
Ones we understand this concept and work to restore balance in these elements we reach our Health Goal.

GUNA’s of Substances :-

Ayurveda also identifies twenty qualities (gunas) that can be used to describe every substance or experience. These qualities are organized into the following ten pairs of opposites:

Heavy Light
Slow (Dull) Sharp (Penetrating)
Cold Hot
Oily Dry
Smooth Rough
Dense Liquid
Soft Hard
Stable Mobile
Gross Subtle
Cloudy (thick and Sticky) Clear
The gunas are essential to understanding the Ayurvedic principle that like increases like and that opposites balance.
For example, a person who is particularly cold natured, living in a cold climate, in the middle of winter, is likely to be experiencing an aggravation of the cold quality.
upchar (cure or remedy) in this case
Heat—in the form of warming foods, hot drinks, heating spices, soothing baths, snuggly warm clothes, and if possible, an abundance of heart-warming
Tri-Doshas and Your Ayurvedic Body Type
Then there are the three doshas (bodily humors): vata, pitta, and kapha. The doshas, or some combination of them, can be identified in various seasons, climates, landscapes, activities, plants, and animals.
Each of them embodies a combination of elements and qualities to create a functional entity—an energetic force of nature.
All three doshas are present in everyone, but the ratio between them varies a great deal from one person to the next.

We will get to that in a moment, but first, here is an overview of the essential nature of each Dosha.

1). Pitta Dosha
PITTA IS ENERGY OF FIRE + WATER.
That Governs Digestion , Metabolism and transformation.
PITTA IN THE BODY
Appetite, digestion, absorption, assimilation,
intelligence, charisma, courage, and ambition.

PITTA QUALITIES
Hot
Sharp
Light
Liquid
Spreading
Oily.

2). Kapha Dosha
KAPHA IS THE ENERGY OF Water + Earth, structure and cohesiveness
grounding and stability.
KAPHA IN THE BODY
Nourishment, growth, lubrication, regeneration, fluid balance, fat regulation, strength, stamina, memory, and our ability to feel compassion and
contentment.

KAPHA QUALITIES
Heavy
Slow
earth
Cool
Oily
Smooth
Dense
Soft
water
Stable
Gross
Cloudy (thick & Sticky).

3). Vata Dosha
VATA IS THE ENERGY OF Air + Ether/Sky
Movement and impulse, creativity
and connection.
VATA IN THE BODY
Breathing, the pulsation of the heart, muscle movement in general, nerve impulses, sensory perception, communication, and our capacity to experience flexibility, joy, and expansive
consciousness.

VATA QUALITIES
Dry
Light
Cold
Rough
Subtle
Mobile
Clear.

Each of us has a combination of these three doshas in our bodies at any given time. There is a combination of doshas we are born with, called our body constitution or prakuriti in Sanskrit.
We also have a state of balance (vikriti) which represents the doshas that are elevated within our body at a given time. If the doshas accumulate beyond healthy limits (those determined by one’s constitution), they can cause serious damage to our health.

Balancing or Harmonising the Doshas in Your Life
It is important to remember that we all have innate strengths and gifts, as well as persistent challenge areas. The doshas are a wonderful tool for understanding both, and also for recognizing and correcting any imbalances at work in our systems.
Invariably, the doshas shed light on our personal nuances, guide us in improving self-awareness, and can help us understand how to offer support—precisely where and when it matters most. As a result, cultivating a relationship with each of the three doshas can have a transformative impact on your overall health and well-being. We would love to support you in beginning to balance and Harmonise the doshas in your life.
Thus creating a better life and world around you.

At Shri Bhagvat Gurukul under our Ayurvedic Living and Healing Section, we try to understand your particular prakuriti (Nature of body) and guide you about Ayurvedic living and Medicine to balance your Dosha’s (vatt, pitta , Kapha ) As Our Vaidya or Ayurvedic (Naturopath) is Qualified and practicing in india.
“VARDAAN AYURVEDIC “
We get our Ayurvedic and Herbal Medicine from different sources after deep research and consultation with our Naturopath practitioner.
So if you have any health concerns please feel free to contact us through Our website or via mobile number provided for Consultation and upchaar (treatment).