About Ayurveda

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Natural Healing System

About Ayurveda

Ayurveda is a natural healing system of India dating back to 3000 B.C. The word Ayurveda means “the science of life” or “the knowledge about life”. 

Ayurveda is the knowledge that indicates what is appropriate or inappropriate for life, happy or sorrowful condition of life, auspicious or inauspicious for longevity, as well as the measure of life (life span) itself.

Ayurveda is also a system of medicine in a sense that systematizes and applies the knowledge about health and diseases of balanced and unbalanced states of living beings and how unbalanced states can be corrected, restored and balance is maintained. Ayurveda embraces all aspects of wellbeing of living creatures-physically, mentally and spiritually. According to Ayurveda, health is not merely a state of freedom from ailments or diseases, but rather a state of enjoying uninterrupted physical, mental and spiritual happiness and fulfilment.

Ayurveda originated as a part of ‘Vedic science’. This is an integral spiritual science designed to give a comprehensive understanding of the entire universe, which works according to a single law. Vedic science includes yoga, meditation, astrology, and sets forth Ayurveda as its branch to deal with the physical body and includes herbal medicines, dietetics, bodywork, surgery, psychology and spirituality. 

The Science of Life

Unique features of Ayurveda

  1. Treatment of individuals as a whole

    In Modern Medicine, more attention is paid to correct the afflicted part of the body. But in Ayurveda, while treating a disease, the individual is taken as a whole for consideration. Ayurveda not only considers the condition of the parts of his body, the condition of his mind and souls are taken into account while treating the patient.

  2. Cheapness of medicine

    Ayurvedic medicines are prepared mostly from herbs, which are freely available in nature and hence cost less.

  3. Medicines are free from toxicity

    Ayurvedic medicines have centuries of traditional experience, which shows that they don't have any side effects. 

  4. Each medicine is a tonic

    Drugs of modern medicines, except vitamins and minerals are meant only for the patients. But all Ayurvedic medicines and massages can be used simultaneously both by the patients as well as healthy people. In patients, they cure the diseases and in healthy individuals, they produce immunity against diseases and thereby preserve health.

  5. Psychosomatic concept of diseases

    Diseases according to Ayurveda are not considered as exclusively psychic or somatic.

  6. Emphasis on preventative medicine

    Prevention is better than cure. If mental, personal and public hygiene is exercised, diseases can be safely avoided. Discipline, decency, and devotion will help to maintain the equilibrium of body, mind and soul and develop resistance to fight any disease. In Ayurveda, several do's and don'ts are prescribed for healthy individuals. Regimens for different parts of the day, night and different seasons, for persons of different age groups and social status are described in great detail. There are many drugs in Ayurveda, which increase the resistance power of the body against diseases.

  1. Simple methods of diagnosis

    The diagnosis of a disease consists of two parts-

    (i) Diagnosis of the patient

    (ii) Diagnosis of the disease

    The diagnosis of the patient consists of three steps: They are 

    1. Inspection 2. Palpation  (touching the patient and checking their pulse) 3. Questioning
  2. Ayurveda is near nature

    Various plants, metals, minerals, animal products, etc. are used for the treatment of various diseases.  According to Ayurveda, everything found in nature is a medicine in one-way or the other.

  3. Yoga and Ayurveda go hand in hand

    Yoga is an integral part of Ayurveda. Yoga practices release one's stress and strains and Ayurvedic practices restore his/her hormonal and functional normalcy and correct the susceptibility to environmental variation and behavioural fluctuations.

  4. Panchakarma therapy in Ayurveda

    Panchakarma therapy is a purification method for flushing out the stagnant and abnormally accumulated metabolites in the body and thereby making the system clean and fresh.

  5. Ayurveda and other systems of medicine

    Ayurveda maintains an open and liberal attitude towards other systems of medicines. It accepts good concepts of other systems.

  6. Variety of medicines

    In Ayurveda, there are lots of medicines for a single disease. We have to choose the correct one after analysing the patient's body, constitution and disease. 

Health Preservation

Aim of Ayurveda

Ayurveda has two aims:

1: Relief of misery of suffering people

2: Preservation of the health of healthy people and to help them to attain the four principal aims of life.

The four aims are: Dharma (doing right things for the wellbeing of an individual and the society, artha (to acquire wealth for the means for livelihood), kama (satisfaction of the worldly desires, passions, etc and moksha (attainment of salvation through liberation and God consciousness)

The Tridosha Concept

The Sanskrit term “Tridosha” is composed of two words “Tri” and “Dosha”. Tri means three and Dosha means the components which carry over the functions of the body.  The three Dosha are Vata, Pitta and Kapha. These constitute the functional units of the body. The human body is composed of three fundamental elements called Dosha, Dhatu and Mala. The Tridosha govern the physicochemical and physiological activities of the body. The Dhatu enters into the basic structure of a body cell. The malas are partly utilized in the body and partly excreted in a modified form after performing their physiological functions.

The three Dosha, Dhatu and Malas, are in dynamic equilibrium with each other for the maintenance of health. Where there is any deviation from the equilibrium, the disease occurs. The Dosha, despite being responsible in maintaining the continuity of normalcy, have the potentiality to vitiate the Dhatu of the body to produce disease. Hence, they are called by the term “Dosha”. The Dosha pervades all over the body. There are some specific areas and organs related to each Dosha. Generally speaking we can say that the part of the body below the navel is the place of the Vata Dosha. The area between the heart and the navel is the position of Pitta Dosha and the area above the heart is the position of Kapha Dosha. Besides this each Dosha has specific sites of action also.

Tridosha and the five elements

The relationship between Tridosha and the five elements

The Tridosha are made up of the five elements. The Vata Dosha has more space and air, the Pitta Dosha has the predominance of Agni and the Kapha dosha has more water and earth. The five elements form the structural entity of the body while the Tridosha are responsible for maintaining the functional entity of us. Tridosha, in their balanced state, maintain the health of a body and cause disease when the balance is disturbed.

  • Vata Dosha
  • Pitta Dosha
  • Kapha Dosha
Vata Dosha

Space and air dominate Vata Dosha even though the five elements are present in this Dosha. The Vata Dosha is the originator of all movements of the body and it governs mainly all the nervous functions. 

There are 80 kinds of possible disturbances due to the aggravation of Vata Dosha. Pain, stiffness, paralysis, hypertension, heart disease etc.. are some of the ailments caused when the equilibrium of the Vata Dosha is disturbed. The properties of Vata are dry, light in weight, cold, rough skin and voice, subtle and mobile. 

Pitta Dosha

Fire is the dominant element present in this Dosha. The Pitta Dosha represents the circulatory system, which imparts heat to the body, necessary for its proper functioning. It governs mainly the enzymes and hormones. It is also responsible for digestion, maintenance of body temperature, vision, hunger, thirst, appetite, complexion, intelligence, courage, softness of the body, pigmentation of the skin, etc.

There are 40 kinds of possible disturbances in the body due to the loss of equilibrium of the Pitta Dosha, which includes burning sensation of the body, excessive body temperature, jaundice and different types of skin disease.

The properties of Pitta Dosha are slightly unctuous, sharp, hot or heat producing, light in weight, pungent, unstable and liquid.

Kapha Dosha

In this Dosha, earth and water are predominant among five mahabhutas. The Kapha Dosha rules over the mucous surfaces of the body. It is responsible for the solid nature of the body, lubrication, firmness of joints, sexual power, strength, patience, stability of the joints. 

There are 20 kinds of possible disturbances caused when the equilibrium of the Kapha Dosha is disturbed. It includes diseases like anorexia, laziness, mucous expectoration, hardening of blood vessels, obesity, suppression of digestive power, etc

The properties of Kapha Dosha are unctuous, cold, heavy, slow in action, smooth, slimy, sticky and stable.

    At Ayurveda with Ciara, you can discover your body constitution, receive recommendations for your diet and lifestyle according to your constitution, experience a variety of Ayurvedic treatments to optimise your health and receive advice on which herbal medicines to take to bring your dosha back to balance, rejuvenate your body and mind and increase your longevity.

    ADDRESS

    Creacon Wellness Retreat, Creakan Lower, New Ross, Co. Wexford. Y34 NH61
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