Introduction to Ayurveda for Mental Health
Developed well before 1000 BC, Ayurveda is East India's empirical science of medicine (Svoboda, 1992). Known as "the science of life," Ayurveda bases its theories and practices on the extensive, thorough examination of living, healthy individuals. It provides specific instruction on how to engage in meaningful actions that maintain physical health and happiness. It does this by suggesting actions that counteract imbalances that arise from the diet, lifestyle, environment, seasons, as well as emotional and mental stress. Every healing action is designed to return the delicate balance of an individual's unique physical and mental constitution as well as emotional and spiritual life.Ayurveda's healing system utilizes an understanding of Yogic anatomy. This includes an understanding of both the visible, physical body and the subtle energetic systems of the self. The Ayurvedic practitioner holds a detailed knowledge of:
- dh_tus (bodily tissues)
- agni (mental and physical digestive power)
- maha bhutas (the physical elements that create and sustain life)
- malas (bodily waste products)
- n_dis (subtle nervous system)
- pr_na (life force)
- tejas (vital being)
- ojas (essence of life)
- koshas (subtle bodies)
- chakras (subtle energy system)
(Hansen and Know 2002; Sharma and Dash 1996; Lad 1996; Kumar: 1997; Svoboda, 1992).
The body-mind complex is understood in Ayurveda to be a vehicle for the souls perception and growth. We are primarily spiritual beings that have taken on the tools of a body and a mind so that our consciousness can expand. The physical body is viewed as the gross form of our deep-seated mental tendencies (Chethimattam, 1971). The mind digests and interprets the experiences we collect through our five senses to facilitate our development as spiritual beings (Frawley, 1991). The wrong use of the senses (such as over or under indulgences in food, media, and sex) results in a break down of the physical body (Frawley, 1997). It is our mental habits that repeatedly expose the physical body to excesses and deficiencies. When we chronically make imbalanced choices such as a poor diet, or over exercise, we are headed down the slow path of degenerative disease.
Ayurveda is highly prized for its ability to cure chronic disorders and diseases through lifestyle changes. Its success stems from its detailed and proficient understanding of the mind. Ayurveda derives its understanding of the mind from the science of Yoga (Frawley, 1991). Valued for both its preventative and curative forces, the science of Yoga is viewed by Ayurveda as an important, natural and preventive measure to ensure good health, happiness and longevity. The practice of Yoga is thought to bring us back to our natural state of tranquility that is lost when our system become unbalanced (Lad, 1984). Originally, one and the same, Ayurvedic and Yogic psychology have diverged ÒÉbecause people, particularly in the West, including Yoga teachers, do not always know the connection between Yoga and AyurvedaÓ (1991: 5).
In their fullest expression, Yoga and Ayurveda are disciplines that promote development of the physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual and social self (Kenny, 2002). Dedicated practitioners of both disciplines view their work as a combination of methodical science, philosophy and art (Lad, 1996). Each individual is viewed as a work in progress (Satyananda, 1989). Therefore, both disciplines resist labels and diagnosis as these may negatively contribute to a personÕs idea of their own potential (Lad, 2001 & McLanahan, 2002). Though an individualÕs journey to health and wellness might be distant, he or she is always accorded respect for following their path towards inner balance, awareness and wholeness (Page, 2002).
