Translated as the wisdom or science of life, AyurVeda is the all-inclusive (body, mind, emotions, energy and spirit) natural healing medical system that has been preserved and utilized for thousands of years.
It comes from India and it is the sister science of Yoga.
Many of you have probably heard of Yoga – it has become a household name these days! While you may think that Yoga has to do with the body due to the popularized practice of the yoga asanas or postures, this aspect is only a small snippet of the whole of Yoga.
The systems of AyurVeda and Yoga both employ healing on all levels: body, mind, and spirit. They each have specific and individualized practices, modalities, and treatments called “Vedic Technologies”. AyurVeda and its Vedic Technologies focus primarily on the purification and rejuvenation of the body and mind so that one can pursue their life purpose, which is the birthright of all: happiness and freedom from suffering.
I mean, come on! Don’t we all want that? I know I do! (Which is why I’ve been studying and practicing this stuff for over two decades!) There’s a good and sound reason why the Vedic Technologies has been around for thousands of years. You may have even heard of some of these with or without their translations:
Asana – yoga posture
Pranayama – breathing practice
Mantra – sound healing based on the Sanskrit syllables
Mudra – sacred healing hand gestures
Dhyana – meditation
Diksha – cosmic download and/or initiation
Dharana – concentration/contemplation practice
Yamas – healthy outer guidelines
Niyamas – healthy inner guidelines
Atma-Vichara – Self-inquiry
Panchakarma – cleansing and rejuvenation program
Marma – acupressure
Abhyanga – herbalised oil massage
Shirodhara – steady stream of herbalised oil poured across the forehead
Swedhana – herbalised steam therapy
Ahara – dietary guidelines
Dravyaguna – the healing use of plants, minerals and other materials
Dinacharya – daily self-care rituals
Ritucharya – seasonal self-care rituals
And the list goes on and on. Let’s just say that the world is our oyster when it comes to individualizing health and well-being with AyurVeda and Yoga.
Upon reflecting on this extensive list of technologies that AyurVeda and Yoga offer us, I think this is the exact reason why sometimes I (and I know I am not alone!) tend to stumble on answering what AyurVeda actually is.
To describe the science of life is a big thing! This is because the Veda, which is wisdom or Knowledge is all-inclusive. Everything comes from wisdom. This wisdom is natural and makes up the levels of Natural Law, which is whole and complete. Everything comes from this Wholeness, this Divine and natural intelligence.
You come from this divine intelligence.
Life comes from this divine intelligence. Can you get a sense of the bigness and the richness of it?!
Rather than giving a quick sentence that says that AyurVeda is the holistic medicine that comes from India, like Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture come from China, I’ve decided to shed light on a few different ways to define AyurVeda that are more descriptive and lend to what it is truly about. That way, you can feel into the inclusivity of it and intuitively and intelligently choose which one resonates best for you.
- AyurVeda is the dialed-in system that focuses on the wisdom of life – the Wholeness of life. Ayurveda specializes in helping us feel and live from our true nature, the wise and loving place inside, that is divinely intelligent, balanced, complete, and fully alive. AyurVeda does not treat disease. It never intended to. Instead, it promotes health, balance, and inner harmony by pointing us toward rekindling our relationship with nature.
- AyurVeda is the practice and science of being, feeling, sensing, and acting from the enlivened place within ourselves. We use tools or technologies that help us experience enlivenment and embodiment while working on and with our relationship with ourselves and others. Ayurveda works with the following technologies but is definitely not limited to these: food, herbs, sound, movement, and breath.
- AyurVeda is an individualized wholistic medicine focusing on supporting the health and happiness of each person. Each person has their own unique blueprint and also manifested imbalances that express when they leave their true Self, their innermost nature. This is what causes pain, suffering, and illness on a vibrational level. AyurVeda reduces suffering by connecting us back with our Wholeness, our True Nature. This orientation is complementary and preventative as it is based on wellness and promoting health.
- AyurVeda is an individualized vibration-based medicine that dials in on each person and prescribes the specific technologies they need to establish self-healing and become more fully integrated. It is not meant to replace the care of a licensed healthcare practitioner but instead it is meant to support, complement, and honor the modern healthcare model. For it is a language – a way of seeing and interacting with ourselves and the world, ushering in more freedom from our pain, stress, overwhelm, and suffering. AyurVeda is a wholistic medicine based on bliss.
I hope these help you get a more inclusive understanding at what AyurVeda is all about!
Stay tuned for upcoming emails sharing the Vedic Technologies that I will be offering at Citrine this fall! These Vedic Technologies are seriously bliss bombs and will reset your nervous system and open you up to calmness and clarity. Don’t you want to experience more ease, more joy, and less stress and overwhelm in life?
These Vedic Technologies change lives.
Until then – take good care and I look forward to meeting you online, in my home office, and at Citrine very soon.
Much Love,
Meredith