You are invited to embark on a journey towards self-realization. Your true essence, beauty and wellbeing are the gift you give to yourself when you open up to the profound wisdom of right-living through the practice of Ayurveda.

Interconnected

Close your eyes and imagine yourself in a tranquil forest. Observe all around you how things are growing, interconnected and alive. There is a mutual understanding in nature where all beings are in union. We are an integral part of that natural cycle and everything we do, say and think has a cause and effect. Our choices and lifestyle directly impact the vitality and life force of the Cosmos and therefore ourselves. We have a responsibility in discovering who we are so we may nurture the balance of life and enjoy our birthright.

Finding the balance

Ayurveda is an ancient wisdom, or science of life, born more than 5000 years ago in India. By divine will and through the realization of the rishis (seers), Ayurveda was disseminated as a healing practice and a guide for living in harmony with the spirit of nature. The function of Ayurveda is to prevent imbalances from taking hold in the body, maintain the balance of good health and heal diseases caused by imbalances. Ayurveda is a holistic approach to the workings of body, mind and spirit as it recognizes that each person is unique in constitutional make-up and should be treated accordingly to maintain the balance of their elemental life force, rather than their specific symptoms. Ayurveda describes three fundamental universal energies which keep in balance all of life, from the external in nature, to the internal workings and subtle forces of our body and mind.

These three energies or elements are called Tridosha, (three doshas, also known as the biological humours) consisting of Vata, Pitta and Kapha. These doshas are the elemental forces which flow through our bodies in varying combinations, creating balance or disturbance according to our lifestyle, thoughts, external factors and most of all our inherited traits, individual characteristics and tendencies.

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This refers to such things as our physical body shape, color of hair, eyes, skin tone, digestive ability as well as emotional balance. These are what make us all unique and give us clues as to what choices we need to make in order to create and maintain a life filled with grace and well-being.

We already know who we are-our instincts, tendencies and preferences guide us to maintain our own balance. It is when we stop listening to our inner wisdom that we lose touch with these personal guides and we forget. You can ask yourself why you feel uncomfortable in the heat of summer and yet savor the chill of a winter’s day. What makes you feel frustrated and irritable if you skip a meal while your friend can go all day forgetting to eat yet feeling fine? We are all different and these differences are determined by those attributes specific to your personal dosha.

So get to know and love yourself with compassion, and go with the tide of nature rather than fight against it. You will realize an incredible shift in your life when you work with the gifts you have been given. Start by discovering what your individual elemental combination is. Find out by getting to know the dosha and begin your journey to the amazing truth of yourself.