What is Ayurveda?

It has become increasingly popular in the past years however, for many, the question remains: What is Ayurveda? Simply put in its pure definition, Ayurveda is the science of life. It comes from the Sanskrit words ayu, meaning life, and veda, meaning knowledge or insightful knowing, and is a complete medical system that is made of a combination of anatomy, physiology, pathology, and treatment principles.

Ayurveda stands for a way of living, a kind of life lived by consciousness and a state of awareness.

Not so simply put, Ayurveda stands for a way of living, a kind of life lived by consciousness and a state of awareness. It is not a technique or a herbal formulation but is the way in which people realize the truth that led their life originally (and, most importantly, want to realize, as this takes both courage, to change deeply and live in harmony with yourself and the surrounding world, and grit, to push your own boundaries and commit to this way of living). It is your option to live the life you want. 

Life as we know it is a mix of emotions, relationships, obligations, exercise, spiritual pursuits, everything–diet and daily routines. These are variables that we rarely consciously alter in order to help them work seamlessly together. We usually find ourselves stuck in unhealthy routines and diets and frail relationships, looking at them as loose factors and not entirely understanding their connection. Eastern medicine is looking to tie all these factors together and to help us understand how what we do, think, feel, eat, buy, and expose ourselves to, affects our bodies, minds, spirits, and ultimately our relationships. From that deep understanding, we can alter things to improve our lives. 

Short history of Ayurveda

Ayurveda is considered by many scholars to be the oldest healing science and it originated in India more than 5,000 years ago, being often called the “Mother of All Healing.” It stems from the ancient Vedic culture and was taught for many thousands of years in an oral tradition from accomplished masters to their disciples. In Hinduism, Brahma is seen as the creator god, self-born, Lord of Speech, and creator of the four Vedas, the oldest scriptures of Hinduism.

Brahma (The Creator), together with Vishnu (The Sustainer) and Shiva (The Destroyer, dissolving everything back to its original state) form the trinity that rules the entire universe. Hinduism believes that the universe will be created ad infinitum, which, looking at one’s own universe within, can be loosely translated to the personal ayurvedic journey of breaking one’s patterns, much like Shiva, (re)creating one’s own universe rooted in knowledge, like Brahma, as well as sustaining this lifestyle of balance between the elements, like Vishnu.