Ayurveda is the food principle of yoga, it is a holistic system of medicine that follows an individual human constitution. Discovering Ayurveda will allow you to identify, and balance your Doshas (individual constitution) through key components in cooking, herbal treatments, and lifestyle habits. 

Ayurveda was recorded in the Vedas, the world’s oldest extant literature. The word is a sanskrit term meaning “science of life”. Ayu means “life” and veda is “knowing”. Health and disease are viewed in holistic terms, where it is imperative to understand the inherent relationship between individual and cosmic spirit, individual and cosmic consciousness, energy and matter. Ayurveda teaches that man is a microcosm, a child of the external environment [macrocosm]. Therefore Ayurveda is a medical and metaphysical healing life-science. Every human being has four biological and spiritual instincts: religious, financial, procreative, and freedom. To fulfill these instincts, one must balance good health.

The heart of Ayurveda lies on the five basic principles [or elements], which Consciousness manifests through: Ether (space), Air, Fire, Water, and Earth. From the womb of all five element all matter is born, we all come from Cosmic Consciousness. All five basic element are present in all matter in the universe, thus matter and energy are one. Being in all matter, these Cosmic Elements are also present in each individual.

Manifestations of the Five Elements in the body and senses:  Air [space in movement]– All movement of the central nervous system, muscle movement, heart pulsations, expansion and contraction of the lungs, stomach and intestines;  Fire– Metabolism, digestive system, thinking process, body temperature, vision;  Water- Secretion of digestive juices and salivary glands, mucus membrane, plasma and cytoplasm, functioning of tissues, and organs;  Earth- The solid structures- bones, cartilages, nails, muscles, tendons, skin, and hair.

These elements also manifest in the functioning of the five senses and certain functions of physiology. Therefore these are directly related to man’s ability to perceive the external environment which surrounds him.  Ether– Hearing function and speech [Ether in action],  Air– Touch,  Fire– Vision, Water- Taste,  Earth- Smell.

Ayurveda considers the human body and its sensory experiences as manifestations of cosmic energy expressed in the five basic elements.

If you are interested in group workshops or individual guidance to follow Ayurveda email me or leave a comment. I am available by Skype or in person depending on your location.

For Ayurvedic Recipes click on categories: Magical India or Ayurveda.