Like other great ancient civilisations, India never separated science from philosophy and religion. Instead, it viewed all knowledge as part of a whole designed to promote human happiness, health and growth.
Philosophy is the love of truth.
Science is the discovery of truth through experiment.
Religion is the experience of truth and application of it in daily living.
Ayurveda is called a science of life, both systemised knowledge and practical wisdom, an art of healthy living that encompasses all phases of life, body, mind and spirit.
So let me explain some of the essentials of Ayurvedic theory.
According to Ayurveda, the source of all existence is universal Cosmic Consciousness (many other names are given to this - GOD, Allah, Hu, Jehovah....) and this manifests as male and female energy. The male energy is passive, pure awareness, beyond space and time; it's a silent witness. Female energy is active consciousness. It's the divine creative will that dances the dance of creation.
Both are eternal, timeless and immeasurable.
These two energies are present in all living organisms, man and woman. Also referred to as shiva (male energy) and shakti (female energy) in Kundalini theory.
Originating from the creative female energy, the first expression in nature is:
Intelligence or Cosmic order
followed by
Ego, the sense of self-identity.
Ego expresses itself in three universal qualities:
Sattva: stability, clarity & light
Rajas: dynamic movement causing sensations, feelings and emotions
Tamas: a tendency towards darkness, ignorance and heaviness
From the essence of Sattva are born the mind, the five senses and their organs (ears to hear, skin to touch, eyes to see, tongue to taste, nose to smell) and the five motor organs of action (the mouth for speech, the hands and feet, reproductive organs and organs of excretion.)
Rajas is the active force behind the movement of both the sensory and motor organs.
Tamas gives rise to the five elements, which form the basis of material creation: ether, air, fire, water and earth.
In Ayurvedic science, the concept of these five elements - ether, air, fire, water & earth - is fundamental. Recognising that these elements are present in all matter, including within each person, is essential for understanding our link to nature's building blocks and how to maintain and balance them.
Ether manifests first from the pure, unified, un-manifested Cosmic Consciousness that is the source of all.
Ether or space is associated with sound and the sense of hearing. The spaces in the body effected by this element are mouth, nose, gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, abdomen and thorax.
Air - dry, light, mobile, the second manifestation of consciousness, air moves in space. Formless, and yet can be perceived by touch, the sense to which it is related.
Fire - hot, dry, sharp, penetrating, luminous. When air begins to move, it produces friction, which generates heat, fire. In the body, our biological fire in the solar plexus regulates body temperature and metabolism. It is associated with vision.
Water comes next - fluid, heavy, soft, viscous, cold, dense, cohesive, associated with the sense of taste. Without moisture the tongue can't taste anything. It exists in the body as plasma, serum, saliva, nasal secretion, cerebrospinal fluid, urine, sweat.
Earth - heavy, hard, rough, firm, dense, slow-moving and bulky - the most solid of the five elements. Neither hot or cold. It gives strength, structure, stamina to the body. All the body's solid structures (bones, cartilege, nails, teeth, hair, skin) are derived from the earth element, associated with the sense of smell.
Both in our outer environment and within us, the proportion and balance of these elements is forever shifting, changing with the seasons, the weather, the time of day, the stage of your life. For health and for sheer survival we have to continuously accommodate ourselves to these changes through what we eat, what we wear, where we live. This is a balancing act, playing elements against each other. We must continuously adjust. some of the adjustments take place automatically due to the beautiful wisdom and intelligence with which our bodies have been designed. but much demands conscious choice. We have to juggle the elements, the three doshas -vata (ether & air), pitta (fire & water) and kapha (water & earth) as conditions demand. It requires moment to moment awareness, moment to moment consciousness, moment to moment healing.
Living in the fullness of the present moment is a way of life. Ayurveda is not a passive form of therapy but it asks each individual to take responsibility for his or her own daily living. This is where Kundalini can assist in helping you to remain present, to be aware, so you can apply the principles of Ayurveda to your life and find longevity and happiness.
Healing with Ayurveda is a retreat designed to nurture this full body, mind and spirit awareness, blending Kundalini with Ayurvedic treatments and healing. This is a unique opportunity to grab hold of your health and happiness, and return Light, enlightened and happy.
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