"Ayurveda for beginners"

There is no better day to start this blog than the International Day of Ayurveda. The day to venerate Lord Dhanvantari, the God of health, the father of Ayurveda according to the Hindu tradition. In this post and premiere of the AyurVida blog, I will introduce Ayurveda and some of its fundamental concepts.

Lord Dhanvantari, the God of health, the father of Ayurveda

Ayurveda is the oldest medical system on record, rooted in the Vedic tradition in India and has more than 5000 years of history. Scholars or rishis described it as immortal and timeless, dating back to before the rise of human civilisation. The word ‘Ayurveda’ comes from Sanskrit and is composed of two terms: Ayur, meaning ‘life’, and Veda, meaning ‘knowledge’ or ‘science’. But what is the definition of life in this context? It is all the aspects that make up an individual: the physical body, the senses, the mind and the soul. And Ayurveda, as a holistic medical system, focuses on the balance between all these elements to achieve holistic health.

The main aim of Ayurveda is to protect the health of those who are in good health, and to cure the ills of those who are sick. It helps to live a long and healthy life, adapting to your specific nature and environment, because only by maintaining good health and taking care of this vehicle called the body, we will be able to develop and achieve our goals as human beings. In fact, one of the branches of Ayurveda is dedicated to longevity (rasayana). We must bear in mind that Ayurveda developed in a completely different context than ours, and its origin also had an important mystical component. Living in good health and having a longer life could allow for a fuller life, ready to achieve enlightenment and spiritual liberation. Although the context and social challenges may have been different from our reality today, Ayurveda stays on relevant for several reasons. Our anatomy and physiology remain the same, which are not limited to any time, climate or culture. And, above all, because it has accumulated thousands of years of observation and has stood the test of time.

Ayurveda is based on the belief that everything in the universe is composed of five elements: earth, water, fire, air and ether (or space). And that we, as part of nature, are too. Then in our body, these elements combine and give rise to the 3 vital energies or doshas: Vata, Pitta and Kapha. The doshas are the managers of our physiology and anatomy, of our health and imbalances. Because the ratio of the elements is different in each individual, the ratio of the doshas is also different. This indicates that each person is unique and should therapeutically be treated as such, hence the individualised approach of Ayurveda.

With increasing globalisation and industrialisation, our lives have become much more sedentary, dependent on technology and full of hustle and bustle. Statistics indicate that our health has been compromised in recent years. We may live longer, but we do not live better. Nowadays everyone is in a hurry and wants everything to be fast. We don't have time to think about healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle, to give our nervous system a rest. I am of the conviction, that we need Ayurveda today more than ever. Today's fast-paced life often disconnects us from our physical and emotional needs, and from our mother Nature. Ayurveda invites us to take a more conscious approach to our health, paying attention to how we feel and adapting our routines to support our well-being. Some of the most prominent benefits of Ayurveda include stress reduction, improved digestion and sustainable energy.

If you are interested in integrating Ayurveda into your daily life, here are some tips to get you started:

• Start your day with simple practices such as drinking 1 glass of lukewarm water;

• Introduce regularity in your daily activities, especially at bedtime, wake-up time and mealtimes;

• Give your nervous system short breaks during the day and avoid electronic devices at least 40 minutes before going to sleep;

• Try to eat according to your appetite, eat only if you are hungry, eat without distractions. Avoid any kind of discussion during meals or eating if you feel sad, too worried;

• The midday meal is always the main meal, dinner should be lighter.

Ayurveda is not just a medicine, it is a way of understanding the body and mind holistically, it is a philosophy of life. It is a path to self-knowledge and balance that can improve your quality of life, and that of those around you, at all levels. And the path starts with the desire for better harmony, and this is created little by little, adding one habit at a time, exploring your self-observation, your digestion, your emotions, being gentle and kind to yourself.

And to celebrate this auspicious day and worship Lord Dhanvantari, the Father of Ayurveda, who destroys aging, diseases, fear and death, I offer a free consultation. Leave me a message underneath or send me an email. First come, first served.

Namasté

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References:

[1] Caraka Samhita.

[2] Une approche pratique de la science de l'Ayurvéda - guide complet pour une santé florissante, Acharya Balkirshna.

[3] Notas de mis formaciones como terapeuta en Ayurveda.