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THE AYURVEDA LIFESTYLE NETWORK
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by Dr Donn Brennan When vata, pitta, and kapha are balanced, your body is in good health. The Sanskrit word for health is swastha, and its meaning introduces a spiritual dimension to the understanding of health. Swastha literally translates as "established in the self". The concept of self in Ayurveda goes beyond what we usually conceived our "self" to be. Ayurveda recognises you – each one of us – to be the total potential that structures the whole universe. From the Ayurvedic point of view, your mind is like a vast ocean that has waves of great activity on the surface, but profound stillness and its depth. This deep stillness it describes as pure consciousness, silent wakefulness beyond even the faintest thought. Just as a wave draws its strength vitality and very existence from its source in the ocean so your mind at draws its creativity, intelligence and energy from pure consciousness deep within. In Ayurveda, a healthy mind means being aware of the connectedness of your own inner consciousness and the universe around you. Your mind is integrated, and you draw the innate potential of your own vast intelligence, energy, creativity, love and joy, and project it into your environment. But there is still more to the Ayurvedic understanding, a bigger perspective that lets us glimpse a remarkable state of health for ourselves and for the world as a whole. Ayurveda regards the ocean of consciousness that creates your mind and body as also being the creator of all other waves on the ocean – the whole of the physical universe. Everything that exists in the universe is waves from the same source – the galaxies, our solar system, a rainforest, your house, you. Ayurveda gives practical guidelines on how to keep all the elements in balance. Why is awakening your spiritual source important for your health? By being integrated with your source within, you are in touch with the same source that manifests as the universe around you. Spontaneously your feelings, thoughts, speech and action appropriate for your surroundings, harmonious, wise and loving. This is the basis of spiritual living. A life lived in love, wisdom, integration, success and health is implied by swastha. Extracted from Live Better: Ayurveda by Dr Donn Brennan. 2006 Duncan Baird Publishers, London. Priced £4.99
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