Ayurveda Basics

Why did I start teaching Ayurveda? What led me to this obscure and unchartered path of Ayurveda? It must have been something very transformative and unexpected to have had such a powerful influence in my life.

Get a general sense of what each section and lecture entails.

Why even study Ayurveda? What differentiates this study with the more popular models of health care (Western/Allopathic and Traditional Chinese Medicine)?

What is the literal meaning of the word Ayurveda and what is the main idea?

Every person in this world will have a dominant area in which they feel drawn to; nevertheless, they will have experiences in all 4 areas. Find out what are these 4 universal goals.

Ojas? Find out what this word means and what are the 3 Pillars of Health. If you take into account these 3 pillars, you will live long and prosper.

Ayurveda is "whole-istic", it takes into account the concept that we have a soul and how it inter-relates to you body and mind?

The 3 Gunas are the 3 States of Mind. Your mind/brain is the CPU (Central Processing Unit) of your entire body. Your mind is like the "filter" where EVERYTHING passes through. In what condition is your mind?

As human beings incarnated in skin and flesh, we are under the illusion that (that) is all we are. Therefore, we are "wrapped up" in 5 Envelopes of Illusion that lead us to think that we are just our body, or our mind. Find out more.

Our mind is so powerful, yet, we have no idea how our most precious subtle organ really functions. In this lecture you will become aware of the 3 areas of the subtle mind.

How exactly does your mind function? The more we know how it works, the less we will suffer.

Mind control may only be obtained by controlling your breath. Your breath is the direct link to your mind. Learn 3 types of breathing techniques.

Concentration is key in leading a happier and more prosperous life. What are the 5 states in which your mind exists?

Even though it is advisable that you practice as many yoga postures as you usually do within your own practice, yet is good to know what poses are most beneficial for your particular type of doshic constitution.

Does it ever appear that you keep repeating the same patterns - over and over? What is that phenomena all about?

Karma as everyone knows is your actions and its consequences. Yet, not everyone knows that your karma is subdivided into 4 parts. Find out what each subdivision of karma means.

In order to reach Self-Realization and get to know yourSelf, it is advisable that you learn what each of these 4 paths has to offer. Neither of the paths is better than the rest; a balanced practice of all the paths will lead to a balanced and better life overall.

The 8 Limbs of Yoga are also known as Ashtanga Yoga (Ashta=8 and Anga=Limbs), Hatha Yoga, and Raja Yoga (The King of Yogas).

Learn what are the 5 elements in Ayurveda - the Panchamahabhuta (Pancha = 5, Maha = Great, and Bhuta = Elements). How does knowing the qualities of each element affect you? This is one of the MOST important lectures in Ayurveda!

Dosha is the basis of the entire teachings of Ayurveda. Learn what the actual word means.

Learn the qualities and attributes of the Vata dosha and how those attributes will affect you.

Learn the qualities and attributes of the Kapha dosha and how those attributes will affect you.

Each dosha has one primary role. It is crucial that you understand what are the functions of the doshas.

Each stage in our life is dominated by a particular dosha. You will find it extremely interesting and beneficial to know, especially if you have adolescent children. You'll understand why they have so much acne.

Learn the difference between that these terms mean. Understanding the difference between Prakruti and Vikruti will help you have a better understanding of how to take the Dosha Assessment that follows. Most people have no idea how to truly take the Dosha Assessment and do not have enough education to know what they are doing. The Dosha Assessments are so popular online, yet they don't explain this very important concept.

For your greatest benefit, take the time to take the assessment twice. Once for a life history analysis (Prakruti), and then for a present doshic state (Vikruti). Download the Dosha Assessment found in the Lecture Files.

This lecture will help you prioritize what Dosha to "treat" first? Now you know your Vikruti & Prakruti and you are asking yourself, what do I do with this information? It is important to keep in mind that you prioritize what is causing you 'dis-ease' while still 'eating right for your dominant Dosha (so that it does not go out of balance). Disclaimer:  This lecture is not intended to have you self-diagnose. I would highly recommend that you visit an Ayurvedic Practitioner.  Yet, it is good for you to understand what you should prioritize in terms of treating a specific Dosha.

In Ayurveda the 7 Dhatus are the tissues which make up the body.

Ayurveda's practical healing system.

Digestion truly is the "key" to health in Ayurveda. The Sanskrit term for digestive fire is Agni. Learn how to increase your agni.

Learning which foods have which tastes will greatly enhance the food choices you make. Remember that not all food is "medicine" for everyone.

An in depth look at how your digestion works. Learn how each of the 6 tastes affects your actual digestion and what part do they play in how you digest food. Remember that digestion is the "key" to good health.

The 3 categories of food is the most popular way to figure out what foods are good for your particular doshic constitution.

After you learned what the 3 states of mind are, now learn which foods better enable you to enhance each state of mind. Eating a Sattvic Diet is essential for better living.

According to Ayurveda, there are causes of disease that we as Westerners are not accustomed to thinking about. Yet if we heed this knowledge, you will find after years and years of living (such as I, close to 50 years old) that there is so much wisdom in this topic. Great knowledge to pass on to your offspring.

If all you ever did was live your life in accordance with the "Laws of Nature", you would better your health by at least 80%. By incorporating only 2-3 laws every year, you will notice how much healthier you will feel, and look!

Learn the 5 Vata Subdoshas (Apana Vayu, Udana Vayu, Prana Vayu, Vyana Vayu, and Samana Vayu) and what diseases arise when Vata is out of balance in your body. This knowledge will better enable you to make changes in your lifestyle so that you may alleviate the symptoms early on.

Learn the 5 Pitta Subdoshas (Bhrajaka Pitta, Alochaka Pitta, Pachaka Pitta, Ranjaka Pitta, and Sadhaka Pitta) and what diseases arise when Pitta is out of balance in your body. This knowledge will better enable you to make changes in your lifestyle early on so that you may alleviate related symptoms.

Learn the 5 Kapha Subdoshas (Kledaka Kapha, Shleshaka Kapha, Avalambaka Kapha, Bodhaka Kapha, and Tarpaka Kapha) and what diseases arise when Kapha is out of balance in your body. This knowledge will better enable you to make changes in your lifestyle early on so that you may alleviate related symptoms.

At the time your disease has manifested and Western Medicine has diagnosed it and given it a name, you are in the 5th Stage of Disease. Since Ayurveda is a preventative medical system, it is recommended that you have knowledge of what the earlier four stages are in order to prevent getting to the 5th stage.

This is a real life story of how Ayurveda healed my own mother's "Kapha Disease" back in February of 2006.  Disclaimer:  Not every 'story' or disease will be this easy to heal, but it just goes to show that the cure may be simple.  I still do highly recommend that if you are suffering from chronic discomfort that you consult a qualified professional Ayurvedic Practitioner.

One of the most common "modern diseases" also known as the "Rich Man's Disease".

Hypertension

Tips for conditioning your body for a morning bowel movement, especially in the morning so that you will have a more "productive" day.

Brushing your teeth is not enough to rid your tongue (and mouth) of pestering bacteria. It is extremely advisable that you get into the habit of cleaning your tongue at least twice a day.

This practice is recommended to use at least 2 times a month in order to "enliven" the biggest organ in your body - your skin. It stimulates your entire body and you should do before you do your self-massage (Abhyanga). Buy a brush that has natural bristles, not plastic.

Abhyanga is an amazingly powerful practice to perform on a daily basis before you bathe in the morning. This is equivalent to taking care of your furniture and car (when you wax these items to increase their shelf life). Our skin actually absorbs these oils and it is nourished immensely. Massage oils may be purchased at Banyan Botanicals (link below) or at the Ayurvedic Institute (link below).

Pranayama is your breathing. It is to increase your awareness. I demonstrate only one of many different styles of pranayama.

Use of the Neti Pot is especially advisable during Spring season to decongest your sinus passages. It is very safe to use.

Learn about the body's basic unit - the Cell.

Tissues are called Dhatus in Ayurveda. Take a look at the "Western" perspective of how a tissue does and what it looks like.

This is equivalent to the "Rasa Dhatu" in Ayurveda. The "juice" in our body and it is so full of nutrients.

The Lymphatic System is also associated with the "Rasa Dhatu" in Ayurveda.

In Ayurveda it is important to note that Plasma & Blood are 2 separate tissues (Dhatus). Plasma is Rasa Dhatu and Blood (Red Blood Cells) is the Rakta Dhatu.

Learn the Anatomy of your Heart.

Learn how your Pulmonary & Systemic Circulation function.

Learn the route the air you breath takes within your Respiratory System.

We will take a look at how your stomach functions.

Learn how the Gall Bladder and Pancreas function to chemically and mechanically break down food that leaves the Stomach.

Here is where all the "indigestible food" is dried out and prepared to become feces for elimination.

The Liver is not only the largest organ of the body, but it has over 250 functions.

Learn the basics of how our body rids itself of waste material.

The Endocrine System is partially related to the Majja Dhatu in Ayurveda. Learn the basics of one of the 2 control systems our body uses to control the functions of the entire body.

Learn the Western terminology of how our food is categorized as compared to how Ayurveda views food in terms of the Elements and The 6 Tastes.

Water composes approximately 60-70% in our body. It is important to know how water is "managed" in our body.

Metabolism is equivalent to Agni in Ayurveda. It is the system that controls the transformation of food into nutrients in our body.

This lecture gives a brief overview of where Ayurveda and Yoga fit in to the big scheme of yoga philosophy.

In order to explain the last and final subject of the most important concept, you will listen to an individual who had a "Near Death Experience" and then watch a mini-clip of what the 4th Dimension looks like. This concept is what the new science of Quantum Physics tries to explain. It is a fascinating subject that the Rishis of India explained so perfectly well at least 5,000 years ago when they explained the subject of "Who Am I?"