Mind-Body Medicine — The Foundation of the Integrative AyurVedaSM Approach
Maharishi AyurVeda® recognizes that one of today’s leading evidenced-based, mind-body techniques comes from the Ayurvedic tradition. The Consciousness-BasedSM principles of the Transcendental Meditation® (TM®) technique have been been part of Ayurveda for thousands of years. Today, the TM technique is one of the most highly validated meditation techniques in the world, with more than 380 peer-reviewed research studies published in more than 160 scientific journals.
The Modalities of Integrative AyurVeda
Psychology
Ayurveda describes most disease as originating in mental imperfections or “mistakes”. According to Ayurveda, essentially all health issues are the result of “pragyaparadha” – translated as “the mistake of the intellect.” This understanding also recognizes that most health disorders are caused by lifestyle and dietary mistakes and lack of practicing proper preventive regimens.
According to Ayurveda the ultimate “mistake of the intellect” is the conscious mind losing contact with its source in the field of pure consciousness within.
Diet
Diet is the key physical aspect of the Integrative Ayurveda approach. Proper diet and good digestion, including gut health, are considered to be cornerstones of ideal health according to Ayurveda. Integrative Ayurveda course participants learn foundational information to optimize diet, digestion, assimilation, and elimination. This includes detailed dietary plans for different constitutions and imbalances.
Lifestyle
Ayurveda provides extensive knowledge about two aspects of lifestyle or “daily routine”.
- Understanding the natural rhythms and cycles that support health in the body. Ayurveda provides instruction in how to maintain balanced routines of eating, sleeping, exercise, and elimination to be in tune with Nature’s cycles.
- Ayurveda adds powerful rejuvenative procedures that can be included in one’s daily routine to achieve optimal health.
Herbs
Ayurveda contains one of the oldest and largest herbal compendium of any system of traditional medicine.
Spices
Maharishi AyurVeda includes instructions on the use of spices for nutrition, cleansing, and balancing of Vata, Pitta and Kapha. The course also includes instruction on the use of “spice water infusions” to make the balancing influence of spices reach more deeply into the tissues.
Cleansing
The buildup of toxins that block the channels of circulation and communication is considered to be an imbalance at the basis of most chronic health issues. Ayurveda recommends a wide variety of dietary and physical cleansing protocols to help the body remove these toxins.
Panchakarma
The most powerful cleansing approaches in Ayurveda are the in-residence treatments of Panchakarma, which include daily administration of herbalized oil massage, heat therapies, and elimination procedures.
Massage
Ayurveda provides detailed instruction on the daily use of self-administered massage for prevention and rejuvenation. Instruction includes the types of strokes used on different parts of the body and the choosing of the most appropriate massage oil.
Aroma Therapy
Ayurveda contains a deep knowledge of the effects of essential oils and aromas.
Music Therapy – Gandharva Veda
The melodies of the Vedic music called Gandharva Veda can be used to help bring the individual in harmony with natural rhythms in nature and help rebalance the physiology.
Marma Point Therapy – Vital Point Therapy
Ayurveda contains detailed knowledge of the network of biological intelligence in the body.
This therapy uses specific massage and essential oils to enliven the main nexus points through which biological intelligence operates in different areas of the body.
Vedic Recitation
The Maharishi AyurVeda approach contains unique knowledge of how to use recitation of various aspects of Veda and Vedic Literature to enliven the inner intelligence responsible for proper functioning of different areas of the body.
Practice of Self-Pulse Assessment for Good Health
The Maharishi Ayurveda Personal Wellness Course includes instruction of how to practice Ayurveda self-pulse assessment in a way that creates a powerful enlivenment of the body’s inner intelligence.
Healthy Buildings and Architectural Design
The Vedic tradition contains an extremely valuable body of knowledge as to the construction of health-promoting buildings. The Vedic Rishis described the influence of different orientation of architectural design on the state of balance and imbalance of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. This body of Vedic knowledge is called “Sthapatya Veda” or “Vastu” and is an important part of the Integrative Ayurveda approach.
Exercise
Ayurveda recommends different levels of exercise for different body-types. It also delineates the best times of day for exercise, the recommended level of exertion, and the types of undesirable side-effects that can come from over-exercise.
Yoga Asanas
Yoga and Ayurveda are sister sciences in the Vedic tradition. Ayurveda incorporates Yoga asanas as part of its recommended daily routine. and includes descriptions of which postures can bring balance to Vata, Pitta or Kapha. Maharishi YogaSM Asanas instruction also specifies the proper way to move the attention during different postures to bring about maximum rejuvenation and balance.
Pranayama – Vedic Breathing Practices
The pranayama breathing techniques of the Vedic tradition are included in the practice of Ayurveda and pranayama practice is considered part of a proper Ayurvedic morning routine.