Ayurveda - an ancient Life
Science !
"Ayurveda is as
old as mankind. And at the same time as new and fresh as modern
man!"
So I was told.
The traditional Indian Life Science now called "Ayurveda" is
traced back to the time of the "Vedas". Contrary to western
medicine, Ayurveda does not concentrate on treating a disease but
on returning the body to health. "There is no disease which is
incurable or beyond control unless one fools around to much." I
was surprised to learn and felt guilty because fooling around is
what I did a lot..!
"We are what we eat" is in fact an ayurvedic statement. A
controlled diet is an essential part of Ayurveda. Food and medical
essences are defined by 5 basic elements : Air, Space, Fire, Earth
and Water. The nature of everything in our universe varies
according to differences in the proportion of these elements. The
dominance of these elements in each plant or mineral expresses its
own physical and chemical character. Medicines are formulated on
the basis of these principles. Ayurveda is holistic in its
approach and gives great importance to the physical, mental and
spiritual aspects of health. The work of an Ayurvedic Practitioner
always starts with recognizing the genuine nature of a
client.
The idea of
somebody knowing more about myself than me did not exactly make me
feel at ease when I made up my mind to give Ayurveda a try. Being
a stranger to this land helped me to a relaxed attitude. Didn't I
come here to find something different? Then why not take the
chance to learn something about my very own secrets? I was not
asked anything when I went for my very first ayurvedic massage. So
neither a chance to lie about the amount of cigarettes I smoked
nor about my other habits. But right from the beginning, I felt
the practitioner's hands reading my secrets - which actually made
my mind to cool off and changed my feelings in a way I would never
have imagined. I came as a complete stranger to God's Own Country.
But now suddenly I wasn't a stranger anymore.
Ayurveda in Kerala has some special methods. There are around
50 famous Ayurvedic Centers in Kerala. Kottakkal and Thrissur are
the most important ones. A systematic treatment requires at least
a week. In addition to a special diet, meditation and yoga are
also required. But even if you just wanted to give it a try, you
would always be welcome!
