Ayurvedic medicine is a medical healing discipline and an ancient valid energy science with deep philosophical roots in the yoga tradition. It mirrors traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) which is the other valid energy healing science from which we get acupuncture. It translates as the science of life and gives us important lifestyle behavior guidelines about nutrition, rest, and exercise. In this video, Dr. Bill Dean helps explain the key principles of Ayurvedic medicine.

 

Transcript of the video:

The key principles behind Ayurveda are two, the first is that it gives us a tool for awareness. These are called energy patterns in Ayurveda, these energy patterns are Vatha Pita and Kapha. Vatha is the energy of movement and physiology, Pita is the energy of transformation, Kapha is the energy of stability. We need all three of these in order to be functioning energetically. The idea here is that these energy patterns are literally tools for us to observe ourselves in action. We get to see where lifestyle patterns are potentially not healthy for us and those that can have be very health conducive. That can really help us be healthy.

The second principle is this idea of digestive strength, digestive power. In Ayurveda, we call that Agni. We get the word Ignition from Agni. Agni is really the digestive strength and is of paramount importance in terms of being able to be healthy because if you have poor digestive power, you will ultimately have poor health. A very fundamental and important concept here. This idea of Agni can be talked about in many different ways in terms of healthy lifestyle versus unhealthy. So, for instance, people snack. It is been said now from the western model of working with health that snacking sometimes is a good idea. Ayurveda would say no, that is not a good healthy idea. Snacking really distorts and disturbs Agni. Eating late at night or eating very early in the morning with a heavy breakfast, Ayurveda would say: not such a good idea, having your biggest meal at noon is really an important idea. It is an important concept for health. How much to eat? Ayurveda would say two hand fulls, what I can hold in my two hands, that is how much I should eat in any one meal, particularly during the biggest meal at noon.

You see, as I am unfolding this, Ayurveda gives us very good guidelines in respect to understanding what is healthy, what is a healthy lifestyle behavior pattern and what is not. I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that If you abide by these principles and do them day in and day out, month after month, year after year, your health will soar. We just have to understand and believe in the system.

We have talked about two things, one is these energy patterns that allow us to be able to see ourselves in action and then how to use this information to be able to witness ourselves in action, and the second thing is Agni, how to cultivate strong digestion because Ayurveda says: every disease begins in the diet, every disease begins with our digestion.

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