AYURVEDAby Moena de Jong

Ayurveda : the knowledge of life or; bodies of knowledge

The origin of Ayurveda is found in the Atharveda, its a discipline from the Upaveda (extra knowledge).Early teachings were oral in Sutra’s.

Aurveda knows 6 philosophies:

1 Samkhya: observation & experience of manifestation in a logical, linear & progressive manner.

Samkhya is based on observation & experience and has 3 ways to receive knowledge:

* direct experience * inference* verbal or textual

Samkhya knowledge is based on adaptability ( not memory)

Samkhya begins with Purusha: male, unmanifested, formless & passive, choiceless awareness. It’s pure existence. And Sat(beingness) Chit (awareness) Ananda (blissful).

Purusha is beyond the trinity as: past, present & future. Or: sleep, wake & dreaming.It’s the 4th state: Touriya (pure being without name or form

Prakriti: feminine energy: source of manifestation. It’s awareness with choice or Divine will.

Purusha needs Prakriti as it has no qualities that are related to matter.Being unknown it is devoid of the potential to manifest. Therefor it needs a partner to manifest. Without a partner Purusha remains latent as pure beingness.Purusha begins to reflect on itself: Prakriti is born and begins to interact with Purusha (consciousness).This play is the fundamental cause of manifestation.No goal but for Purusha to experience itself.We call Prakriti the power of Mother Nature.

Samkya is also explained as the masculine & feminine principles.

Prakriti creates al forms in the universe. Purusha is the witness.Prakriti is physical energy and contains 3 Gunas (attributes):

* Sattva (essence, clarity, compassion, love)* Rajas (movement, restless, selfish)* Tamas (inertia, dull, lazy, sad)

In our body the 3 Guna’s are:

* Stability (Sattva)* Dynamic movement (Rajas)* Static/ potential (Tamas)

Kosha related from consciousness to matter we define:

* Spirit: infinity, eternity, consciousness* Soul: individual conscious self* Causal body: cosmic intelligence* Subtle body: ego* Intellect: ideas, concepts, reasoning* Mind: emotion, feeling, desire* Physical body: matter field

In the human body the 1st manifestation is : Mahad (cosmic intelligence.From Mahad comes Ahamkar (ego).

The ego manifests into the 5 sensory receivers:

* ears ( to take sound in)* eyes (to take sight in)* nose (to take smell in)* tongue (to take taste in)* skin (to take touch in)

The 5 motor organs are: mouth, hands, feet, reproductive organs, excretory organs (bladder & colon)

A baby in its 1st week is pure awareness until it notices it’s body and duality is than born.

2: Nyaya & Vaisheshika: logic of aspects of concrete reality.

Nyaya= logicVaisheshika= to specify the important aspects of concrete reality. The theory is based on 9 causative sub-stances of the Universe: Nava (9) Karna (causative) Dravya (substances):

* ether, air, fire, water, earth, atman (pure awareness, true Self) , manas (mind), kala (time), dig (direction)

Vaisheshika is the theory that Universe is composed of atoms. Union both as separation of atoms is direct-ed by the will of the supreme being.Ether, air, fire, water & earth are eternal atoms.

There are 4 sources of valid knowledge (Pramana):

* perception, inference, comparison, testimony

There a 3 sources of non valid knowledge:

* doubt, faulty cognition, hypothetical argument

Pancha Maha Bhutas (5 great elements)

ether air fire water earthhearing touch seeing taste smellear skin eyes tongue nosespeech holding walking procreation excretionmouth hands feet excretion anus

From Samkhya theory everything started with AUM. AUM came out of Purusha. Subtle vibrations were cre-ated (=AUM)From AUM came ether. Through vibrations ether began to move, this is how air was created. Movement of air creates heat: fire. Than water came out of liquified and dissolved fire.Than water solified in the moleculeform: earth.

Qualities of the elements:

Ether: clear, light, subtle, soft.Karmas: vibration, expansion, freedom.Sensory perception: sound.It’s the space between 2 thoughts.

Air: mobile, dry, light, cold.Karmas: movement.Sensory perception: sound & touch.Wind creates inner communication between cells, hormones 7 thoughts.

Fire: hot, sharp, light, dry.Karmas: brilliance, illumination, flame, intelligence.Sensory perception: sound, touch, form.Fire gives motivation, discipline and a bright, awake mind.

Water: cool, liquid, soft, dull, oily.Karmas: cleansing, downward movement, ad&cohesion.Sensory perception: sound, touch, form & taste.Water is responsible for compassion & love.

Earth: heavy, dull, static, gross, hard.Karmas: gravitation, downward attraction.Sensory perception: sound, touch, form, taste & odour.Earth is responsible for long term memory, a stable mind and emotions.

Kala (time):

Time can be measured in Prana: 1 breath= 1 in- and exhale.15 Prana= 1 minute.The slower the breath, the longer the span of life.

Dig (direction):

east= hot, sharp & bright solar energy.west= cool, lunar energy.north= coldersouth= warmer

For meditation face the east. For studying face the north.

Northwest is the direction of air. Northeast is the direction of water.

3: Mimamsa: God is Universal / see God in everything.

To know ourselves is to know God.

4: Yoga (union)

Bhakti, Karma, Hatha, Jnana.Yamas & Niyamas.

5: Vedanta: ending of knowledge. (Veda= knowledge)

Vedanta = upanishad. The end of the Vedas. Upa= near. Nishad= to sit.

In the vicinity of the enlightened one and listen without doubts

6: Buddhism

4 noble truths: suffering exists / cause of suffering / cessation of suffering / means to cease suffering

12 causes of suffering: ignorance / past impressions / initial consciousness / mind / six organs of cognition / contact of senses with objects / sensations (pain, pleasure) / thirst to enjoy / mental attachment / becoming / birth / old age, death

8 ways to overcome suffering : right perception & observation / right thinking / right speaking / right conduct / right living / right doing / right mindfulness / right meditation

According to the Ayurvedic philosophy there are 4 aims of life:

* Artha: how to provide a living* Kama: pleasure (sacred love making)* Dharma: purpose in life* Moksha: spiritual liberation

Doshas: the union of 2 elements become 1 Dosha

Prakruti: your unique body type is your blue print, for instance: V1 P2 K3

Vikruti: present state of Doshas.Influenced by Karma, what happened during birth, metal state. Aka: balance of the Gunas.

* Vata= ether & air. For there to be wind there needs to be space.

* Pitta= fire & water. Fire melts things, turning them into liquids.

* Kapha= water & earth. Earth sucks up water; naturally drawn to each other.

Vata: energy of movement (va= to spread). Wind creates movement, communication of physical & mental body. It controls breathing, blinking, muscle movement, heart pulsation & all movement of cells. Mentally it controls the movement of thoughts.

Vata subtypes: Prana vayu, Udana vayu, Vijana vayu, Samana vayu, Apana vayu.

Vata tamasic: confused, lack of direction, sad, indecisiveness.Vata rajasic: hyperactive, fear, nervous, anxiety, ungrounded.Vata sattvic: clarity, creative, lightness.

Signs of disbalanced Vata:

* dry skin, nails & eyes* lower back ache* constipation* ungrounded* fear* underweight* panic attacks* insomnia* cold hands & feet, stiff muscles* lack of courage* hypersensitive for sense* stimulation* eye blinking

* fast speech* ringing in ears* overactive mind* changing mind all the time* unable to finish something* lack of concentration* fainting* feeling spacy

To regulate Vata:Move slower, do less multitasking, talk less, restorative/ yin / meditation / nidra yoga, RRR ( to bed and to rise early), warm food, dress warm and protected (scarf, hat)

Pranayamas: Nadi Shodana, agni sari (heat generating), so hum, Kapalbhati, Uyajji slower exhale, Viloma stage 2, Brah-mari

Pitta: subtle Dosha = Tejas.

Subtypes:

Ranjaka Pitta: in stomach, liver, and spleen. Gives color to blood.

Sadhakha Pitta: in the heart. Helps performing mental functions as: knowledge, intelligence & conscious-ness.

Alochaka Pitta: in eyes. Coverns sight.

Bharajaka Pitta: in skin. Regulates by keeping secretions from sweat.

Pitta tamasic: anger, hate, envy, jealousy.Pitta rajasic: agressiveness, competitive, power.Pitta sattvic: knowledge, understanding, recognition.

Signs of disbalanced Pitta:* skin inflammations* muscle inflammations* headaches/ migraine* burning eyes* hot tempered* skin rash* irritated bowels* sharp tongued / cutting words* sharp odour* acne* excess sweating* sensitive to light* quickly irritated* XL ego

To regulate Pitta:Avoid overpacking/ full agenda, use coconut oil / aloe vera on skin, practice with a sense of joy, don’t skip meals, be in nature, RRR (to bed and to rise early), wear cool colours (silk), practice cool (no bikram), no-tice the moon, be with moving water.

Pranayamas:All Pranayama that regulate the moon channel, Sheekhali, Nadi Shodana, Chandra Bheda, Brahmari, Visama Vritti (inh 4/ hold 6/ exh 8)

Kapha: subtle Dosha = Ojas.

Subtypes:

Avalambaka Kapha: in chest. Creates softness, moist and maintains body strength.

Kledaka Kapha: in stomach. Liquifies hard food and creates protective lining in stomach against digestive fire.

Bodhaka Kapha: in tongue. Taste.

Tarpaka Kapha: in head. Nourishes sense organs.

Shleshaka Kapha: in bones and joints. Lubricates the spine.

Kapha Tamasic: confusion, depression, coma, unconsciousness.Kapha Rajasic: attachment, greed, possessiveness.Kapha Sattvic: love, compassion, forgiveness.

Signs of disbalanced Kapha:* depression* too much sleep* colds* lack of circulation* feeling uninspired* overweight* cysts* excessive water retention* slow digestion* constipation* slow understanding* hard to get up and start* cold sweat* flabby, lose skin* no backbone* lack of courage

To regulate Kapha:More exercise, increase giving, sharing & letting go, increase heat (sauna), drink hot/ spicy tea, no snacks, sense stimulation: new things, RRR (to bed and to rise early), neti, spices, less (better:no) meat, light food, grapefruit.

Pranayamas:Kumbhakas, Bhastrika, Kapalbhati, Surya Bheda, Agni Sari.