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Ayurveda is a Sanskrit word, derived from two
roots: Ayur, which means life, and Veda, means
knowledge. Knowledge arranged systematically
with logic becomes science. Ayurveda medical
system, which was evolved in India, is around
the 5,000 year old.
Ayurveda believes in the treatment of not just
the affected part, but also the individual as
a
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whole. Making it
the natural way to refresh you, eliminate all toxic
imbalances from the body and thus regain resistance
and good health. It has its root in ancient Vedic
literature and encompasses our entire life, the body,
mind and spirit. According to Ayurvedic philosophy
the entire cosmos is interplay of the energies of
the five great elements Space, Air, Fire, Water and
Earth. Vata, Pitta and Kapha are combinations and
permutations of these five elements that manifest
as patterns present in all creation.
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Ayurveda evolved as
a system of medicine in India, around 600 BC. The system
stressed on the prevention of a disease in addition
to treating an ailment.
This tradition of healthcare was followed closely
across the entire country, and has been practiced
ever since. Today, Ayurveda is a unique, indispensable
branch of medicine, a complete naturalistic system that
depends on the diagnosis of the body's humors to
achieve the right balance.
Ayurveda believes in the treatment of not just the
affected part, but the individual as a whole, making
it the natural way to perfect health and harmony
of life.
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KERALA - THE LAND OF
AYURVEDA |
Kerala's equable climate,
natural abundance of forests with a wealth of herbs
and medicinal plants, and the cool monsoon season starting
from June to November are best suited for Ayurveda's
curative and restorative programs.
In fact, today Kerala is the only State in India,
which practices this system of medicine with absolute
dedication. Monsoon is considered to be the ideal
time for rejuvenation.
Ancient texts recommend monsoon to be the best season
for Ayurveda regimens. The atmosphere remains dust-free
and cool, opening the pores of the body to the maximum,
making it most receptive to herbal oils and therapy.
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REJUVENATION PROGRAMMES
- AYURVEDA IN KERALA
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| Rejuvenation
Therapy of Kerala :'Rasayana Chikitsa'
It tones up the skin and rejuvenates and strengthens
all the tissues so as to achieve ideal
health and longevity. Increases 'Ojas' (Primary Vitality)
and improves 'Sattva' (Mental Clarity) and thereby
increases the resistance of the body.
Includes head and face massage with medicated oils
and creams, body massage with herbal oil or powder,
by hand and foot, intake of rejuvenate medicines and
medicated steam bath. Herbal baths are also used.
Body Immunisation And Longevity Treatment
:'Kayakalpa Chikitsa' Prime treatment
for retarding the aging process, arresting the
degeneration of
body cells and immunization of the system.
The treatment includes intake of 'Rasayana' (special
Ayurvedic medicines and diet) and comprehensive body
care programs. The program is most effective for either
sex if undertaken before the age of 50.
Body Sudation :'Sweda Karma' Medicated
steam baths eliminate impurities from the body, improve
the tone and complexion
of the skin, reduce fat and are recommended for
certain rheumatic diseases, particularly for pain.
Precious herbs and herbal leaves are boiled and
the steam is passed over the entire body for 10 to
20 minutes daily. Hand massage with herbal oils or
herbal powder improves blood circulation and tones
up the muscles.
General Massage Therapy For Rejuvenation
:'Abhyanga' This total body massage with
herbal oils tones up the skin and rejuvenates and
strengthens
all the tissues so as to achieve ideal health and
longevity, strengthens the immune system, is beneficial
for the eyes and gifts sound sleep. This is also
a cure for rheumatism. |
| Simple Definition - yurveda is a wholistic system of medicine from India that uses a constitutional model. Its aim is to provide guidance regarding food and lifestyle so that healthy people can stay healthy and folks with health challenges can improve their health. |
| Origin - Ayurveda is an intricate system of healing that originated in India thousands of years ago. We can find historical evidence of Ayurveda in the ancient books of wisdom known as the Vedas. In the Rig Veda, over 60 preparatison were mentioned that could be used to assist an individual in overcoming various ailments. The Rig Veda was written over 6,000 years ago, but really Ayurveda has been around even longer than that. What we see is that A yurveda is more than just a medical system. It is a Science of Life. We are all part and parcel of nature. Just as the animals and plants live in harmony with nature and utilize the Laws of Nature to create health and balance within their beings, we, too, adhere to these very same principles. Therefore, it is fair to say that Ayurveda is a system that helps maintain health in a person by using the inherent principles of nature to bring the individual back i nto equilibrium with their true self. In essence Ayurveda has been in existence since the beginning of time because we have always been governed by nature's laws. |
| Meaning - Ayurveda is made up of two Sanskrit words: Ayu which means life and Veda which means the knowledge of. To know about life is Ayurveda. However, to fully comprehend the vast s cope of Ayurveda let us first define "Ayu" or life. According to the ancient Ayurvedic scholar Charaka, "ayu" is comprised of four essential parts. The combination of mind, body, senses and the soul. |
| Mind, Body, and Sconces - We tend to identify most with our physical bodies; yet, in actuality, there is more to us then what meets the eye. We can see that underlying our physical structure is the mind, which not only controls our thought processes but helps assist us in carrying out day-to-day activities such as respiration, circulation, digestion and elimination. The mind and the body work in conjunction with one another to regulate our physiology. In order for the mind to act appropriately to assist the physical body, we must use our senses as information gatherers. We can think of the mind as a computer and the senses as the data which gets entered into the computer. Smell and taste are two important senses th at aid in the digestive process. When the mind registers that a particular food is entering the gastrointestinal tract, it directs the body to act accordingly by releasing various digestive enzymes. However, if we overindulge the taste buds with too much of a certain taste, such as sweet, we may find that the ability of the mind to perceive the sweet taste is impaired; and thereby the body becomes challenged in its ability to process sweet foods. Maintaining the clarity of our senses is an essential part in allowing the mind and body to integrate their functions and help in keeping us healthy and happy individuals. |
| Soul - Ayurveda also sees that before we exist in physical form with the help of the mind and senses that we exist in a more subtle form known as the soul. The ancient seers of India believed that we were comprised of a certain energetic essence that precluded the inhabitance of our physical entity. In fact, they hypothesized that we may indeed occupy many physical bodies throughout the course of time but that our underlying self or soul remains unchanged. What we see to help illustrate this concept is what transpires at the time of death. When the individual nears the time to leave the physical body, many of his/her desires will cease to be present. As the soul no longer identifies with the body, the desire to eat food or indulge in a particular activity that used to be a great source of satisfaction for that person drops by the wayside. In fact, many individuals have been documented to experience the sensation of being "out of their bodies." |
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