The goal of Ayurveda is to maintain the health of a healthy person and heal the illness of a sick person . Staying well is far easier than curing an illness ,especially once an imbalance has progresses through the later stages of the disease process .That is why prevention is so strongly emphasized in Ayurvedic medicine .We will look some of the fundamental principles and approaches recommended by Ayurveda for remaining healthy .
Awareness : The master key to remaining healthy is awareness .If you know your constitution and you can remain alert to how your mind,body,emotions respond to the changing conditions in your environment and the numerous facts of your daily life such as the food you eat ,you can make informed choices to maintain good health .
Taking Action To Modify The Cause : You can not control the weather ,but you can dress properly ,so that cold winds,or rain or summers heat will not aggravate the doshas . Changes in the weather are a potential cause of doshic imbalance .Windy,cold,dry weather will aggravate vata dosha,hot,sticky weather is sure to provike pitta ,cold cloudy ,wet weather will increase kapha standing ,it is time to take action ,Put on a hat,a scarf,a warm coat ,stay out of direct sunlight .Modify the cause
Potential causes of illness and imbalance are constantly arising ,both within us and on the outside .The weather is changing ,our surroundings are changing ,our thoughts and feelings are changing and stressful situations are coming and going .In response to these changes ,we have to act skilfully .As the Bhagavad Gita Says “ Skill in action is called Yoga “
One can take action to modify the cause ,the body response will be different and that particular causative factor will not have an adverse effect .This principle applies equally well to psychological factors .You many know that watching violent movies upsets you and gives you nightmares .The violent imagery disturbs your doshic balance,provoking anxiety and fear. You have observed this happening to you ,the next time you are confronted with the “ opportunity to subject yourself to a violent movie ,you can just say No
Restoring Balance :The first step in staying healthy is developing awareness of the potential causes of disease so you can avoid them or deal with them intelligently . The second step is taking action to modify causes you can not avoid or control .The next step is to restore balance once it begins to be lost.The main method for doing this is to apply the opposite quality or qualities
If you are cold ,have hot soup or take something warm to drink .If you are agitated or upset ,sit down and do some meditation to calm you mind and emotions .If your pitta has been provoked and you are feeling hot under the collar,take a swim or have some sweet cooling fruit .This principle seems so simple and makes such good sense that it is easy to overtook it is practical daily life .But it is extremely powerful and effective .If you apply it ,you will find that you can quickly and effortlessly restore balance to your mind and body .
A Simple Home Purification : Both for periodic prevention and to deal with a specific health problem ,panchakarma is a highly recommended art of cleansing and detoxification .If you are not near a center where panchakarma is available under the supervision of a trained Ayurvedic physician ,you can do an effective purification program at home .Be your own healer .Do this simple home purification,preferably at the junction between seasons .Take responsibility for your own healing .You will start to experience a great change in your thinking and in your feelings and you will really fall in love with your life .
Rejuvenation And Rebuilding : The purpose of panchakarma is not just to get well but to purify the body and strengthen it so that future diseases will not occur ,and you can enjoy a long life in good health .In this regard the panchakarma purification can be seen as preliminary to rejuvenation .If you want to dye your shirt ,do not color it while its dirty .Wash it first then dye . The washing is the panchakarma detoxification program and the dyeing is the rejuvenation and revitalization .
Ayurvedic rejuvenatives bring renewal and longevity to the cells and when the cells live longer ,the person lives longer .Ayurvedic rejuvenatives give strength ,vitality and longevity ,strengthen tone ,increase energy and build immunity .The body various agnis become more robust ,so health becomes more robust .To make your rejuvenation more effective after completing your panchakarma purification program ,set some times aside to build up your strength .Whether you take a weekend .a week ,a month or even more,use the time as a purposeful period of rest ,relaxation and rebuilding of body ,mind and spirit .Here are a few suggestions
- Get plenty of rest
- Observe celibacy so that you do not waster your vital energy
- Eat carefully ,according to the guidelines for your constitution
- Meditate and do yoga postures regularly
Self- Esteem : Self-Esteem is at the core of healing .Because of the connectedness of mind and body ,our sense of self-esteem is our cells sense of self-esteem . This is because ,according to Ayurveda,every cell is a center of intelligence and awareness .Every cell carries the sense of self for its own survival .It is the sense of self in the cell that maintains the size and shape of the cell . Self-esteem ,Self-confidence and self-respect promote cellular intelligence ,which is necessary for proper cell function and immunity
Modern science is just now acknowledging the importance of the mind –body connection ,but knowledge of it has been part of Ayurveda for five thousand years .Our sense of self,our attitudes and understandings .our feelings ,all are psychobiological events .Self-esteem is one such event ,one that is strengthening to our cell and to all aspects of our bodies . A lack of self-confidence and self-love is detrimental . Cancer is an example of this lack .Cancer cells have lost their intelligence and grow separate from the body . They are irregular and robust and have an isolated ,selfish sense of self which is in conflict with the life of normal ,healthy cells ,When cancer occurs ,its as if a war is going on between the cancerous cells and the healthy cells .If the healthy cells are strong enough in self esteem ,they can conquer and kill the cancer cells .But if we do not have enough self-esteem and self-respect ,then the cancer cells will win and will conquer the healthy cells .
Thus self-esteem is important for maintaining immunity . If you love yourself as you are ,you will develop confidence and that will heal disease . That is why cellular immunity or natural resistance ,depends upon self-esteem .