What Exactly Is Ayurveda?
Imagine a healthcare system that’s not only over 5,000 years old but also tailors its approach to each person as a unique individual (what is medicine to one person, is poison to another). That’s Ayurveda—an ancient science of life and medicine from India that’s deeply rooted in nature, intuition, and the understanding that health is more than just the absence of disease and evolves alongside science, deeper understanding and adapting to the modern climate.
Ayurveda, meaning “the science of life,” is a holistic system of medicine that transcends mere symptom management. It encompasses the body, mind, and spirit, offering a pathway to balance and harmony in alignment with nature. This ancient science, rooted in Sanskrit—Ayur meaning life and Veda meaning knowledge or science—has guided human health for thousands of years.
Unlike conventional medicine, which often focuses narrowly on symptoms, Ayurveda views each individual as a unique blend of physical, emotional, and spiritual traits. It seeks to restore harmony between your inner and outer worlds, returning you to your prakruti—your original state of balance and vitality. Over time, life’s stressors, lifestyle choices, and even seasonal changes can disturb this balance, creating vikruti, or imbalance. Ayurveda’s goal is both simple and profound: to guide you back to your natural rhythm, fostering health, stability, and resilience.
What makes Ayurveda especially remarkable is its influence on modern disciplines like neurology, nutrition, and psychology. Far from being mystical, it is a deeply respected system of medicine that integrates timeless wisdom with contemporary relevance. This ancient science continues to inspire and shape holistic well-being practices around the globe, proving its enduring power to heal and transform lives.
So, what makes Ayurveda so incredible, and how does it actually work?
Common Misconceptions About Ayurveda
Many people think Ayurveda is just about herbs, teas, or relaxing massages, but this is a simplification of a vast, comprehensive medical system. Ayurveda is not just about surface-level treatments; it is an in-depth, holistic approach to health that encompasses diet, lifestyle, mental well-being, and spiritual practices. It offers a complete framework for understanding the body, mind, and spirit, focusing on prevention, balance, and individualised treatment based on one’s unique constitution (prakruti) and imbalances (vikruti). Ayurveda integrates ancient wisdom with modern health insights, addressing root causes rather than merely masking symptoms.
The Three Pillars of Health
Ayurveda’s approach to well-being can be summarised by the three pillars of health:
- Food: Eating for your dosha and digestive capacity.
- Sleep: Prioritising rest and rejuvenation.
- Brahmacharya: Wise use of energy, including sexual and mental energy.
These pillars are like the legs of a stool; if one is weak, the whole structure wobbles.
The Foundation: The Five Elements
Ayurveda begins with the five elements: ether (space), air, fire, water, and earth. These aren’t just physical elements but energetic building blocks that form everything in the universe, including us. Your unique constitution—your Prakriti—is the specific combination of these elements present at your birth. It’s like your personal blueprint for optimal health. Ayurveda’s goal is to restore you to this original state of balance.
As life happens, our balance shifts. Diet, stress, environment, and habits all contribute to imbalances, known as Vikruti—your current state. Where Prakriti is who you are at your core, Vikruti is where you are right now. The magic of Ayurveda lies in identifying this gap and bringing you back into alignment.
The Three Doshas: Vata, Pitta, Kapha
At the heart of Ayurveda are the three doshas—Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. These biological energies govern all physical and mental processes and are derived from the five elements. When imbalanced we get drawn to more things that fuel that imbalance and we need opposite qualities (gunas) to support us.
Vata (Air + Ether)
- Traits: Movement, communication, creativity. Think of the wind: light, dry, and quick.
- Common Imbalances: Anxiety, dry skin, constipation, cold hands and feet
- Medicine: Grounding, warmth, routine, trust. Heaviness pacifies Vata.
Pitta (Fire + Water)
- Traits: Transformation, digestion, and metabolism. Think fire: hot, sharp, and intense.
- Common Imbalances: Anger, rashes, heartburn, competitiveness.
- Medicine: Cooling, spaciousness, slowing down. Reducing intensity is key.
Kapha (Water + Earth)
- Traits: Structure, lubrication, stability. Think earth: heavy, calm, and enduring.
- Common Imbalances: Weight gain, lethargy, depression, mucus build-up.
- Medicine: Lightness, movement, dry brushing, and embracing change.
You might notice that one or two doshas naturally dominate your personality and body, shaping everything from your physical features to your emotional tendencies and even how you respond to stress. Ayurveda’s goal is to keep these doshas in harmony, as balance is key to optimal health. While we all embody each dosha to some degree, their influence can fluctuate depending on our circumstances, environment, and lifestyle.
It’s also important not to become too attached to the idea of your specific constitution. Ayurveda is a nuanced and layered science, and putting yourself in a rigid “box” can sometimes lead to mental imbalance rather than clarity. Each dosha offers unique traits that can influence aspects of your life, from your menstrual cycle and social preferences to your body shape, hair type, and more. These insights allow Ayurveda to personalise health and wellness specifically to YOU.
The Dhatus and Subdoshas
In Ayurveda, your body is made up of seven layers, called dhatus, that keep you nourished, strong, and balanced. Think of them like building blocks—each one supports the next. These layers include:
- Rasa (plasma): Keeps you hydrated and nourished.
- Rakta (blood): Provides energy through oxygen.
- Mamsa (muscle): Gives strength and movement.
- Meda (fat): Stores energy and keeps you lubricated.
- Asthi (bone): Offers structure and support.
- Majja (nervous tissue): Connects your thoughts and actions.
- Shukra/Artava (reproductive tissue): Fuels vitality and creativity.
Here’s the key: these layers are nourished by what you eat and how well your digestion—known as Agni—works. When Agni is weak, the chain of nourishment breaks, and imbalances can creep in, leading to issues like low energy, poor immunity, or deeper health problems.
The deeper an imbalance reaches, the harder it is to fix. For example, reproductive health (Shukra) is the last layer to be nourished, so it’s often affected last but takes the longest to heal. That’s why Ayurveda focuses on strengthening digestion early on to keep all layers healthy.
On top of that, there are subdoshas, which are like “mini managers” within the three doshas (Vata, Pitta, Kapha). They oversee specific functions in your body, like breathing, digestion, and even emotional balance. If these subdoshas are out of sync, they can lead to unique imbalances for each person—this is why two people with the same dosha imbalance might feel totally different.
By understanding your dhatus, subdoshas, and digestion, Ayurveda helps you get to the root of imbalances and heal from the inside out. Curious to learn how this applies to you? Contact Savannah Jayne for a consultation!
Digestion and Consciousness: The Core of Health
In Ayurveda, digestion (agni) is the key to health. A strong digestive fire allows you to process not just food but also thoughts and emotions. When your agni is weak, toxins (ama) accumulate, leading to disease. Ayurveda offers various ways—diet, lifestyle, herbs—to stoke your agni and clear ama.
The key to Ayurveda can be summarised in three profound steps: Strengthen agni, remove ama, build ojas. By strengthening your digestive fire (agni), you optimise the processing of nutrients and emotions. By removing toxins (ama), you eliminate the root cause of imbalance. And by building ojas, the essence of vitality and immunity, you create a state of resilience, stability, and joy.
Equally important is consciousness. Ayurveda recognises the interplay between body, mind, and spirit, understanding that true healing comes from aligning all three. Practices like meditation, yoga, and mindfulness are integral to this process
The Mental Landscape: Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas
Ayurveda doesn’t stop at the physical body; it goes deeper into the mind, recognising three mental qualities (gunas):
- Sattva: Clarity and wisdom, like a calm, clear lake. This is the state of balance we strive for.
- Rajas: Activity and dynamism, like waves in motion. While necessary for progress, too much Rajas can create chaos.
- Tamas: Stillness and inertia, like a muddy, stagnant pool. While Tamas is essential for rest, excess can lead to lethargy and confusion.
Our daily lives are a dance between these three qualities. Ayurveda teaches us how to recognise and harmonise them for mental well-being.
Ayurveda in Action: Treating the Whole Person
One of Ayurveda’s unique strengths is its focus on treating the whole person, not just symptoms. For instance, when addressing anxiety (a Vata imbalance), Ayurveda might recommend grounding foods, calming herbs, warm oil massages, and mindfulness practices to restore balance.
The treatment principles are rooted in Prakriti and Vikruti. By understanding your Prakriti, Ayurveda can guide you to your optimal state of health. By addressing your Vikruti, it brings you back into alignment with your true nature.
Why Ayurveda Matters Today
In a world of quick fixes and symptom-based treatments, Ayurveda offers something revolutionary: the opportunity to know yourself deeply and work with your body, not against it. It’s a reminder that healing isn’t just about curing disease—it’s about living in harmony with who you are and the world around you.
Whether you’re looking for answers to chronic health issues or simply want to feel more vibrant and alive, Ayurveda holds the keys to a life of balance, purpose, and joy. And isn’t that what we’re all searching for?
Health isn’t about staying in Sattva (perfect health) all the time; it’s about navigating through Rajas and Tamas and coming back to clarity.
Ayurveda is most effective when practiced alongside a knowledgeable Ayurvedic doctor, coach, or counsellor who can tailor insights to your unique constitution and individual needs.
Please reach out to Savannah Jayne today where you can begin your Ayurvedic journey.
