Ayurveda is considered to be the oldest healing science, the “Mother of all Healing.” In Sanskrit, Ayurveda means “The science of life.” Ayurveda originated in India more than 5,000 years ago and was taught in oral tradition from masters to their disciples. Many natural healing therapies that exist here in the West have their roots in Ayurveda: Polarity Therapy, Chinese Medicine, and Homeopathy, just to name a few.
Prevention is Ayurveda’s greatest emphasis and promotes right thinking, right dieting, and proper lifestyle choices. Knowledge of Ayurveda enables you to understand how to create a balance of body, mind, and consciousness according to your own individual constitution.
Just as you have a unique fingerprint, you have a unique pattern of physical, emotional, and mental characteristics – your constitution. Your constitution is determined at the moment of conception – this is your state at its purest & healthiest form. In Sanskrit, this is your Prakruti. Many internal and external factors can disturb your constitution, such as food, the seasons and weather, and your relationships. When we move from our balanced state, Prakruti, to an imbalanced state, this is called, Vikruti.
How to find your Prakruti and Vikruti
Your Prakruti and Vikruti can only be identified by visiting a Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner. Your practitioner will obtain your health history and current state of well-being along with taking your Ayurvedic Pulse and complete a Tongue Diagnosis to
determine your Prakruti and Vikruti. From there your practitioner may recommend many therapies to help bring you back into a state of balance such as herbal therapy, diet and lifestyle choices, aromatherapy, yoga, and meditation.
In today’s world, there is no doubt that everyone could use Ayurveda. As individuals, we are inundated with daily stress, anxiety, and fear. We live in a world where too much is available at our fingertips. Many of us have digestive and mental disturbances that we call “normal” like gas and anxiety. By understanding your constitution you can create balance, minimize the impact of stress, and improve your digestion.
Ayurveda is simply taking your yoga practice off of your mat and into your home, kitchen, and bedroom. It is conscious living that reminds you of the simple things in life that you already know but that you’ve forgotten!