Ayurveda is an indigenous form of medicine and complete lifestyle guide for healing and medical treatment of body and mind. It originated in India between 3,000 and 5,000 years ago as a branch of yoga and it is still relevant today. Ayurveda teaches how to balance the forces of nature within us. It helps us understand our psychological nature as well as what nutrients each person’s constitution needs to achieve balance and optimum health.
Ayurveda believes that health and wellness depend on the delicate balance between the mind, body and soul. The goal of Ayurveda is to promote good health, rather than fight disease. It was founded in the believe that human beings have the ability to heal themselves by understanding the hidden powers of nature.
Ayurveda and the mind.
In Ayurveda, our psychology is categorized according to the gunas which are the qualities of nature or mental traits: Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. These prime attributes of our mind are not merely emotional types; they reflect the level of development of our soul.
A sattvic person is harmonious, balanced, stable, likes order, clarity and purity.
A rajastic person is dynamic, energetic, changeable, agitated, and even disturbed.
A tamasic person is inert, heavy, negative, lethargic, dull and resisting.
Ayurveda and the body.
Ayurveda also refers to the three doshas of Vata, Pitta and Kapha as our prime biological energies that also regulate psychological activities. Dosha also means element or out of harmony. These energies reflect the power of the air, fire and water elements and the corresponding powers of energy, light and matter.
Many people have a combination of two doshas (for instance Vata/Pitta or Vata/Kapha). A person can also have a combination of the three doshas, but typically one of the three doshas predominates. Our dosha combination indicates our mind-body type and determines our growth, aging, health and disease. Ayurvedic physicians also want to know the client’s familial eating habits and mental conditions going back to six generations, if possible.
Vata is formed of ether and air. A Vata person is light, dry, cold, rough, subtle and mobile.
Pitta is formed of fire and water. A Pitta person is light, hot, sharp, oily, mobile and liquid.
Kapha is formed of water and earth. A Kapha person is heavy, cold, moist, dull, soft, sticky and static.
The process of dosha testing involves several tools, like questions, pulse reading, and analysis of the skin, eyes and tongue. These tools help determine a person’s dosha constitution. Knowing your dosha can help you take certain actions to improve your health and live a more balanced life. It is recommended to visit an Ayurvedic counselor, coach or physician to have a thorough analysis and counseling at the level of the doshas and a corresponding life-style and health regime, as well as to obtain a specific prescription when a particular disease is developing or is present in the person.
Ayurveda Life Coaching.
Ayurveda not only involves knowledge of medicinal herbs and healing techniques. It also requires good counseling skills to observe what is relevant and to build rapport and trust with the client for a successful treatment and long-term outcome.
An Ayurveda life coach can help you make significant changes or adjustments in your life-style, diet, and exercise routines tailored to your physical and psychological constitution which in turn will help you achieve a healthier mental and emotional state. Our brain and body are interconnected and one impacts the others in everything we do. Think about the last time you had an emotionally-charged experience; sooner or later this emotional experience manifested in physical form as a headache, upset stomach or indigestion, neck or back pain, anxiety, etc.
The main goal of Ayurveda is to promote a healthy life-style that requires educating the client by introducing life-style techniques like daily health routines and seasonal health regimes.
If you want to learn more about Ayurveda, visit https://www.ayurveda.com/
Sources:
Frawley, David. (2016). The Art and Science of Vedic Counseling.
Lad, Vasant (2018). The Ayurvedic Institute.
Lad, Vasant (1984). Ayurveda: The Science of Self-Healing.
Inside Out: The Science of Ayurveda. (2017) [video file].
Public Diplomacy Division, India Ministry of External Affairs. (2012). Journey of Ayurveda [video file].
Arora, Indu. (2013, October 10). Introduction to Ayurveda [video file].