The Five basic elements viz. Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Space constitute nature. Ayurveda states that the human body is also made up of these five basic elements. The human physiology and nature must be in sync with one another to achieve a balanced and healthy state of Mind, Body, and Consciousness.
Ayurveda revolves around three main life energies (3 Doshas / Tridosha) viz. Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Tridosha are the governing energies of our physiology. These are responsible for the balances and imbalances in our physiology when they are healthy and vitiated respectively.
Agni (The digestive fire) is responsible for digestion, metabolism, and transformation in our physiology. Agni is regarded as the most influential factor for the well-being of an individual. A vitiated Agni is responsible for diseases in our physiology.
The 7 Dhatus (Tissues) in our physiology viz. Rasa (Lymph, plasma), Rakta (Blood), Mamsa (Muscle), Meda (Fat), Asthi (Bones), Majja (Bone Marrow), and Shukra (Semen) are vital for the functioning of our body. The essence of these 7 tissues is known as ‘Ojas’ which is responsible for maintaining immunity in our physiology. Thus, it is necessary to ensure that all seven tissues are in a healthy state.
The 3 Malas (Excretory products) viz. Purish (Feces), Mutra (Urine), and Sweda (Sweat): Balanced excretion of these three malas every day helps in keeping the body healthy.
Creating harmony in the physiology
Ayurveda focuses on spiritual upliftment, Diet (Ahara), Lifestyle (Vihara), Panchakarma (Detoxification), and Herbs as the primary tools for treatment of diseases. Ayurveda along with Yoga, Pranayama, and Meditation is the best combination to treat a disease at its root cause and promote optimal health.
Ayurveda’s holistic approach of healing cleanses the Mind, Body, and Consciousness by eliminating the root cause and restoring Health (Swasthya), Bliss and Harmony.
Constitution
Ayurveda refers to every individual as a unique being made up of a distinct constitution (Prakriti). The Tridosha are present in every individual, with one or two being predominant by birth. This predominance of doshas is called as constitution. This constitution is the foundation of diagnosis and treatments.
