Ayurveda


Ayurveda is grounded in the physics of the "five elements" (Devanāgarī: [महा] पञ्चभूत;Prithvi- (earth), Jala(water), Agni (fire), Vaayu (air) and Akasha (ether)) — all of which compose the Universe, including the human body.[1] Chyle or plasma (called rasa dhatu), blood (rakta dhatu), flesh (mamsa dhatu), fat (medha dhatu), bone (asthi dhatu), marrow (majja dhatu), and semen or female reproductive tissue (shukra dhatu) are held to be the seven primary constituent elements – saptadhatu (Devanāgarī: सप्तधातु) of the body.[6] Ayurveda deals elaborately with measures of healthful living during the entire span of life and its various phases. Ayurveda stresses a balance of three elemental energies or humors: vata (air & space – "wind"), pittha (fire & water – "bile") and kapha (water & earth – "phlegm"). According to ayurveda, these three regulatory principles— doshas (literally that which deteriorates – Devanāgarī: त्रिदोष)—are important for health, because when they are in a more balanced state, the body will function to its fullest, and when imbalanced, the body will be affected negatively in certain ways. Ayurveda holds that each human possesses a unique combination of doshas. In ayurveda, the human body perceives attributes of experiences as 20 Guna(Devanāgarī: गुण, meaning qualities).[7] Surgery and surgical instruments are employed.[7] It is believed that building a healthy metabolic system, attaining gooddigestion, and proper excretion leads to vitality.[7] Ayurveda also focuses on exercise, yoga, meditation, and massage.[8] Thus, body, mind, and spirit/consciousness need to be addressed both individually and in unison for health to ensue.
The practice of Panchakarma (Devanāgarī: पंचकर्म‌) is believed to eliminate toxic elements from the body.[9]
Eight disciplines of ayurveda treatment, called ashtangas (Devanāgarī: अष्टांग), are given below:[10]
In Hindu mythology, the origin of ayurvedic medicine is attributed to the physician of the gods, Dhanvantari.[11]
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