Everything is interconnected. Nothing is separate from anything else.
Āyurveda is composed of the root words āyuh, meaning life and veda, meaning knowledge. Therefore, Āyurveda is the the knowledge of life and longevity or the art of living. India gave birth to Āyurveda over 5,000 years ago. It is a holistic approach to health that includes every aspect of life, where mind, body and spirit are considered to be an integrated whole.
Health is ‘svastha’ in Sanskrit. ‘Sva’, meaning self and ‘stha’, established. Health is being established in self.
Āyurveda understands that disease is due to a dysfunction in the inner process of the body and mind. It is a disassociation within the whole system. In Āyurveda, health is more than the absence of disease, it is the whole reason of living, because without health you cannot enjoy or pursue the goals of your life. Āyurveda is a way of life, a way of learning how to cooperate with Nature and live in harmony with Her. Āyurveda works slowly, slowness is often part of the remedy, especially today with many of us suffering from the disease of busyness.
According to Āyurvdic philosophy, the entire cosmos is an interplay of the energies of the five elements - ether, air, fire, water, earth.
Āyurveda groups the five elements into three functional principles that are present in everybody and everything, called doṣas. Doṣa is organization. The three doṣas are vāta, pitta, and kapha. As long as the doṣas are balanced in quality and quantity, they maintain a harmonious psychophysiology. The moment they go out of balance, they disturb the dhātus, tissues, and the function of the body and mind.
Vāta
Composed of ether and air, the energy of movement. Governs breathing, blinking, muscle and tissue movement, pulsation of the heart and all movements in the cytoplasm and cell membranes. In balance, vāta promotes creativity and flexibility. Out of balance, vāta produces fear, anxiety and abnormal movements.
Pitta
Composed of fire and water, the energy of transformation, digestion and metabolism. Governs digestion, absorption, assimilation, nutrition, metabolism and body temperature. In balance, pitta promotes understanding and intelligence. Out of balance, pitta arouses anger, hatred, jealousy, and inflammatory disorders.
Kapha
Composed of earth and water, the energy of lubrication and structure. Provides the ‘glue’ that holds cells together and supplies the water for all parts and systems. Lubricates joints, moisturizes the skin and maintains immunity. In balance, kapha is expressed as love, calmness, and forgiveness. Out of balance, it leads to attachment, greed, possessiveness and congestive disorders.
We aren’t ‘what we eat,’ we are what we digest.
Agni, fire, governs all transformation. Its primary functions are digestion, absorption, assimilation, and the transformation of food and sensory input into energy. Agni is the main source of life. Without it life is not possible. If you support agni you will maintain perfect health. If agni is in optimal condition, the immune system is healthy and a long healthy life is inevitable.
Āyurvedic cleansing balances and reconnects us to our heart’s truth.
Āyurvedic has one of the most ancient yet sophisticated, simple and effective ways to cleanse the tissues, channels, emotions, patterns, and ruts that impede your soul’s passage. When we cleanse, we rekindle our digestive capacity and function. We optimize our metabolic function and hormonal processes. Cleansing removes fatigue, relieves worry and fear, gives clarity, purpose, ease and renewal. The optimal times of year to cleanse are Spring and Fall.