Ayurveda

India’s science of life: how to stay well, and how to address the root cause when you’re unwell.

Prevention first

Ayurveda is India’s traditional system of natural, holistic medicine. Its name comes from two Sanskrit words, ayur (life) and veda (knowledge). Sages passed it down by word of mouth before it was written into texts, and the oldest known ones are the Charaka Samhita, the Sushruta Samhita and the Ashtanga Hridaya. Allopathic medicine focuses on managing disease, Ayurveda looks to preventing it.

Sri Sri Ayurveda is the Art of Living’s ayurvedic brand. It pairs classical Ayurveda with the practices Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar teaches, and its goal is to help people “reconnect with the rhythms of nature”. The articles below go into the doshas, daily routine and Ayurvedic food. Before you take any remedy, check with a trained Ayurvedic doctor.

The three doshas

Ayurveda is based on doshas. Vata leans toward air and space, pitta toward fire, and kapha toward earth and water. Your prakriti, or constitution, is usually a mix of two of them, and it shapes both your body and your temperament. Ayurveda sees an imbalance in that mix as the root of disease.

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The doshas through the day

Ayurveda links each part of the day to a dosha. From 12 to 1 in the afternoon pitta is strongest, which is why Ayurveda makes lunch the biggest meal of the day. Dinacharya, the Ayurvedic daily routine, sets times like this for waking, eating, work and sleep. If you think a dosha is out of balance, see a trained Ayurvedic doctor before you change anything.