What is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda is the most ancient medical system in the world. It is a very Holistic medical system that defines life as union of Soul with body, mind and sensory organs. Ayurveda says, you are not your body, it is just the structure which holds you. You are neither the thoughts of your mind nor the sensations of your sensory organs. You are the soul who knows all these layers of existence. Ayurveda has two functions. Svasthavritta which is preventive medicine and Aturavritta the curative medicine.
Svasthavritta (preventive medicine) is the harmonious way of living by fulfilling the needs of body, mind, senses and the soul. Ayurveda says that health is possible only when you maintain the integrity of all layers of your existence. Hence Ayurveda advices a way of life to achieve four goals of life called Dharma (actions contributing to sustenance of universe), Artha (wealth), Kama (Pleasures including health) and Moksha (Liberation from worldly troubles). Ayurvedic living begins with a healthy personal life, family life and social life to fulfil your Dharma. Ayurveda inspires you to earn wealth through your profession.
It believes that a longer life without enough resources is still inferior and unhealthy. Because finding joy through having good food, wearing comfortable and good looking clothes, building safe and spacious house, listening to music and art and spending time in gardens are the third goal of life. Thus Ayurveda envisions a healthy and joyful worldly life for common man. At the same time there are daily rituals and prayers to Gods for the benefit of this life and life after death. Ayurveda proposes a natural spiritual evolution which finally leads to Liberation of soul from this worldly life.
Vata Dosha constitutes air and space elements. Vata governs the beating of heart, the flow of breath, blood circulation, cellular mobility, all muscle contractions, communication between body and mind, and tissue movements, in short, all body movements. Pitta Dosha constitutes water and fire elements. Pitta largely controls digestion, intelligence, understanding, nutrition, transformation, metabolism, and body temperature. Kapha Dosha is composed of water and earthy elements. It lends cohesiveness to the body entities and maintains the form. Further, it moisturizes the skin, lubricates the joints, protects the tissues, and maintains immunity.
