Ayurveda

Introduction

Ayurveda is a 5,000 year old medical system from India. It does not align with any religions, groups, or meditation discipline. It is a science.

Ayurveda is the understanding of life in all aspects: physical, mental and spiritual. “Ayus” translates as life and “Veda” as pure knowledge or science. Life refers to our full existence: body, mind and soul. Pure knowledge is wisdom conceived from the act of merging oneself with the subject of interest in deep meditation. Ayurveda was reveled to the ancient rishis while meditating in the Himalayan Mountains on a mission to resolve illness and disease in their communities. They brought back from their journey the timeless understanding of all of nature in its balanced and imbalanced state. Just as the environmental needs of an ordinary tomato plant do not change over time, neither does the environmental needs of humans; making Ayurveda a timeless science useful in all centuries.

History

Ayurveda is known as the “Mother of all Healing”. It is the original medical system of which all others derive. It is believed that Ayurveda formed the basis of Tibetan Medicine, Chinese Medicine, and Greek Medicine.

Its roots go back 10,000 - 5,000 years ago, first mentioned in the oldest of the ancient Vedic texts; Rig Veda, believed to have been written around 1200BC. There are four main Vedic texts in which many concepts were covered from physics to grammar to astrology. For hundreds (perhaps thousands) of years, this information was passed from teacher to student by word of mouth in poetic versus called sutras. Eventually, the sutras were recorded in writing in the four main Vedic texts: Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Atharva Veda, and Sama Veda. The Upavedas are the four subordinate texts which reinterpreted and organized the four original texts. Ayurveda is one of the Upavedas focused specifically on the science of life. The ideas of yoga are found throughout these recordings. However, it is first mentioned as “yoga” in the later texts called the Katha and Shvetasvatara Upanishads. Here, the information was reorganized and presented in a manner more suitable for the present day student to understand. These concepts were later systematized into what is known as “The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali”.

Tridosha

Introduction

Tridosha is the three energetic categories of the five elements. Vata is movement, pitta is transformation and kapha is that which holds together. These energies are what constitute basic life. All life has form, power of digestion, and innate movement. We recognize each dosha in our bodies and in the environment by its attributes. There are twenty attributes - 10 pairs of opposites. They are cold/hot, light/heavy, sharp/dull, oily/dry, slimy/rough, dense/diluted, soft/hard, static/mobile, subtle/gross, and clarity/cloudy.

Pitta

Pitta is made up primarily of the element fire surrounded by a stream of water to keep it from burning out of control. The fire element in all living beings is the will to survive and to create. Pitta is the heat of passion and the motivation to accomplish. Physically, pitta is digestion and is responsible for all cellular assimilation and transformation. Pitta is the heat of the red blood cells and the liver which is the main organ in charge of burning away toxins in the bloodstream. Mentally, pitta provides the ability to focus, comprehend information and to problem solve. Spiritually, pitta is the light that shines through material illusion allowing us to see clearly the one real aspect of being - Spirit/Consciousness/God.

Body characteristics: medium build with strong, well-defined muscles. Features of the face are medium size with sharp shapes. Eyes are intense and may have red irises. Appetite is strong and digestion is good. When the body is stressed, the tendency is for diarrhea, fever, and intensity.

Mental characteristics: passionate about goals, strong leadership ability and organized. They make things happen. They are scientists, play leading roles in companies, strong athletes and politicians. When a person is predominantly pitta, their work in life is to take time to rest, play, and relax. Pittas work hard and burn themselves out which over time will deplete the immune system and may lead to illness.

Pitta reaches a state of harmony and health by practicing compassion. This occurs on all levels: physical, emotional, and spiritual. Physically, pitta must take the time to rest and rejuvenate from the intensity of their life path. Pittas are strong physically and have the will to push on even when they are exhausted. To avoid illness, pitta must honor the body’s need to relax. Mentally, pitta benefits from practicing compassion for every living being. Compassion will smooth the critical and judgmental thoughts of the pitta mind. In this practice, pitta will let go of expectations and accept people for who they are. Spiritually, pitta practices forgiveness, lets go of all the rules of the mental and physical world and opens up to the true beauty of life.

Hot Warm body temperature. High agni in digestive system and mind.
Light Light to medium build. Sensitivity to sun.
Sharp Intelligent, quick thinking and comprehension. Critical, judgmental thoughts. Sharp, angular features.
Oily Oily hair and skin. Sensitivity to oily foods.
Slimy Movements of thought are coordinated, smooth and intentional. Body is oily.
Clarity Fire burns away illusion and attachment to the sense pleasures.
Dense/Diluted N/A
Soft Passion and compassion.
Unstable Easily moved, explosive heat and passion.
Subtle Fire is subtle, you cannot hold a flame.

Kapha

Kapha is made up of the elements earth and water. Kapha in the body is physical structure, both solid and fluid. Physically, kapha is the strength of the immune system and the ability of the body and mind to endure stress. The imbalances of Kapha manifest as congestion, excessive weight and depression. Mentally, kapha moves at a slow, steady pace and rarely tires. Spiritually, kapha is the great mother who has an abundance of love for all.

Body characteristics: strong, large and round muscles. Pleasant, soft, round face. Large facial features such as lips and eyes. Kapha bones are typically large and strong. It is rare that kapha will get sick. Though, when they do, the illness is usually strong and deep - such as a powerful virus that lasts longer than a typical cold. Kaphas energy level is steady, though they are slow to start.

Mental characteristics: Kapha is dependable and will never let you down. They support those they believe in and love. They are loyal family members, lifelong friends and are rarely bothered by the dramas of life, making them emotionally steady. Though difficult to fire up, if kapha does become angry or sad; it will be difficult for them to let the emotion go. Kapha tends to hold onto emotions as well as personal belongings. Typically, they store a lot of material items in their home and have a difficult time throwing things away. In times of stress, kapha uses food as a way of bringing physical love into their bodies. This tendency can cause an increase in weight that will be slow to lose.

Kapha does best in maintaining balance by practicing the act of letting go. This occurs on all levels: physical, emotional and spiritual. The physical level would be to let go of attachments to physical things such as cherished foods and material objects. Letting go emotionally is related to their desire to be needed in relationships both personal and professional. Kapha is naturally very dependable and can often support many people. Their work here would be to practice detachment to their need to be depended upon. Allowing persons in their life to do things on their own and take responsibility for themselves. Even if it means failing.

Cold Body temperature is cold when there is no external source of heat.
Heavy Physical build is large.
Dull Nervous system moves slowly influencing thoughts and body motion.
Oily Moist mucous membranes, hair and skin. Well lubricated.
Slimy Movements of thought are graceful and gentle. Body is moist and lubricated.
Cloudy Mind is not clear due to the tendency to hold onto emotions and physical objects. These things cloud the mind.
Dense and Diluted Earth is highly concentrated; Water dilutes and dissolves.
Soft Loving, devoted and supportive.
Stable High resistance to pain and injury. Difficult to emotionally excite.
Gross Kapha is solid and liquid form.

Vata

Vata is the combination of air and ether. Its function in the body is movement. Wherever there is movement, there is vata. In the environment, air is the wind, the energy of a butterfly’s wings flapping, the movement which causes gravity. It is the vibration which travels through space/ether. In the body, air moves thought, digestion, circulation, the nervous system, the vocal cords, its the force behind birthing a child down and out. In both the environment and our body, the movement of air over time deteriorates and breaks down physical matter. The speed of the air upon the physical matter determines the speed of deterioration.

Body characteristics: Vata bodies tend to be thin, light and long. The bones and muscles are thin and long. The nose, lips and eyes are small. Fingers are long and thin with brittle, odd shaped nails. The palms are rectangular and not fleshy. Vata has a lot of energy with light and fast movements. Exercise tends to be artistic and creative such as dancing, gymnastic or yoga. Vata is not physically built for competitive sports. They are easily injured and tend to be frail.

Mental characteristics: vata mind is active. There is much enthusiasm and curiosity. Vata is creative and imaginative. They best express themselves through art, poetry, music and storytelling. They are always ready for a new adventure and may become bored with the same daily routine. Vata is excited about life and inspire others to be happy and light. They do not do well wit intense confrontation and will go to a place of fear internalizing any external negativity.

Vata reaches a state of harmony and health by practicing faith and trust in the universe or in life. The core of vata’s belief system is that they are not safe. This transpires into fear and anxiety. In moments of stress, their mantra is “I have faith that in the divine plan of the universe. I trust that all is perfect and exactly as it should be.” When vata is able to release their inhibitions, they free themselves and reach their full potential as the creative and expressive beings they truly are.

Cold Cold body temperatures. Cold hands and feet. Warms up quickly and has a difficult time holding heat.
Light Light body weight. Light on the feet, almost floats around.
Sharp Quick movements of the body and mind.
Dry Dry skin, hair, nails and mucous membranes.
Rough Rough and cracked skin, hair and teeth, cracking joints.
Clarity Air blows away obstructions keeping the channels clear. Ether is purity.
Dense/Diluted N/A
Hard Low fat in the body leaving the body feeling hard & boney.
Mobile Is the source of all movement.
Subtle Air has no form.

Ayurveda vs Western Medicine