Why Ayurveda?
Ayurveda is a traditional healing system which originates in ancient India. Ayur is the Sanskrit word for “life” and veda is understood as “knowledge” or “wisdom.” It is a holistic legacy that resulted from an ancient quest for vitality and longevity so that individuals could live purposeful lives of contribution. Ayurvedic practices optimize wellness through harmonizing with natural cycles such as seasons, times of day, stages of life and development. These basic practices cultivate mind-body intelligence and self-care values through daily routine. Creating space in our lives for these routines empowers us to restore balance when we see we are depleted or to challenge ourselves when we see ourselves continuing in little habits that are weakening to our health.
Healing traditions are an essential aspect of all cultures. Perhaps you may come from a culture where there are still herbal traditions and nature-based practices. Some of us still have mothers or grandmothers who prepared a special soup during cold seasons to boost immunity or made a special treat that cooled us down in the summer. This intelligence has a cultural base, it is learned and understood, and in its place of origin, it intuited which foods to eat at which time of year; it had a knowledge of which herbs to throw into the pot to improve digestion and ward off microbial mischief. Unfortunately, as many people have left their cultures of origin, they have lost access to this fundamental knowledge base. The Ayurvedic approach to wellness considers individual constitutional uniqueness and cultivates a mind-body connection. Modern trends are beginning to link diet back to lifestyle and lifestyle to stress levels, and so on; but in Ayurveda (and other non-industrialized cultures), these were never seen as separate. Because Ayurveda is a tradition that can be easily referenced because it is written down and thoroughly explained in the ancient texts. In addition, it is a lineage that is still being taught and practiced today, much like Traditional Chinese Medicine.
The spirit of Ayurveda is not just about food. It is about approaching life as a meaningful experience where each challenge becomes an opportunity to explore our unique needs with creativity and respect, and daily routines restore our wonder at what it means to be a part of the world we live in.