What is Ayurveda?
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Ayurveda?
In Vedic time people preferred “Yoga” or “Homa” for a purpose, like to get blessings from GOD and nature. In ancient times “Chatur Varnya” based community lifestyle was adapted. Everyone was not rich to be involved in Yoga. This situation leads to design a treatment protocol like Ayurveda, which is effective and less costly so that everyone could use it. Ayurveda is a Sanskrit word. Sanskrit is very ancient language or you can say one of the initial languages of India. Ayurveda means “life span built on knowledge”. Ayurveda not only cures the illness but also gives the way to live life in a healthy manner. It is known for thousands of years. Firstly it was only in India but now the world knows it and also live it.
Origin of Ayurveda.
The great Rishis of ancient Asian nation came to grasp creation of GOD through deep meditation and different religious practices. The Rishis sought-after to reveal the deepest truths of human physiology and health. Then they gave this knowledge to human physicians. Sushruta who is a well-known Ayurvedic physician himself received this medical knowledge from Dhanvantri “the greatest of the celestial”. The Rishis observed the fundamental of life, organised them into an elaborate system and compiled India’s philosophical and religious texts known as Veda. The three most vital religious texts containing the first and complete information of written material believed to be over 1200 years old and still remains in use these days. Atharvaveda contains 114 hymns and mantras (chants) described as cures for the illness. Sushruta has also compiled all his knowledge in a book Sushruta Samhita.
The origin of written material has conjointly been derived back to around 5000 B.C. after they originated as an Oral tradition. By four hundred AD Ayurvedic works were translated into Chinese by 700 AD. Chinese students were finding out medicines in the Asian nation. Chinese herbology and Buddhist philosophy were conjointly wedged by Ayurvedic information. Though with a long history of experience it is still unchanged. Currently, as at its origin through various commentators over the centuries have additional insight with their analyses.
Essential Balance Between Human and Universe.
Ayurveda is derived from a famous Shlok!
“YAT PINDE TAT BRAHMANDE”
Which means we are made up of the same thing with which universe is composed i.e. the basic composition of our body cells and the universe is same. According to Ayurvedic theory, everything in universe living or nonliving is connected. There is a deep intense connection between self and environment. We are initially connected within ourselves then to people surrounding us then to our environment and ultimately to the universe. This balanced connectivity ensures good health.
One verse from associate ancient authority says writing deals with what’s smart in life and dangerous life, happiness and misery, that support or destroy and activity of life. It works to heal the sick to keep up health in healthy and to stop sickness to the market quality of life and long life.
Good health can be achieved when your mind, body, spirit are in the balanced equation with the universe. Any type of imbalance and it leads to poor health and sickness. According to Ayurvedic follower’s anything that alters your physical, emotional or spiritual health can disturb your equilibrium with the universe.
But it is a fact that our balance initially always affected by our own deeds, like our diet, exercise, profession and relationship, all these have the potential to create a physical, emotional or spiritual imbalance. Some others things like hereditary or born disease, wounds and weather and habitat changes also disturb the healthy equilibrium. Human beings are responsible for their choices and action only. We can attain and maintain good health or healthy nature by making such choices that increase our bond with the universe.
Our unique physical and physiological characteristic combine to form our body’s constitution/Prakriti. The Constitution is believed to stay same for our entire life. In any case, how we digest food and discharge waste can impact it.
The composition of Body – 5 Basic Elements.
According to Ayurveda, every person is made of the combination of 5 substances, these are 5 classical elements known as Pancha Bhuta. They are:
- Space (associated with expensiveness)
- Air (associated with gaseousness, mobility and lack of form)
- Fire (associated with transformation, heat and fire)
- Water (associated with liquidity and instability)
- Earth ( associated with solidity and stability)
7 basic tissues (Dhatu).
Ayurveda also names 7 basic tissues or Dhatu.
- Plasma (Rasa)
- Blood ( Rakta)
- Muscles ( Mamsa)
- Fat ( Meda)
- Bone ( Asthi)
- Marrow ( Majja)
- Seman (Shukra)
10 pairs of (20) attributes.
There seem to be 20 Gunas which are considered inherent in all substances and are organised in a pair.
- Heavy / Light
- Cold / Hot
- Unctuous / Dry
- Dull / Sharp
- Stable / Mobile
- Soft / Hard
- No slimy / Slimy
- Smooth / Coarse
- Minute / Gross
- Viscous / Liquid
Ruling Energies of Life – 3 Bio-Elements.
These basic elements combine to form 3 life sources or energies called Bio-elements( Doshas). They control all body functionality like DNA gives instructions to the brain to perform action and behaviour. The 3 ruling principles/energies can get affected by same or opposite forces.
3 bio-elements are:
- Airy element ( Vatta dosha) – It is the most powerful of all three bio-elements. It controls the division of the cell.
- Fiery element ( Pitta dosha) – It mainly controls the digestive functions.
- Watery element ( Kapha dosha) – It controls the growth and strength of body.
Constitution of the Airy element is space and air. Fire and water for fiery element and water and earth for the watery element. All 3 bio-elements are responsible for some basic function and can be disrupted by some daily routine habits like sleeping, eating and much more.
One of the Ayurvedic views is the bio-elements are balanced when they are equal to each other while another view says each human possesses a unique combination of Bioelement which define this person’s emotional behaviour and characteristics. In any way, it explains that each person should modulate their behaviour or environment to increase or decrease the bio-element and maintain their natural state. One bio-element is usually more dominant.
Since these 3 bio elements or governing forces are nothing but energy themselves they can be influenced, increased or decreased by same or opposite forces. The heat increased fiery element, dryness increases airy element and liquid increases watery element. So, this imbalance is the result of some stimulus – intense, physical or mental, real or imagined that overthrow body’s capacity to keep its identity and constitution or fiery watery airy ratio.
When a stimulus and a system have the same energy the stimulus promotes more of its value in the system. Like increases like which can lead to imbalance even though they are not necessarily unhealthy eg. properly cooked or organic food, when taken in excess or at a wrong time, leads to imbalance. With time in any defective space or in weak tissue or organ in the body, this imbalance develops a disease. These diseases are cured or prevented for further by many Ayurvedic therapies like massage, yoga, medicines, meditation etc.
Ayurvedic therapies.
- Massage – This Is the process of rubbing and kneading of muscles and joints of the body with hands with any Ayurvedic oil to relieve tension or pain.
- Meditation – It is not concentration, loss of control and any exercise. It is the state of thoughtless awareness.
- Yoga – It is a discipline, a part of which including breath control, simple meditation and the making of body postures. It is vastly practised for health and relaxation.
- Ayurvedic medicines – These medicines are herbal medicines with specific odour and benefit. Medicine should cure the reason of illness not only symptoms. Ayurvedic medicines kill the reason of illness. There are so many health issues which are being faced in routine life like hair loss, weight gain, diabetes, cancer, cold, cough, constipation. Ayurvedic treatment ensures the permanent cure for these diseases without any side effect. Cancer and diabetes like problems may risk your life in future if not cured properly.
Ayurveda is purely a nature based or purely a herbal science. All of the medicines are derived from plant parts like roots, leaves, stems etc. That is why there is no question of side effects. When medicine shows side effects that mean it is unsuitable for illness.
Basic rules of Ayurveda to attain and maintain “Healthy Life”
We have learned that our basic composition is same as of universe which further combines to form our energies as Bioelements. So it is essential to make basic cell healthy to become overall healthy. It has already been explained that Ayurveda not only cures the illness but teaches us the way to live “healthy life”. This healthy life can easily be achieved by following some simple rules. There just have to make some changes in daily routine or schedule. It is an old saying that “inspiration is temporary discipline is permanent”.
Discipline is the first step for success.
If one is living disciplined life there is no chance of getting the illness. There are few disciplines by following them one can lead to healthy life…
- Wake up early:::: This will be easy if you go to bed early. If you wake up with the rising sun it will give you time to concentrate on your morning ablutions, to prepare a good nourishing breakfast. It gives you time to enjoy early morning.
- Eliminate your toxins:::: Do eliminate your toxins as first thing in the morning. If you delay your discharge you will be harming yourself and which can additionally make chronic issues further in time.
- Start your day with sweetness and have a good breakfast::: Have a spoon of honey as the first eatable in morning. Have a healthy breakfast. Skipping breakfast disturbed your physical and mental balance.
- Make a schedule:::: Organise a schedule for your all day work and stick to it. Adhering to an arranged timetable will help to avoid disturbance and will create a mental, physical and emotional harmony in the body.
- Take healthy herbs in food:::: Make ginger, garlic, turmeric, coriander spices as a part of your food. These very healthy as well as increase taste of the food. Like Turmeric is antiseptic and coriander is good for the stomach.
- Meditate:::: Just sit for 5 to 10 mins at the calm place and take deep breaths. It calms you mentally and gives you relaxation physically.
- Do milk therapy and drink warm water:::: Always drink warm water it is good for health as well as helps in removal of toxins. Have warm milk at the end of the tiring day, it will help you fall asleep quickly.
- Make your own skin pack:::: Nothing is better than the nature for your skin. So avoid harmful chemical products and adapt nature. Use natural ingredients like almond, honey, milk, aloe vera, fruits etc for your skin to nourish it.
- Exercise is essential:::: Do the exercise for at least 30 to 45 mins every day. It keeps you fit and increase your stamina. It also makes your circulation healthy.
- Do oil massage:::: Oil massage in morning will avoid drying out of the tissues and supports your brain and body. Additionally, it likewise gives a healthy looking composition to your skin.
- Bond with nature:::: Spend some time with mother nature, it will amazingly make you forget all your worries, problems and stress. It gives you inner peace.
- Walk for a better life:::: Some people do not have time for exercise so they can walk. Walking is the best exercise without any stress. And makes your body healthy as well. Always walk with that person whose company makes you happy, it’s like an additional strength to your walk.
- Laugh out loud:::: Laughing is the best therapy. Laughter releases endorphins, which stimulate blood morphine and promotes relaxation. So laugh out loud.
- Go to bed early and have restful sleep:::: After all tiring day our body needs time to rejuvenate and to detoxify and the best time for this is sleeping. When we get good sleep our inner cells work in harmony to strengthen our immune system and circulate vibrant energy throughout our body.
Refrences:
http://www.chopra.com/articles/what-is-ayurveda
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayurveda
https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/info/ayurvedic-living/learning-ayurveda/intro-to-ayurveda/
http://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/ayurvedic-treatments
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