What is Ayurveda & History of Ayurved
Ayurveda is the ancient Vedic science of healing. The history of Ayurveda dates back centuries and centuries. It has been practiced in our country for over 5000 years, by Ayurvedic practitioners and skilled Ayurveda health Guru. This oldest System of alternative medicine believes in harmony of the physical body and soul.
Qualified ayurvedic Physicians insist on lifestyle changes to create equilibrium between the mind, body, and soul. This traditional medicine science treats the body holistically. In this, herbal extracts and natural therapies are used for rejuvenation, revitalization, and balance of the body. The professionals firmly believe that plants, a healthy diet, yoga, meditation, and lifestyle changes can keep the body free from diseases.
What is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda is a traditional model of medicine that is still being practiced all over the world. This old Vedic system of healing combines diets, herbal extract, and lifestyle alterations to keep the body healthy.
Ayurveda is derived from two words.
1) Ayush meaning long life
2) Veda meaning extensive knowledge of the Vedas
Ayurvedic Gurus believe that a strong immune system can help in the prevention of disease. In this way, health can be improved, and human life can be prolonged. Prevent the disease so that you stay healthy- says Ayurveda! Prevention is better than cure, insists the herbal extracts specialists.
How did Ayurveda spread to other parts of the world?
This extensive science of knowledge is recorded in the spiritual scripts of the Vedas. In the last 1000 years, travelers from all over the globe came to India and experienced the effectiveness of this natural mode of treatment.
Greek, Tibetans, Romans, Chinese, and Persian people learned about this healing science. They gathered education from this extensive healing knowledge and went back to their countries. Have you heard about the Unani School of medicine? The history of Ayurveda states that Ayurveda has inspired both Unani and Chinese traditional schools of medicine.
Doctrines of Ayurveda
Ayurveda does not believe in segregating the person and providing symptomatic treatment for a disease. Not only are the symptoms of the illness addressed with herbal goodness, but even the lifestyle and food habits are also altered. The body is treated in totality by professionals. Herbs and their derivatives help trigger the environment and body to develop curative measures. The metabolic activity and body functioning changes and disease can be prevented.
Let us understand more about this. Our human body is a combination of energies. These energies vibrate at the same frequency as the universe. The three doshas or energies which our body is made up of are:
1) Kapha
2) Vitta
3) Pitta
If all these energies are in equal quantities in the body then there are no medical issues. If either of the energy is predominant, then it shows up as a disease or disorder. These energies can be balanced to a certain extent. This can be done through systematic exercise, meditation, yoga, diet, and herbal extracts. Harmony is the target here and that’s what every Ayurvedic practitioner focuses on. The history of Ayurveda confirms this!
Constitution of the body and how Ayurveda came into being?
According to the physiological constitution of the body and the food habits, every one of us is either:
1) Tamsik
2) Rajsik
3) Sattvik
Ayurveda believes in cleansing the body naturally with herbs, meditation, and chanting. The spirit also has to be cleansed and chakras cleared of all blockages. Many people in India have a firm belief in this traditional treatment system and have always resorted to “desi nuskhe” to treat their families.
History of Ayurveda
It was Acharya Veda Vyas who revealed Ayurveda through his divine revelation. Nearly 5000 years ago, this knowledge, its tenets, and philosophy was encompassed in the Holy books called “Vedas”. This healing science was spiritual and religious and this was the reason why there has been no experimentation in the past.
The ayurvedic manuscripts mentioned in Atharva Veda are probably the only recorded and written monuments dating 3000 years back but the actual and real origin of Ayurveda is a mystery. It was a revelation in the mind of Ved Vyasa.
The sages and rishis of olden times had amazing spiritual and divine powers because they were connected to the Supreme Power. As Hinduism grew, the learned sages who knew the art of healing, transferred the information they had into books and parchments.
In the last 2000 years, Acharya Charaka and some other knowledgeable people contributed to this science. Acharya Charaka came out with a book called Charaka Samhita. This book included tips on metabolism, immunity, and digestion. The other pre-secondary B.C. text was the Sushruta Samhita by Acharya Sushruta which included information on surgical intervention on the skull.
What does Ayurveda do?
Ayurveda can be defined as the science of leading a happy and long life. According to the religious Vedas, Ayurveda, the healing science is a gift to mankind. The sage Ved Vyasa was the originator of this science as stated above. He got this knowledge after deep meditation sessions where he connected to his inner self. The Vedas were written by him and they covered all health topics. Different parts of medicinal herbs and shrubs were ingeniously used to prepare remedies for different diseases.
The Vedas are of 4 kinds:
- Rig Veda
- Sama Veda
- Yajur Veda
- Atharva Veda
More about Atharva Veda
Most of the healing and curing excerpts are included in the Atharva Veda. The Ayurvedic treatment and science of healing were adopted by many people. Besides Brahmans, many others also learned the art of healing. These people were called Vaidyas. They were entitled to treat the diseased and sick and make them better.
The Atharva Veda separated Ayurveda into 8 branches which ultimately ended up as two streams of medicine:
- Atreya school for physicians
- Dhanvantri school of surgeons
The sages used foods, aromas, herbs, colors, shlokas, gems, mantras, and sometimes surgery to heal people.
The books on Ayurveda were then translated into Arabic. Some physicians used these Books for the promotion of Islamic medicine. All over Europe, this healing science started to get a hold and became a foundation for the European way of medicine. When India was invaded by the British, the Ayurvedic treatment took a backseat. After independence, its popularity soared again.
Principles of Ayurveda
The basic principles of Ayurvedic treatment agree that diseases have to be treated and the balance of mind, body, and consciousness has to be maintained at all times. Herbal remedies, proper dietary patterns, proper drinking, and lifestyle habits can open chakras and create a positive aura around the body. Improve your vibe and adopt Ayurveda!
The history of Ayurveda has proved that natural treatments had amazing powers. Now, Ayurveda is a great method to deal with the healthcare of the whole family. Addictions, diseases, infertility issues, rejuvenation therapies, skincare, diet and weight control, health of the nervous, respiratory, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal systems all can be taken care of by natural therapies. Rely on them and make your life better.
