AYURVEDA - living and treating holistically

The Sanskrit word Ayurveda means “the knowledge of long life”. AYUS = Life and VEDA = Knowledge. Simple and yet comprehensive, these words characterize one of the most complex medical teachings, the healing science AYURVEDA, developed in India. Often referred to as “esotericism” by conventional medicine, the holistic Ayurveda treatment approach produces preventative and therapeutic successes that also stand up to conventional scientific criteria.

It is not about demonizing conventional medicine with its claim to scientific proof, but rather about expanding the healing repertoire for countless physical and mental illnesses through the gentle and holistic therapy methods, this science that has been proven for over 5000 years and has been further developed to this day. Like hardly any other health theory, AYURVEDA is aimed at continuous well-being and the prevention of illness.

In recent years, there has been an increasing number of East-West transfers in healthcare: traditional Chinese medicine, Tibetan medicine, yoga, Chi Gong, meditation, etc. However, this development is not new: the founders of classical medicine such as Hippocrates and Galen also relied on Ayurvedic texts.

In contrast to conventional medicine, Ayurveda in no way claims to be exclusive, but rather offers alternative healing methods for most diseases of civilization based on 5,000 years of knowledge. In contrast to Western teachings, Ayurveda is not primarily focused on symptom-related individual therapies, but rather on a way of life that prevents illnesses from developing in the first place. In acute and emergency medicine, conventional medicine is irreplaceable and indispensable.

Ayurveda perceives the human body, mind and soul as a unit and consequently includes all areas that can affect our physical and psychological balance.

Ayurveda integrated:

• Nutrition
• lifestyle
• Peace and relaxation
• Meditation
• Yoga and breathing exercises
• Herbal medicine (Dravyaguna) and Ayurvedic medicine
• Cleansing and rejuvenation measures

According to ancient Indian understanding, Ayurveda is the art of shaping our lives in harmony with nature. This part of Ayurvedic teaching has now also found its way into the Western understanding of health. Just like nature has the five elements Earth, water, fire, air and ether (space), man also consists of these elements. Two of them combine to form one Bioenergy , one Dosa :

• Earth and water form bioenergyKAPHA and are responsible for the structure, synthesis and stability of the body.
• Water and fire unite PITTA , the metabolic principle. PITTA regulates all biochemical changes such as digestion or body temperature. PITTA In a figurative sense, it is also responsible for “digesting” (coping) emotional influences and impressions.
• Air and ether form bioenergy VATA , the principle of movement. VATA controls all mental and physiological activities in our body, especially breathing and our complex neurological functions.

Every person has all 3 DOSAS , with one or two of them usually dominating. So each of us has one individual combination of physical, mental and emotional characteristics on, which in turn is ours Constitution make out. Maintaining our individual constitution and a well-functioning digestive fire (agni) determine whether we are healthy or sick.

An Ayurvedic cleansing treatment (Panchakarma treatment)freed from slags and poisons, brings the three DOSAS into balance, strengthens the immune system and gives us an energetic, healthy and stable life. Pancha means 5 and Karma are the individual rejection procedures. A Panchakarma should last at least 3 weeks so that it can be carried out classically and effectively.

Ayurvedic treatments serve healthy people as a cleansing and relaxation measure; They bring sick people healing or stabilization of their illness. Many diseases of civilization can be effectively treated with Ayurvedic treatments:

• Digestive system disorders
• Nervousness and sleep disorders
• Headaches and migraines
• Neurodermatitis and other skin problems
• Heart and circulatory problems
• Sinus infections
• Arthritis
• Stress and burnout
• Hay fever and other allergy diseases
• Stomach and intestinal diseases
• Depression
• Overweight
• Tinnitus (sudden hearing loss)
• Menstrual and menopausal symptoms
• Back pain

Its origins go back around 5,000 years, so Ayurveda can rightly be called the oldest medical system in the world. Since then, the scientifically based teaching has been continuously developed, interrupted only by the era of the British mandate in India. Mahatma Gandhi gave his country back not only sovereignty, but also the freedom to use and pass on this unique knowledge. Today, Ayurveda medicine is taught again at over 100 Indian universities.

In addition to the basic subjects taught in the Western medical system such as anatomy, physiology, etc., the very extensive course of study primarily deals with the teaching of the 5 elements, the Dosas, Dhatus (tissues), Agni (s) (digestive processes), Srotas (body channels), Malas (waste products), Gunas (properties) and the resulting therapeutic procedures. Furthermore, we focus intensively on herbal medicine (Dravyaguna), the production of medicinal products and oils and the correct implementation of a Panchakarma treatment. (Duration of study: 11 semesters)

In Germany it is possible to complete a 3-year course to become a qualified clinical Ayurveda specialist based on the Indian university education (European Academy of Ayurveda, Birstein).