Ayurveda Ayurveda (Devanagari: आयुर्वेद) or Ayurvedic medicine is an ancient system of health care that is native to the Indian subcontinent. It is presently in daily use by millions of people in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and indirectly through it being the major influence on Unani, Chinese and Tibetan Medicine. The word "Ayurveda" is a tatpurusha compound of the word āyus meaning "life" or "life principle", and the word veda, which refers to a system of "knowledge". Thus "Ayurveda" roughly translates as the "knowledge of life". According to Charaka Samhita, "life" itself is defined as the "combination of the body, sense organs, mind and soul, the factor responsible for preventing decay and death, which sustains the body over time, and guides the processes of rebirth" According to this perspective, Ayurveda is concerned with measures to protect "ayus", which includes healthy living along with therapeutic measures that relate to physical, mental, social and spiritual harmony. Ayurveda is also one among the few traditional systems of medicine to contain a sophisticated system of surgery (which is referred to as "salya-chikitsa").
Ayurveda is the oldest holistic system of medicine in the world that uses a constitutional models. It is the art of healthy living that has been helping human beings to create harmony in daily life by using the techniques of self-knowledge and self care. Being ancient the word Ayurveda is derived from the ancient Indian language Sanskrit where ‘ayus’ means life and ‘ved’ means knowledge or science. So, the literal meaning of the word Ayurveda is knowledge or science of life. In short we can say that to know about life is “Ayurveda”.
According to Ayurveda, life is a combination of four essential parts- mind, body, senses and the soul. It just not limits the knowledge to body or physical symptoms but also provides a thorough knowledge regarding spiritual, mental and emotional aspects. This traditional system of healing is based on the theory of balancing the body, the soul and the mind. This balancing includes eating the right thing at the right time, adapting to daily lifestyle habits, daily mediation and maintaining purity of mind and soul. There is a strong connection between the mind and the body. It not only controls the process of thoughts but also helps the body in day-to-day activities such as respiration, blood circulation, digestion and elimination. Our physiology is regulated by the combined work of mind and body. The senses are used as information gatherers so that the mind can act accordingly to the body. The clearity of senses helps the mind and body to integrate their functions so that the human beings can live a healthy and happier life. Before existing in the physical body we exist in a more fine and delicate form known as the soul. We may take the shape and form of many physical bodies throughout the cycle of life and death but our soul remains unchanged.
Ayurveda is the oldest holistic system of medicine in the world that uses a constitutional models. It is the art of healthy living that has been helping human beings to create harmony in daily life by using the techniques of self-knowledge and self care. Being ancient the word Ayurveda is derived from the ancient Indian language Sanskrit where ‘ayus’ means life and ‘ved’ means knowledge or science. So, the literal meaning of the word Ayurveda is knowledge or science of life. In short we can say that to know about life is “Ayurveda”.
According to Ayurveda, life is a combination of four essential parts- mind, body, senses and the soul. It just not limits the knowledge to body or physical symptoms but also provides a thorough knowledge regarding spiritual, mental and emotional aspects. This traditional system of healing is based on the theory of balancing the body, the soul and the mind. This balancing includes eating the right thing at the right time, adapting to daily lifestyle habits, daily mediation and maintaining purity of mind and soul. There is a strong connection between the mind and the body. It not only controls the process of thoughts but also helps the body in day-to-day activities such as respiration, blood circulation, digestion and elimination. Our physiology is regulated by the combined work of mind and body. The senses are used as information gatherers so that the mind can act accordingly to the body. The clearity of senses helps the mind and body to integrate their functions so that the human beings can live a healthy and happier life. Before existing in the physical body we exist in a more fine and delicate form known as the soul. We may take the shape and form of many physical bodies throughout the cycle of life and death but our soul remains unchanged.