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Ayurveda is the 5000 yr old
traditional medicine from India. The word is a Sanskrit
term meaning the science of life. It takes a holistic
approach to health and wellbeing. Health is not limited
to only the physical aspects but also the mental and
spiritual aspects of life. It provides a guide to how to
live in harmony with nature. Body, mind and
consciousness work together to bring balance to ones
life.
Ayurveda promotes prevention by being observant to ones
thinking, diet and overall lifestyle. Each one of us has
a unique combination of energies that govern how we
think, act and coexist. These energies are constantly
fluctuating due to how we handle internal and external
stress, whether it is emotional, physical or
environmental. Understanding these energies will help
one maintain balance even in the most stressful times. |
Ayurveda defines three major energies that govern every
aspect of our being. They are Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.
Everyone has all three; however they are varied in
amounts with one or two being more dominant then the
third. These body/mind types or doshas define our
individuality by unique combinations.
Vata reflects the qualities of space and air, relating
to movement and electrical/neural impulse. The Vata
energy governs all movement in the
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 body,
bones, muscles, nervous impulse and cellular activities.
Pitta is made up of fire and water, relating to
digestion, metabolism and body temperature. Kapha is
water and earth, relating to structure, lubrication and
growth. It lubricates the joints, maintains immunity and
is the glue that holds cells together. According to
Ayurveda disease is caused by excess or deficiency of
one of these energies. (continued
on page 3) |
Namaste
If you have ever attended a yoga or meditation class you
may have heard the term Namaste at the end of class or
as a greeting. Namaste is a Sanskrit term that
translates to “The divine in me honors and bows to the
divine in you”. This is usually
 accompanied
by the person giving a bow with there hands pressed
together in front of the heart. This commonly used hand
posture or mudra, symbolizes both love and respect. One
hand represents the spiritual higher self and the other
the worldly self. By combining the two, the person is
attempting to rise above any differences with the other
and connect to that person he or she is bowing. |
