Think: timeless approach to wellness.
This post is written by Jasmine Grace — a yogini; yoga and meditation teacher; 200- and 300-hr yoga teacher trainer; Clinical Ayurvedic Health Practitioner; business, health and life coach; Ayurvedic instructor; international retreat leader; entrepreneur; mother; and lover of travel and nature.
Pronounced Ai·uh·vay·duh, the term Ayurveda means, quite simply, the science or wisdom of life.
Ayurveda is a Sanskrit term, marrying ”ayu," meaning life, and “veda," meaning science or wisdom. It finds its origins in the Vedas, said to be the world’s oldest and richest text of wisdom, so much so that it maintains its relevance even today.
Ayurveda is a holistic and consciousness-based approach to health — one that serves to bring harmony and balance to all areas of life — for it is wisdom that helps us understand the universal laws of nature and recognize our essential being as energetic. It employs a multi-dimensional approach that considers the physical, biochemical, intellectual, emotional, behavioral, spiritual, familial, social, environmental, and universal factors in an individual's life and considers them in navigating a path to wellness. It emphasizes disease prevention with the help of diet, daily routines, seasonal considerations, elemental, and even planetary connection.
Through the teachings of Ayurveda, we learn that the universe is made up of five elements: earth, water, fire, air, and ether — building blocks for the universe as well as for humans. In addition to the five elements, Ayurveda uses “gunas,” or qualities, to describe the elements and various phenomena throughout the natural world. From the combination of both elements and qualities, the three “doshas” or energies: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha originated. In other words, we are nature!
Doshas are, essentially, the physical manifestation of energies in the body. Vata is made up of air and ether, and its qualities might appear as dry, cold, mobile, light, and rough. When Vata is out of balance, one might experience dry skin, flatulence, constipation, or anxiety. Pitta represents the elements of fire and a small amount of water, and has the qualities of hot, oily, sharp, and smelly. When Pitta is out of harmony, inflammatory conditions, diarrhea or loose stools, red eyes, anger, or burning skin conditions may result. Kapha is made up of earth and water, and bears the qualities of cold, heavy, moist, and stable. When Kapha is out of balance, some reactions may be depression or melancholy, weight gain, sluggish digestion, or feeling sleepy and heavy after eating.
One of Ayurveda’s foundational principles is:
Pronounced Ai·uh·vay·duh, the term Ayurveda means, quite simply, the science or wisdom of life.
Ayurveda is a Sanskrit term, marrying ”ayu," meaning life, and “veda," meaning science or wisdom. It finds its origins in the Vedas, said to be the world’s oldest and richest text of wisdom, so much so that it maintains its relevance even today.
Ayurveda is a holistic and consciousness-based approach to health — one that serves to bring harmony and balance to all areas of life — for it is wisdom that helps us understand the universal laws of nature and recognize our essential being as energetic. It employs a multi-dimensional approach that considers the physical, biochemical, intellectual, emotional, behavioral, spiritual, familial, social, environmental, and universal factors in an individual's life and considers them in navigating a path to wellness. It emphasizes disease prevention with the help of diet, daily routines, seasonal considerations, elemental, and even planetary connection.
Through the teachings of Ayurveda, we learn that the universe is made up of five elements: earth, water, fire, air, and ether — building blocks for the universe as well as for humans. In addition to the five elements, Ayurveda uses “gunas,” or qualities, to describe the elements and various phenomena throughout the natural world. From the combination of both elements and qualities, the three “doshas” or energies: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha originated. In other words, we are nature!
Doshas are, essentially, the physical manifestation of energies in the body. Vata is made up of air and ether, and its qualities might appear as dry, cold, mobile, light, and rough. When Vata is out of balance, one might experience dry skin, flatulence, constipation, or anxiety. Pitta represents the elements of fire and a small amount of water, and has the qualities of hot, oily, sharp, and smelly. When Pitta is out of harmony, inflammatory conditions, diarrhea or loose stools, red eyes, anger, or burning skin conditions may result. Kapha is made up of earth and water, and bears the qualities of cold, heavy, moist, and stable. When Kapha is out of balance, some reactions may be depression or melancholy, weight gain, sluggish digestion, or feeling sleepy and heavy after eating.
One of Ayurveda’s foundational principles is:
"
Like increases like and opposites bring balance.”
Therefore, identifying the qualities of an imbalance or disease can help to direct the application of an appropriate opposite quality to return the body, mind or spirit back to its original state of wellness and wholeness — back to balance. For example, if you are too hot, you add coolness to bring the body back to balance. If you are too dry, you add moisture. If you are feeling ungrounded, you pursue activities that create a sense of grounding. The list of course goes on. When it comes to balancing the doshas – Vata, Pitta, Kapha — one simply looks at the qualities of the symptoms and applies the opposites. So essentially, we want to learn to listen and read our body, mind and spirit, and support wellness by making personal choices that bring balance.
With that, are you feeling inspired to bring some Ayurveda into your life? Here are five simple things you can do, starting today:
Practice Meditation and Mantra. Ayurveda teaches us that disease in the body may begin in the mind. The power of meditation and mantra supports the energetic body and provides an internal environment of calm, connectedness, and positivity to encourage healing. Meditation can be as simple as focusing on the breath for 5-10 minutes, and using a mantra can be a great place to start cultivating focus. A mantra is simply a word or phrase that is repeated multiple times and often with the use of a mala. Ayurveda recognizes that different mantras work on different energetic levels. Use a mala and start today. Try the mantra “Om Shanti” (peace), or “I am light and love.” Practice for a week straight, at your convenience, and see how your life transforms!
With that, are you feeling inspired to bring some Ayurveda into your life? Here are five simple things you can do, starting today:
Practice Meditation and Mantra. Ayurveda teaches us that disease in the body may begin in the mind. The power of meditation and mantra supports the energetic body and provides an internal environment of calm, connectedness, and positivity to encourage healing. Meditation can be as simple as focusing on the breath for 5-10 minutes, and using a mantra can be a great place to start cultivating focus. A mantra is simply a word or phrase that is repeated multiple times and often with the use of a mala. Ayurveda recognizes that different mantras work on different energetic levels. Use a mala and start today. Try the mantra “Om Shanti” (peace), or “I am light and love.” Practice for a week straight, at your convenience, and see how your life transforms!
Nourish Your Skin.
The skin is the largest organ in the body and nurturing it via self-care practices provides external support in restoring balance to the body and mind. That's right -- everything we intake through our senses affects our body-mind connection. The gunas of what we choose to subject our body and mind to can have varying effects -- uplifting, grounding, agitating, calming, heating, cooling, balancing, drying, moisturizing... When we take this holistic approach to healing and wellness, we realize our intricate relationship with all of nature. Ayurveda asks us to look at our nature, to recognize that everyone requires unique needs to maintain their health.
The skin is the largest organ in the body and nurturing it via self-care practices provides external support in restoring balance to the body and mind. That's right -- everything we intake through our senses affects our body-mind connection. The gunas of what we choose to subject our body and mind to can have varying effects -- uplifting, grounding, agitating, calming, heating, cooling, balancing, drying, moisturizing... When we take this holistic approach to healing and wellness, we realize our intricate relationship with all of nature. Ayurveda asks us to look at our nature, to recognize that everyone requires unique needs to maintain their health.
Use Plant Wisdom.
Ayurveda respects the symbiotic relationship that exists between humans and plants. Of these, adaptogens are considered a favorite due to their unique ability to help the body resist emotional or physical stressors. You can call upon the wisdom of plants by integrating Ayurvedic herbs and adaptogens into your daily life through teas, tinctures, supplements, even cooking.
Ayurveda respects the symbiotic relationship that exists between humans and plants. Of these, adaptogens are considered a favorite due to their unique ability to help the body resist emotional or physical stressors. You can call upon the wisdom of plants by integrating Ayurvedic herbs and adaptogens into your daily life through teas, tinctures, supplements, even cooking.
Integrate the Elemental Energies of Copper, Crystals, and the Moon Cycles.
The qualities and benefits of elements such as copper and crystals -- even our beloved moon — can be integrated into our routines to create balance. For example, a copper water bottle might help you to increase your fire element, which in turn could boost vitality, collagen, and strengthen hair, skin and nails. Additionally (and perhaps obviously) such a handsome water bottle could encourage your water intake (always a good thing!).
The qualities and benefits of elements such as copper and crystals -- even our beloved moon — can be integrated into our routines to create balance. For example, a copper water bottle might help you to increase your fire element, which in turn could boost vitality, collagen, and strengthen hair, skin and nails. Additionally (and perhaps obviously) such a handsome water bottle could encourage your water intake (always a good thing!).
Practice Yoga and Unlock the Mind-Body Connection.
Ayurveda, known as Yoga’s sister science, asks us to utilize Yoga as a means of supporting our nervous systems and cellular health through movement and breath. Bennd’s raw cotton yoga mats are infused with a dye formula of 22 Ayurvedic herbs — including skin-brightening annatto seed and soothing turmeric — and are said to provide these herbal benefits via physical contact between these mats and their respectful owners.
Ayurveda, known as Yoga’s sister science, asks us to utilize Yoga as a means of supporting our nervous systems and cellular health through movement and breath. Bennd’s raw cotton yoga mats are infused with a dye formula of 22 Ayurvedic herbs — including skin-brightening annatto seed and soothing turmeric — and are said to provide these herbal benefits via physical contact between these mats and their respectful owners.
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