To understand the origin of Ayurveda, we need to use our imagination and travel back in time – four to five thousand years. We need to imagine the interests and lifestyle of humanity at that time. Potency of nature was something that you could not take for granted – either you were dealing with the seasons, the challenges of keeping yourself healthy, feeding yourself or maintaining a nomadic lifestyle. We need to imagine that five thousand years ago, there were no settlements, agriculture, or domesticated animals. In this moment, I would like you to locate yourself in North and South India, Persia, and some parts of China. I want you to imagine that in this period of time there were human beings interested in the mysteries of nature and in the mysteries of the self. They discovered with great solitude, austerity and communion with nature certain laws that made it possible to heal oneself, to worship something bigger than oneself, and to help the ones that were sick or suffering. The science of Ayurveda was born out of the deep introspection of sages, who through complete dedication acquired a communion with their surroundings and with the divine nature. These sages gathered themselves and shared their findings from different areas of their research. They shared the wisdom of sacred geometry, astrology, yoga, medicine, mystic worships and personal findings towards realization. Ayurveda is the specific area of health that uses all of the elements in nature. Ayur means ‘life’ and Veda means ‘science.’ It teaches us the Science of Life, the Art of Living.
During this moment of transition on Earth, Ayurveda is returning to us as a hope that we can return to the understanding of the cycles and gifts of Earth. You may think that this is quite difficult, especially if you are suited to a modern living style. However, you must realize that you are never divorced from nature, since she lives within you. She is you. And she is constantly transforming you through a high and sophisticated intelligence. It is nature that makes your heartbeat, your food digest, your blood run and your tears flow. The whole shift of awareness is to realize that you are a living nature and when you respond to her, you naturally acquire her wisdom.
Ayurveda is the voice of nature that has survived through time. Ayurveda tells you what to obey and how to behave while you are in the human form. The seeker must realize this, so that they do not see this sophisticated science as a list of things that you should or should not do. First is to realize that you are she, and that you have the responsibility to acknowledge her, honour her, and obey her. Once realized, the seeker matures into another category of well-being and self-understanding. Ayurveda has sustained the lifestyle of householders as well as those that have chosen the path of austerity. In our modern society, Ayurveda continues to be a platform for the seeker that wishes self-liberation. You may have heard that the wisdom of Ayurveda uses the interaction of the five elements: Fire, Water, Earth, Ether and Air. The seeker that understands the impact of the elements upon their level of self-awareness can use Ayurveda to balance the elements, purify their inner perceptions, and guide the energy towards self inquiry, meditation, and self realization. Ayurveda, being the sister of Yoga, brings to the seeker fundamental tools to understand it’s own nature. Ayurveda is returning with great force to the modern times as a call to each individual to merge with their own nature, and to offer solutions of living in cooperation, stability, and inner balance.