Founding Principles of Ayurveda
Ayurveda is defined as the "science of life and longevity". It has been referred to as the "Mother of all medicines". Originating in India over 7,000 years ago it is believed to be the oldest healing science in existence from which all other systems emerged. This ancient healing system explains the principles by which health and well-being is both created and destroyed. It has three main objectives: (1) Healing illness; (2) Prevention of disease; and (3) Longevity or age reversal by maintaining and promoting health.
Ayurveda asserts that we are all born into an unchanging body constitution known as dosha (individual body type). The main doshas are based on a combination of the five universal elements: ether, air, fire, water, and earth. These elements combine to form three basic constitutions or doshas: Vata (ether and air), Pitta (fire and water), and Kapha (water and earth).
A person is characterized by his or her proportion of doshas present in the body. These doshas are influenced by diet, environment, stress, state of mind, etc. Each dosha has a natural tendency to become excess or imbalanced and Ayurveda states that by following a diet and lifestyle that corresponds to our body's inherent makeup, we can stave of illness. Restoring and maintaining a level of balance is the key to healing, prevention, and reversing the aging process.
Ayurveda attempts to balance or restore these doshas through understanding each person's unique combination of elements (doshas). This is achieved through questioning, pulse and tongue diagnosis, and a physical exam. To restore balance, Ayurveda relies on dietary guidelines, herbal preparation, lifestyle, meditation and yoga.
What makes Ayurveda so different is that this spiritual science offers numerous unique benefits:
. It looks at people as individuals, not as a generic group.
. It heals from the root-cause of an illness, not merely treating the symptoms.
. Only pure and natural therapies are offered.
. No negative side effects develop from the therapies.
Using a holistic approach, Ayurveda offers therapies for each of the five senses. Therapies include:
Taste: Herbs and nutrition
Touch: Massage, yoga, exercise
Smell: Aromatherapy
Sight: Color therapy
Hearing: Music therapy, mantra meditation, chanting, spiritual therapies
In Ayurveda, inner and outer beauties are intimately related. The more we nurture ourselves, the more radiant we become physically and expressively. Massage and Aromatherapy oils are considered an integral and respected part of the healing process.
Ayurveda is not viewed as an alternative to or substitute for western medicine. Ayurveda seeks to prevent disease by detecting the imbalances and correcting them. It can be used in combination with western medicine and western herbs. The role of Ayurveda is to rebuild tissues, strengthen the immune system and restore balance to the whole person.
Ayurveda
According to Ayurveda, true definition of beauty is healthy internal radiance. The skin reflects inner health. The external body is simply the manifestation of everything that happens inside, including our emotions. By addressing the components of our life, we can control our skin's health. According to Ayurveda, inner and outer beauty are intimately related. The more we nurture ourselves, the more radiant we become physically.
At the heart of Ayurveda is a detailed system of diagnosis according to constitutional types (dosha). In the aesthetics of Ayurveda, we notice stress shown on the skin in different ways. Our skin may be dehydrated, oily, acne prone, or subjected to occasional or frequent rashes, depending on our constitutional type. As we age, most of us are aware that our skin just doesn't look as good as it could.
In Ayurvedic aesthetics, healing mixtures of pure herbs are often mixed from literally hundreds of possible combinations according to the condition and constitution of the client, then a therapeutic facial massage follows. Ayurvedic facials consist of varying combinations of marma points or lymphatic massage, breathing techniques, and aromatherapy. In general given the right support, appropriate diet, and proper cleansing and nourishing, skin can naturally bring itself into harmony.
Vata, AIR type of skin
These people are born with predominantly Vata, air and ether elements. The characteristics of Vata are light, dry, cold, rough, thin and mobile. Vata type of skin imbalance is seen as thin, dry, rough and cold, prone to premature aging and greying of hair. Circulation and immune system tend to be weak. A lack of sebum occurs because the sebaceous glands are low in number and are sluggish. The small pores characteristic of this type of skin lose water quickly. The loss of water leads to tiny superficial wrinkles. Signs of aging, therefore appear much faster for Vata constitutions than with other types of skin.
Pitta, FIRE type of skin
People with Pitta type of skin are Fire predominant and also have a strong Water element. The characteristics of Pitta are slightly oily, hot, light, mobile, sour-smelling, sharp fluid, and pungent. Pitta skin imbalance is usually warm, reddish, sensitive, with blotchy red patches, medium pores with large pores in the T-zone, and prone to blackheads, pimples and allergic reactions.
Kapha, EARTH type of skin
People with Kapha type of skin are Earth predominant and also have a strong water element. The characteristics of Kapha are oily, cold, heavy, soft, slow, dense, dull and lubricating. The skin imbalances can be identified by the following characteristics, cool, fair, oily and thick skin, large pores with proneness to cystic acne, and deep wrinkles.
Are you Vata, Pitta or Kapha?
Take this quick Dosha Test to help determine your own Ayurvedic constitution/skin type.
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