AYURVEDA 101 Finding Vibrant Health with the Science of Life
FINDING THE GOAL OF AYURVEDA
FINDING THE GOAL OF AYURVEDA What is the goal of Ayurveda? The goal of Ayurveda is summed up in the Sanskrit word, swastya. Swastya means health. Being in a state of health means being in a state of balance -- physically balanced, mentally balanced, emotionally balanced. Ayurveda is a holistic perspective. On a concrete level, the expression of health is dynamic living. For centuries, if not millennia, Ayurveda has helped people live with more energy to prevent premature bad health, enhance the body s immunity and nurture the body to good health when ill. People have used Ayurveda to manage their health, whether dealing with balding, back pain or bolstering immunity. Swastya also means being established in one s self Generally, we talk about the body and mind -- mental health and physical health; but Ayurveda emphasizes from the beginning that we should be established in ourselves. For physical health, we want a liver that functions well, senses that perceive correctly, low cholesterol and a normal blood-sugar level. In the same way, Ayurveda emphasizes that we should be spiritually healthy. Ayurveda 101 3
What does this mean? A mind that is calm and collected and that does not get thrown off balance easily. Ayurveda views strength as balance. Ayurveda and its sister science of yoga help stay spiritually fit and physically strong. Wellness is living the dynamic expression of your own nature to its full potential. In Bali, Indonesia, they actually greet saying, Om swasti rastu, which means, May you be in the best of health: spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally. Wishing you and all our readers, Om swasti rastu. Ayurveda 101 4
KEYS TO AYURVEDA
2 Swastya, or health, is the aim of Ayurveda. Given that health is our goal, Ayurveda has two main purposes: 1) The first is to assist healthy people stay well for a long time. 2) The second goal is to get people healthy again. The first is a preventative approach to health and the second is using Ayurveda as part of an integrative approach to healing. HOW TO STAY WELL: PRAKRUTI Align with Your Nature Prakruti means your original nature. Each of us are born with a distinct natural constitution. By understanding our nature, we have the foundations to build a healthy lifestyle. One that is designed to support our specific nature -- comprising diet, activity and self-care. Specific food choices may be positive for one person while irritating for another. This is because the beneficiality of a particular food depends on our nature -- so it s vitally important to understand our nature first. Ayurveda 101 6
HOW TO GET WELL: VIKRUTI Back to Balance Due to the influence of climate, stress, lifestyle or nutrition, the body falls ill from time to time. Ayurveda plays a key role as part of a complete, integrative, approach to health. It can help complement standard medical techniques in reducing complications, invigorating health and restoring balance. Vikruti means falling out of line with our nature. It is a state where balance has been lost. Returning to balance is the second goal of Ayurveda. Tying it Together An Ayurveda consultation starts with the question: what is your nature, your prakruti? Simply by feeling your pulse, a skilled Ayurveda health practitioner (AHP) can tell your nature. Based on this, recommendations can be given for the food, lifestyle habits and supplements that will best support your health. In the second part of the consultation, an Ayurveda health practitioner assesses where alignment has been lost with your nature. Stunningly, what has come out of alignment can be described in accurate detail. Often done without any discussion, by merely reading the pulse. Suggestions can then be made for the practices, foods and supplements that could be used as part of a complementary health approach to align you with your nature again. Being well and getting well, prakruti and vikruti, are the two key concepts for understanding Ayurveda s amazing, integrative approach to living with vibrant health. Ayurveda 101 7
NATURES
3 OUR NATURE IS WHAT WE ARE BORN WITH When we eat the proper food and follow the lifestyle that best suits our nature, we increase our chances of staying fit, healthy and happy for life. Our physical nature, or our innate constitution, is referenced by many names in Sanskrit. Often the words dosha and prakriti are used to label our nature. In Brief: The three main natures are vata, pitta and kapha. Vata - light, quick, adaptable Pitta - sharp, strong, active Kapha - heavy, slow, persistent What is the importance of our natural constitution? Your constitution tells you what food, herbs and lifestyle choices best support your health. In combination with understanding your vikruti (what has fallen out of alignment), your constitution plays a key role in building your personal health plan. Ayurveda 101 9
VATA Those who are born with more of the space and air element have a vata constitution. Generally, a vata person will be very thin, more talkative, restless; they typically have a lower body weight, dry skin, brittle nails, thin hair, and small, slightly sunken eyes. While walking, their joints may make sounds. In terms of climate, they tend to prefer warm or hot weather and may have trouble tolerating the cold. They have a hard time gaining weight and tend to be thin. PITTA Pitta people are those who are born with hotter constitutions, containing more of the fire element. A pitta person is generally active, good looking, a perfectionist, dynamic, intelligent and also short tempered. They may have leadership qualities, a moderate build, a smart personality and a sharp nose. Their eyes will also be sharp, sometimes offset with a slight pinkish tint. They are generally slightly warm to the touch with rosy lips and pink nails with a slight curve. Due to the unfortunate ease with which a pitta person gets imbalanced, hair loss and early greying are common. Ayurveda 101 10
KAPHA Kapha indicates a preponderance of the water and earth elements. People with this Kapha constitution are generally cool, calm, lazy, cheerful and stocky (if not overweight). If assigned a task, they never complete the task in time. Ayurveda says that because a Kapha person is the least bothered, they are the happiest type of person. They re cheerful all the time! Other qualities include a thick build, thick, dark hair, big eyes with white around, and prominent, shiny, white teeth. The skin may also be thick, moist, and a little cool to the touch. As a personality type, while they tend to accumulate stuff, they also have a sharing streak that moves them to service for society. These are the three main constitutions, though mixes also appear pitta-kapha, pitta-vata, vata-kapha. Saamya also exists, meaning one whose constitution contains all five elements in equal ratios. By knowing your constitution, you are equipped with an invaluable tool with which to choose the foods, lifestyle habits and supplements that will best support your optimum health. Ayurveda 101 11
4TOOLS OF AYURVEDA
4 4 AYURVEDA TOOLS TO SUPPORT YOUR HEALTH Preventative Care A preventative approach to healing assists in preserving health and longevity for years to come. Maintenance-wise, our car requires regular tune-ups and yearly maintenance. Why don t we tune up our bodies? In addition to regular check-ups with a physician, Ayurveda emphasizes a holistic, self-care approach to maintaining one s health. Ayurveda s emphasis on preventative healing measures are decidedly effective and teach ways for practitioners to deal with issues before they begin. According to Ayurveda, there are six stages of ill health. They begin with imbalance and gradually increase to disease. Like weeding, Ayurveda emphasizes clearing the flower bed before the weeds take over. The preventative Ayurvedic approach is built on four pillars: food, lifestyle, rejuvenators & supplements. When a person is in poor health, they are in need of a different approach that is meant to address imbalances with holistic healing practices and balancing supplements. Skilled practitioners of Ayurveda use pulse assessment to determine which specific supplements, food and lifestyle practices will restore balance. Ayurveda 101 13
Balance through Ayurveda improves a person s health, energy, and youthful vitality. The four keys to health: 1. FOOD Whether you are a Vata, Pitta or Kapha person, the most important element for maintaining balance is following the diet that suits your constitution. A healthy person who knows his natural constitution will be able to follow a diet best suited for maintaining balance. A person in poor health can learn what sort of dietary changes will help restore balance. What we eat goes to our stomach, which is like the root of our system. Like a tree, which derives its nutrients and energy from its root system, humans derive their nutrients and energy from what is put into the stomach. From our stomach, our entire body is nourished. As the old saying goes, You are what you eat. Finding the right diet, based on our constitution, is the first and most important step to keeping your whole body healthy, youthful, and energetic. Ayurveda 101 14
2. LIFESTYLE Finding a recommended lifestyle routine is vital to maintaining balance and correcting disparity. After food, lifestyle comes as the most important way to stay in balance. Lifestyle includes: A routine of health Waking and sleeping at regular times Going out for regular exercise, according to your constitution Self-massage with suitable oils Centering yourself with a few minutes of stillness and meditation Light yoga Finding a recommended lifestyle routine for your type is vital to maintaining balance and correcting imbalance. 3. REJUVENATORS Rejuvenators, rasayana, are a variety of ancient supplements that promote the rejuvenation of the body and the maintenance of a young, vital, dynamic and energetic self. Rejuvenators work to make the body feel young and refreshed. Rejuvenators are not simply food, they are powerful solutions to problems that ail many of us -- solutions to whatever upsets balance and health. Concerning the many factors that upset balance and health, there are equally as many rejuvenators to combat these problems. Ayurveda 101 15
4. NATURAL SUPPLEMENTS There are many traditional Ayurvedic herbal supplements that are used in a variety of ways. They include spices in our food and herbs that promote detoxification of the body. Choosing the right herbal supplements is a matter of understanding both one s constitution and one s imbalance. Whether in need of detoxification or wanting to combat stress, lethargy, or poor digestion, Ayurveda has numerous herbal supplements to help promote longevity and vibrant health. Now you re set knowing the four key tools of Ayurveda. These tools can be used with a knowledge of your nature to make choices that lead to greater balance and health. In section 5, we ll dive into Ayurveda s five elements. Ayurveda 101 16
ELEMENTS
5 This section was written on the occasion of Earth Day, when it seemed natural to talk about the five elements of nature. When we look at nature, there are five elements that provide the foundation for the entire physical world space, air, fire, water and earth. Ayurveda recognizes these elements as the building blocks of all material existence. We nourish ourselves with foods that come from the Earth, and eventually our body returns to the earthly matter from which it came. Fire provides the body with heat and radiant energy, it also exists within all metabolic and chemical actions. Water is our life-sustaining liquid, making up more than 70 percent of our total body mass. Air gives movement to biological functions and feeds every cell with oxygen. Space provides the other elements with an opportunity to interact in the ways we just mentioned. Ayurveda 101 18
The Five Elements explain why substances of the natural world are harmonious with the human body. In Ayurveda, we use plants, herbs, minerals, and water because these substances are the same in composition and character to our own underlying makeup. Physiologically, the five elements function as three natures, vata, pitta, and kapha. Ayurveda 101 19
TASTES TO SPICE UP YOUR LIFE
6 Four basic questions of Ayurveda: What is good for your body? What is not good for your body? What makes you happy? What makes you sad? As we all know food can be thrown under all four aspects of those categories. That is why in Ayurveda food is of the upmost importance. Ayurveda does something way different than what we are used to seeing in the world of nutrition: it considers how tastes and spices impact our health and wellness. Rather than saying a food is good for you or bad for you, Ayurveda takes a more nuanced approach. Ayurveda looks at how different flavors impact different body types. Based on this categorization, Ayurveda offers look at how to balance our system through food, by incorporating certain flavors into our meals. On the surface all of this may seem complex, but we ll break it down for you ending with a delicious and simple recipe. Ayurveda 101 21
THE 6 TASTES OF AYURVEDA AND THEIR BENEFITS In Ayurveda there are six tastes: sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent. All of these tastes have distinct benefits, but keep in mind the benefits can actually be drawbacks, depedning on your type (we ll talk more about that in the next section). Too much or too little of these foods can cause impurities in the body which lead to poor health. A sample of each taste with examples and benefits: Sweet Examples: Grains, starch, sugar, honey, fruit Benefits: Cooling, grounding, nourishing,strengthens, promotes longevity, great for gaining weight Sour Examples: Berries, citrus, vinegar, cheese, yogurt Benefits: Warming, stimulates appetite, grounding, improves digestions,im proves elimination Ayurveda 101 22
Salty Examples: Soy sauce, table salt, sea salt Benefits: Grounding, moistening, promotes warmth, weight gain, water re tention, promotes proper electrolyte balance Bitter Examples: Kale, romaine lettuce, beets, broccoli Benefits: Cooling, calming, drying, cleanses the body Pungent Examples: Chilies, cayenne, peppers Benefits: Improves appetite, clears sinus, stimulates blood circulations, awakens the senses Astringent Examples: Grape skins, green apples, dried beans, lentil, figs, tea Benefits: Cools, slows digestion, drying, lightens body Ayurveda 101 23
HOW TASTE IMPACTS TYPE Any combination of these tastes can cause benefits or pitfalls depending on your dosha. We ve probably all noticed how different foods impact different people, and this is one of the few approaches to nutrition that goes into why different foods impact people in a variety of ways. It gives each type of person an approach on how exactly to modify their diet. If you aren t sure which dosha you are there are many different tests available on the internet. Here is a really great dosha quiz that gives insight not only to what dosha you are, but also how balanced you are within your dosha. Vata: Tastes You Want: Sweet, Sour, Salty Tastes You Don t Want: Astringent, Bitter, Pungent Pitta: Tastes You Want: Sweet, Bitter, Astringent Tastes You Don t Want: Sour, Salty, Pungent Kapha: Tastes You Want: Pungent, Bitter, Astringent Tastes You Don t Want: Sweet, Sour, Salty Ayurveda 101 24
INVOLVING ALL 6 FLAVORS Beyond just counting calories and cholesterol Have you ever eaten a healthy meal only to feel completely unsatisfied at the end? How about a heavy meal that left you feeling tired and bloated? The idea behind the balancing of six flavors is that it will help our brain process food in such a way that we ll eat just the right amount. When we eat our brain is constantly at work processing the biological and mental process. When we are hungry, the first thing that happens is our brain sends a message to our body. As we eat, the taste buds inform the brain what type of foods we re eating. When we don t eat all six flavors our brain thinks that we haven t received an adequate amount of nutrition. The lack of six flavors usually leads to an imbalance in nutrition. First off, if your brain doesn t think you have enough types of food, it ll signal your body to continue eating. If you are only eating one type of food this will result in you eating more and more of it until you are gorged, but due to the fact the meal is not well-balanced, you won t feel as if you did you duty eating. By eating all the six flavors you will quickly eat your fill while simultaneously feeling full afterwards. It cannot be understated how important it is to actually combine all six flavors. Not only does this help signal our body to not overeat, but it also helps to ensure we re getting a wide variety of foods in our diet. Given the differences in nutritional makeup of all foods, the higher variety we have in our diets, the better our health. Ayurveda 101 25
EASY AND QUICK SAMPLE MENUS Incorporating all six flavors is a lot simpler than people out there may think. While you may need to put a little more thought into meal planning at first, you soon may realize a lot of staples naturally have all six flavors. Here are two samples, a lunch and a dinner with a Mediterranean twist, to give you an idea of what a meal with all six flavors could include: Lunch: Basil, Mozarella & Tomato sandwich Sweet: Whole Grain Bread Sour: Tomato Salty: Sandwich Mustard Pungent: Cheese Astringent: Sprouts, Basil Bitter: Lettuce Dinner: Pasta with Tomato Sauce Sweet: Pasta Sour: Marinara Sauce Salty: Table Salt Pungent: Peppers Astringent: Basil and Bay Leaf Bitter: Spinach Ayurveda 101 26
Now that you have a general idea of how Ayurveda approaches the six flavors, you re well on your way to healthier, more satisfying meals. There is a fine art to customizing meals to each type to provide balance. To get the best results we highly recommend consulting with a professional to assess your Ayurvedic type and nutritional needs. And now there are many cookbooks available online that specialize in Ayurvedic recipes and meal planning. Bon Appetit! Ayurveda 101 27
7BENEFITS OF AYURVEDA
7 When a body is in a healthy balance, this balance radiates through the body and manifests itself in outward appearance. As founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said, Health is not the mere absence of disease. It is the dynamic expression of life. The dynamic expression of life is multifaceted, as are the benefits of Ayurveda. Here are seven clear benefits that many practitioners of Ayurveda have experienced: Staying Well: So much of western medicine is focused on the treatment of disease. While western medicine is now catching up to the ancient wisdom of preventative care, Ayurveda has for thousands of years offered practitioners the means to maintain health and stave off disease. By attuning our diets and lifestyles to our unique constitutions, we maintain the balance within ourselves that maintains good health. Beautiful Skin: Healthy skin is beautiful skin. Best, then, to care for our skin by first understanding our skin. Whether you have dry vata skin, sensitive pitta skin, or oily kapha skin, once you understand your skin type, you can find which ancient, natural skin treatments will best balances these qualities and promote healthy, beautiful skin. Ayurveda promotes glowing skin by the inclusion of certain ingredients, like turmeric, in cooking, by regular application of oil, by specialty treatments such as nasya and abhyanga and by certain all-natural facial masks. Ayurveda also treats the root of certain skin problems by improving one s digestive capacity, which adds lustre to the skin. Ayurveda 101 29
Improved Concentration: Ayurveda also grounds us, allowing us to be focus more in the present moment and worry less about the future. In our contemporary world, with the speed of travel, information overload, and the constant, mechanical noise that pervades our lives, it is easy to become distracted, to find our minds disquieted and anxious. When we slow down, when we get to better know and understand our bodies and the way in which our body s natural constitutions require balance, our minds follow this lead. A balancing diet and lifestyle sooth our minds and allow for easier, more focused concentration. Mental balance is no less important than physical balance, and Ayurvedic practices are designed to promote mental balance as much as physical. De-stressing: Much in the same way our minds lose focus, we stress. Working under pressure, as most of us do, aggravates vata and produces stress. This vata imbalance affects the joints first and isn t it so that we often first notice high stress levels by a sore, clenched jaws? Ayurveda, through diet and lifestyle, alleviates stress. These practices ameliorate vata imbalance and soothe pitta. Revitalizing energy: It is so easy in this world to shirk sleep when working toward a deadline, to unmindfully eat foods out of season or even too late in the evening. We all do things that unbalance our bodies and minds, which leads to sluggishness and lethargy. Coffee and other stimulants might work in a pinch, but Ayurveda offers a comprehensive, long-term approach to revitalizing energy. Ayurveda practices and routines help ensure that we get enough rest and the right quality of rest. Cleansing practices like the Ayurveda Detox Guide or the residential Panchakarma detox help eliminate toxins and heaviness so that we feel fresh and alive throughout the day. Ayurveda 101 30
Relaxation: Grounding and relaxing is vital to maintaining healthy skin and hair, to preventing stress, and to revitalizing energy. It is so easy to get out of natural stability, yet being mindful of our body s natural constitution helps to restore the balance that precipitates relaxation. When you are relaxed, you feel comfortable and content in mind and body, and so this is an important benchmark for physical, mental, and spiritual balance. Abhagyam, body massage, is also important for relaxation. Whether using self massage practices or pursuing a therapeutic massage, these practices, especially when enhanced with Ayurvedic oils and various heat sources, help remove excess vata that causes our stress. Anti-aging: Have you ever known a person who seems to have aged beyond their years? We say that they lived a hard life, meaning one of great stress, a life of significant physical, mental, and spiritual imbalance. We wear the signs of our health on our faces. Through balancing our nature, maintaining a healthy balance between vata, pitta, and kapha, we reduce the very stresses and anxieties that wear out our bodies. This balance not only promotes a healthy, youthful body; Ayurveda also promotes a healthy, youthful mind, even as we age. For the dynamic expression of life, we need healthy, balanced bodies and healthy, balanced minds. By being mindful of what we eat, the way we live, and the way we handle stress, we can maintain and promote the balance in our lives so vital to the dynamic expression of life. These seven are simply a few of the treasures the practice of Ayurveda has to offer. Ayurveda 101 31
WAYS TO JUMPSTART YOUR LIFE WITH AYURVEDA
8 Here wewill review eight ways Ayurveda can integrate into your schedule and provide greater balance in your life. Ayurveda is not something outside our daily routine. Rather, it is a science of life that can raise the quality of so many aspects of our life. How we rest: Regardless of your Ayurvedic type, a few minutes of sitting quietly with yourself and turning inward through meditation helps clear the mind and rejuvenate the body. For balancing our system on a regular basis and providing deep rest, meditation is a key part of the Ayurveda toolkit. How we yoga: Ayurveda can inform your yoga practice. Some more vigorous yoga may be great for heavier people with a kapha nature to rejuvenate them; lighter people with a vata nature may enjoy a grounding approach, holding each posture longer; pitta people can use yoga to find deep rest by complementing active postures with long rest and perhaps even a meditation afterwards. Once you know your nature, according to Ayurveda, you can use this knowledge to enliven your yoga practice to support your type. Ayurveda 101 33
How we dine: Once we know our nature, we can use that knowledge to emphasize certain types of foods in our diet. Given that our nature reacts well to certain foods and gets irritated by others, you can plan a restorative diet. Also, incorporating the 6 tastes into your meals will create a more satisfying feeling at the dining table. How we plan: Plan to Rest. Like the string of a bow that goes back farther to shoot the arrow forward, proper rest lets you be more dynamic in activity. Plan a little time to rest, especially if you tend to forge ahead from one task to the next or anxiety troubles you. You can also use the knowledge of your nature to plan how much sleep you need at night or whether a mid-day nap could help you to be more productive (not for kapha types). We can also arrange our sleep schedule to get the most out of our sleep, going to bed before 10pm. How we decorate: Do you prefer soothing, calming colors? Or would you liven up an atmosphere by adding bold, vibrant colors to your surroundings? Scent also plays a role in how you create a space that balances your mind and suits your nature. Similarly, all five senses can be stimulated in a way that either rejuvenates, relaxes or grounds you. Ayurveda 101 34
How we exercise: Regular exercise benefits every body type, keeping us strong and healthy. But the type of exercise can also depend on the type of person. Pitta types generally use steady, moderate exercise; kapha types require stronger exercise that requires more endurance; and vata types can enjoy light exercise in moderation. How we are compassionate: When we know that someone has a certain nature, we can look past small events and conflicts. We can see that certain imbalances too much fire, too much heaviness result in certain reactions (or lack of action). Understanding the three natures and the play of the five elements allows us to avoid getting stuck in personality conflicts, and instead to look at the bigger picture and view events as passing disturbances. How we restore: We realize our body is an instrument and, like a car needs yearly maintenance, our body requires tuning up now and again. We can incorporate regular cleansing into our diet (the Ayurveda Detox Guide is available online and is a great way to cleanse and even lose weight at home). We can take some time out to be with nature and to be in silence, restoring our senses. Every so often, we can take time out for a Panchakarma program to nourish and restore our body through a combination of personal assessment, diet, yoga, meditation and treatments specially designed to restore us to balance. Ayurveda 101 35
The possibilities are endless really. Ayurveda is something that enhances life. It has so many practical applications to restore harmony in our surroundings and our relationships. Ayurveda can affect they way we live life each day, bringing rejuvenation, energy, deep rest, calmness and clarity all within our reach. It does this using time-tested, all-natural tools that are as relevant now as they were 5,000 years ago. I hope you enjoyed this introduction and thank you for completing this book. I hope Ayurveda as a practice gives you as much health and clarity as this healing tradition has shared with me and my friends. To your health and happiness! Om swasti rastu! Ayurveda 101 36
* The information contained in this guide is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease. The presentation of information here in this booklet is solely for educational purposes and not meant to replace the valuable advice, diagnosis and treatment of a medical practitioner. Shankara Ayurveda Spa at the Art of Living Retreat Center 639 Whispering Hills Road Boone, NC 28607 (828) 264-8382 ayurveda@artoflivingretreatcenter.org