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What is Ayurveda?

Ayurveda is one of the oldest forms of medicine; it approaches health from a holistic, individualized perspective.

Ayurveda originated in India over 5,000 years ago. It translates to the knowledge of life: “ayur” means life and “veda” means knowledge.

Ayurveda is known as the “sister science” of Yoga, & the two combined create health & harmony in the mind, body & spirit. Yoga is the internal application of the science; Ayurveda is the external application. Both Yoga & Ayurveda focus on helping people develop health & harmony through cultivating awareness. By developing awareness, we are given the ability to implement meaningful changes in our lives.

Ayurveda offers a holistic approach to health by focusing on the mind-body-spirit connection to create wellness as a whole. We can cultivate balance in every aspect of life through the practices of self-care, lifestyle, meditation, sensory therapies, herbal medicine, food, movement, stillness & experience.

Brief History

The Vedas were the religious texts that Ayurveda was presented to us in. They were a collection of prayers, poems, mythology & sacred formulas. They were formed in 500 - 1000 BCE in the Indus Valley, which is currently Pakistan. Before forming a written text, the knowledge & tradition was orally shared through lineages.

These texts were written in Sanskrit, the first language of India. Sanskrit holds a high power; it is a refined language, & every word carries a specific vibration. It is a divine language, and every sound spoken has the effect of an incantation.

The knowledge came directly from Brahma & was channeled through the rishis. Ayurveda has been the traditional form of medicine & lifestyle throughout the years. Although living through secrecy during the British rule of India, Ayurveda is now ever-present in the East & West.

The Elements

Looking at life through an Ayurvedic lens, we focus on the five elements inherent in everything: Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether (space). The Elements at play reflect every aspect of our lives; they have an influence on our sleep, digestion, mental state, mood, motivation, work habits, speech, focus, energy & anything else you can imagine. By understanding our relationship with the elements, we can better understand how to bring balance into our own lives.

The Doshas

The elements merge together and form the three doshas (mind-body types): Vata, Pitta, & Kapha.

Air + Ether combine to make the vata dosha.

Fire + Water combine to make the pitta dosha.

Water + Earth combine to make the kapha dosha.

We all have varying degrees of each dosha within us, & each person has their own unique composition.

How The Doshas Affect You

There are two ways that doshas apply to your tendencies: Prakruti vs. Vikruti (think nature vs. nurture!). Prakruti is your constitution since conception, and vikruti is your current state based upon your environment. Since every individual is different, each person has a unique path to health depending on one’s make-up.

Knowledge is power. By understanding the qualities present in our surroundings we can learn how to shift them to align with our physical and energetic bodies. Holistic self-care encompasses mind, body, & soul. Create rituals that cater to your individual needs depending on your dosha, the season, or your emotional state.

Our Holistic Self-Care Packages provide you with sacred self-care products to help you live in alignment.

Three Main Causes of Disease

1. Asatmendriyartha Samyoga - Misuse of the Senses

Misuse of the senses occurs when we forget our true nature as Spirit. Without our sense of divinity, we only associate with our mind and body, which easily get wrapped up in all of the dramas of life. We begin to associate only with avoiding pain or seeking pleasure. We take in the world around us through our senses, which result in energetic and physical impressions. Depending on one's constitution, these impressions either lead to health or to disease. Ayurveda utilizes diet, herbs, and sensory therapies to create harmonious impressions.

2. Prajnaparadha - Crimes Against Wisdom/Failure of the Intellect

Our mind is being pulled between our senses and our inner knowing. The senses are always avoiding pain and seeking pleasure, and will therefore always try to persuade the mind to pursue the more pleasurable option. Our inner knowing on the other hand holds our Truth, and it longs for what is most beneficial overall. Our senses and the mind are very loud and prominent, whereas our inner-knowing has to be sought after to be heard. Ayurveda utilizes the eight limbs of yoga to strengthen one's relationship with the voice of their inner-knowing. 

3. Parinama - Transformation or Decay Due to Time and Motion:

Motion is time. Without motion, time wouldn't exist - everything would just Be. Motion is a measurement of time, and motion causes disease. So naturally, over time, our bodies decay. There are two different measurements of time: one is linear and the other is biological. Linear time is based on the movements of the earth on its axis and our movement around the sun; it cannot be altered. Biological time on the other hand changes in response to our motion; the more active our bodies are, the faster our bodies break down. The same goes for the active mind. If our mind is constantly racing between the past and the future our perception of time increases, which in turn increases destruction in the mind and body. By incorporating the methods used to create harmonious impressions and deepen one's relationship with Spirit, the mind becomes stiller and goes deeper into the present moment. When the mind slows down, so does biological time: stress is reduced, the mind is at peace and the body remains healthy.

Dis-ease begins when we forget our true nature as Spirit. We are born into this time/motion world, being pulled between the mind and our true nature. As we are swept up in the chaos our connection with our inner-knowing fades, and our mind/senses take center stage. Ayurveda helps bring one back to balance by reigning in and redirecting the senses, loosening the grip of the mind, and reconnecting with our True Nature. 

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