Ayurveda is often called the sister science to Yoga since both sciences share almost identical philosophies and originate from the same source, the Vedas, a collection of Indian scriptures believed to have been composed between 1,500 and 700B
The science of Ayurveda is more than a medical system, it’s a way of life.
Ayurveda links an intuitive understanding of the qualities of our world, to how we are each affected as individulas by foods, lifestyle, and environment. When we try to live outside of the laws of our universe (example: sleeping in the daytime, eating foods out of season), we end up swimming against the current of nature, which drains our vital energies and results in low immunity, premature ageing and eventually disease.Â
I first fell in love with Ayurveda on a Yoga teacher training course in Kerala, South India. I remember that one night a crowd had started to gather at the Ashram where I was staying. I was told that the next day a Vaidya( a traditional Ayurvedic physician) would arrive early in the morning and the people gathered were his patients. I was curious, I had been receiving treatment for a skin condition back home, it was invasive and it wasn’t working , so with nothing to lose I requested an appointment. My turn finally came at the end of the day once the hundreds of people who had travelled to see the doctor had been seen either for free or for whatever donation they could afford.
My consultation was short and sweet and since the doctor spoke no English his assistant had to interpret. I wondered how with so little information the doctor had been able to diagnose me and prescribe the appropriate medicines. My Yoga teacher explained to me that in the short few minutes that our exchange had taken place, the doctor was gathering information about me by observing my physical features, the steadiness and speed of my voice, the texture of my hair and skin, the clarity of my eyes, he had read my tongue, taken my pulse and observed my mannerisms. I was fascinated and the deal was sealed on my dharma when the herbs and medicated oils that the doctor prescribed worked perfectly and the condition disappeared within days.
Months later, I returned to the same Ashram in India and took my first certified training in what I call ‘Grandmas Ayurveda’. There, I learned the classical Ayurveda, the grass roots if you like. When I returned home from that trip my life changed. I started to live the habits of Yogis more intentionally and I noticed my health improving dramatically. My hormones balanced out, my sleep improved, my weight stabilised, my joints didn’t feel stiff during the cold weather, seasonal allergies reduced, I didn’t get constipated anymore, fluid retention disappeared, my palatte changed and i had healthier cravings, I had more energy and on the rare occasion I fell ill, I had an arsenal of tools to help me heal myself. As well as a shift in my physical wellbeing I had shifted my mindset to prevention. I realised that I could design the body that I wanted if I took my health into my own hands and Ayurveda had given me the tools I needed.
I continued to train for a couple more years and became certified as a Yoga Health coach. I learned how to guide people from poor habits that were leaving them sick, tired and old before their time, to better health and feeling wonderful as they age by integrating Ayurvedic lifestyle, self care and hygiene habits into their own busy lives. My tried and tested habit evolution system- Thrive For Life teaches simple habits from Yoga and Ayurveda that bring us back into alignment with our true nature, show us how to cultivate a strong body, clear mind and deep connection to spirit.
Find out more about the lifestyle habits of Yogis
