What is Ayurveda? Kellie Knight

What is Ayurveda

Discover Ayurveda, the “science of life”

Ayurveda is the sister science of Yoga; the word Ayurveda translates as the” science of life”.

It is a Vedic system of healing, based on wisdom derived from the Vedas, a large body of Sanskrit literature that originated in India, believed to be the oldest known scriptures available.

Ayurveda is a complete and sophisticated 5000 year old Science designed to maintain and promote good health, happiness and balance. Yet Ayurveda offers so much more than solutions to physical ailments and health problems.

Ayurveda seeks to find the cause of our imbalance and treats the cause in a deeply nurturing and holistic manner.

This Ancient science offers profound insight into how to nurture and balance all aspects of ourselves and our lives.

Ayurvedic philosophy bestows us with wisdom to truly understand ourselves and the mind body connection.

Empowering us with wisdom, Ayurveda gently guides us away from the disease mindset and instead offers us profound wisdom of self-awareness and self-healing.

Ayurvedas’ word for immunity, vyadhikshamatva, literally means “forgiveness of disease”, Ayurveda views our mindset as the most important part of the healing process.

Although this is an ancient science, the wisdom of Ayurveda can translate into a modern context. Ayurveda being the science of life applies to us all, no matter the time, the stage of our life, the culture, the changing environment around us, the science of good living remains unchanged. Although change is the essence of life it is possible to adapt gently and lovingly to these changes to support health and happiness.

“Ayurveda as the science of life, is not a frozen science but one that grows with the movement of life itself, of which it partakes” ( David Frawley)

A key aspect of the wisdom underpinning Ayurveda is that in order to find good health and balance we must live harmoniously with nature.

Metaphysically speaking every living entity is made up of the five great universal elements earth, water, fire, ether and air, yet we are all unique, we come into this life with a unique balance of the elements and therefore must live our life according to this unique balance in order to maintain good health.

Ayurveda shows us that honouring Natures laws and rhythms empowers us to find ease in our lives, rather than pushing against our inherent nature. We can find a beautiful flow within us with ease just as the stream flows, it doesn’t force itself to flow, it doesn’t harm itself, it doesn’t question itself, it doesn’t deprive itself, it simply flows.

Finding balance and good health should not be as difficult as it is often promoted to be, balance is our natural state and Ayurveda shows us how to find that natural state by living harmoniously with nature.

We can walk this journey with conscious, natural and holistic living, aligning our inner nature with the outer nature to enhance physical and psychological wellbeing and promote longevity.

Many modern approaches to health and wellbeing place unrealistic expectations upon us, trying to squeeze us all into the one mould, having a detrimental effect upon our health.

Ayurveda however empowers us to embrace who we were intended to be and nurture the strengths of our constitution, gently giving us permission to be the best possible version of ourselves.

Be yourself everyone else is already taken” Oscar wilde

Ayurveda offers profound wisdom on how to live a harmonious life, caring for our physical body in order to nourish our spiritual selves.

Yet this wisdom is delivered with love, with gentle compassion focused on true healing and self-care, a journey to discovering our true balance. Ayurveda does not ask us to deprive ourselves, to punish ourselves, to deny ourselves of the joy in life.

“Ayurveda is not a nutritional system for those seeking an escape or excuse to further abuse their body or mind. It is a system for empowerment, a system of freedom and long life” Vasant lad

Open your heart to the endless healing potential of Ayurveda and enrich your life with this vibrant, profound, beautiful Ancient wisdom.

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