What Is Ayurveda?

Ayurveda is the oldest holistic system of medicine, Yoga’s sister science, and the world’s most sophisticated and powerful mind-body health systems. 

More than a system of treating illness, Ayurveda is literally a science of living healthily  (Ayur = life, Veda = science or knowledge). The path of healing through Ayurveda empowers us to take back control of our own health and live a life that supports our mind, body and soul.

Ayurveda will help you learn how to best tune into and recalibrate your body & mind so that you can live in harmony with your True Nature as Spirit.

To create a healthy body and mind, Ayurveda looks at the breath, the foods we eat, and daily routines and self-care practices as key ingredients.

When you meditate, the mind is able to relax and restore balance. Similarly, when you learn how and what to eat, you begin nourishing your unique mind-body constitution. When you begin to establish supportive daily routines your nervous system restores, creating deeper harmony within and with the world around you.

Ayurveda is built around the five elements of ether, air, fire, water, and earth. The unique combination of these elements come together to make up the doshas—the constitutions of vata, pitta, and kapha.

VATA (Ether & Air)
Means “that which moves things”

Governs circulation and movement
Qualities dry, light, cold, rough, hard, subtle, clear, mobile
Site in body colon, thighs, hips, ears, bones, and organs of touch

Pitta (Fire & Water)

Means “that which digests things”

Governs metabolism and digestion
Qualities oily, sharp, penetrating, hot, light, unpleasant odor, spreading, liquid
Site in body small intestine, stomach, sweat, sebaceous glands, blood, lymph, and organs of vision

Kapha (Earth & Water)

Means “that which holds things together”

Governs structure and fluid balance

Qualities cold, wet, heavy, dull, sticky, soft, steady, solid, smooth
Site in body chest, lungs, throat, head, sides, pancreas, stomach, lymph, and fat

Each person has all three of these doshas within them. The balance of these doshas at the moment of conception defines what Ayurveda calls one’s constitution or “prakruti”. That is our true nature and optimal moment of health. 

As we grow and take in our environment through our five senses, the doshas fluctuate and can become aggravated and overflow into areas of the body and mind. This causes different imbalances, or symptoms , also known as your “vikruti”.  

The goal of Ayurveda is to restore the proper balance of the doshas by balancing agni, or your digestive fire, and to build reserves of ojas, the nectar that builds immunity, happiness and spiritual strength.