This course is about regaining abundant energy and wellbeing, buoyant vitality and vibrant health as found in plentiful in nature and the living world, the natural cycles and environment.
We will use Ayurveda – the mind-body traditional system of healing in India – and at the core of Ayurveda is the understanding that the macrocosm of the natural world is reflected in the microcosm of human physiology. By observing, studying and analysing the bigger picture of life as a whole, the larger environment of the earth, nature and the cosmos Ayurveda derived far-reaching rules and practises that are highly practical and effective at the smaller scale of the human body.
There is no denying the natural exuberance of energy that abounds in nature. There is strength and continued lifeforce very clearly apparent even in the midst of our cities when you witness greenery just surging through. Day after day the earth spins around, the sun produces eons of energy and light, the tides rise and fall. According to even the modern day scientists, the universe is just an enormous “dynamic, pulsating field of overwhelming energy“. The activating principle is that there is consciousness at all levels of creation and that life (energy) is thriving thanks to the interconnection and relationships between all the elements. The interdependence of elemental, mineral, vegetable and animal kingdoms sustains them. Each nourishes the others and is looking for nourishment (energy again). I once read in “The Yoga Of Herbs” this great quote: “As below, so above; all the universe is a metamorphosis of light”.
As a holistic healthcare programme Ayurveda focuses on the individual as a whole rather than any specific condition, the human body being understood as an intelligent microcosm in itself. At its core Ayurveda expresses that our mind-body systems already contain all the intelligence they need to heal themselves if we live by the rules of nature – in The Flow as I like to refer to.
FROM NATURE TO YOUR TRUE NATURE
The efficacy of Ayurveda comes in recognising that we are all “the same but different”. We are all made from the same 5 elements: ether, air, water, fire and earth; however we are not made in equal measures. An individual (or any organism) will contain more or less of one or the other element which will then form its unique constitution (Dosha in Sanskrit). This means that we each have a particular internal balance which in turn explains why , though we go through the same life experiences and are affected by the same “diseases”, we react in different ways. In Ayurveda this leads to the obvious conclusion that no two people should receive the same treatment or follow the same “healthy lifestyle” before previously assessing what their particular mind-body type is and ensuring an appropriate response for them individually. Knowledge of the individual not just the illness is key.
It’s worth explaining here that by elements we do not refer simply to the physical realities of water, earth etc but to a cluster of qualities that represent each of the elements which I illustrate further below:
Earth (Prithivi in Sanskrit) is solidity, density, mass, static, the sense of smell.
Fire (Tejas) is heat, energy, change, transformation, the sense of sight.
Water (Apas) is fluidity, cohesion, the sense of taste.
Ether (Akasha) is space, void, sound, the sense of hearing.
Air (Vayu) is movement, motion, vibration, the sense of touch.
AYURVEDA: WHAT IT IS & WHAT TOOLS IT USES
The word Ayurveda means the Knowledge of Life and its purpose is to keep you vigourously healthy. Ayurveda is the world’s most ancient tradition of health and is also now undergoing a profound revival not just in India but globally as it has a proven track record that it can meet the needs of our time.
It is both a preventive system based on lifestyle and a curative system, though as a general rule if a condition has gone too far then you will need Western medicine for a quick fix. The key word here being “quick”. Ayurveda works, most definitely and very efficiently, but it needs a little time at least and acute serious conditions with a shelf life are the outcome of long periods of imbalance that cannot be reversed through lifestyle changes quickly enough. That said if you are suffering a serious illness for which you are undertaking treatment in western medicine then Ayurveda will support your recovery and go to the root of the problem to prevent further problems or rectify the environment that caused the issue in the first place.
Health is natural, feeling good in body and mind should be your base. It’s a state of balance and if you are feeling any less happy, energetic, buoyant then we can work together, using the tools of Ayurveda to regain that state of vitality and joy. That’s what Ayurveda is about. It will empower you with deeply practical and effective, simple instruments to stop the energy leak at its source and heal your body and your mind. If you are in pain, distress or have an imbalance even minor then something is wrong and should be rectified. With a little Ayurvedic knowledge we can try and understand what your body is saying to you and how to regain harmony working with what’s right for you.
Diet, lifestyle, exercise, cleansing and herbal remedies are the main tools of Ayurveda. We need to understand the routines, exercises, recreation practises, food and lifestyle that is best for you. Self-inquiry, introspective work and self-development will be required to work this out but I can help put a frame around it.
THE GUNAS: WHERE AM I AT NOW, TODAY
Ayurveda teaches that you must know and understand yourself and your environment clearly before you can take action to redress any imbalances. As a first simple step it uses a grid of opposite qualities called the Gunas which I list below. There are 10 initial pairs with polarity, 20 qualities that we can use as tools to identify our current situation.
Cold (shita) vs Hot (ushna)
Oily (snigdha) vs Dry (ruksha)
Heavy (guru) vs Light (laghu)
Gross (sthula) vs Subtle (sukshma)
Dense (sandra) vs Liquid (drava)
Soft (mrudu) vs Hard (kathina)
Static (sthira) vs Mobile (chala)
Sticky (picchila) vs Clear (vishada)
Slimy (slackshna) vs Rough (khara)
Slow (manda) vs Sharp (tikshna)
Pausing right now, which of these qualities do you feel in your body? Which do you feel in your close space (home, office etc)? Which do you feel in the external environment (season, weather, specific geographic influence)? This is your first practise to use the Gunas every day for at least a couple of weeks leading to course start to identify how you feel in your body, what are the primary qualities you resonate with internally and also encounter in your outside environment. If you are uncomfortable how would you feel if you started to include food or a lifestyle bringing opposite qualities to those making you uneasy? How much of the opposite quality stabilises the imbalance or aggravates you in the opposite direction?
The Gunas are a very effective instrument to carry forward with you during and after the course to very quickly bring awareness to your body and mind and where you stand in your health and wellbeing at this exact moment. The Gunas will help you zoom in to your “microcosm”.
Also note that the gunas are the qualities we used to describe the elements. They are the base for our understanding of nature as a whole and our individual nature.
Now to practise until our next lesson. You can use the worksheets attached to keep track and make daily notes. Invest in a notebook also and jot down any thoughts, any questions and feelings that might arise from your introspection, journaling your progress over the weeks and I look forward to hear your feedback on our first community call.
Namaste,
Anne,
Evidence-based + Holistic 