Beginning the Ayurvedic Journey

It has been quite a few months since I have written; my career and living circumstances have been rapidly evolving since February of this year. These rapid changes have given my anxiety a reason to skyrocket, as well. Unless a person knows me very well, it may be difficult to notice that I am a worrier. I worry about things that are well within my control, but I also worry about things that I cannot control, the things that I cannot change. I have been unable to stay true to the Serenity Prayer, in which I am to “accept the things I cannot change,” and have the “courage to change the things I can.”

So, knowing that my anxiety was holding me back from pursing a career and a lifestyle that I long for, I sought out a psychologist. I began seeing Dr. Rachel Allyn, a psychologist who blends Western psychology and Eastern medicinal practices and rituals to treat her clients. I chose to see Dr. Allyn because she specializes in perfectionism, along with a slew of other mental and emotional disorders. It was Dr. Allyn that introduced me to Ayurveda, a holistic way of living, to try to bring balance back into my life.

Ayurveda originated in India more than 5,000 years ago and is believed “to be the world’s oldest healthcare system.”[1] Ayurvedic medicine is still practiced in India today – more than 90 percent of Indian practitioners use some form of Ayurveda in their therapy[2] – but the Western continents, Europe and the Americas, have almost entirely abandoned the ancient principles.[3]

The Sanskrit word Ayurveda actually means “the science of life.”[4] This medicinal practice encompasses all parts of human existence, including body, mind and spirit, to bring life into balance and maintain said balance for a wholesome, healthy life.[5]

Although I have been entranced by Ayurvedic teachings for a couple of months now, I have had a difficult time incorporating the rituals into my daily life. Luckily, modern Ayurveda understands that changing everything about one’s lifestyle takes time, practice and diligence, so I have been able to let go of the anxiety associated with my inability to immediately grasp all that Ayurveda has to offer.[6]

Each person is to determine his or her own, unique prakriti, or Ayurvedic constitution, in order to map out his or her individualized plan for healthy living. One can determine the constitution by taking a simple quiz with an Ayurvedic practitioner, as I did with Dr. Allyn, or by taking a similar (almost identical) quiz online. I trust the website Banyan Botanicals for all things Ayurveda and the site offers a great quiz to determine your own prakriti.

The first step in developing a healthy living prakriti is to determine one’s dosha. There are three primary doshas: vata – the wind, air and ether elements; pitta – the fire and water elements; and kapha – the earth and water elements. A person can fit into one of these three doshas or a combination of the three.[7] For example, I identify most with the pitta dosha, fire, but I also identify with elements of the vata dosha, air. Therefore, my personal dosha is pitta-vata. When out of balance, I am irritable, indecisive, competitive and impulsive. When balanced, I am sharp, intelligent, creative and physically active.

In order to balance by pitta-vata doshas, I have to carefully adhere to my prakriti, which includes a variety of aspects, like health and healthcare, spirituality, nutrition, exercise, personal hygiene, social interaction, political affiliation and beliefs and human behavior.[8] For example, my pitta dosha tells me to stay away from spicy foods and any food that has a “heating” energy. It also tells me that I have a high metabolism and I am able to easily digest foods. When I am in a hot environment, I am drained of energy. Therefore, I do best in cool or cold climates. I also dislike wind as well as thick, humid air, which is true for the vata dosha and very true for me.

There are so many aspects to balancing a person’s dosha and adhering to an individualized prakriti that it is difficult to begin practicing Ayurvedic living with the expectations that you will catch on to each aspect immediately. However, with diligent practice, you will see results, as I have. I am definitely the type of person who seeks instant gratification in all that I do (another reason that turning to Ayurveda was a good decision), but even a modest attempt at changing one’s lifestyle to adhere to Ayurvedic principles feels good enough to keep going on such a life changing step toward health and happiness.

[1] Ayurvedic Medicine. (2015 February 16). Retrieved from http://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/explore-healing-practices/ayurvedic-medicine.

[2] Ayurvedic Medicine. (2015 February 16). Retrieved from http://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/explore-healing-practices/ayurvedic-medicine.

[3] Svoboda, Dr. Robert E., (1998). Prakriti – Your Ayurvedic Constitution. Twin Lakes, WI: Lotus Press.

[4] Svoboda, Dr. Robert E., (1998). Prakriti – Your Ayurvedic Constitution. Twin Lakes, WI: Lotus Press.

[5] Ayurvedic Medicine. (2015 February 16). Retrieved from http://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/explore-healing-practices/ayurvedic-medicine.

[6] Lewin, Myra. (2015 July 17). Everyday Ayurveda and Yoga Podcasts [Energy Flow]. Kauai, Hawaii: Hale Pule Ayurveda and Yoga.

[7] About Ayurveda. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.halepule.com/about-ayurveda.html.

[8] Ayurvedic Medicine. (2015 February 16). Retrieved from http://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/explore-healing-practices/ayurvedic-medicine.