"Ayurveda is not a One-Size-Fits-All System"Over the next four weeks I will be diving into a workshop where I will learn about the principles of Ayurveda, including: philosophies of Ayurveda, 3 functional constituents (3 dosha), physical components such as bones, blood and body tissues (7 dhatus), and waste products (3 malas). As I learn more and more about this science of life, I will reflect upon what I discover each week! But before I get started, I wanted to post about my current understanding of the topic, so that I can track my growth! So let's just start with a basic understanding of Ayurveda. Dating back to approximately 2000-5000 years ago, Ayurveda has stood the test of time. At the very base of it's principals is it's approach to reaching your own unique state of Balance between mind-body and soul. As you can imagine, it is not a one-size-fits-all system. For example, most people know that eating whole, unprocessed foods is going to help you achieve optimal health. Not many understand that while a plate of food can be healing and beneficial for one person, the same plate of food can be disastrous for another. In fact, Ayurvedic diet and wellness regimens focus completely on Your body, the season, geography etc-Your life in your surroundings! ![]() Your unique Dosha (or mind-body constitution) is determined from the moment you are born (Prakriti). I'm going to get a bit technical here.... The language of Dosha is separated between two conditions or states of being: Your Prakriti and your Vikruti. Your Prakriti is your core constitution (some call this their predominant constitution), and it is your most natural state of being. Your Prakriti can often be determined by Ayurvedic professionals, just by looking at you (your physical structure, your emotional tendencies etc). By understanding your Prakriti, Ayurvedic teachings believe that you will be able to better understand your bodies needs, which will ultimately lead you to Balance. With that said, everyone has all three Dosha's: Vata, Pitta and Kapha (I will introduce these in a second). Imbalances occur in the body between these 3 Doshas in various forms: illnesses, digestive issues, exhaustion....and Ayurveda takes into consideration your Prakriti, as well as your Vikruti in order to help you return to your natural state! Okay so that may have sounded like a whole lot of ...confusing language! Basically, our individual needs for nutrition, exercise, how we socially interact with others, and our emotions are all unique to our own Constitution. For one individuals constitution, frequent High Energy exercise will be very beneficial, but for another constitution this could be extremely harmful and depleting. For me, this is why Ayurveda makes so much sense. We are all made so differently, and what is good for me may not be good for you! Discover Your Constitution!![]() Another reason why Ayurveda is so attractive to me is that it's foundational principal is Balance of the bodily systems. Ayurvedic healing and wellness focuses on maintaining total balance between your body, mind and environment. Based on our mind-body type, we can develop a lifestyle that will balance our Doshas. Now I said Doshas (plural) because the last thing I will explain is that (since we have all three Doshas in our body), they occur in various proportions. For example, I am predominant in Vata (let's say 60%), but I also have plenty of Pitta in me (let's say 30%), and let's say 10% Kapha. When I am out of balance my tendency is to drift into being dominantly Pitta. So my goal would be to balance my Pitta/Vata again! Learning about your Dosha will help you understand what will be good for your body, and also what will be harmful OR what will create an imbalance in your body. By taking the QUIZ below you can start to understand what your Core/Prakriti is, and you will also find information about discovering your Current state (Vikruti). This website is incredibly helpful because it also provides lifestyle suggestions such as exercise and diet adjustments you should consider! Give it a try, and stay tuned for valuable teachings and information as I embark on my training!! Am xo
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AuthorHi! My name is Amber, I am a wife and mother to Piper June. Welcome to my blog. You will find my path towards natural health and wellness as well as my honest discoveries as a new mother. In all aspects of life, I strive to cultivate Balance through a mindful existence. I share my experiences as a mother, helpful product reviews and companies that I am passionate about for our family. I am so grateful for your visit xo Follow @birdofbalance
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