I recently had the opportunity to join a Zoom seminar on the Ayurvedic Daily Routine hosted by
the Art of Living Retreat Center, a holistic and spiritual center in the Blue Ridge Mountains of
scenic North Carolina.
Ayurveda is an alternative healing solution to Western medicine that focuses on lifestyle, diet
and longevity of life. Medicines are typically herbal or plant-based, and incorporate the practice
of yoga, meditation, massage, oils and — the focus of this seminar — special diets.
According to the team at the Art of Living Center, Ayurveda serves three main purposes:
- Focus on the prevention and understanding of one’s own makeup and how their
relationship to nature and the environment affects their life - Teach people how to optimize health based on those understandings
- Utilize natural healing and through strengthening the mind, body and spirit, encourage
each body’s unique method of healing from within
Ayurveda is first and foremost rooted in routine, and Director of Business Development, Kim
Rossi, says that “routine is absolutely fundamental in bringing radical change to
the body and consciousness. It helps restore balance in one’s life.”
The seminar also highlighted how our dietary choices align with the way we metabolize the
elements. Each person’s constitution is made up of a dosha, or combination of elements (Earth,
Wind, Air, Fire, Water, and Space), and your dietary choices should follow the general
guidelines provided by the Ayurvedic dietary recommendations based on your dosha. Eating
against your dosha can lead to imbalance, and result in digestive issues and poor elimination of
toxins.
I will leave you with this statement, which is directly from the center and I found to summarize
this session on Ayurveda quite nicely:
One is established in self, who has a balanced constitution, balanced digestive fire, properly
formed tissues, proper elimination of wastes, well functioning body processes, and whose mind,
soul and senses are full of bliss, is called a healthy person.
