4 Important Reasons Why You Should Learn Ayurveda

You may be wondering why we need a system created thousands of years ago, before the era of modern medicine, today, when diagnostic and treatment options are developing rapidly. When scientists and researchers are successful in discovering advanced preparations for new diseases? Did the forerunners of Ayurveda have it in ancient times, where did this knowledge come from?

Think for a moment about what your health means to you, or perhaps the health of those close to you. Is it a resource that you take care of, for example by leading an active lifestyle and consciously composing your "healthy" diet? I deliberately put "healthy" in quotation marks. Because exactly - healthy or in line with the latest trend and promoted by so-called lifestyle influencers?

Or maybe you are physically "the picture of health" and everyone around you is jealous of your fit figure? And everything seems to be fine, but you have no idea where from time to time (or for a longer period of time) you get depressed, feel hopeless, angry at the world or reluctant to take any action. Or maybe on the contrary, you are "in shape" - fitness or running in the morning, at work 10-12 hours at full speed, during short breaks you eat trendy boxed meals, the producers of which promise miracle effects. Generally, you are doing well, you are climbing the career ladder or you see on the horizon the possibility of getting rid of loans - so you will tighten the screws a little more, "you will do it". If it were not for the fact that apart from this job you basically have nothing left, or not much. Maybe from time to time a migraine will put you to bed, then you save yourself with pills, which are abundant in pharmacies, petrol stations or grocery stores.

In the time of pandemic, however, we increasingly perceive our health in a completely different dimension, focusing on strengthening our immunity against a threat for which there is currently no cure, and vaccinations have not become widely available.

If you are not familiar with Ayurveda yet, or have heard the word but are not entirely sure what it is, I encourage you to learn more about it. I believe that you have (or have) reached this page because the topic of health and general well-being is important to you or is a desired state.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it presents health in a positive context: "health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of – objectively existing – disease or infirmity".

And what is health in the light of Ayurvedic knowledge, which originated in what is now India but is rapidly spreading and gaining adherents around the world? What makes this traditional holistic system so desirable and a complement to medicine as a modern discipline?

We draw our knowledge of Ayurveda from the Vedas, ancient writings written in Sanskrit.

“Sama dosha sama agnischa sama dhatu mala kriyaaha

Prasanna atma indriya manaha swastha iti abhidheeyate"

The above words, coming from Susrutha Samhita , is considered the Ayurvedic definition of health, which roughly translated means:

A healthy person is one whose three doshas (Vata, Pitta, Kapha), digestive fire (digestion, assimilation and metabolism), all body tissues and elimination are functioning in perfect balance, accompanied by a pleasantly disposed and contented mind, balanced senses and spirit.

Reason one - Ayurveda as a holistic system

Ayurveda is a holistic system that treats man as a whole. Good health is determined by harmoniously coexisting energies called doshas, ​​both in the area of ​​the physical body, but also outside of it - in the area of ​​the senses, the mental and spiritual world. Therefore, Ayurveda can be your guide to all these aspects, and not just an antidote to physical ailments.

Reason two - knowing prakriti is the first step to recovery

In Ayurveda, it is also valuable that simply knowing your own constitution opens your eyes and encourages you to reflect on who you are, how you live, and what lifestyle will provide you with optimal health and well-being. Knowing this original constitution (called Prakriti) - you know your optimal state of health. Every person has their own unique constitution, which is why recommendations regarding lifestyle, diet, sports activity, potential and actual illnesses, as well as non-physical aspects such as spiritual life, relationships - are individual and result from an analysis of this constitution. This is the opposite of prescribing the same miraculous headache pill to everyone who has a headache (and no matter the cause).

Reason three - the universal nature of Ayurveda

Ayurveda - although it originated in India - is universal, gaining recognition as a system of traditional medicine all over the world, and has also been sanctioned by the WHO. It is becoming more and more accessible and can certainly be practiced as an approach to life and a path to well-being in any country.

Reason four - proven traditional procedures

Ayurveda is, above all, effective, and its procedures and recommendations have been proven for thousands of years. It is not about opposing Ayurvedic medicine, treating it as a system that can replace modern treatment. Certainly, a person who is weakened by illness should not abandon treatment. Both systems, however, can act as support and complement. In addition, it is crucial for human well-being to prevent health disorders by implementing an appropriate lifestyle.