The Importance of Sanskrit in Yoga Therapy by Nicolai Bachman | elephant journal

The Importance of Sanskrit in Yoga Therapy by Nicolai Bachman | elephant journal

Natural Cancer-Fighting Spice Reduces Tumors by 81% | Wake Up World

Natural Cancer-Fighting Spice Reduces Tumors by 81% | Wake Up World

Foods that kill healthy Eating

Foods that kill healthy Eating

Basic Ayurveda | Ayurveda - On Nutrition

Basic Ayurveda | Ayurveda (Check out this link!!!)

सप्ताहार,(Saptahar) seven consideration for food intake in Ayurveda

Filed Under: Basic Ayurveda by Roshan Baskota — Leave a comment

September 17, 2011

According to Ayurveda the factors that depends upon food are energy, long life, health, immunity, happiness and prana (life) . The food that we input in this natural engine helps to fire the Jatharagni (digestive fire) as a result output energy is expressed. Here are the thoughts of 7 consideration of food intake according to Vagbhat.

1. Swabhav (स्वभाव) (Nature)- Food we take varies in nature. For instance, rain water, Oriza sativa (रक्तचावल and साठी चावल), Phaseolus mungo, meat of Turvix sp. are laghu लघु (light) in nature whereas milk, Saccharum officinale, and Phaseolus radiates are heavy in nature. In this way dravya or any food have varieties of nature like, laghu-guru (light-heavy), snighDha-rukshya (oleaginous-dry), Sheeta-Ushna(Cold-hot) etc, which must be considered while taking a food.
2. Samyog (संयोग) (Combination)- Mixing of two or more food is a combination or samyog. The food may not retain the same properties when combined with the other foods. For example although ghee and honey are benifitial for health, it may take away the life if combined in same proportion by weight. So one should always keep in mind the effect of combination of any two foods. Food poisionig is due to wrong combination.
3. Sanskar (संस्कार) (Purification)- To get the best result of food that we take purification is essential. Purification of food or any medicinal drugs in Ayurveda is done through the materials and process like water, heating in fire, centrifugation, storage for long time, with aromatic matters and storage. Sanskar is not just purification, but it can also be helpful to change the properties of foods and drugs.
4. Matra (मात्रा) (Quantity/Dose) – Quantity or dose (esp. for drugs) is important factor. Good food that we take is beneficial only if we take in proper quantity, else it is going to be toxic.
5. Desh (देश) (Region)- Ayurveda has its unique thought in regional food behavior. The food that grow in one region is most beneficial for the living organism living in the same region or area. If the consumer consumes the food grown in the same region it will be most suitable according to Ayurveda.
6. Kaal (काल) (Period of Time)- The nature of food and the nature of environment should be matching. Like we don’t want ice-cream in cold winter, similarly our body donot accept the ushna(Hot nature food)(*hot nature food may be cold while touching, hot here refers to internal nature) food in hot summer season and cold in winter. Also Period of time refers that one should not take heavy food before the digestion of earlier food. One must understand is it the right time for me to eat right food?
7. Upayog (उपयोग) (Consumption Procedure)- In simple while taking food one must clean hand and be hygienic. However In Ayurveda whole the procedure is described as follows:
   a. First take bath
   b. Pray the god through Mantra and puja
   c. Dedicate to god, agni, earth, water…
   d. Get the food only from Elder or teacher.
   e. Never have too hot or too cold food.
   f. Never intake food that contains flies, hair, nail etc.
   g. Always have meal with happy and jolly mind facing East.

In this way these are the consideration According to Ayurveda one should keep in mind before having food.

Pathya Ahara digestable food in Ayurveda

Filed Under: Basic Ayurveda by Roshan Baskota — 1 Comment

September 16, 2011

According to Ayurveda foods that we eat are basically categorized as Pathya (Which is digestable) and Apathya (that is not digestable). A pathya (digestable) diet for one individual may be apathy(undigestable ) for other and vice versa. Two types of diet are categorized as pathya and apathy. However, daily inake or habitual dieting may alter pathya and apathy in indivisual. For example, a person have a glass of milk everyday can digest it easily and is Pathya for him, but one who had never had milk drank suddenly after long time cannot digest milk. So milk here is now apathy.

Now lets talk about general diet according to Ayurveda

And he knew that food was Brahman
From food all beings are born
by food they live and into food they return
Upanishad 3.2

Ahara/ Food has been worshipped since ancient times as the giver and sustainer of life
A statement by Charaka ”the self controlled man can life for a hundred years free from disease through the intake of hita ahara/ wholesome diet.
In Ayurveda the physical body is called Kaya. The sanskrit word Kaya can be translated that the body is a build up of food.
Already 5000 years ago Ayurveda has recognised that the body is the result or an outcome of the food we eat.

Food can be the cause (nidana) of a disease
Food can be the treatment (chikitsa) of a disease

Wholesome food and drinks have good colour, smell, taste and are pleasing to the senses and conducive to health, if taken in accordance with the ayurvedic rules.
According to Ayurveda – complexion, clarity, good voice, longevity, happiness, satisfaction, nourishment, mental/ physical strength and intellect are all conditioned by food.

Ayurveda recognises six different tastes

1.Madhura/ sweet
2.Amla/sour
3.Lavana/salty
4.Katu/ hot
5.Tikta/bitter
6.Kasaya/ astringent

The six different taste are important and should be present in the daily diet. The different rasa/ taste can be used to bring equilibrium to the doshas (Vata, Pitta, Kapha).

Some of the Ayurvedic rules for food intake:
1. Intake of food should be warm
2. Food should be unctuous
3. Food should be in proper quantity
4. Intake of food should only be after digestion of the previous meal
5. The food should not have contradictory potencies e.g sour and sweet food such as fruit and milk
6. Intake of food should be in a proper place and seated
7. Intake of food should be without hurry or worry
8. Intake of food should not be too fast or too slow
9. One should take the food while not talking or laughing

Food Prayer

Brahmaapanam Brahmahavir Brahmaagnau Brahmanaahutam
Brahmaivatena Gantavyam Brahmakarma Samaadhinaa

Aham Vaishvanaro Bhootvaa Praaninaam Dehamaashritah
Praanapaana Samaayuktah Pachaamyannam Chaturvidham

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti
Bhagavad Gita Ch. 4 verse 24

The act of offering is Brahman. The offering itself is Brahman. The offering is done by Brahman in the sacred fire which is Brahman. He alone attains Brahman who, in all actions, is fully absorbed in Brahman.

“I am Vaishnavara, existing as fire God in the bodies of living beings. Being associated with ingoing and outgoing life breaths, I will digest all the four different types of food
and purify them.”

9th Annual NAMA Conference - Attendee Registration - Event Summary | Online Registration by Cvent

9th Annual NAMA Conference - Attendee Registration - Event Summary | Online Registration by Cvent

Healing+herbs, article in The Times of India

Ayurveda's western face
The tall and willowy Robert Svoboda, the first licensed western practitioner of ayurveda in 1980 was clearly the star attraction at the conference. The Hindi-speaking, urdu poetry-quoting American Sanskrit scholar, yoga, astrology and meditation expert is a household name in the west.
Canadians Frank and his partner happily meditating in South Goa promptly enrolled for the conference when they learnt, on googling Svoboda, that he would be lecturing at Rishikesh. Ditto, Coen van der Kroon who runs an ayurvedic academy in Amsterdam. A dozen of his students were also in attendance.

Read the complete article in The Times of India:

Healing+herbs

Bewustzijn als basis voor Ayurveda

Ayurveda is een gezondheidssysteem dat zich richt op de totale mens en zegt: ware gezondheid is eenheid tussen lichaam, geest en ziel, waarbij de ziel is geworteld in puur bewustzijn. Willen we gezond zijn dan zullen we dus aandacht moeten besteden aan het innerlijk. Binnen de Ayurveda bestaat echter de neiging om bij een behandeling alleen op het fysieke lichaam te concentreren, aldus de Amerikaanse arts Hari Sharma, die in zijn Indiase roots is gedoken en zo in de Ayurveda terechtkwam. Hoe is deze tendens ontstaan? Ik vroeg het aan Coen van der Kroon, docent en leider van de Academy of Ayurvedic Studies in Amsterdam. Hij woonde eind september een conferentie bij in New York

waar Dr. Hari Sharma een lezing hield over dit onderwerp.

Van der Kroon: 'We kunnen hierbij een onderscheid maken tussen moderne en authentieke Ayurveda. De moderne Ayurveda heeft een regulier medische benadering, dat wil zeggen dat er bij ziekte in het boek met medicijnen wordt gekeken en vervolgens wordt er een medicijn voorgeschreven.
De authentieke Ayurveda kijkt naar de oorzaak van de ziekte, gaat hiervoor terug naar de basis, iemands energiestromen en de gedachten die daarachter zitten, en van daaruit wordt
het praktisch gemaakt. Grappig genoeg wordt in India sinds de onafhankelijkheid de moderne Ayurveda toegepast. De
regering heeft daar een groot aandeel in gehad. In India worden studenten tegenwoordig zo snel mogelijk klaargestoomd als Ayurvedisch arts. Terwijl we in het westen
nu veel meer bezig zijn met: waarom zijn we ziek? Wat is de oorzaak? Wat is Ayurveda op dieper niveau?

Lees meer:
OHMnet - Organisatie voor Hindoe Media Ohm-Vani Artikel

Ayurveda - Live Healthy with Ayurveda Group News | LinkedIn

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Astanga Yoga,Not just physical Exercise

A nice article on Yoga and Ayurveda - on one of the topics we also teach in our Ayurvedic Yoga Therapist and Teacher Training.
Enjoy reading it and consider to come and study these beautiful topics with us at the Academy of Ayurvedic Studies,

Coen van der Kroon

Pranayama Intro

Rtucarya: time as god

Dravadravya: coconut water; yoghurt

Dinacarya: friendship, prosperity and yoga

Ayurvedic Yoga Therapist & Teacher Training

Ayurveda – a universal health system of body and mind

Ayurveda is an age-old science and profession. Its aim is healing as well as preventing disease. The framework of Ayurveda is a holistic one, integrating body, mind and spirit. Ayurveda focuses on a natural and healthy balance in the life of each and every being, and acknowledges each person as a unique entity. Yoga has always been an integral part of the ayurvedic approach.

Yoga – a holistic system of mind and body

The word Yoga means "union": the integration of physical, mental and spiritual energies that enhance health and well-being. The physical postures, breathing exercises and meditation practices of yoga are practiced to ultimately still the mind and consciousness to achieve a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility in order to connect with our true Self. Yoga and Ayurveda are among the oldest known systems of health practiced in the world today.

Yoga and Ayurveda

Yoga and Ayurveda have long been complementary practices, serving each other like two sides of one coin. Ayurveda purifies the body and mind and Yoga directs subtle energy into appropriate channels for spiritual progress. Both practices deepen and become more effective when practiced with the other. This manifests on a deeper level whenever Ayurveda is offered in integration with Yoga.

Ayurvedic Yoga Therapist & Teacher Training

The Ayurvedic Yoga Therapist & Teacher Training has been gradually developing out of this union: it is a unique approach to yoga that is systematically tailored to each person’s individual constitution and condition. The Ayurvedic Yoga Teacher Training can be a valuable and powerful means of heightening your own awareness and living in harmony with nature, as well as of sharing this practical knowledge with students.

Structure of AYTTT offered by Academy of Ayurvedic Studies

The Academy of Ayurvedic Studies offers a comprehensive Yoga therapist and teacher training in which Ayurveda has been integrated from day one. The course consists of 3 years of appr. 200 contact hours each, and can possibly be extended with a 4^th year. The teaching hours are divided over modular mostly 3-day study weekends.

Teachers of AYTTT at AAS

The AYTTT will be taught by highly experienced teachers in the field of Yoga and Ayurveda. The AAS often invites well known international guest teachers to support its study program with their knowledge and inspiration.

Well known guest teachers who have been visiting the AAS in recent years: Dr. David Frawley, Dr. Robert Svoboda, Mukunda Stiles, Dr. Vasant Lad, Chitra Giauque, e.a.

www.ayurvedicstudies.nl

We have the following AAS summer school programs:

• Ayurveda Zomer Vijfdaagse
• Introduction to Ayurvedic Nutrition
• Dinacharya - The Ayurvedic Morning Ritual
• Workshop Ayurveda & Yoga

THE FOLLOWING SUMMER PROGRAM IS IN DUTCH LANGUAGE

Ayurveda Zomer Vijfdaagse

Van 30 juli t/m 3 augustus 2011

• Wil je meer weten over hoe jij Ayurveda kunt gebruiken in jouw leven?
• Altijd al geïnteresseerd geweest in Ayurveda, maar geen tijd voor een hele studie?
• Of denk je na over een studie, maar weet je niet zeker of Ayurveda echt jouw ding is?

Doe dan mee met deze Ayurveda vijfdaagse!

De volgende onderwerpen komen in deze vijf dagen aan bod:

• De verschillende constituties
• Voeding en leefstijl
• Massage
• De verschillende seizoenen
• De ochtendrituelen
• Mantra
• Pranayama
• Polsdiagnose
• En nog veel meer!

Een mooie gelegenheid om te proeven van wat deze eeuwenoude geneeskunde te bieden heeft!
Wanneer: zaterdag 30 juli t/m woensdag 3 augustus 2011
Iedere dag is er les van 10.00 tot 17.00 met een uur lunchpauze.
Locatie: Academy of Ayurvedic Studies, Amsterdam
De lessen worden gegeven door Miriam Alberts en Frederieke Couvee
Kosten: €375,– voor de hele cursus of €90,– per dag
Opgeven kan via: info@ayurveda-hengelo.com of bel met 06-50482801

Opgeven graag vóór 30 juni.Zie ook: http://www.ayurfreddy.nl/

THE FOLLOWING SUMMER PROGRAMS ARE IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Ayurveda Summer Programs at the Yoga Community

Join these summer workshops and learn simple techniques to shift to a lifestyle that can truly support our well being. Each workshop can be followed individually, though following all three will give you a good understanding of different aspects of Ayurveda. Learn the foundation of this ancient Indian wisdom of health and how you can apply it in your own life here in the West!
Introduction to Ayurvedic Nutrition
Sunday, July 10, 14.00 - 17.00
35 euros
In this workshop you will learn the basics of Ayurvedic nutrition and how to adjust your diet to your individual digestive system. You will receive plenty of recipes and ideas to implement what you have learned into your own life.
Dinacharya - The Ayurvedic Morning Ritual
Sunday, July 31, 14.00 - 17.00
35 euros
The morning ritual is an essential part of a balanced lifestyle. In this workshop you will learn the basic principles of Ayurveda and we will discuss - and where applicable we'll practice - the morning ritual including some dietary guidelines and yoga practice. This will allow you to start implementing the morning ritual in your own life.
Workshop Ayurveda & YogaSunday, August 21, 14.00 - 17.00
35 euros
Yoga and Ayurveda have long been connected to each other as sister sciences. In this workshop you will learn the basic principles of Ayurveda and how you can apply these to yoga asanas and breathing exercises. Experience the effects of the different approaches and learn how you can deepen your yoga practice with small and effective adjustments.

Offered by Liese van Dam, ayurvedic consultant and yoga instructor: www.shantiyoga.nl
To register please send an email to yogacommunityOM@gmail.com

De Asthanga – acht ledematen – van Raja Yoga

Raja Yoga verschaft een integrale benadering voor de ontwikkeling van bewustzijn, die bestaat uit acht onderdelen, die organisch met elkaar samenwerken. De eerste vijf hiervan vormen het uiterlijke aspect van Yoga, de andere drie richten zich meer op het innerlijke aspect. Ayurveda helpt voornamelijk bij het op extern niveau harmoniseren van het lichaam en Prana, zodat het innerlijke proces van meditatie zich ontwikkelen kan. Maar Ayurveda gebruikt daarbij ook meditatie-technieken en dingen als mantra en Pratyahara teneinde het lichaam, geest en Prana te harmoniseren, en beweegt zich daarbij in het gebied van de meer innerlijke aspecten van Yoga, ook al ligt het tijdelijke doel daarvan op een iets ander gebied.
In onderstaande tabel volgt een kort en samenvattend overzicht van de paralellen van de acht ledematen van Raja Yoga in Ayurveda. Het wordt gevolgd door een iets uitgebreidere uitleg bij ieder van de acht punten.


De 8 ledematen van Yoga en hun Ayurveda paralellen:

Yoga	Ayurveda
Yama – Sociale regels	Dinacharya (dagelijkse routine), Ahara (dieet), Vichara (leefstijl)
Niyama – Gedragsregels	Dinacharya, Ahara, Vichara
Asana – Fysieke houdingen	therapeutische inzet Asanas, per specifiek doshatype, orgaan, etc.
Pranayama – Beheersing van adem en levensenergie	therapeutische inzet ademhalingsoefeningen voor Agni, geest, Vata/Prana, Gati (richting), etc.
Pratyahara – Beheersing van de zintuigen	therapeutische inzet van vermindering van gebruik zintuigen
Dharana – Correcte concentratie en beheersing van de geest	therapeutische inzet van positief denken, visualiseren, mantra, meditatie (-voorbereiding) etc.
Dhyana – Meditatie	therapeutische inzet van meditatie, afgestemd op dosha typen
Samadhi – Absorptie	Swastha – ultieme ‘gezondheid’

Raja Yoga, Ayurveda en de vier levensdoelen

In Raja Yoga zijn alle aspecten van Yoga verenigd, van asanas (houdingen) en pranayama tot mantra en meditatie. Het uiteindelijke doel van Yoga is Moksha en dat doel komt overeen met het uiteindelijke doel van Ayurveda, hetgeen ook Moksha is (Moksha betekent “bevrijding”, “verlichting”). De wegen zijn verschillend tot op zekere hoogte, maar overlappen elkaar ook. Ayurveda richt zich op een gezond lichaam, de basis voor een spiritueel leven. Omgekeerd heeft iemand een gezonde geest nodig om een lichaam gezond te houden of te maken en dat is meer het terrein van yoga. Beide disciplines vallen onder een wijdere doelstelling in het leven, in Sanskrit aangeduid met de termen: Dharma, Artha, Kama en Moksha (deugd/levenstaak, materiële bronnen, psychologische en sensuele voldoening, en bevrijding/verlichting).

In Ayurveda wordt de connectie tussen gezondheid en bovenstaande vier levensdoelen op de volgende manier in een Sutra verwoord:

“Dharmartha Kama Mokshanam Arogyam Mulam Uttamam.”

“Gezondheid (vrij zijn van ziekte) vormt de beste basis voor deugd, rijkdom, voldoening en ultieme bevrijding.”

Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy: A beautiful modern expression of two ancient sister sciences

by Rolf Jost


As Ayurveda is becoming more and more popular in the West, slowly words like Ayurveda Massages, Ayurvedic Wellness Program, Ayurvedic Skincare Products are appearing in the popular press and mainstream shops. What is still quite new even to people who have heard of Ayurveda in it’s various appearances is the use of Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy. Already the term Yoga Therapy is for many an unknown option of treatment. So what exactly is the meaning of Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy? This article offers an amalgamation of different perspectives presented through time as well as recently. Important contributions to the line of thought set out in this article have been made by important people in the field of Ayurveda and Yoga as well as regarding the close relationship between the two sciences – such as Dr. Vasant Lad, Dr. Robert Svoboda, David Frawley and Mukunda Stiles.


Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy has been receiving more and more attention lately. The question arises as to what the definition of Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy is, as well as a need to describe its implications and purposes. Ayurveda and Yoga have always been so called sister sciences. They both go back to a similar paradigm – based on Vedic parameters of ‘thinking’ or ‘seeing’ (Darshana) – and one could even go as far as to state that both Ayurveda and Yoga most importantly lean on the foundations laid down by the Sankhya Philosophy of Kapila. Although one could definitely make this statement with regards to Ayurveda, Yoga of course has strong connections also with its ‘own’ Yoga Darshana, with Vedanta, and to some extent also with Mimamsa. With regards to Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy, it is useful – in order to understand its highly practical use for ‘common’ people – to stay within the main paradigms of the Sankhya Darshana. Sankhya philosophy offers a most profound mixture of an all round cosmovision on the one hand, and a purely practical description of the material world – as it is being ‘used’ by normal human beings on a daily basis – on the other hand. Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy in a way is a modern ‘concoction’ of old, classical Ayurvedic and Yogic principles combined within the practical scope of helping people in supporting good health and well being, basically an expansion of Ayurveda itself – but focusing on some basic modalities offered by Yoga in its accessible form. Whereas classical Yoga as developed for Yogis tends to focus much more on further development of the mind within the framework of a healthy body with a very strong Agni – which circumstance is definitely not a given one for most people in our era!

“Ayurveda is the healing branch of yogic science. Yoga is the spiritual aspect of Ayurveda. Ayurveda is the therapeutic branch of Yoga.”


Read more: click here