Ayurvedaram.com
Main menu:
An Introduction to Ayurveda
We live in an age of turmoil, tension and transition. The old is collapsing and the new is struggling to be born, we find ourselves adrift on a turbulent ocean with no established landmarks between the vanished past and an indeterminate future. Ayurveda can be a good source of healing and inspiration.
The image of Ayurveda has been distorted by glossy pictures of seaside resorts, oil being poured over a forehead, beautiful hands massaging a back, healthy looking vegetarian dishes and colourful Indian herbal spices. All of the above are to be found as posters and brochures as Ayurvedic supplements in health shops and on the internet.
Is that Ayurveda though? Is that all that this oldest living healing science means?
These images present a very limited view of Ayurveda as a short detox holiday. Very few people realize just how incomplete this picture is. Ayurveda is a highly specialized and scientific form of ancient medicine. It is about various aspects such as healing, energy, kindness, compassion, cooking, music, beauty and colours. In India a VAIDYA (Ayurvedic doctor) must complete a six-year university degree. All Ayurvedic graduates are trained in both Ayurvedic and medical hospitals. A 3-year post-graduate MD degree is offered to the most successful graduates.
Is Ayurveda a religious philosophy? No, definitely not! Ayurveda is a product of experiences of Vedic civilisations that occurred thousands of years ago. Ayurveda was created for human well being and Vedic philosophy and is not based on any specific text or on the teachings of any particular person or any specific point in time. There is a pluralism which is built into the very structure of Vedic thought, because it is based on the collective wisdom of seers and sages referred to as 'Rishis'. The great utterances of the Rishis have come down to us over many thousands of years and remain a source of great inspiration. An Ayurvedic doctor is taught to honour and accept the individual, regardless of religion. It is the aim of the Ayurvedic doctor to guide each patient on his or her personal spiritual and philosophical path. This means that an Ayurvedic treatment is by definition intensely personal, and consequently, the strictest confidence is a feature of the doctor-patient relationship.
Ayurveda is not only a system of medicines but a natural way of living in harmony with ones existence. Ayurvedic treatment does not only complement the modern science but it can completely eradicate certain serious sicknesses.
