What is Ayurveda?
About Ayurveda
Ayurveda (pronounced eye-yer-vay-dah) is a 5,000 year old medical system that originated in India, and is believed to be the oldest recorded medical system on the planet. Ayurveda translates to "science of life" and is a comprehensive and holistic system that considers the physical, emotional, and spiritual health of a person.
In Ayurveda, the approach to health is constitution-specific and based on a person's dosha (mind-body type). There are three different doshas that contain different combinations of the five elements: Vata (space and air); Pitta (fire and water); and Kapha (earth and water). Everyone has all three of these doshas, but in different proportions, and that is what makes us unique.
Ayurveda focuses on disease prevention by addressing the root cause early in the disease process. It is also a participatory approach to health where the client is empowered to take charge of their health by incorporating simple practices into their day.
Pillars of Health
The main pillars of health in Ayurveda include: diet, lifestyle and sleep, and these pillars can be addressed in an Ayurvedic health plan.
Digestion of both food and experiences is one of the most important factors for good health. In Ayurveda, we say "you are what you digest". In order for us to fully digest, absorb, and assimilate the nutrients from our food, and eliminate any wastes, our digestive fire (agni) must be optimal. Improperly digested food creates toxins (ama) that can accumulate in the body and may lead to disease. Diet should be constitution-specific to ensure imbalances are not created through our food.
The proper 'digestion' of experiences is equally important to ensure we do not accumulate mental ama. Much of this processing occurs during our sleep.
Lifestyle practices can include the incorporation of a healthy daily routine that aligns with the Ayurvedic clock, and daily (circadian) and seasonal rhythms. Movement/exercise often includes yoga postures, as yoga is the sister practice to Ayurveda.
Aromatherapy
Ayurvedic practices include taking care of our five sensory organs (skin, nose, mouth, ears, and eyes) as that is how we interact with the world. We can use these sensory organs in ways that can bring balance or imbalances to the mind and body. Aromatherapy / Essential Oil Therapy uses essential oils from aromatic plants to support balance through our sense of smell, and also through application to the skin. Essential oils can be inhaled, or diluted in a formulation so they can be safely applied on the skin to have further health benefits (e.g., muscle ointments). Aromatherapy has been an Ayurvedic practice for thousands of years through the use of aromatic plants such as Jasmine, Sandalwood, and Rose.
Essential oils can have positive effects on the mind and body through absorption on the skin, inhalation through our lungs, or through our nervous system via olfactory receptors in our nose. From our nose, there is a direct connection with the limbic system in the brain, which includes our centers for memory and emotional regulation.
Aromatherapy can be a wonderful way to practice self care, and can provide support for many things from pain management, to relaxation, to hair and skin care.
Turiya Therapy
Turiya Therapy is a safe and gentle therapy that works by applying pressure to the body's vital energy points (marma). Marma are the junction points between the mind, body, and spirit. By manipulating the marma points, you can influence the body's ability to self-heal. Marma manipulation shares similarities with acupressure in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Turiya refers to the transcendent state of awareness, somewhere between waking and dreaming, and can be a state of bliss. The goal of Turiya Therapy is to access this state to support balance of the mind and body.