Banner

Basic Principles of Ayurveda
  

According to ancient Indian philosophy, the universe is composed of five basic elements or pancha bhutas: prithvi(earth), ap(water), teja(fire), vayu(air), and akash(either). Everything in the universe, including food and the bodies we possess, is derived from these bhutas.

 

A fundamental harmony therefore exists between the macrocosm(the universe) and the microcosm(the individual). As already stated, the human being is comparable to the cosmos, being a miniscule image of the great entity.

  

The Pancha Bhuta Theory and the Human Body: The human body is in a state of continuous flux or dynamic equilibrium. The pancha bhutas are represented in the human body as the doshas, dhatus, and malas.

  
 

There are three doshas in the body. They are vata, pitta, and kapha there are no direct equivalents for these three doshas, known as tridoshas, in English. However the factors responsible for movement and sensation in  single cell/ whole body are the representatives of vata. The factors responsible for digestion, metabolism, and energy are the representatives of pitta. The factors responsible for strengthening the stomach and the joints, providing firmness to the limbs and refreshing the sense organs are the representatives of kapha. There are some special areas in the body in which each dosha predominates, namely, the chest for kapha, digestive organs for pitta, and the large intestine for vata.
 The dhatus are the body constitutes and form the basic structure of the body, each one having its own function. the dhatus are seven in number: rasa (flood juices), rakta(haemoglobin portion  of the blood), mamsa( muscle tissue), medas(fat tisuue), asthi(bone tissue), majja(bone marrow), and shukra(semen).
     Malas are by-products of the dhatus, partly used by the  body , and partly excreted as waste matter after the process of digestion is over. These play a supporting role while they are in the body, and when they are eliminated, their supporting role is finished. The useful elements absorbed by the body are retained  as prasad(useful matter), while those excreted are known as malas(waste matter). The chief malas are mutra(urine), shakrit(faeces), and sweda(perspiration).
      The doshas, dhatus, and malas should be in a state of perfect equilibrium for the body to remain healthy. Any imbalance among these constituents results in ill health and disease.

 
 

The Pancha Bhuta Theory and the Food We Eat: The  food we eat is also composed of the five bhutas. Different combinations of the bhutas confer different attributes on food. One important attribute is rasa(taste0-sweet, sour, saline, pungent, bitter, and astringent. The other attributes are guna(virtue), virya(potency), and vipaka(the taste that arises after the digestion and metabolism of substance). As the digestive process begins, the food is acted upon by the agnis(various digestive juices)  and enzymes.

  
 

AYURVEDA – physical healing science, diet, herbs and  bodywork
Five Sheaths and Healing Modalities
According to this system, the individual is composed of three bodies and five sheaths. Of these, the vital sheath connects the physical and astral; the intelligence sheath connects the astral and causal.

  
 

Physical Sheath          Diet and herbs asana.

  

Vital Sheath               Herbs,gems and pranayama.

Mental Sheath           Mantra(Pratyahara).

Intelligence Sheath    Meditation(dharana,dhyana).

Bliss Sheath               Union,absorption(samadhi).
 

We are living with plants and animals and panchabhutas (co-existing) it is our need to protect the environment which was created by god for our pleasant and happy journey in this planet.