The benefits of Ayurveda
Ayurveda is a profound body of knowledge that is over 5,000 years old and empowers you to lead a truly holistic way of life. One that helps restore balance, increase vitality, and brings healing and transformation.
The purpose of Ayurveda is to help us return to our natural state of health, balance and wholeness.
In Ayurveda health isn’t simply the absence of disease , but is a state of expanded consciousness or awareness that opens us to greater well-being, creativity and joy.
Ayurveda is experiential, which means that the choices you make about your experiences change your body- including your choices about food, personal relationships, sensory experiences ,sleep, work, social interactions and daily routine .
In Ayurveda there is not “one size fits all” prescription for well-being; instead every health related measure is based on a n individuals mind body type or doshas.
As Deepak Chopra teaches the six most important pillars of health to focus on in our daily lifestyle are Sleep, meditation , movement/physical activity ,healthy emotions, nutrition and selfcare.
I work closely and privately with each of my clients to determine their dosha ,guiding them through all the 6 pillars of health to bring about a perfect balance in their life so that they can start living a truly happier, healthier and more fulfilled life experience.
The Five Elements
According to the Five Element Theory in Ayurveda, a human being is a model of the universe.
Ayurveda believes that everything is made up of 5 elements, or building blocks: earth, water, fire, air and space. Their properties are important in understanding balances and imbalances in the human body.
Earth
Representative of the solid state of matter (material), it manifests stability, fixity and rigidity. We see around us rocks and soil standing against the wearing forces of water and wind. Our body also manifests this earth/solid state structure: bones, cells and tissue are physical structures through which our blood courses and oxygen is transported. Earth is considered a stable substance.
Water
Water – liquid matter (material) characterized by change. In the outer world we see water moving through its cycles of evaporation/clouds/condensation/rain, we see it moving around solid matter such as rocks and mountains, and we see it eventually wearing away solid, immovable matter as it flows from the mountains to the sea. We see rivers carrying dissolved soil and nutrients, carrying economic trade and exchange of information and culture – we see the earth’s bodies of water nurture life everywhere. Our blood, lymph and other fluids move between our cells and through our vessels, bringing energy, carrying away wastes, regulating temperature, bringing disease fighters and carrying hormonal information from one area to another. Water is considered a substance without stability.
Fire
Fire – the power (immaterial) to transform solids to liquids, to gas, and back again. The heat of the sun melts ice into water that becomes vapor under its influence. Fire runs the cycles of water, and it runs the cycle of weather. The sun’s energy is the initiator of all energy cycles on earth – including all food chains and food webs. Within our bodies it is fire – energy – that binds the atoms of our molecules together; that converts food to fat (stored energy) and muscle; that turns (burns) food into work; and that creates the impulses of nervous reactions, of our feelings, and even our thought processes. Fire is considered form without substance.
Air
Air – the gaseous form of matter (material) which is mobile and dynamic. We do not see the air that blows through the tree leaves, but we feel it. We know how material it can be – how it can respond to energy, absorb it, and give it off – when we experience or watch a hurricane, typhoon or storm. We feel air as it courses down our throats and into our lungs. Cut that feeling off for more than a few minutes and we know with our whole being how fundamental air is to life. Within the body, air (oxygen) is the basis for all energy transfer reactions – oxidation. Clean and pure, it is a key element required for fire to burn. Air is existence without form.
Space
Space – the space in which everything happens. Like outerspace with millions of miles between celestial bodies, or the innerspace of our bodies where our very atoms are only .00001 particle and .99999 emptiness. Space, the distance between things – that which helps to define one thing from another. It may be as thin or thick as an idea, and how do we measure an idea? Sub-atomic concepts are posed in dimensional terminology that cannot be measured, but only thought of in relative terms.
The Dosha’s
In Ayurvedic philosophy, the five elements combine in pairs to form three dynamic forces (interactions) called “doshas”.
Dosha means “that which changes”, because they are constantly moving in dynamic balance, one with the others..
There are three main Doshas – or forces: Vata, Pitta and Kapha. The combination of these doshas during our conception determines our body constitution.
Vata
Vata – is a force conceptually made up of elements of space and air.The characteristics of Vata are: cold, light, irregular, mobile, rarefied, and rough. These qualities characterize their effect on the body. Too much Vata force can cause nerve irritation, high blood pressure, gas and confusion. Too little Vata can mean nerve loss, congestion, constipation and thoughtlessness.
Pitta
Pitta – is a force conceptually created by the dynamic interplay of water and fire. Pitta has eight characteristics: hot, light, fluid, subtle, sharp, malodorous, soft and clear, each of which affect the body. Too much Pitta can cause ulcers, hormonal imbalance, irritated skin (acne) and consuming emotions (like anger). Too little Pitta can result in indigestion, inability to understand and sluggish metabolism.
Kapha
Kapha – is the conceptual equilibrium of water and earth. Kapha force is expressed according to the following qualities: oily, cold, heavy, stable, dense and smooth. Too much Kapha in the body manifests in mucous buildup in the sinus, lungs an even the colon. In the mind it creates rigidity, a fixation of thought and inflexibility. Low Kapha causes the body to experience a dry respiratory track, burning stomach (due to lack of mucous), and inability to concentrate.
The doshas are constantly changing and balancing each other in all living things. They make life happen but are always being affected by our environment, climactic influences, our diet and our thoughts.
Get To Know Liana:
Internationally Recognised Chopra Certified Mind Body Health & Ayurveda Instructor.