The Intriguing Concepts and Secrets of Ayurvedic Treatments
Basically, Ayurveda is an ancient Indian system of medicine.
Composed of traditional techniques, knowledge today unknown to most people and impactful philosophical concepts, this approach to health aims more broadly to preserve our well-being and maintain our balance (both that of our body and our body). spirit).
With tools like the theory of the five elements, yoga, meditation, the use of plants and a whole bunch of other things, Ayurvedic treatments have a wide range of possible actions. (Don't worry, we'll describe them in this article.)
You should know that Ayurveda has grown incredibly in popularity in recent years, even becoming one of the most popular forms of unconventional medicine.
This is not surprising: the wisdom and spirituality behind Ayurvedic treatments are simply immense, as is what it has to bring us from a practical point of view.
Contents :
A brief historical introduction to Ayurveda
A brief historical introduction to Ayurveda
A first approach to Ayurveda can be to look at its etymology. As such, it is quite simple to break down the word into two others in the Sanskrit language:
- Ayur, which translates as “life”, “vitality”
- Veda, which means “wisdom”, “knowledge”.
Ayurveda would thus be a kind of “knowledge of life”, of “wisdom allowing vitality”. The name of this traditional Indian medicine in any case offers great promise. We can see the idea behind it and, yes, it is absolutely correct!
Besides this, it may also be interesting to look at Ayurvedic treatments from a historical perspective.
This type of practice is quite difficult to date, but experts agree that the philosophy behind it has existed for at least 5,000 years. This more or less corresponds to the age of yoga, an Indian spiritual doctrine considered “sister” to Ayurveda.
In short, we are talking here about one of the oldest healing systems, one of the most honorable forms of traditional medicine.
Obviously, and like everything that concerns man, Ayurvedic treatments are marked by a holistic conception of the human being (we will see in a few moments what this means) as well as an obvious emphasis placed on spirituality, religion and philosophical concepts.
Simple health principles
The knowledge provided by Ayurveda is numerous, its teachings are very rich and the truths it can bring us are very real.
We obviously cannot highlight them all here. Even sages and gurus who devote their lives to it cannot understand Ayurvedic treatments in their entirety because the practice has such a spiritual and sacred element.
However, this will not prevent us from presenting to you the main “practical” concepts on which this form of medicine is based.
A total, holistic being
The basic idea on which Ayurveda is based is really simple: for it, the human being is a total entity, of which we cannot differentiate the parts that compose it.
Obviously, our health and well-being depend on our being as a whole. Soul, spirit, body and aura are therefore inseparable.
Promoting your health therefore also involves paying attention to each of these parts and the interconnections that exist between them.
The nervous system, for example, arises from, but also influences, our mental state and our diet. Yes, a total being.
The concept of balance
According to Ayurvedic theory, everything in the universe is connected. This is true within humans, but also between individuals, between the individual and their environment, etc.
Certain health problems can therefore be caused by an imbalance in these subtle relationships that make up our world. Balance brings serenity and allows real letting go. Imbalance pushes back vital energies.
Ayurvedic treatments will thus focus on things like lunar cycles, the seasons, friendly and romantic relationships or even the social role of patients.
Agni and prana
Everything we have seen above can actually be applied to most forms of traditional medicine. The two concepts that we are going to see now are really specific to India, and therefore to Ayurveda.
Agni, a term that translates to “inner flame,” describes a kind of vital energy that we all have inside us and that manages things like digestion, purification, and the elimination of toxins.
Prana, or “vital energy”, also describes an internal energy, but more linked to the divine. Prana is notably that energy which monks and meditators seek to develop to achieve altered states of consciousness.
Global health to resolve specific problems
This health principle follows directly from those we saw earlier: in Ayurvedic care, specific problems are often treated by more general modes of action.
Instead of directly combating an illness or disorder, the Ayurveda practitioner will focus on the general improvement of his patients.
This is actually based on different ideas:
- A healthier being will be able to more easily enter into self-healing processes.
- If global imbalances are the source of certain problems, they can be resolved by global rebalancing.
- Overall health and vitality are the best weapons in disease prevention.
The five elements...
Like most Eastern philosophies (we can think, for example, of the Chinese or the Japanese), the Indians recognize the existence of primordial elements.
While Western alchemy often reduces them to four, Ayurveda knows more about five, namely:
- The pṛthivi, the earth
- âp, water
- Tejas, fire
- Vata, the wind
- Akase, ether or space
These five elements are thus the basis of the entire material world and, a fortiori, of the bodies of human beings.
Here we can find the notion of balance so dear to Ayurvedic care: if one of these elements takes over (or on the contrary weakens), this will be reflected in our health and will be the source of many ailments.
…and the three doshas
The five elemental principles cited above sometimes combine to form three specific forces called the three doshas.
We thus have:
- The vata dosha, composed of air and ether (space and air)
- The pitta dosha, composed of fire and water
- The kapha dosha, composed of water and earth
Knowing the doshas present in an individual as well as their “quantity” allows us to deduce a whole lot of useful information in a treatment process. Emotional principles, personality, constitution, instincts and general behaviors are just a few.
Ayurvedic care in food
We haven't talked about it yet, but you should know that Ayurveda gives a prominent place to food.
Many people only know this alternative medicine through the prism of food, as the subject constitutes such an important part of it.
In particular, the sages who have reflected on Ayurveda for millennia have detected in certain foods the presence of particular balances at the level of the five elements and the three doshas that we spoke about earlier.
Certain foods offered by nature are real remedies that can have surprising effects, to say the least. Now we're going to take a look at some of those...
Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is undoubtedly one of the best-known plants in traditional medicine. This is not surprising given its effects!
Considered an adaptogenic plant, ashwagandha will help your body adapt to stress and change.
Concretely, in a healing context, ashwagandha could potentially improve certain responses of our system. To rebalance our being, certain therapies recommend shwagandha cures. Others use it to resolve joint problems.
Far from being just a spiritualizing theory, recent scientific studies have highlighted the effects of this plant on muscle development, blood sugar levels and cognitive abilities.
Cumin
Cumin is a very common spice in Indian cuisine which has conquered stalls all over the world.
Most of the time, we simply use it to add taste and flavor to our dishes. However, cumin has very real healing properties that are good to know.
Concretely, we are talking here about an antimicrobial action which would reduce the risk of food infections. In a tropical climate like that of India, it is still interesting.
Sometimes also, decoctions and other balms made from cumin could be applied to wounds to prevent infection.
Ginger
A great gateway to well-being, many cultures around the world consider ginger to be a kind of universal remedy. This is partly true, and some therapists base much of their practice on it.
In fact, this very powerful root will boost the body as a whole, thus providing more vitality and greater weapons in the fight against diseases.
More trivially, ginger is known to increase libido and facilitate digestion... in short, it gives us everything we need to have a dream dinner, then a dream evening!
Cardamom
Cardamom is a plant well known to Ayurvedic treatment specialists. Nicknamed “ the queen of spices ” by the Indians, it has been part of the traditional Hindu pharmacopoeia since the dawn of time.
In terms of its demonstrated effects, some recent studies have highlighted notable effects on gastric ulcers, as well as in the fight against blood pressure.
So, once again, Ayurveda had been right millennia before anyone else...
The lemon
It is generally accepted that lemon is a quality detoxifier. In fact, many of us drink a glass of its juice mixed with lukewarm water to start the day.
This is also how Ayurveda advises us to consume this citrus fruit, considering that its effects on the liver will allow us to get rid of the miasmas produced in our digestive system during the night.
Lemon is also known for being able to eliminate toxins from the body like no other fruit, and is therefore very recommended in detox therapy. Whether this is true or not, its fresh flavor will in any case allow you to start the day off on the right foot.
The lassi
Relatively little known in the West, lassi is a kind of therapeutic drink made from yogurt mixed with water and garnished with various spices and aromatics. On a plant basis, fermentation is added to create synergy.
Like most fermented foods, lassi helps with digestion, development of immunity and regulation of moods. It boosts longevity and makes the body more toned.
Ayurveda therefore advises consuming it during winter meals to support our body in this somewhat more difficult period. We can also use it to relieve nervous fatigue.
4 examples of Ayurvedic treatments to implement
We have seen the general principles on which Ayurveda is based as well as a list of some foods that can improve our health.
All this is very nice, but does not tell us what concretely we can put in place in our daily life to benefit as much as possible from these teachings.
Once again, the following list is in no way exhaustive, but will simply give you some leads and ideas that might interest you.
Create (and follow) a daily routine
The best way to reconnect with the world is to follow a daily routine that includes specific rituals. This way, you will be as comfortable as possible in what you do, and therefore do it better.
In particular, we can advise you to get up at the same time as the sun, start the day with some stretching and end it with meditation.
The different elements to add to your routine will, however, depend on you because, as Ayurveda reminds us, each individual is different.
The power of meditation
More and more people today are aware of the effects of meditation.
Muscular but also mental relaxation, reduction of stress and anxiety, better grounding, development of our spirituality : truly, the virtues of meditation are numerous.
Since Ayurvedic medicine derives directly from Hinduism, and this religion places particular emphasis on meditative practices, they form an essential part of Ayurveda as well.
When we know the benefits that these spiritual practices have on the body and mind, we can only welcome this gem of well-being with open arms!
And that of walking
In our modern society, far too many of us have developed overly sedentary lifestyles and bad habits.
However, walking is an absolutely essential activity for men. It activates circulation, strengthens the heart and lungs, facilitates detoxification and helps us relieve stress.
An Ayurvedic massage can improve blood circulation and activate the immune system. Walking (through the microvibrations that each step involves) will have the same kind of effects.
Even if your life doesn't allow you to take long walks every day, going for a few hours on the weekend can only benefit you.
The importance of good breathing
This advice is linked to the previous one: our current lifestyle, always cooped up indoors and often slumped over screens, really doesn't help us breathe.
Already, the air in our environment is often stale and, without us realizing it, lacks oxygen.
The bad postures that many of us have do not allow us to breathe properly and hinder our rib cage.
Ayurveda warns us of the consequences of poor breathing and therefore offers many tools and exercises to learn to breathe better.
Conclusion
To conclude, we can say that Ayurveda is an unconventional form of medicine that has proven itself throughout history.
Very rich, it includes things like:
- Advice on our lifestyle, our art of living
- Dietetics, advice on our diet
- The use of medicinal plants
- Massages for blood and lymphatic circulation
- Prayers and meditations
- Beauty treatments (yes, too)
- Body gymnastics
- Stretching of muscles and joints
- And a whole bunch of other things
A reflection quickly arises: this is more of a philosophy aimed at improving health from a global point of view, promoting beneficial habits and balancing us than a way of treating specific ailments.
Obviously, Ayurvedic treatments offer solutions to this type of problem but, if you ask me, this is not where its main quality lies.
Yes, like most holistic medicines, the principles of Ayurvedic care will undoubtedly be effective in promoting long-term health, but will never replace conventional medicine when it comes to treating specific illnesses.
In other words, Ayurveda can be a good complement (which some therapists also recommend) but cannot replace modern techniques and remedies.
As such, for any serious health problem, we can only advise you to consult your trusted doctor.
For further
We talked about Ayurveda… and this traditional medicine being linked to some collections on our site, it may be good to present them to you:
- The one dedicated to India : obviously, the lessons that we have discovered today come from the culture of this country.
- The one dedicated to herbs and plants : Ayurveda encompasses food, it is only natural that certain healing plants are linked to it.
- The one dedicated to meditation : truly, meditation is a central element in the quest for health and personal balance.
Here are also some external resources that might interest you if you enjoyed this article:
- A description of Ayurveda by the site passportsanté.net: it is always good to compare points of view.
- A portal on the site allodocteurs.fr which deals with traditional medicines: you will find fun and unusual information there.
- The history of Hinduism according to Wikipedia : Ayurvedic treatments are really closely linked to this religion from India.
