Introduction of Ayurveda: The Science of Life

Presented by: Michael Macdonald Tutor, Australasian Institute of Ayurvedic Studies

Session 1 Ayurvedic Fundamentals

1. Introduction Ayurveda is the natural health science of India that has been practiced for more than 5,000 years. It is a Sanskrit word that translates as "the science of life.Ayurveda is a system of health care conceived and developed by the natural scientists of India through centuries of observation, experiment, discussion and meditation. Ayurveda emphasizes the prevention of disease, rejuvenation of the body and the extension of our life span. The profound premise and promise of Ayurveda is that through changes to diet & lifestyle, not only can we prevent disease but live a long, healthy life in balance and harmony. It provides an integrated approach to the prevention & treatment of illness through lifestyle changes and natural therapies. It is based on the view that the elements and forces that comprise all of nature are also seen in human beings. 2. Five Elements
Ayurveda believes that everything in this universe is made up of five great elements. Every substance in our world is made up of these five building blocks. Element Space Air Fire Water Earth State Etheric Gaseous Radiant Fluid Solid Qualities Soft, light & subtle Light, cold, dry & rough Hot, fast, sharp, stable & light Cold, oily, slow & soft Heavy, hard, slow, stable & dense

3. Doshas In Ayurvedic philosophy, the five elements combine in the human body in pairs to form three dynamic forces or interactions called Doshas. Dosha means, "that which changes." It is a word derived from the root dus, which is equivalent to the English prefix 'dys', such as in dysfunction, dystrophy, etc. In this sense, dosha can be regarded as a fault, mistake or error. The Doshas are constantly moving, in dynamic balance one with the others. Doshas are required for life to happen. In Ayurveda, dosha is also known as the governing principles as every living thing in nature is characterized by the dosha. The three active Doshas are called Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Introduction to Ayurveda Version One January 2011 Page 2 of 8 Copyright: AIAS, 2011

Dosha Function Vata Responsible for all bodily activities & sensations

Location Qualities Colon, bladder, thighs, Rough, dry, cold, hips & kidneys mobile, light, quick, clear, astringent & Controls movement of blood through the expansive circulatory system, breathing, delivery of nutrients to the cells and the removal & excretion of waste products Governs digestion and metabolic transformation of nutrients into biologically usable forms. It also imparts the capacity to absorb ideas and impressions and bestows intelligence and an enthusiasm for life. Small intestines, liver, gallbladder lower part of the stomach. spleen and pancreas Hot, Sharp, Penetrating, Light, Liquid, Sour, Oily and, Fleshy

Pitta

Kapha

Gives strength and stability, both physically and psychologically. It enhances resistance to disease and promotes the healing process

Lungs, upper part of the stomach, heart, tongue, and oesophagus

Cold, Damp, Dense, Heavy, Oily, Slow, Sweet, Stable and, Moist

1. Prakruti or Body Type According to Ayurveda, every individual is born with a unique combination of these Doshas in their body. Called Prakruti, this basic constitution is fixed throughout our lifetime. The combination of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha that is present in the sperm & ovum combine at the time of fertilization to create a unique individual. Your Prakruti is unique to you just as your fingerprint and DNA. Thus, in order to understand a person, it is necessary to determine their Prakruti. Ayurveda is the only science that works on the fundamental principle that every human being is born with his or her own unique body constitution or Prakruti.
Benefits of knowing you body type:

Helps you maintain optimal health. Helps you to maintain a good and balanced personal, family and professional life. Helps you to plan your lifestyle according to the requirements of your body. Helps you plan a balanced diet. Helps you to know how an imbalance is likely to occur in yourself.

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1. Prakruti Test
Vata Physique Height Eyes Physique is thin, very tall or short and non-muscular Height is above to below average Pitta Medium sized physique. Height is average Kapha Thick, broad and well developed physique. Height is average to tall Eyes are big, calm, and blue, with a loving gaze

Eyes are small, nervous, dry, Eyes are sharp, bright, black or brown sensitive to light, gray or green with a penetrating gaze Hair is dry, brittle, thin, coarse, brown, and black Skin is often dry and rough Pulse is fast, feeble and irregular. Sleep is short & irregular Light & inconsistent digestion.

Hair

Hair is oily, thick, luxuriant, wavy or Hair is fine and straight, blond, red, graying early or curly, dark brown, black balding Skin is soft, moist with moles or acne Pulse is full, jumping and regular. Sleep is light and short Good, strong digestion Skin is cool, thick, oily and moist. Pulse is slow, dull and rhythmic Sleep is sound and long. Slow digestion No strong preference to climate but likes warmth and dislikes humidity. Good long term memory.

Skin Pulse Sleep Digestion Weather Memory Learning Weight Appetite Food Emotions Sweat Bowels Lifestyle

Dislikes the cold, prefers heat. Dislikes hot weather. Good short term memory but Sharp memory and interrogative. poor long term. Quick to grasp concepts but easily forgets. Difficult to gain weight Appetite is changeable

Learns quickly and forgets Slow at grasping concepts but slow to slowly. forget. Difficult to lose weight Weight is stable Appetite is strong and intense and can become irritable when hungry. Likes cold food & drinks. Appetite is constant but can skips meals Craves sweet & salty foods Tendency towards selfishness & possessiveness Sweat is moderate or heavy with pleasant odour Bowel movements are heavy, slow, and thick Relaxed and easy going approach to life, loves being sedentary. My thinking is slow & methodical My dreams are of romance, sentimentality, water and snow My speech is slow & cautious

Likes sour, salty & sweet foods. Tendency towards anxiety Tendency towards anger, worries and fears. irritability and jealously. Sweat is Scanty with no odour Sweat is heavy with strong odour Bowel movements are soft, Bowel movements are dry, hard & prone to constipation oily, and loose Generally enthusiastic and lively. My thinking is quick and active My dreams are of running, flying, frightening things My speech is fast & talkative A perfectionist can be intolerant and impatient. My thinking is organised & efficient My dreams are of violence, fire, anger, passion, the sun My speech is precise & convincing

Thinking Dreams Speech

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Cannot save money with a tendency to impulse buying Personality Loves to be the centre of attention. Low stamina. Energy comes Stamina in spurts, then need to rest Money Total

Can save money, but will Thrifty with money but spend money spend it on luxuries on food Intelligent, judgemental and Loyal, forgiving and understanding. discriminating. Stamina is moderate or high. Stamina is high & long lasting. I can push myself too hard

1. Vrikruti or Imbalance Ideally, your constitution remains fixed throughout your life. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Every person is subjected to the constant interaction with his or her environment, which will affect the person's constitution at any time. The qualities in the environment and in our food can accumulate in our bodies and can disturb the dynamic balance between the Doshas. For example, if your Prakruti is Vata then your body will already be dry, cold, light & active because these are the dominant qualities of Vata. If you live in a cold climate and eat dry, cold & light foods then these qualities will accumulate in your body and cause Vata to become imbalanced. It is these imbalances that can lead to illness. In Ayurveda, this state of imbalance is called Vrikruti.

3. Daily Routines Ayurveda teaches that Vrikruti can be changed by means of diet and lifestyle to return your body to a balanced and healthy state. Below is a list of daily routines that can be followed to achieve this:

1. Keep your bodily intelligence in balance 2. Clean the 5 sense organs daily 3. Regular elimination of toxins 4. Observe the breath 5. Understand the importance of the six tastes 6. Recognise the role of Agni 7. Exercise every day 8. Recognise the role of the Mind 9. Learn how to create balance between Mind, Body & Soul 10. Recognise your emotions and work on them every day

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Text Books (Available from www.planetayurveda.co.nz)

Ayurveda The Science of Self Healing by: Dr Vasant Lad $24.00

This excellent book clearly explains the principles and practical application of Ayurveda, including its History & Philosophy, Diagnostic techniques and the medicinal use of kitchen herbs & spices. Dr. Lad is a Professor of Ayurvedic Medicine& is Director of the Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Ayurveda & the Mind $28.00 by: Dr David Frawley This book explores how to heal the mind on all levels from the subconscious to the superconscious, along with the role of diet, impressions, mantras, mediation & yoga to create wholeness. Dr. Frawley is a respected author in the field of Ayurveda, Vedic sciences & yoga. He is director of the American Institute of Vedic Studies. Ayurveda, Natures Medicine $28.00 by Dr David Frawley & Dr. Subhash Ranade This book covers all the material found in the two year Ayurvedic program taught in India to foreign students. It contains a full description of Ayurveda on all levels, from diet and herbs to yoga and meditation, explaining both Ayurvedic diagnostic and treatment techniques. Dr. Frawley is a respected author in the field of Ayurveda, Vedic sciences & yoga. He is director of the American Institute of Vedic Studies. Ayurvedic Healing: A Comprehensive Guide By Dr. David Frawley This book presents the Ayurvedic treatment of common diseases, covering over eighty different ailments from cancer to the common cold. It provides a full range of treatment methods including diet, herbs, oils, mantras and meditation. $26.00

Conscious Ayurvedic Cooking Over 2 hours of Ayurvedic cooking recipes are presented in this DVD, covering every meal of the day, from breakfast to dinner. Presented by Rippan Sandhu & Dr. S. Ajit, this DVD will help you understand the Ayurvedic principle that "food is medicine". The DVD pack also contains a recipe book of all items prepared. Charaka Samhita (7 volume set) by: R. K. Sharma, Bhagwan Dash The seminal text of Ayurvedic Medicine. This is by far the finest translation of the Sanskrit text by Achyra Charaka. It covers the complete medical wisdom of the Vedic era, covering topics such as illness and remedies, diet and regimens, The present translation is by the renowned Vidya, Bhagwan Dash. In the course of over thirty years dedicated to research and practice of Ayurveda, Dr. Dash has had an outstandingly brilliant academic career. $450.00

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A Handbook of Dravyaguna by: Prof J. K. Ojha The book describes basic concept of Dravyaguna (Herbology) as taught in the Syllabus of CCIM in India. It presents information on nomenclature, botanical identification & therapeutical uses of all the major herbs used in Ayurvedic Medicine Prof. Ojha is Dean of the faculty of Ayurveda at the Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi Massage CD By Dr. S. Ajit An interactive CD that explains the importance of massage in Ayurvedic treatment. It shows the type of strokes used in Ayurvedic massage, the location & significance of marma points, massage protocols for various body types & a section on self massage.

$75.00

$125.00

Yoga & Ayurveda: Self Healing & Self Realization $28.00 by: Dr. David Frawley This book highlights the close connection between Yoga & Ayurveda, exploring their shared world view & how both practices work at the physical, emotional & spiritual levels. It also discusses the role of the subtle body, emphasising the role of the chakras & nadis. It also discusses the shared practices of diet, herbs, asana, pranayam, mantras & meditation to strengthen & heal the body. Yoga of Herbs $24.00 By Dr. David Frawley This is an invaluable resource for people interested in the use of herbs according to Ayurveda principles. Over 270 herbs are explained in detail, how they can be used & information on their physical and psychological effects. A number of Chinese herbs are also introduced. Dr. Frawley is a respected author in the field of Ayurveda, Vedic sciences & yoga. He is director of the American Institute of Vedic Studies.

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