Ayurveda originates from the Vedic scriptures of the Indian subcontinent, and is nowadays seen as a form of alternative health care. The term Ayurveda stems from ayus, which is the word for life or life principle, and veda, which means science or knowledge, so Ayurveda translates as ‘science or knowledge of life’.

Ayurveda beliefs that sickness stems from the mind, which, after repeatedly ignoring signals, manifests itself in the body. The body obeys the mind. The mind is the director of the energies that make the body alive. All energies together make up the soul.

In Ayurveda treatment means determining the ideal energy distribution at birth (prakriti) and learning the cause of the imbalance of energies now (vikriti) and try to remedy that with a program that takes into account lifestyle, exercise, and nutrition, to restore the balance of the present day energies with the original constitution at birth.

Prakriti is mostly determined by constitution, but also season, star position, and place of birth. There will however always be disturbing factors, causing vikriti, and Ayurvedic techniques and methods try to keep the vikriti within limits, so as to prevent them from manifesting in bodily complaints.

All energy has three doshas or characteristics, whether it be energy in mind, body, or the world. So passions, seasonal movements, cosmic energy and the stars, all have doshas. Like above, so below. The three doshas are vata, pitta and kapha. Vata is the impulse energy, which is represented in movement, change and dry autumnal wind. Disturbances, this is the one most prevalent in the world today, of it relates to fear. Pitta is the fire energy, which relates todigestion, passion, hot headedness, and volcanoes. Kapha is the structural energy, which is seen in sturdiness, resignation, possessiveness, and cloudy dreary winter evenings. So your tri doshas are seen in body type, immune system, character traits, and behavior.

Ayurvedic treatments focus on influencing awareness of lifestyle choices and behavior. It strives to gain or restore vitality through building a healthymetabolism by the use of herbal and mineral medicine, stressing meditation, rest, order or regularity, joy, exercise, yoga and breathing practices, and eating 3 meals of healthy food a day, lunch being the main meal, incorporating the 6 flavors (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent).

Treat yourself, try something new, and find out how to restore your energy balance the Ayurvedic way! There are lots of spas, and hotels with spas, in Sri Lanka that offer treatments based on the Ayurvedic principles.