The fundamental principles of Ayurveda describe beautifully how you can live a happy, healthy, wealthy, and long life according to your purpose. We, as human beings, have this great opportunity and seem to be the only creatures on earth who have the ability to ask the question “Who am I?”. From there, creation takes place. But how can we live a healthy and happy life? Let’s dive deeper into the fundamental principles that bring all this to our lives. We have a tendency to make things complicated, and sometimes we need to face our deepest fears to find the fundamental needs that first have to function. The three pillars of Ayurveda are: Food, Sleep, and Sex.
Food: Food is medicine; therefore, we shall eat the right food at the right time in the right amount. But what does that mean? Food builds up our physical body, and the wrong food creates diseases. The right food according to your constitution, your symptoms, and the season is essential. To know what type of food you need, I recommend you do a dosha test. Health starts in the gut; therefore, it is important to eat according to the season. Did you know that the microbiome in the soil affects the microbiome in your gut, determining how well you will digest food? Once you know your praktuti, your dominant dosha, there is a whole science of what food is suitable for you or not. If you have symptoms or diseases, the intake of food needs to be adjusted. I deeply recommend you book a consultation to learn more about the best food for your body and mind!
Sleep: Each individual needs sleep. Science today even says that we need to sleep just to dream! Deep sleep is essential for renewing the body and mind; without proper sleep, we will not be able to function in our daily lives. According to Ayurveda, remaining awake at night will aggravate Vata and Pitta and decrease Kapha. A good night's sleep starts when we wake up in the morning; therefore, our daily routines matter the whole day! To promote sleep, you can have an oil massage, especially on your head and feet, since the oil helps keep you grounded and relaxed. Good herbs for sleeping include Ashwagandha, Gotu Kola, and Valerian. Nordic herbs include Chamomile, Lavender, St. John's Wort, and Lemon Balm.
Sex - Control of Sexual Energy (Brahmacharya):
Sex is not just sex. It is the creative energy in the universe (perhaps “Big Bang” from now on will have a different meaning), the reason we are here. That energy needs to be controlled and affects our physical, mental, and spiritual health. If our desire for sex is not fulfilled, it can lead to blocks in our healthy and happy functioning in life. On the other hand, excessive sexual activity can result in loss of strength, weakening of immunity, and disturbance of the mind and heart. Sex is an activity where we use all our senses to give us pleasure, but many of us have lost the connection to the female way of having sex, creating a feeling of emptiness and the sense that “there must be something here that is missing.” In all humans, the glow and spark you see in a person result from the body’s ability to digest food and the sense organs to digest all impressions. This is called Ojas and is the nectar of life, the life elixir. Ojas is extracted from the reproductive tissues and can be compared to Prana, the life force. Remember that the reproductive fluid has the greatest potency of all – to create life! In Ayurveda, there are several ethical and hygienic rules for sexual intercourse. When performed correctly, sex increases memory, power, intelligence, health, and longevity and is a key to physical, mental, and spiritual health. Good aphrodisiac herbs are Ashwagandha and Shatavari. The key to a healthy and happy sexual life is communication and presence in each and every moment.