The ancient Vedic culture has been one of India’s greatest gifts to its people and many others throughout the world. Among the culture’s valuable offerings is the traditional healing system called ‘Ayurveda’. Experts are of the opinion that it came into being about 5000 years ago, and was developed into a more organized and effective system in the years that followed. This tradition has been kept alive even in recent times. Numerous individuals across the world are reaping the benefits of living the Ayurvedic way of life today.
Top Features of Ayurvedic lifestyle and treatment
It strives to maintain a perfect balance
The very essence of Ayurvedic lifestyle is to maintain a unique state of harmony in a human body. This is done by balancing the body, mind, and spirit. It takes into account the universal principles that make up the material world, called the three ‘doshas’. These doshas are Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Vata comprises of air and space, while pitta consists of fire and water. Kapha is composed of earth and water. All these three doshas can be found in everything that constitutes this universe, but in varying proportions. A good balance of these doshas is essential for a healthy body, mind and soul.
It aims to remove the cause of problem
There can be several reasons behind imbalances in a human body. An Ayurvedic way of life combats these imbalances by removing the cause rather than dealing only with the problem. The whole idea behind this is that when the cause of trouble is thrown out, the human body does all the healing by itself. If toxins are causing certain problems in a person, Ayurveda has its own traditional remedies that aid in their removal.
It makes use of opposites in healing
After the cause of imbalance in an individual’s body is identified and removed, Ayurveda seeks to bring balance in the body with the use of opposites. To encounter an excess heat in a human body, something effective at cooling is used. This is observed in cases of acidity, where some cooling herbs are used to deal with excessive heat in the digestive system.
It supports the digestive fire in a human body
According to the Ayurvedic system, the digestive fire must be supported in order to absorb the nutritious elements and discard the waste materials. This fire or pitta helps in digestion, aids the process of metabolism, and maintains a favorable body temperature. Just as fire helps in transforming something, pitta helps in converting food into valuable elements for the body.