Ayurveda
Ayurveda is the medicinal science of India that has been in practice for several thousand years. Its ability to effectively treat disorders has been recognized throughout history in every part of the world. Even today the value of ayurveda is being recognizing as a viable alternative to western medicine, withstanding the test of strict scientific investigation and scrutiny. As a medicinal system, ayurveda is a natural-based approach to treating diseases and disorders with the ultimate intention of creating a total state of health and wellness.
Behind the medicinal system of ayurveda is a life philosophy. This philosophy is centered upon a state of physical, mental, and spiritual unification. Not surprisingly, this concept of holism was derived from the spiritual traditions of India where the human nature is considered to be multidimensional and interdependent. According to this philosophy, the disease of one system leads to the disease of all other systems. Mental failure leads to physical failure; energetic imbalance leads to emotional imbalance. Therefore in order to find health one has to treat every aspect of the human being with consideration of the ultimate goal: unity. There is no unity with proper attention, and only through careful treatment and balanced awareness can everything within the human nature achieve its optimum state of health and wellness. In this sense ayurveda is a practice for the total human being, bringing the mind, body, thought, emotions, and energies into harmony with one another to achieve spiritual vitality, inner radiance, and unwavering health.
Ayurveda is both practical and methodological in its approach. It recognizes 5 essential elements inherent in all matters of the universe: earth, water, fire, air, and ether. When these fundamental elements are in disaccord this is a constant struggle for energy which leads to disturbances within matter. Too much fire creates destructive heat. Too much air creates instability. However, when these 5 elements are harmonized, the elements supportively counterbalances one another, bring forth a non-fluctuating and undisturbed state of harmony.
To actualize its holistic state of wellness for the human being, ayurveda relies upon herbal medicines, physiotherapy, and dietary modification which together form a dynamic support system capable of stimulating profound changes in health and wellness.
As a function system, Ayurveda is easily integrated into any practice of holistic training which is why Ayurveda is often used alongside many different systems within Indian tradition. In fact, Ayurveda and yoga go hand in hand like bread and water, each supporting the other in the pursuit towards revelation of the human potential. Together, yoga and ayurveda reconstruct and transform the nature of the human being to bring all elements into synchronization with one another to enriches the total experience of life.
At the ashram Ayurveda is part and parcel of the applied techniques and practices we offer to visiting students.
On a general level, the ashram’s daily meals are cultivated around ayurvedic principles, working to balance the elements of human nature to support the body and mind through the spiritual-based life system we teach at the ashram. Also, many of the techniques we teach within the yogic practices are delivered in consideration of ayurvedic ethics, working with the underlying intention of exploring physical health, mental wellness, energetic luster, and spiritual revelation.
In addition to this we also offer specialized workshops and retreats which focus more intently upon ayurvedic herbs and dietary restrictions to stimulate rapid alterations in physiological and psychological health. Our ayurveda-centered retreats are guided with specific intentions including weight reduction, detoxification, energy stimulation, and mental purification. To find out about our next particularized program please contact us with details regarding your interest and personal focus relative to the use of ayurveda.
