Ayurveda - what is it? Traditional Indian Medicine System

Among the many medical systems, one of the most popular in the last decade was the Indian Vedic teaching. We are already used to the word "Ayurveda". What it is? Can each person follow the principles of this system to live a long life?

Historical reference

The main element of well-being in this science is the unity and balance of the body, organs and soul. Emerged more than 1000 years ago, the teaching significantly influenced the development of not only eastern, but also European medicine. Healing herbs and spices have long been taken from India to the countries of the Mediterranean and Central Asia, to China and southern Siberia. We still enjoy using musk and sandalwood, cinnamon and aloe.

Gradually gaining popularity in the world, by the middle of the 20th century, Indian Ayurvedic medicine began to be studied and used in the West. The Ayurveda Center in Israel, for example - Ridman College, in the United States operates the National Institute of Ayurveda Medicine. Russia has become acquainted and actively studies the basic provisions and procedures of Indian medicine only since the end of the 20th century. Today Ayurveda in Moscow is almost as popular and in demand as it is in the whole world.

The main methods of Oriental medicine have densely entered into the practice of doctors professing a scientific approach to the healing of patients. This is a therapeutic diet, and baths with douches, and diagnosis of the pulse and breathing. About three hundred and fifty thousand registered doctors of the world practice ayurveda.

From general recommendations to individual treatment

Indian medicine is based not only on the exact sciences. It is based on the Sankhya philosophy, astrology and biocosmotrymology, and also uses knowledge from the field of naturopathy (natural methods of treating diseases).

According to this teaching, astrology describes the connection between micro- and macrocosm (human and environment), gives an idea of how cosmic bodies affect our life. Naturopathy is known for offering to replace chemical drugs with natural food, medicinal plants and minerals. The main thing is an individual approach to each person. Experts say that by objectively assessing age, sex, physique, place of residence and human biorhythms, you can correct the imbalance with the help of medicinal plants and spices. One of the canons of Ayurveda reads: "Everything that surrounds us is a medicine, we only need to recognize it and use it correctly."

Doctor in Ayurveda

A person with all his chronic illnesses is a system with impaired functioning of many organs. So says Ayurveda. Treatment should be conducted only by one doctor who will thoroughly study the problem and will see ways to help the patient. A medical practitioner who uses the principles of ayurveda should be a specialist in all areas and be able to help all patients without exception, regardless of whether the old man is a child or a child.

And one more important remark. Eastern medicine suggests that the patient should go through most of the way to recovery himself, strictly following the prescriptions of the doctor. Only in this case complete recovery is possible.

For a long time the examination of the patient is carried out by the method of "five mirrors" - pulse, diagnosis of the condition of the tongue and skin, irido- and auriculodiagnosis. This allows not only to understand the clinical picture, but also to reveal the patient's propensity to some complications.

Struggle of the elements

We all consist of elements of five elements: air, water, earth, fire and cosmos. Their balance, balance ("Prakriti") corresponds to ideal health, says Ayurveda. What it is? The desire of healers to direct a person into the channel of harmonization of the soul and body. For ease of understanding, remember the European psychotypes - sluggish phlegmatic, hot-tempered choleric, almost balanced melancholic and inquisitive sanguine. To find a person in whom all (or at least three psychotypes) are not represented is almost impossible. But to single out the dominant one - the task is quite simple.

The same is true of Ayurveda. In an ideal state, we must live in harmony of all elements. But from birth, some one predominates.

Dosha

This notion describes not only the type of physique, but also the speed of the processes occurring in man: metabolism in digestion, thinking, psychological mobility and susceptibility to physical exertion, temperament, etc.

In the ayurveda, three types of dosha are distinguished. Vata - air, Pitta - fire and water and Kapha - water, earth and space. As long as all the doshas are in balance, we are healthy and active. But the constant variability of external conditions and, accordingly, internal stresses knock people out of balance.

The goal of ayurveda is the harmonization of dosha and guna (psychoemotional state) to Prakriti.

Water grinds the stone

And yet Ayurveda - what is it? Most experts say that this is a flexible system of protection and correction of a person's condition. She suggests using proven algorithms for centuries at any place and at all times. At the same time, emphasis is placed on the fact that it is impossible to mechanically apply known techniques - they should be adapted according to the "place-time-circumstances" scheme. Only taking into account the peculiarities of climate and geography, culture and society in which the patient is located can create an effective system of treatment.

Many drugs (or more precisely - almost all) act gently and gradually, activating the internal processes of self-regulation of the body. They do not cause side effects with which chemical drugs are known. The Center of Oriental Medicine will offer a set of measures to "pull out" the disease outside, rather than healing it somewhere deep inside. And thus Ayurvedic medicines possess a rejuvenating and clearing effect. Simplicity and accessibility of treatment methods allows you to adjust your condition even at home.

Disease is a teacher

Another interesting fact is that all diseases are considered not as "evil in the last resort", but as teachers who came to tell us about mistakes. Describe the disease, linking it with the way of thinking and behavior, and pointing us through "friendly" diseases to deeper and more serious ailments - that's what Ayurveda is capable of. What is it and how to understand it? Modern medical scientists have already proved, for example, that the mild form of tuberculosis, which should not be thrown out of its body, according to Vedic philosophy, will lead asthma from the patient.

Remember the saying "thought is material"? This is one of the cornerstones of the teaching under the beautiful name of Ayurveda. We already know that this system connects the universe and people (with all their thoughts and deeds that can affect the environment). The disease is seen as something that can stop and change the situation, prevent the consequences of what a person could do if he is healthy. That's what Ayurveda thinks. Treatment allows us to extinguish the energy that we copy for the realization of unkind, destructive intentions. The main thing is to learn that it is not a question of meaningful and planned evil. Envy, criticism of others, self-pity - all these are also evil and harmful seeds for the universe. And with the help of diseases we switch and learn to perceive reality in a different way.

Ojas

By this beautiful word, oriental medicine calls life energy, on which the status of a person depends. And notice: intellectual, spiritual and even social. According to the adherents of Ayurveda, each of us does not use its potential even by 5%. And it is not so important, living in an unsuitable environment or being fascinated by momentary desires (earn more, get power, fly up the career ladder, etc.) - nature with an enviable persistence pushes a person, indicating to him the ways of self-realization, but we rarely hear these Tips ...

So the ojas decreases. And along with this, chronic diseases appear and old age approaches. In addition, the amount of ojas determines our resistance to all sorts of destructive factors. Among the other phenomena that reduce vital energy can be called heavy physical labor, prolonged starvation, alcohol and drugs, anxious thoughts, lack of sleep, dry food, etc. All this leads to so-called mental and physical indigestion, resulting in all kinds of toxins and toxins (Physical and mental). The person is annoyed literally by everything: noise, light, laughter of other people ... Fear, intolerance and anxiety are settled in it. And, of course, all this leads to the development of diseases.

How to accumulate Ojas

Despite the fact that Ayurveda (reviews of medical scientists only reinforce the opinion of those who have experienced therapies) considers individual and complex approaches to the health of each patient, there are many specific recipes. For example, to increase ojas you need a healthy sleep and quality food. This purpose is served by honey, ginger, saffron, etc.

Each person, born with a small supply of ojas, is able to accumulate it during life. But the main skill for the adept of any school that offers the center of Oriental medicine is the ability to redistribute and redirect vital energy. This applies to yoga, and tantra, and qigong.

The most effective way of preserving vital energy is abstinence from too frequent sexual relationships. For an ordinary European, this is nonsense. Because the birthplace of the famous "Kama Sutra" is India. Ayurveda does not require a complete rejection of sexual relations. Adepts are only offered to regulate their intimate life, because sex makes a person dependent, like drugs. There are even results of a study conducted by scientists from the Netherlands, according to which orgasm acts on the psyche almost like a dose of heroin.

Foundation of health

Eastern healers regard Ojas as the greatest gift of the Most High. To save and replenish vital energy, we need to make efforts: to adhere to the rules of a healthy lifestyle, to transform, to take care of our spiritual purity, to control our thoughts, feelings and desires. In the Bhagavad Gita, the Indian scripture, it is said: "Only one who is not disturbed by a continuous stream of desires, like the rivers that flow into an eternally filled but always calm ocean, can achieve peace. And there is no peace for those who seek to satisfy their desires. "

The experience of generations - in life

Vedic doctors say that all diseases happen to us because of ignorance. We do not know how to listen to your body (and most importantly - to hear) and its needs. The ability to recognize the Universe and learn to control it is one of the tasks of the adept of Indian philosophy.

The most important difference of ayurveda from European medicine is a complex approach to the physical and spiritual well-being of a person, to his worldview and way of life. Any of us, without exception, applying the knowledge gained, will be able to achieve the desired result. It is only necessary to remember that the more effort will be applied, the more clearly will be the achievement of the goal. The fact that the result will indeed be, there is no doubt, because people will not be 5000 years old to practice a completely useless system.