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The Ayurvedic system of healing teaches that five elements known as Earth,
Water, Fire, Air and Space (ether) are found manifested in the human body
as three bio-energy principles, known as the three humors or Tri-doshas,
called Vata, Pitta and Kapha.
The five elements can be seen to exist in the material universe at all
scales both organic and inorganic, from peas to planets. When they enter
into the biology of a living organism, man for example, they acquire a
biological form. This means that the five elements are coded into three
biological forces Tri-doshas which govern all life processes.
The three Doshas are actually condensed forms of the five elements: Vata
is the element of air and space, Pitta is fire and water, and Kapha is
water and earth.
Tri-doshas regulate every physiological and psychological process in the
living organism. The interplay among them determines the qualities and
conditions of the individual. A harmonious state of three doshas creates
balance and health; an imbalance which might be an excess or deficiency
manifests as a sign or symptom of disease.
Everyone has three doshas present in their constitutional makeup, but
in unique combinations. In a nutshell, each of us is born with a basic
psycho-physiologically balanced constitution called Prakriti that remains
same through out our lives. Prakriti literally means nature. Nature in
this context, means the creative force within us seeking its own balance.
However, many of us have a doshic or humoral imbalance which is referred
to as Vikriti in Ayurveda. In other words, we fall out of balance with
our individual basic nature and disease results. Then Ayurveda returns
to the same nature for cure: and uses life style, diet, herbs, aroma therapy,
colour therapy, cleansing techniques, yoga and meditation to balance the
three doshas according to our individual constitution.
Briefly, Ayurveda is a science that teaches us how to live in a true natural
balance. This is not limited to the proper functioning of our mind, body,
senses and soul but extends further in establishing a natural and balanced
relationship with the nature as a whole. This includes a balanced relationship
between us and all the creatures, work, home, environment, society, ideas,
customs and finally the love.
Hope is nature's way of enabling us to survive so that we can discover
nature itself.
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