The Fundamentals of Ayurveda.

Ayurveda is an ancient system of medicine that originated in India over 5,000 years ago. It is a holistic approach to health that focuses on achieving balance and harmony within the body, mind, and spirit. The word "Ayurveda" is derived from the Sanskrit words "Ayus" meaning life, and "Veda", meaning knowledge or science. Ayurveda is considered one of the world's oldest medical systems and has been recognized by the World Health Organization as a traditional system of medicine.

According to Charaka Samhita (The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, 2014), one of the oldest and most authoritative texts of Ayurveda, the practice of Ayurveda was taught to humans by the gods themselves. The text states that the gods created Ayurveda to help humans live healthy and balanced lives. The Charaka Samhita is believed to have been written around 300 BCE. It is considered one of the three major texts of Ayurveda, along with the Sushruta Samhita and the Astanga Hridaya.

According to Ayurvedic philosophy, everything in the universe, including human beings, is composed of five basic elements: earth, water, fire, air, and ether. These elements are believed to interact with each other in complex ways to create the world we see around us. Ayurveda holds that the human body is a microcosm of the larger universe (macrocosm), and the same basic principles that govern the universe also govern the human body (Lad, 2002).

Another important philosophy in Ayurveda is the Samkhya which explains the journey of consciousness into matter. According to this philosophy, the universe is composed of two fundamental principles, Purusha (consciousness) and Prakriti (matter). Purusha is the pure consciousness or spirit, while Prakruti is the primal material or energy that forms the basis of all creation. The interaction between these two forces results in the creation of Mahad, the cosmic intelligence or universal mind. Mahad, creative intelligence, is the first manifestation of consciousness into matter. It is responsible for creating the ego or Ahamkara, which gives rise to the individual sense of self, of ‘I am’ (Lad, 2002; Frawley, 2000).

Ahamkara is responsible for the generation of the three gunas or qualities of nature: Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas. Sattva represents purity, clarity, and harmony; Rajas represents activity, movement, and passion; Tamas represents inertia, darkness, and lethargy. The Gunas are present in all aspects of creation, including the human body, mind, and spirit, and their balance or imbalance determines an individual's state of health or disease (Lad, 2002).

The journey of consciousness into the matter can be understood as a gradual process of manifestation, beginning with the creation of Mahad and Ahamkara and culminating in the physical body (Lad, 2002; Frawley, 2000). According to Lad (2002), this process involves the gradual descent of consciousness from its pure, unmanifest state into the matter, where it takes on increasingly dense and material forms.

The first step in this process is the creation of Mahad, which serves as the bridge between pure consciousness and matter. Mahad is responsible for creating Ahamkara, the individual ego or sense of self, which gives rise to the three gunas of Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas. These Gunas are present in all aspects of creation, including the human body, mind, and spirit, and their balance or imbalance determines an individual's state of health or disease (Lad, 2002).

According to Vasant Lad (2002), Sattva is associated with the five sense faculties or Jnanendriyas, which are the faculties of hearing, touch, sight, taste, and smell. The Jnanendriyas are responsible for perceiving external stimuli and transmitting them to the mind for processing. Sattva is also associated with the five faculties of action or Karmendriyas: speech, grasp, walking, excretion, and procreation. The Karmendriyas are responsible for carrying out the actions that are necessary for survival and reproduction. In addition to the Jnanendriyas and Karmendriyas, Sattva is also associated with the mind or Manas, which is responsible for processing and integrating the information from the sense faculties. The mind is considered the bridge between the gross and subtle aspects of the body, and proper functioning is essential for maintaining health and well-being (Lad, 2002).

Tamas, the quality of inertia, darkness, and lethargy, is associated with the five gross elements of mahabhutas: earth, water, fire, air, and ether. These Mahabhutas combine to form the physical body, composed of the three doshas or biological energies: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Tamas is also associated with the five objects of perception or Tanmatras: sound, touch, form, taste, and odour. These Tanmatras are the gross manifestations of the subtle Tanmatras associated with Sattva and are responsible for the perception of external objects (Lad, 2002).

Everything in the universe is composed of the Mahabhutas. Another important aspect of Ayurveda is the three fundamental principles of the body known as dosha, dhatu, and mala. The combination of the ‘five elements’ generates three doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. These are the biological energies that make up the physical body. Vata is associated with air and ether; Pitta with fire and water; Kapha with earth and water. The balance or imbalance of these doshas determines an individual's constitution or Prakruti, which is unique to each person. In Ayurvedic medicine, treatment aims to restore balance to the doshas and promote health and well-being. This can be achieved through various means, including diet, lifestyle, herbal remedies, and therapies such as abhyanga, Shirodhara or enemas. Ayurveda also emphasises the importance of maintaining a connection with the natural world and living in harmony with the rhythms of nature (Lad, 2002; Frawley, 2000).

On the other hand, Dhatus refers to the physical aspect of the body. The seven tissue are: Rasa (plasma), Rakta (blood), Mamsa (muscle), Meda (adipose tissue), Asthi (bone), Majja (bone marrow), and Shukra (reproductive tissue). The healthy state of dhatu is essential for optimal bodily function. Finally, Mala refers to the body's waste products, such as urine, faeces, and sweat, which must be eliminated regularly to maintain health. Ayurvedic treatments aim to balance these three principles in the body to promote good health and prevent diseases. (Lad, 2002).

Additionally, Ayurveda has four essential principles to classify the properties of the food and medicines we ingest: Rasa (taste), Guna (quality), Virya (potency), and Vipaka (post-digestive effect). Rasa refers to the six primary tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent. Guna denotes the inherent qualities of food, such as heavy, light, oily, or dry, which can influence the body and mind. Virya describes food's heating or cooling effect on the body, which can either enhance or decrease the body's metabolism. Vipaka refers to the final taste of food after digestion, which can be sweet, sour, or pungent. Understanding these four characteristics of food is crucial in determining the ideal medicines and diet and making informed choices for a healthy and balanced lifestyle (Lad, 2002).