Articles

by Joyce d’Souza

You’ve probably heard of the word Ayurveda; but may not know the meaning of Ayurveda.

Ayurveda is a combination of two words: ‘Ayus’ and ‘Veda’. Ayus means life and all aspects of life comprising of the mind, body, senses and soul; and Veda mean science or knowledge.  Ayurveda means a science or knowledge of Life.

Ayurveda is an ancient form of medicine that was developed by the sages of India, many centuries ago. It’s mention is made in the pre-historic books of wisdom called the Vedas which was written in the Sanskrit language the earliest and only language that was used by the wise and learned men of India, to document its findings almost around 6000 BC; which actually means that Ayurveda was studied and came into existence even much before Yoga. 

The RigVeda which was written in 6000 BC contains a series of prescriptions that helped humans overcome various ailments. Since then, it has gone through various stages of study, continuous research, development, and fine tuning over the past 5000 years and now offers a whole stream of medicine or philosophy whereby one can prevent unnecessary suffering and live a long, healthy and qualitative life.  This component of science that deals with health and disease is known as Ayurveda or Ayurvedic Medicine.

Its basic purpose is two-fold:

* Swasthyas swasthya rakshanam -To protect health and prolong life
* Aturasya vikar prashamanamcha - To eliminate diseases and malfunctions of the body

Ayurveda is a whole and comprehensive system that uses the basic concept of body, mind and spirit and believes that science, philosophy and spirituality are all necessary aspects of a healthy living. Yoga can be called an addendum to Ayurveda, adding to this field of medicine a more detailed and clearer form of practice. Ayurveda employs the use of nutrition, herbs, exercises, asanas, meditation, and specifically developed therapies like oil massages made from different concoctions, shirodhara, panchkarmas . . . for rejuvenation and purification of the body systems. It studies each individual their style of living, the food habits, the exercise regime, work habits, stress levels focusing on the body-type of person who has the disease, rather than understanding the type of disease or the actual disease of the person. As in other ancient forms of medical treatment from India, Ayurveda too is a holistic system of medicine; which studies each individual and their medical problems by observation, inquiry, and direct examination, and then provides them the guidance regarding food and lifestyle so that healthy people can stay healthy and people with health challenges can improvise on their health.

Aditi is a very common name for a girl in India. It’s a Sanskrit word, originating from Hindu Mythology and has great power-packed meaning. It means a boundless and eternal, secure, free, boundless, unbroken, entire, unimpaired, happy, freedom, security, safety ; boundlessness, immensity, inexhaustible abundance, unimpaired condition , perfection, creative power and infinite energy of Mother Nature. To get its true meaning “ A + diti “ where A means ‘non’ and diti means ‘binding’.  So, literally, Aditi means non-binding.

Aditi is actually the name of a Hindu Goddess - the Goddess of the sky and fertility, and the original mother of Gods. Vedic Brahmins who have written the ancient books of wisdom say that the Aditi also means all-encompassing, the past and the future and free from all bonds. She represents the seven dimensions of the cosmos, the celestial light which permeates all things, the consciousness of all living things and the goddess of the past and the future. Rigved. I, 98, 10 says that “Aditi is the sky; Aditi is the air; Aditi is all the gods and the five tribes; Aditi is whatever has been born; Aditi is whatever shall be born.”

Though Goddess Aditi has been mentioned nearly eighty times in the Rig Vedas, a clear identity or a picture of her is still difficult to formulate.  Nobody has ever been able to draw a human or rather the physical features of this Goddess; and she is depicted as a cow, the sacred animal of the Hindus and a symbol of motherhood.

She is said to be the wife of Kasyapa or Brahma and the mother of 34 sons who are called Adityas. These include Mitra, Aryaman, Bhaga, Varuna, Daksha, Hari and Amsal and also the mother of two of the more famous Gods - Lord Indra and Lord Vishnu.

The eldest of their sons - Lord Indra is supposed to be the most handsome and most powerful of all Kings; and therefore, he is known as the King of Kings. He is shown either with his loyal elephant or riding on a brilliantly decorated horse, with a vajra or thunderbolt for a weapon. He was an excellent warrior, the ruler of the Heavens and is said to have had the power to grant any boon or favors to whoever prays to him.  He is also the God of all seasons and the dispenser of rains. Could he rightly be called the patron God of the farmers? Farmers pray or offer prayers and pujas to Lord Indra, in order to send rain for a good crop.

The other famous one is Lord Vishnu who is said to be the Preserver or Sustainer of Life, ruling strictly with the principles of order, righteousness and truth.  When these values are under threat, he is said to emerge from his throne to restore peace and order on earth.

Aditi, in some scriptures is also called Goddess Lakshmi - the Goddess of light and prosperity and who has the power to free her devotees of all problems and obstacles. Therefore, you will find the Hindus carrying their petitions to the Goddess, who in her motherly presence and as a supporter of all creatures is said to provide them with wealth, safety and abundant blessings.

Aditi - an Indian Goddess - immense in power, inexhaustible in abundance; the Goddess of heaven and earth.

If there is no water, I guess, there’d be no life on earth. Just as two-thirds or 75% of the earth is covered with water; so is, two-thirds or 75% of our bodies contain water. A human body has the capacity of storing about 42 litres of water, at any given point in time. Our bodies cannot operate without water, as water forms the basis of the entire gamut of functioning. It serves as a lubricant, specially protecting the joints in the body; it insulates, protects and gives flexibility to the muscles and ligaments; it is required to form the saliva and the digestive juices that help in softening the food particles in the body and allowing free movement through the intestinal tract thereby helping in the elimination of waste and undigested food from the body; and most importantly, it helps in regulating the body temperature.  All the crucial functions of the body - respiration, digestion, circulation, secretion, elimination, maintaining body temperature - require water to function.

Through the removal of undigested food, and toxins from the body, a small quantity of around 2 to 3 liters of water is thrown out each day through waste, elimination, perspiration, urination and respiration and this needs to be put back into the system or else it may lead to dehydration, body weakness, muscle fatigue and may be the cause of various other illnesses.

Drinking water works wonders for our system.  Water is responsible for adding volatility thus allowing a more thorough circulation of blood in each and every part of the body. As it travels within the body, it washes the internal organs carrying away the toxic waste, cleaning the tissue cells, replenishing nutrients wherever needed and adding solubility to lymph and gland secretions. It cleanses, removes toxins from our bodies, and purifies our system. Since body cells largely depend on water, even a small quantity of water that may be expelled may affect the functioning of our bodies.

Chiropractic adjustments address the interfearence in beings. Back in the early 1900’s when Chiropractic was first brot to this world, D.D. Palmer - the father of Chiropractic, stated, The purpose of the chiropractic adjustment is to reunite man the spiritual with man the physical, so that the finite may know itself as the Infinite.” Fear has kept many people from living their dreams, from connecting to their wisdom and reaching their potential. Part of the adjustment is becoming connected with your inner wisdom (your infinite) so you can see or feel the limitless potential of life and creativity. Far too often, people talk about “REALITY” or they feel compelled to keep themselves and you in a box or idea they are comfortable with.

They may heap judgements on you and tell you what you are doing or trying to do is not you and is not looking at things “realisticly”. These thots are fear based and are limited consciousness. It’s time to expand and create your own reality! Who you are now is not who you will be tomorrow. Change! You have the power - step out of fear and into LIGHT! Get adjusted so your nerve system can shift out of those limited patterns of consciousness.

BE FREE!

If we really sit back and watch nature unfold itself, we’d be flabbergasted. Let’s take a look at our bodies . . . we are created out of nothing; our bodies are made out of a natural material like dust, containing living cells. These cells have a life span. They continuously wear out and are replaced by newer ones which help rejuvenate and rebuild the body. The dead cells that are accumulated need to be expelled periodically. Besides being harmful by themselves, they also turn toxic and poisonous if these dead cells remain in the body for too long, as there is a tendency for them to mix with the metabolic reactions that are continuously taking place within our bodies. If we do not help in this natural process of expelling the toxic wastes from our bodies, in as reasonably a fast rate as they are produced, we are prone to a whole lot of diseases. The principle of Naturopathy is very straight and constant. It believes that any disease is a result of accumulated wastes in the body; the healing powers are all within our bodies and it is this power that is keeping our immune system in perfect condition. We fall ill, only because we go against nature.

When humans were created, we were also provided with the means to keep ourselves and our body fit and in order. Our bodies need natural fibre to thrive and survive; and therefore what is actually best for our bodies, is what grows from the earth and what comes out from the ground . . . the earth itself provides us with nourishment in form of fruits, vegetables and herbs that grow from it, and pure natural water which springs from the ground below.

Yoga is a word that is so commonly used today. People the world over say they practice Yoga. But, in reality, what most of them actually do is practice Hatha Yoga Asanas - the physical part of Yoga. There’s much more to Yoga that just Asanas. Asanas, you learn is only fourth in line in the eight-fold path of Yoga.

How many of us know the true meaning of Yoga, the origin of Yoga, the reason why it is so widely acknowledged, and why the practice of Yoga is so important in our lives . . .

The history of Yoga dates back to much before 3,000 BC. Archaeologists found a portrait on a stone seal of a human-like figure meditating in what looked like a Yoga posture, in the ancient Indian twin cities of Mehenjo Daro and Harappa existent during the Indus Valley Civilisation - the period between 3000 BC and 5000 BC.

Let’s look at the meaning of Yoga. Is Yoga a Religion?  Is Yoga an Art?  Is Yoga a Science?

We are all created to be happy.  But, are we all happy in the truest sense of the word?

If you look around, you will notice that 99.9% of people are suffering either physically, mentally, emotionally and, or spiritually. What is the reason for this? What is it that we clamour for? Why do we encounter problems as we sail through the journey of life making us unhappy, sick, diseased . . . enduring suffering in some form or the other.

We are all born to be happy. And it is our birth right, to be happy. Happiness is a state of mind. It’s a very personal feeling or emotion. No outside force can interfere or alter this state of mind, if you choose to be happy, under whatever circumstances. It’s when you aren’t happy, that this negative emotion creeps into your system and upsets the balances in your body, which gives rise to illnesses or disease. An illness is merely a disorder or an imbalance in your body.  It is, therefore, important that we live fuller lives, happier lives in order to maintain this balance and avoid illnesses. Here’s where Yoga steps in . . .

Says Patanjali - the Father of Yoga - Yoga is a complete control of the human personality.  It is not just Exercise, it is not just Meditation, it is not just Relaxation!! It is an artistic combination of all, worked upon simultaneously.

There are times, whenever I’ve told people that I am a trained instructor of Yoga, the first thing they say to me is, “Hey Joyce, I am so stressed out.  Teach me a couple of asanas to relax.” I am so stumped, when I hear this, that I do not know what to say to them . . . for I realise, that they don’t know the very first thing about Yoga. Moreover, to relax completely and develop the feeling of ‘let go’ is no mean feat. It comes only after focused, dedicated and continuous practice when you let go of your attachment to an object . . . which brings calmness and serenity within oneself, which in turn culminates into Happiness . . . and into a state of a healthy mind and a healthy body . . . and thus free from all illnesses.

The purpose of Yoga is to gain a complete control over our whole personality the Body, the Mind and the Spirit.  One of the first steps towards attaining this, is to develop the mind to an absolute state of consciousness and awareness, and as a result a good understanding of things around us; thereby enlarging our horizons where we see things in its true form, life in absolute terms, understand them thoroughly and act correctly.