ayurvedic principle

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PRINCIPLE OF

AYURVEDA


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The body is thought of as being composed of five basic

concepts:

1. The five basic elements of life

2. The three doshas (or humours), made up of the five basic

elements of life

3. The seven tissues (dhatus)

4. The three waste products (malas)

5. The gastric fire.


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Health is believed to comprise a balanced

state of the doshas (made from five basic

elements and senses), the dhatus, the malasand a gastric fire (agni), together with the

clarity and balance of the mind, senses and

spirit.


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The five basic elements and

senses of life

Ayurveda considers that the universe is made

up of combinations of the five elements (pancha

mahabhutas).

akasha (ether),

vayu (air),

teja (fire),

aap (water)

prithvi (earth)


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The five basic elements join together in different

combinations to make up the three doshas (or

humours):

1. Ether (space), represented in the hollow spaces

of the mouth, nose, gastrointestinal tract, thorax,

capillaries and tissues associated with the

sense of hearing (ear and speech)2. Air, represented by movement of the various

organs, i.e. expansion, contraction and pulsation

associated with touch (hand)


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3.Fire, the source of heat and represented by

metabolism, digestion, body heat and intelligence

associated with sight (eyes)

4.Water exists as secretions of the salivary glands

and mucous membranes associated with taste

(tongue)

5.Earth, represented by solid structures of the body,

i.e. bones, cartilage and muscles associated

with smell (nose).


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The three doshas (humours)

The three doshas (humours) In biological

systems, such as humans, the five basic

elements outlined above are coded into threeforces, which govern all life processes. These

three forces (kapha, pitta and vata) are known

as the three doshas or collectively thetridosha:


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Vata (air principle) is responsible for all body

movement; it represents the nervous system

and controls the emotions of fear and anxiety.Vata areas include the large intestine, pelvic

cavity, skin and ears.


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Pitta (bodily fire principle) governs digestion,

absorption, nutrition, skin colour, intelligence

and understanding. It arouses hate andjealousy. Pitta areas include the small

intestine, stomach, blood, eyes and skin. It

governs all heat, metabolism andtransformation in the mind and body.


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Kapha (biological water principle) is present in

the throat, chest, head, sinuses, nose, mouth,

etc. It governs body resistance and biologicalstrength, promotes wound healing and

supports memory. Psychologically kapha

governs greed, envy and love.


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A balance of the doshas is necessary for

optimal health.

In childhood kapha elements associated with

growth predominate; in adulthood pitta is more

important, whereas as the body deteriorates in old

age vata becomes more important.

When there is an imbalance or disharmony in

health more than one dosha may be present.


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The seven tissues (dhatus)

The seven tissues are as follows:

1. Plasma or cytoplasm (ras), which contains nutrients from digested

food

2. Blood (rakata), which governs oxygenation3. Muscles (mamsa), which maintain the physical strength of the body

4. Bone and cartilage (asthi), which give support to the body

5. Bone marrow and nerves (majja), which fill bony spaces and

facilitate communication

6. Fat (medas), responsible for body bulk

7. The sex hormones and immune system (shukra).


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The three waste products (malas)

These are sweat (svet), faeces (poorish) and

urine (mutra).

Must be produced in appropriate amounts and

eliminated through their respective channels.


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The gastric fire (Agni)

The final element important for healthy life is agni,

the fire that sustains vitality.

Agni covers whole sequences of chemical

interactions and changes in the body and mind. It

has been compared with the digestive enzymes

but is considered to be responsible for more than

just the biochemical processes because it alsomaintains the health of the immune system, and

destroys microorganisms and toxins in the gut.


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Techniques used in Ayurveda to

treat disease

Reducing (langhana) where there is an

excess. Purification (sodhana) or palliation

(samana) are prescribed for reducing anyexcess pathologies.

Tonifying (brmhana) where there is deficiency.

Sweet and nourishing tonics (rasa-yana) are

given for building strength.


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Drying (ruksana) therapy is used to alleviate

anyexcess fluids in the system. Herbs that are

diuretic or remove mucus dry the system.

Oleating (snehana) treatments moisturise

dryness and give unctuousness to the tissues

by using oily and demulcent substances.


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Fomentation or sweating (svedana) therapy

reduces coldness, heaviness, stiffness, a - ma

andtrapped heat in the body by using steam and

diaphoretic herbs.

Astringent (stambhana) therapy is used to slow

the excessive flow of bodily fluids with tannin-rich

herbs (Charaka Sam hita- Su-trastha-na 22).


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Practice of ayurveda

Choice of treatment

After a diagnosis has been made as to the

particular dysfunction or disharmony present, there

are several different types of treatment available tothe ayurvedic practitioner. These may all be used

alone or to complement each other and include:

Dietary advice

Administration of medicines

Aromatherapy


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Enemas

Massage

Mind

body interventions

Surgery.


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An example of an ayurvedic treatment regimen

is known aspanchakarma.

To direct body toxins to specific sites forelimination. The five techniques are:


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1. Therapeutic vomiting

2. Purgation

3. Enemas

4. Nasal aspiration of herbs

5. Therapeutic release of toxic blood.


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ayurvedic principle

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