Ayurveda is a natural science that has matured over the ages. It transcends time. By natural science, we mean that it follows the laws of nature and having understood nature, the seers have exposed how nature maintains itself and how, we too can maintain our body, mind and all other faculties in the highest and best way.
I am exposing parts of Ayurveda that will get you to be more involved in learning about how your body works and what you can do to preserve its optimum health and live in a state of harmonious well-being.
So, here it is. The first question we all have is, what causes almost all of the diseases. There is a difference between what we think we know, what we are told, which we believe, and what the truth really is!
Here is the truth, according to the seers who have written, it this case, it is Vagbhata, who compiled Astanga Hrudaya, the most modern Compendium on Ayurveda. He says;
कामिर्थकर्मणां योगों हीनमिथ्यातिमात्रकः ।
सम्यग्योगश्र्च विज्ञेयो रोगारोग्यैककिरणम्॥ {1-19 Astanga Hrudaya)
The cause of manifestation of almost all diseases of the body and mind are of three types;
- Insufficient utilisation
- Wrong utilisation
- Excessive utilisation
Of time, sense organs and its activities, perception and comprehension and speech.
Time
Time is the most precious gift that exists in our life. It doesn’t repeat itself. When you utilise time appropriately, you are in a state of calm and in harmony. Taking too much time in accomplishing a task can leave you in a state of desperation, urgency, anxious and sleepless. On the contrary, spending too much thinking, not acting upon your thoughts can cause you to lose time which again can cause restless, anxiety, mental fatigue and can become a cause of many different kinds of fears to develop.
Sense Organs
Our sense organs are the medium for the mind to communicate with the world around us. And the information the senses gather is absorbed in the mind which becomes the inventory we will access to communicate with the world around us. So, it is extremely important to be cautious and aware of what we hear, see, taste, smell and touch.
Therefore, parents have to be the best guides in nurturing their children to use their senses appropriately.
Perception and Comprehension
How we perceive the world is how the world manifests for us. This is what our elders have taught us. It is true according to Ayurvedic wisdom. Comprehension or how we grasp intellectually has to do with how we think and process our thinking. Wrong or inappropriate thinking causes incorrect perceptions and miscomprehension of situations or events that occur in life.
Speech
It is often said; knowing how to speak is not the same as knowing what to speak, when to speak, and how much to speak. One of the wise words from seers is that one must be mitabhashi or speak less. This means, speak only when you must. So, you must use your intelligence to understand when to speak, how much to speak, how to speak and when not to speak.
In Conclusion
In conclusion, one must know how to use the faculties one is bestowed with. Only then, can one aspire for optimum health. Else, one’s health is compromised and with time, diseases and illness are the result.