It’s India in one of its many manifestations, a feast of colours, noise, hundreds of eyes curiously looking, scanning my foreign features. Here I am again, for my 9th time. The familiar landscape of the Himalayas in their lush green, the hot sun on my head. I am looking forward to sampling the many yoga classes, the various workshops and courses on offer.
This part of the world is very dear to me, it’s where my journey into Yoga started. The potential of a 180 degrees lifestyle change was unveiled here, among the Tibetan refugees, the Punjabi tourists, the many Europeans and his Holiness, the Dalai Lama.
This time is different though, I have a defined purpose. I am still seeking growth and transformation, but in a very specific way. Friends recommended a local one-month foundation course in the science of Ayurveda, the knowledge of life.
And it all starts with philosophy and the universe. In Ayurveda the universe is made of 5 elements:
Ether representing radiation, sound, space
Air, gas, movement
Fire, heat, energy, metabolism
Water, the liquid state which represents cohesion
Earth, solid, mass
Everything can be seen through the 5 elements, they make up the entirety of the world, our bodies, food and anything we need. Each of the element is fundamental and carries unique properties. Knowing the properties and being aware of what our bodies and minds require at any specific time and in any situation, will provide us with the tools to thrive as individuals.
Too difficult? It isn’t. Think of Ether food, low density elements, low fibre, low nutrition, maybe high calories but “empty” calories. Refined carbs and factory made sugary stuff are very good examples of Ether foods.
Air food is the brassica family like cabbage and cauliflower, green leafy and many other vegetables. High fibre, rich in minerals and vitamins, light in nature.
The fire element is represented by spices and stimulants, fermented foods and anything that heats up the body and speeds up the metabolism.
Water is in fruit, soups and Earth is protein and fat.
A balance of all those, depending on the season and your specific characteristics need to be applied. It’s summer and you are a fiery type (Pitta in Ayurveda) you can use the Water element to cool you down. It’s really cold and humid outside and you’re an airy type (Vata), you might need some Earth and Fire to ground and warm you up and so on…. Is it common sense? I think so.
The second layer of classification, derived from the 5 elements, is represented by the 3 Doshas Vata, Pitta and Kapha, which in various degrees make up our unique bodies and mental features, phenotypes and personalities. We are in perfect health when mind and body are harmonious with the external environment. Like in a deep state of meditation everything is still. That doesn’t last long, one or more Dosha will go out of balance (get aggravated) and thankfully our bodies are great at constantly bringing us back to a state of balance or homoeostasis.
Disease happens when this constant movement of ups and downs is acutely and then chronically out of balance. There are 3 types of imbalances, and 3 types of disease:
Vata, the Air element controls the nervous system. Emotional stress and anxiety are an example of Vata disease, which might also affect the skeletal system and the colon.
Pitta, the fire element manifesting in inflammation and heat, passion and anger.
Kapha, the earth element, if aggravated can lead to excess fat and growth, sluggishness and even depression.
Everything can be seen through the Dosha system, analysed and rectified according to specific imbalances. Different times of the day and each phase of life can be considered either Kapha, when the parasympathetic nervous system (growth and repair) is more active and we feel calm and grounded. Pitta when we should have strong energy, a very active metabolism and more drive towards accomplishments. Vata, when we feel more dynamic, creative and inspired.
A very fundamental concept is Agni, which can be translated as metabolism, depending on the context. It is the force responsible for chemical transformation in cells and tissues, as well as digestion. Many conditions originate from issues with Agni and an efficient metabolism is very important for proper digestion as well as general health. If you are struggling with IBS or to keep a healthy weight for instance, it is very possible your Agni isn’t at its best and Ayurvedic practitioners are very much focused on balancing Agni.
Causes of Agni imbalance include overeating, eating without appetite, too little or too much exercise, an irregular lifestyle and stress to name a few. Dosha aggravations lead to Agni imbalances and we can use food, herbs and lifestyle adjustments to either stimulate or calm it.
To keep healthy Ayurveda teaches a daily routine, a seasonal routine, the assumption of good and proper food. This includes at least 2 sources of complex carbohydrates, 2 sources of protein, 2 cooked vegetables, 2 raw, 2 fruits, healthy fat and spices everyday. To live life ethically is also important, as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, heating or cooling herbs tailored to one’s nature and lifestyle.
Am I oversimplifying a rather complex subject? Sure I am, obviously, it’s a 5000 years old tradition in one blog post. Yet our teacher, Dr Sharma, mentioned again and again, we should not over-analyse. In a holistic medicine system, we need to grab the big picture before looking at the details. We need to grow our intuition first.
Ayurveda to me is a great tool, a new framework, a structure to help understand health in its many aspects, as well as the world at large. Coupled with science, Ayurveda makes so much sense! It validates what I learnt in my Western nutritional practice and Naturopathy studies so well, so beautifully, I feel renewed energy and drive to continue on my journey as a healthy human being and as a healthcare practitioner.
“It is the obvious which is so difficult to see most of the time. People say ‘It’s as plain as the nose on your face.’ But how much of the nose on your face can you see, unless someone holds a mirror up to you?” (Isaac Asimov). Ayurveda is a mirror.