Ayurvedic Life

Regimens

Author :David Frawley

 Sattvic Living

All human beings should first follow a

sattvic or pure life-style that gives peace and
clarity of mind. The remedial measures in
Ayurveda are generally of a sattvic
(harmonious) nature.
Physical purity includes pure diet, with raw
or freshly cooked vegetarian food, pure air
and water, proper exercise of a calming
nature, as well as physical cleanliness.
Purity of mind includes truthfulness,
honesty, humility, equanimity, non-violence,
friendliness and compassion to all beings.
Emotional impurities like anger, hatred,
pride, lust and fear are given up; gossip and
worry are to be set aside. These are the main
bad mental habits that destroy the natural
clarity and equipoise of mind.
Purity of life-style includes right livelihood
(an occupation that does not bring harm to
others), pleasant speech, harmonious or
pleasant environment, and avoidance of
distraction, noise and all violent or
degrading forms of entertainment.
Sattvic life-style includes devotion to the
Divine or to truth, compassion, service to
humanity, study of spiritual teachings,
reverence for spiritual teachers, and the
practice of yoga and meditation.
Purity itself, however, should not become a
fault through self-righteousness,
hypersensitivity or fanaticism. Good humor
and moderation should always be
maintained. Natural harmony and
adaptability are what is necessary, not the
imposition of an artificial standard.
In addition one must always be careful to
following the guidelines for one’s
Ayurvedic doshic type as Vata (air), Pitta
(fire), Kapha (water).
Diet and Herbs
Diet is the most important long-term
physical remedial measure. Its effects take
time to manifest, often one to six months,
but are enduring. As a remedial measure it is
constant, though requiring modification for
season, age or specific diseases. Our
physical body is composed of food; we
cannot expect its condition to change
without changing our diet. Ayurvedic doshic
diets are essential here, particularly for Vata
dosha, whose main treatment is often a more
nutritive diet.
Herbs are like subtle foods. They can be
taken in small or large doses. Large doses
(more than one ounce of herbs per day)
should usually not be taken without special
study or professional guidance. In small
doses herbs are like strong food supple-
ments; and they can and should be taken on
a regular basis by almost everyone. They are
part of our necessary food articles and
provide subtle nutrition. Right nutrition is
not only taking our daily bread but also
taking our daily herbs. There are special
daily herbs for the different Ayurvedic
types.
Oils and Massage
Massage and external application of oils are
necessary for most of us on a regular basis.
This may be no more than applying a
common oil, such as sesame, to the feet or
head twice a week. Therapeutic touch
communicates to our body and breaks
stagnation along its surface. Oil massage
nourishes the heart and calms the mind. It
gives elasticity to the muscles and ligaments
and strengthens the bones. Oil massage or
abhyanga is an integral part of Ayurvedic
treatment and Ayurvedic life-style.
Essential oils and fragrances are also an
important part of life. They open the mind
and heart and purify the air and aura.
Incense works along the same lines. It aids
in purification and helps create an
atmosphere receptive to the Divine powers.
Colors and Gems
The right use of colors has a harmonizing
effect on the mind and emotions through the
senses. Our impressions feed the mind and
affect the doshas.
Gems help balance the aura and harmonize
the cosmic influences projected upon us
through the stars. They are not merely for
ornamentation but offer an additional
method of attunement with the subtle
energies of life. It is helpful to wear or use
gemstones that help balance one’s physical
and mental nature. This is shown through
astrology and Ayurveda, with the birth chart
being the dominant factor.

Life-style and Behavioral Medicine

Life-style is probably the most important
factor in physical and mental health. Right
life-style does not mean suppressing our
nature, but bringing out its deeper powers.
In Ayurveda, this includes not suppressing
our natural urges like eating, sleeping, sex,
elimination, urination, sneezing, weeping,
coughing, or yawning.
Life-style considerations for everyone
involve such physical factors as right
amount of rest, sufficient exercise, right
exposure to sun, heat or cold, and a pleasant
and natural environment. The mental factors
and ethical attitudes of right life-style are the
principles of sattvic living. Such factors as
right relationship and right attitudes are
included here, as well as right livelihood.
Yet our behavior overall, particularly our
relationships, has an important bearing on
our physical and psychological well-being.

Yoga and Meditation

Yoga and meditation relate to the spiritual
aspect of life. According to Ayurveda the
soul is the source of life and health. We
must live according to the purpose of our
soul in order to have peace and well-being.
Disease generally indicates that we have lost
contact with our soul and its creative force.
Each of us should perform some daily yoga
and meditation. This may include yoga
postures, breathing exercises, mantra and
visualization, as well as meditation practices
aimed at silencing the mind. Without this
our life has no real center around which the
other practices of right living can be
organized.
It should be noted that although Ayurveda
includes different remedial measures as part
of the system of Vedic science, all are not
specific to it. Gem therapy is more
appropriately part of Vedic astrology. Yoga
therapy is a branch of treatment in itself,
including a more specific use of asanas,
pranayama and mantra. It is important to
consult practitioners of these other systems
for a more detailed guidance on these
subjects.
Spiritual methods vary more according to
differences of culture and individual
temperament than do physical health
measures. The mind is not as defined an
entity as the physical body and requires
greater flexibility in its treatment. These are
general guidelines to be adapted with
intelligence and consciousness. This is
mainly the field of Vedanta and the path of
Self-knowledge.
In addition, the doshas do not comprehend
all aspects of our nature, which are not
simply physical or health based. It is not
necessary to stereotype oneself according to
one’s dosha. All that is required is to prevent
the problems that arise from not
compensating for it. The doshas are
guidelines for tuning into our unique nature,
but the full attunement is ultimately an
individual affair.

Classical Remedial Measures for the

Doshas from Ayurvedic Texts
• Vata dosha is treated by application of
oils, mild sweating and purification
methods; by sweet, sour, salty and warm
food freely taken, and by warm oil
massage; by staying indoors, by firm
guidance, by anointing the eyes; by
warm oil enemas, by moderate cleansing
enemas, by comfortable living with a
sense of security; by medicines that
stimulate the digestive fire like ginger,
black pepper and cinnamon, by tonic
herbs like ashwagandha and bala taken
as foods or with milk and ghee, by
adequate rest and deep sleep.
• Pitta dosha is treated with the ingestion
of ghee (clarified butter), by purgation
with sweet and cold herbs; by sweet,
bitter and astringent foods and herbs; by
application of cool, delightful and
fragrant essential oils; by frequently
anointing the head with sandalwood and
vetivert oils; by relaxing in the
moonlight, by beautiful songs, by a cool
wind; by friends, by a devoted son or
daughter; by happy relationships; by
ponds with cool water, by houses with
large gardens; especially by loving
emotions; and by milk and ghee as
laxatives.
• Kapha is treated by emetic and purgation
methods according to the rules; by food
that is dry, little in quantity, sharp, hot
and pungent, bitter and astringent in taste
in smaller quantities; by sexual
enjoyment, by staying up at night; by all
 kinds of exercise, by mental activity, by
dry or strong massage; by fasting; by
sweating therapies, by smoking of herbs
and, generally, by taking pleasure in
physical hardship.
The Ayurvedic methods traditionally used to
balance the doshas are complex. They are
not our modern “take this pill and come
back in a week,” but consider all aspects of
life. It is important not only what we do but
how we do it. We may take the right
remedies, but if we take them with the
wrong attitude they cannot be expected to
work. Some require clinical application like
certain massage, oil, emetic and purgative
methods. Most include our daily diet,
behavior and attitudes.
• Vata people tend to do things hastily,
irregularly or erratically – must develop
peace, steadiness, stillness, consistency.
 • Pitta people tend to be fanatical or
forceful and may apply things in a rigid
or authoritarian manner – need to be
gentle, kind and patient.
• Kapha types are slow or conservative in
what they do, become attached and are
slow to change – need to challenge
themselves, be dynamic, seek out the
new,
All that we implement to balance our
constitution should be based on an attitude
that also compensates for it. It is not simply
what we do but the manner and attitude in
which we do it.