One of the most empowering aspects of Ayurveda is that it teaches you to be your own healer. All it takes is a commitment to learning the principles and observing how your body and mind respond to food, activities, and emotions.
Eventually, you will begin to learn how to find balance for your constitution and quickly correct imbalances before they become issues.
There are plenty of books about Ayurveda. Yet it is a different way of thinking than the modern medical approach we have grown up with. It can be confusing at first to work on your own.
Most of us have learned to look for health from a doctor or a pill, not by tuning in to our subtle cues inside. Beginning a journey to health through Ayurveda is a process of unlearning the myths of modern medicine as much as it is learning this ancient science.
That is why I always recommend that people new to Ayurveda, or those looking to deepen their understanding, begin with an Ayurvedic consultation with a trusted practitioner.
When it comes to your health, you may feel like you are driving a car from the passenger seat. There’s no way to move gracefully. A good practitioner will make recommendations to move you toward sattva, your natural state of balance. In sattva, you can tap into the intuition that comes from your higher self. This puts you in the driver’s seat.
An Ayurvedic consultation should help you recognize where you are and outline a clear path to get you where you want to be. Your body wants to live in a state of vibrant health.
A good Ayurvedic practitioner will never make you feel as if you are dependent upon them for your health. The goal in the relationship should be to guide you to a place where you can begin to guide yourself.
You should expect to work with a practitioner more frequently in the beginning. Once you have a better understanding of the tendencies that cause you balance and imbalance, have a follow-up Ayurvedic consultation whenever you need additional support.
Everything you do in life either takes you toward a state of balance and harmony or away from it. Nagging symptoms like bloating, constipation, grogginess, dry mouth, and heartburn are signs that you have moved away from that balanced state.
And while a modern approach to health seeks to suppress these symptoms with medication, Ayurveda sees them as the first stage of the disease. With simple changes and home remedies, these symptoms can be easily corrected today to avoid more serious issues tomorrow.
Although there are some general suggestions in Ayurveda that apply to many, the recommendations you receive from an Ayurvedic consultation should be tailored to your individual needs at that time.
Your practitioner should ask you plenty of questions. Some may be far more personal than you would get from any modern doctor. Your past and present health, your activities, your emotional well-being, and your spiritual practices will all be considered.
Be an active part of this process, moving beyond any discomfort to answer honestly and openly. In preparation for a consultation, take the time to study your state of health with a wellness journal or other tools your practitioner may offer.
Ayurveda is more than 5,000 years old. It is a science-based on balancing the unique combination of the five elements present in us. The Ayurvedic approach is to look at your constitution at conception and your current imbalances. Then together you’ll determine ways to find harmony in every aspect of your life.
Often, if you stop doing things that contribute to a problem, your body and mind will heal quickly. But many of us have resistance to changing lifelong patterns or fears about losing the support of loved ones if we replace who they think we are with who we really are.
A practitioner should be ready to help you address not only the physical aspects of your health but the mental and emotional aspects as well. This can be as simple as adding a daily meditation practice or working with other tools, such as energy healing or sacred mantras.
The benefits of an Ayurvedic consultation with an experienced practitioner should include a personalized plan of action, as well as solutions to address immediate and chronic problems. Think of it as having a partner on your path to assist you in learning to listen to your body, mind, and spirit.
1. Nothing seems to work.
You’ve tried many things – diets, supplements, alternative or natural healing modalities – but nothing seems to work.
2. More problems are surfacing.
You’re taking medications but they’re not working and now other problems are coming up.
3. There’s no diagnosis for your recurring symptoms.
You experience repetitive symptoms with no diagnosis, such as gas, bloating, belching, heartburn, grogginess after eating, fatigue, skin rashes and irritations, difficulty sleeping, and frequent colds or acne.
4. You’re overwhelmed with your diagnosis.
You’re facing a chronic or acute diagnosis that feels overwhelming or scary.
5. You’re not clear on how to move forward.
You need help to break – or identify – patterns that are holding you back.
6. You’re seeking more out of life.
You have a general sense that there is something more for you, but can’t quite figure out what it is.
We are meant to feel well and live in harmony with the world around us. Finding an Ayurvedic practitioner who can be a partner in your journey to your natural state of health is a gift to your true self. It’s something all the books about Ayurveda in the world simply can’t do for you.
Blessings and good living,
Myra
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