In Sanskrit, Ayurveda is the science of life, it is the sister science of yoga. Both yoga and Ayurveda developed together and have influenced the other through history. It has long been thought that Ayurveda is one of the most remarkable holistic medical systems in the world, having been in existence for thousands of years.

Ayurveda’s purpose is to look at the bodily and mental diseases and prevent them versus the Western view of treatment of disease. In today’s society we are accustomed to taking medications to mask illness when in fact according to Ayurveda we can take actionable steps to prevent dis-ease before its onset. In holistic terminology, dis-ease is spelled correctly: dis (not) – ease (a state of balance). Dis-ease is a state of imbalance in the body, mind or spirit. The goal of Ayurveda and yoga is to find ease. Ayurvedic practices promote physical, emotional, spiritual and psychological well-being. 

Three Basic Ayurvedic Constitutions/Doshas:

Vata = Element Air/Ether

Pita = Element Fire/Water

Kapha = Element Earth/Water

The first step in Ayurvedic treatment is determining one’s dosha/constitution. At the moment of conception, our birth constitution is determined (prakruti), our vikruti is how we have been culturally conditioned and becomes are current constitution. Over our lifespan our constitution becomes imbalanced and the purpose of Ayurveda is to rebalance the dosha. These imbalances occur due to diet, stress, life stage and season. 

An Ayurvedic practitioner looks at all aspects of the individual. A unique understanding of one’s constitution is taken into consideration and a treatment plan that includes diet, herbs, exercise and lifestyle routines including yoga and meditation are carefully executed to bring about wellness and balance. 

What Ayurveda teaches us is our connection to our ancestry, our interaction with the earth elements and how we can affect change, balance and connection with self through understanding we are all part of a great system of Vedic knowledge which states that all the universe is one.

Being part of a global community of Ayurvedic counselors and healers is one of my most honorable accomplishments. Ayurveda has caused me to look at myself and others with a different lens and this lens offers compassion and a knowing that dis-ease is preventable and our mission is to prevent versus treat disease.

Nicole Zornitzer, Ayurvedic counselor, ERYT 1000, yoga therapist, founder of Niyama Yoga & Wellness Shala, located in Randolph, New Jersey, and Upper Lake Mohawk in Sparta, New Jersey. NiyamaYogaShala.com. See ad, page 25.

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