Ayurveda and Yoga
By Gurudev

Ayurveda means "the science of life". It is the traditional natural healing system of India that has been practiced over thousands of years. Its purpose is to provide a framework of health for the whole person: body, mind and spirit. As such, it deals not only with disease, but also with rejuvenation, virilization and longevity. The main tools Ayurveda utilizes to achieve health are diet, lifestyle, herbs and bodywork.

Chief among Ayurveda's outstanding attributes is the recognition of the uniqueness of each individual, thereby allowing treatment to be tailored to that individual and their environment. Ayurveda describes the individuality through the use of the 3 doshas, or constitutional qualities: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Every person has a pre-set balance of these qualities. When they are balanced within an individual, health is the result. When they are imbalanced, disease is the eventual outcome. In general, Ayurveda seeks to restore health by restoring balance.

When you blend the principles of Ayurveda with Yoga you greatly enhance the healing power of Ayurveda. When you join Yoga with Ayuveda the practice of yoga becomes exponentially more powerful and effective. Ayuveda and Yoga—the combined power of Body and Soul, gives wings to the practice of both Yoga and Ayurveda.

Ayurveda is a sister science of yoga. Ayurveda works from the outside in; yoga works from the inside out. This is represented as body and being or a bio-spiritual system. When you combine the treatments of Ayurveda, such as diet and herbal medicines, it greatly enhances the inner depths of asana, pranayama and meditation. This is where natural herbal medication and meditation are working hand-in-hand to create a shift not just on a physical level, but to also remove the unconscious blocks that continues to create chronic stress in our lives and is at the core of 80% of modern illnesses faced today.

Just as the emphasis of the Amrit approach to yoga is to work with the subtler pranic levels of healing, all ayurvedic treatments are also geared towards restoring energetic balance according to each individual constitution.

An ayurvedic lifestyle that corresponds with a yogic lifestyle with an emphasis on diet can be powerful combination for accelerated healing, personal growth and transformation.