The science of life
Ayurveda is the traditional healing system of India, it is more than 5000 years old and means "Science of Life". It encompasses as life the combination of body, mind and spirit as a whole, one part inseparable from another. And he understands as health, not only being free of disease as it is understood in the West, but something much deeper:
Health is a state of physical and mental joy, along with happiness and spiritual fulfillment.
Ayurveda is the knowledge that indicates what is and is not appropriate in life, the conditions of happiness and sadness in living, what is and is not auspicious for a long and healthy life.
Purpose of Ayurveda
Ayurveda focuses all its efforts on 2 fundamental purposes:
1) Alleviate the suffering of people related to their health
2) Preserve the health of healthy people and help them achieve the 4 principles of life:
Kama: wish fulfillment
Artha: having abundance on all levels
Dharma: act correctly and develop your gifts and life purpose
Moksha: liberation and spiritual realization
"Ayurveda is the science that shows appropriate and inappropriate, lucky or unfortunate living conditions, what is favorable and what is not for longevity, as well as how to value life itself. - CHARAKA SAMHITA I, 41 -
The 5 Elements
In Ayurveda everything is made up of the 5 elements: Ether, Air, Fire, Water and Earth. They represent the 5 states or qualities of energy or matter. Western science cannot measure them, but we know them through their qualities and experience them through our physical, mental, and emotional experiences.
The 5 elements are present in all things in an infinite variety of proportions. Although each element has a range of attributes, only a few are evident in each situation. This variety of proportions and attributes allows for the enormous diversity of life. The 5 elements are part of the dynamic dance of creation, so they are constantly changing and interacting. A change in one element affects the others.
ETHER is the most subtle element and we rarely think about it. It is similar to space, its qualities are soft and light.
AIR is gaseous, and has the qualities of air. It is light, clear, dry, cold, rough, and scattered/mobile.
FIRE is the power of change and transformation. It has the qualities of hot, sharp, sharp, subtle, light.
WATER is liquid, cold, oily and soft. It has no form in itself.
EARTH is substantial, with the qualities of heavy, dense, solid, oily and stable.
Human beings are made up of these 5 elements and we are constantly interacting with the entire Universe and its 5 elements.
The 3 dohas: Vital Energies
To make the principle of the 5 elements more practical and applicable to the human body, the ancient sages of Ayurveda described them in the form of 3 vital energies or doshas.
The doshas are responsible for all physicochemical and physiological processes in your body and mind. Each of your physical, mental and emotional characteristics can be described in terms of the 3 doshas.
Each dosha is made up of the 5 elements, but two of them are more predominant, and like the elements, they cannot be detected by our senses, but through their qualities.
VATA = ETHER + AIR. Qualities: light, cold, dry, rough, subtle, mobile
PITTA = FIRE + WATER. Qualities: light, warm, slightly oily, penetrating, strong-smelling, liquid
KAPHA = WATER + EARTH. Qualities: oily, cold, heavy, slow, stable, dense, smooth Vata, Pitta and Kapha have specific functions within the body, but they do not work separately. Complete health and well-being is only possible when the 3 doshas work together in harmony and balance. If they are unbalanced, diseases and ailments appear.
As they are dynamic energies, each dosha has 3 states: balance, aggravation or decrease. The body wisely always has a natural tendency to maintain the balanced state of the 3 doshas.
VATA
Vata is mainly air and means "that which moves things". It is our vital force or prana and it comes mainly from the breath. It is the force that gives energy and movement to the whole body and mind. It is the motivating force of the other two doshas.
The functions of the Vata dosha are movement, enthusiasm, excretion, cellular transport, inhalation and exhalation, mental and sensory balance.
In excess, Vata can cause fear, anxiety, lack of grounding, constipation, bloating, poor circulation, general weakness, insomnia, vertigo, body and joint pain, dry skin, tremors.
PITA
Pitta está regido principalmente por el elemento fuego y significa “aquello que digiere las cosas”. Es el principio de la transformación y el calor porque es el responsable de todas las conversiones químicas y metabólicas del organismo que crean energía y calor. Son funciones del dosha Pitta la digestión, el hambre y la sed, la pasión, la inteligencia, el calor corporal, la visión, la capacidad de entender la realidad y percibir las cosas tal como son. En exceso, Pitta puede causar ira, rabia, celos, inflamación, calor excesivo, acidez, úlceras, diarrea, sed y hambre intensa, picores, sudor excesivo, fatiga, mal olor corporal, enrojecimiento, migraña.
KAPHA
Kapha es primordialmente agua y significa “aquello que mantiene las cosas unidas”. Es el responsable de la estabilidad y soporte del organismo y conforma la mayor parte de nuestra estructura: huesos, músculos, tejidos, células y fluidos corporales. Son funciones del dosha Kapha la fortaleza de músculos y articulaciones, la conservación de los tejidos, la suavidad, la humectación, la empatía, la paciencia y el amor En exceso, Kapha puede causar apego, avaricia, resistencia al cambio, falta de motivación, pesadez en la mente y el cuerpo, sueño excesivo, depresión, metabolismo lento, congestión, retención de líquidos, sobrepeso.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Indiaveda was born with the illusion of sharing the ancestral wisdom of India in a modern and close way, allowing the knowledge, herbs and supplements related to Ayurveda and Yoga to reach more people interested in leading a healthy and conscious life.
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Gabriela Ana
Holistic Health Coach
+34 604 398 948
