Ayurveda is a 5000 year-old system of natural healing that has its origins in the Vedic culture of India. Although it had been suppressed for long during the regime of foreign rulers, it has of late come back in toto and has been enjoying a major resurgence in both its native land and other parts of the world. Tibetan medicine and Traditional Chinese medicine both have their roots in Ayurveda.
Early Greek medicine also embraced many concepts originally described in the classical Ayurvedic medical texts dating back thousands of years.More than a mere system of treating illness, Ayurveda is a science of life (Ayur = life, Veda = science or knowledge). It offers a body of wisdom designed to help people stay healthy while realizing their full human potential. Providing guidelines on ideal daily and seasonal routines, diet, behavior and the proper use of senses, Ayurveda reminds us that health is the balanced and dynamic integration between environment, body, mind and spirit.
Recognizing that human beings are part of nature, Ayurveda describes three fundamental energies that govern our inner and outer environments: movement, transformation and structure. Known in Sanskrit as Vata (Wind), Pitta (Fire) and Kapha (Earth), these primary forces are responsible for the basic characteristics of our mind and body. Each of us has a unique proportion of these three forces that shape our nature.
If Vata is dominant in our system, we tend to be thin, light, enthusiastic, energetic and changeable. If Pitta predominates in our system, we tend to be intense, intelligent, goal-oriented and have a strong appetite for life. When Kapha prevails, we tend to be easy-going, methodical and nurturing. Although each of us has varied combination of all three forces, most people have one or two elements that are more obviously expressed.