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Ayurveda, or “The Science of Life”, is a comprehensive and all-encompassing ancient medical system in which “health is the absolute harmony of body, mind, spirit, sense organs and intellect”. It is a system of natural medicine which teaches us how to live in harmony with ourselves in a way that maximizes our health and enjoyment of life.
Originating in India thousands of years ago, the fundamental principle of Ayurveda is based on the premise that everything in the universe is a manifestation of the five elements of space, air, fire, water and earth.
These five elements are present everywhere and in everything in the universe. Our human bodies can be seen as miniature universes where these elements are constantly changing and interacting with our internal and external environments.
We need space to exist, air to breathe, water to drink, heat to keep us warm and food form the earth to eat.
Space/ether – is empty, allowing movement and communication. Some spaces in the body include mouth, nose, gastrointestinal tract, lungs and abdomen. It is associated with sound and the sense of hearing
Air is energy and is responsible for all movement within the body. It governs the nervous system and is responsible for respiration, ingestion and elimination. It is responsible for the sense of taste.
Fire is is radiant energy and is responsible for body temperature, transformation, digestion, absorption and assimilation of thoughts as well as food. It is associated with the sense of vision.
Water is fluid and binds everything together. It is anything fluid in the body such as plasma, intercellular fluid, urine, sweat and saliva and is responsible for the sense of smell.
Earth gives stability, structure, strength and stamina to our bodies in the form of bones, teeth, skin etc. and is responsible for the sense of smell.
The varying proportions which these elements exist within us as individuals make up our individual constitutions and are responsible for our physical and psychological make-up and tendencies. They are classified into three “doshas”; Vata (space and air), Pitta (fire and water) and Kapha (water and earth). When these “doshas” (the elements in our bodies) are out of balance we have problems with our health.
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| The varying proportions which these elements exist within us as individuals make up our individual constitutions and are responsible for our physical and psychological make-up and tendencies. They are classified into three “doshas”; Vata (space and air), Pitta (fire and water) and Kapha (water and earth). When these “doshas” (the elements in our bodies) are out of balance we have problems with our health. |
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