Are We More Than Just The Physical Body? The science of Yoga and Ayurveda are not separate but rather an integrated study – a complete & total science. In fact, the science of Ayurveda was never meant to be fragmented just as ancient physicians were well versed in astrology and various other aspects of alchemy. The understanding of both Yoga and Ayurveda helps to better comprehend that life is made up of [multidimensional] realms. More simply, the mental, emotional, and spiritual realms comprise our human experience. At times, we mistakenly perceive ourselves as merely a physical body and other times we identify ourselves with random thoughts and/or feelings. However, the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda reveals that we exist within dimensional realms [of reality] governed by sh...
A Natural Approach To Heartburn & GERD If we were to ask the average individual what is the cause for acid reflux – it’s very likely to get the response “there is too much stomach acid”. However, this may be entirely wrong. In fact, it is. The mainstream approach to treating heartburn and GERD often involves taking acid suppressing drugs such as “zantac”. However, not only do these drugs fail to address the underlying cause of heartburn and GERD, but they may be making the condition worse. The truth is that acid reflux and heart burn is actually not an excess acid problem but rather an issue of an incompetent lower esophageal sphincter [LES]. The LES is located at the bottom of the esophagus where the esophagus meets the entrance of the stomach. A properly functioning sphi...
Is Ignorance The Root Cause Of All Disease? Man is a trinity of body, mind, and Soul and life as a whole is designed to promote human happiness, health, and growth. That said, the question naturally arises – what is the root cause of disease? According to Ayurveda, disease is often the end result of a long process and can actually be detected and addressed at the early stage of development; hence prevention being better than a cure. More simply, disease is an imbalance. Ayurveda explains that the disease process begins with disturbances in the balance of the doshas; i.e. bodily humors. “Health results from the natural, balanced state of the doshas. Therefore, the wise try to keep them in their balanced state.” – Charak Samhita “Ignorance Is Not Bliss.” We email. We goog...
The Divine Demon Rahu The Divine Demon Rahu was known for his devout spiritual practice, but was rich in desire for both life, and sensory experience. Through his spiritual practice Rahu gained clarity as to where The Gods were drinking Amrit, the immortal nectar or celestial ambrosia, and saw an opportunity to impose as a God In order to drink the divine beverage. Quickly Surya The Sun and Chandra the moon alerted Vishnu the preserver of the universe of Rahu’s convoluted plans. Shortly thereafter Vishnu came down and threw his sharp disc in order to cut Rahu’s head off. At the same time that Rahu’s head was being cut off he tasted the Amrit and was granted Immortal dominion and empowered as two shadow planets, Rahu representing a top half with no body symbolizing Rahu...
The Breath, Poop & Weight Test It’s hard to be sexy when you’re sick. Though our noses are not nearly as sensitive as those of many animals, humans are still wired to sniff out when people are not well… and to avoid them. But the reverse is also true: radiant health is very attractive, to both men and women, and it make sense to cultivate it if for nothing else but to attract a quality partner. There is an aphorism that says: “The root of dharma, prosperity, enjoyment, and freedom is good health. Diseases take this away, as well as goodness and life itself.” This reminder of how important health is not only to love and romance, but practically every area of life comes from the āyurvedic author Charaka. Health stands as an asset and disease is a liability to achieving our goals, ...
Is Health Really Just The Absence Of Disease? The concept of health is so familiar that many of us never really give much thought about what it really means. The most common response to such a question is – “the absence of disease”. Is health really just the absence of disease? The ancient wisdom of Ayurveda sees each person as not being a set of parts, but as a whole and for one to be considered healthy – the body, mind, and consciousness must be balanced. More specifically, Sushruta the father of surgery and teacher of Ayurveda explained health as being when the digestive fire [“agni”] is balanced; the bodily humors [vata-pitta-kapha] are in equilibrium; the three waste products [urine, feces, and sweat] are eliminated properly; the senses function normally; and the bo...
Holistic Ways To Improve Your Relationship Relationships can be challenging — there’s no arguing that one. From minor disagreements to seemingly insurmountable differences, keeping a partnership happy, healthy and mutually fulfilling takes commitment and work, but it’s certainly possible. Knowing your partner’s predominant dosha(s) and tendencies can help take much of the mystery (and dare I say frustration?) out of relationship woes. Knowledge allows for insight, and insight for patience and compassion. Vata Vata-dominant types are quick, creative and expressive. They are quick to learn, quick to forget, and may get cold easily. When in balance, they are stimulating company — they have amazing intellects. Out of balance, they can become stressed out, nervous, worried — a...
7 Healthy Habits To Help Improve Your Life One of the factors on how well we age is not determined by our genes but how well we live. Don’t believe this statement? A study published by the British Medical Journal demonstrates that we can reduce the risk of having a stroke by 50% by doing four simple things – being active for 30 minutes/day, eating 5 servings of fruit and vegetables, and avoiding excess alcohol and cigarettes. Even further, research consistently reveals that keeping unnatural routines can eventually weaken the body’s immune system and general wellbeing. Therefore, one way to promote health is to bring one’s routine into accordance with nature’s rhythm. Nature is characterized by regular cycles and a large part of being healthy is simply learning how to live in accorda...
How To Overcome Fatigue & Tiredness We tend to blame fatigue on a “too-busy lifestyle” and much of the time we’re right. However, if you feel tired all the time, it’s not something to overlook. According to the CDC, chronic fatigue syndrome, or CFS, is a debilitating and complex disorder characterized by profound fatigue that is not improved by bed rest and that may be worsened by physical or mental activity. About one million Americans suffer from CFS. The challenge with chronic fatigue and extreme tiredness is that its root cause can often be challenging to trace. Due to its complexity, doctors often recommend a battery of tests to rule out possible causes; i.e. thyroid conditions, sleep disorders, depression, anemia, etc. However, the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda has a practical appr...
How To Reduce Stress There is no event in life which is intrinsically stressful. However, stress by which we mean psychological stress may not be any more “real” than any other thought within the mind. Likewise, not all stress is considered equal and not all stress need be harmful. For example, it’s only natural to feel the excitement about an upcoming event [i.e. your wedding] while at the same time feel nervous. Interestingly, this motivated yet stressful state of the mind is sometimes referred to as eustress, or “good stress” which may be beneficial for meaningful and purposeful action. However, if this state of stress or heightened state of arousal goes unchecked – we often can feel stressed out! “Wherever a thought goes, a chemical goes with it.” – Deepak Chopra Tu...
Health Benefits Of Tulsi Tulsi or “Holy Basil” is revered as the holiest of all plants and is considered a manifestation of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. According to legend, “All-Pervading” Vishnu comforted Lakshmi that she will be born on earth as Tulsi, but only part of her will stay there as a plant as she will eventually return to him as his wife. Tulsi which means “the incomparable one” is originally from India and is used in Ayurvedic medicine as an “adaptogen” to help counter life’s stresses. Medicine is made from the leaves, stems, and seeds of Tulsi and shown to possess healing benefits for a wide rage of health conditions such as the common cold, fevers, diabetes, asthma, bronchitis, heart disease and so much more. Even more impressive, research is beginning to suggest...
5 Simple Ways To Balance Kapha Dosha According to Ayurveda, there are three doshas called vata, pitta, and kapha. We can think of these three doshas as the guiding principles that keep all our bodily functions balanced and healthy. “Health results from the natural, balanced state of the doshas. Therefore, the wise try to keep them in their balanced state.” – Charak Samhita What Is Kapha Dosha? Kapha, made up of the properties of earth and water, embodies structure and stability. Earth and water … slow, stable, down to earth, slow to anger, and easygoing! The Kapha-dominant take their sweet time, too. If you’ve heard the expression, “Slow and steady wins the race,” that’s a good example of Kapha. Kaphas may be slow to get going, but they are dependable and dedicated. At their health...