Jivaka Ayurveda - Ayurveda

What is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda means "the science of life". It is an ancient system of healing that focuses on the complete person which, includes the body, mind and spirit. Traditional medicine tends to focus on a specific symptom or disease. Ayurveda says that for complete wellness to occur, the body, mind and spirit must be in harmony with each other and naturally resistant to disease causing conditions.

What is wellness?
Ayurveda defines wellness not as "the absence of defined disease" but when all bodily tissues, organs, systems and functions are acting together in a healthy way and are able to maintain health and wellness in spite of potential illness causing influences. Ayurveda believes that by balancing the various mind-body functions the natural intelligence of the body will automatically bring itself to wellness.

Does Ayurveda replace traditional medical practices?
Ayurveda uses natural processes and methods whenever possible for bringing wellness and restoring good health. Traditional medicine usually attempts to restore health by treating the symptoms of the body or by attacking the disease, and usually uses artificial drugs and medicines to treat these symptoms and diseases. Ayurveda is complimentary to traditional medical practices and does not replace medical diagnosis and treatment.

How is health and wellness created?
Ayurveda recognizes that each person has a unique mind-body constitution. Ayurveda then identifies the various components of that individual's constitution, determines where imbalances and disturbances exist, and provides education, guidance and a plan for helping the individual bring about their own improvements in health and wellness.

Ayurvedic practices focus on clearing disturbances and balancing metabolic and energetic patterns that support constitutional resilience. It is the individual's implementation of the right Ayurvedic practices that brings about balance and wellness. People are more vulnerable to developing pathological illness or disease when vital energies of the mind, body and spirit are disrupted. Ayurveda can assist in learning how to improve health through improved lifestyle functions.

How does Ayurveda fit into the medical picture?
The National Institute of Health Office of Complementary and Alternative Medicine currently considers Ayurveda a form of complementary and alternative medicine in the United States. In the State of California, Ayurveda is a non-licensed profession. Its practice was formally legalized under the passage of Senate Bill 577 in January 2003. Ayurvedic consultations are considered alternative or complementary to healing arts that are licensed by the State of California.

Is Ayurveda a form of natural healing?
The ancient wisdom of Ayurveda is based on a deep understanding of the forces at work within all of nature. Since we are part of nature, we are all created from the same basic elements. They are: space, air, fire, water and earth.


Space	Air	Fire	Water	Earth

These are the elements of the environment and of ourselves. The forces influencing nature are the same forces within each of us. By understanding these forces, we come to understand our selves.

How does one take charge of their own health?
Ayurveda provides the tools necessary to both restore and maintain health so that disease can no longer find a foothold within the body. This is accomplished through close attention to balance in one’s life. Balance is the natural order; imbalance is disorder. Health is order; disease is disorder. After creating an optimum environment that supports the body’s natural healing processes, the body will respond by healing itself. Cultivating an awareness of Ayurveda and its principles is very empowering, as it allows us to take charge of our own health and healing. As we gain an understanding of how to create balance according to our own individual constitution, we are able to make healthful choices and to understand the repercussions when we do not.

How is balance created?
Ayurveda brings balance by healing through opposites. For example, if you are overheated, your therapies may be cooling in nature. Excessive moisture might need to be dried out. If your life is too fast-paced, you may need to slow down. If your digestion is sluggish, it may need to be stimulated. If some health aspect were too variable, routine would be applied to bring regularity.

What methods are used to restore balance?
Ayurveda uses a truly holistic approach to restore balance, addressing mind, body and spirit. This is accomplished through many healing modalities, which affect all five senses. Balance is cultivated through food programs, herbs, self-massage, aromatherapy, color and sound therapies, yoga, meditation, breathing exercises, and other lifestyle adjustments.

How are Ayurveda and Yoga related?
Ayurveda and Yoga are sister sciences and are intrinsically intertwined. Ayurveda is the healing side of Yoga, and Yoga is the spiritual side of Ayurveda. Both strive to help a person re-connect with their true nature. Together, they encompass a complete approach to the well-being of the body, mind and soul, resulting in a truly holistic medical system.