What is Ayurveda?

About the knowledge of life

Ayurveda is the traditional Indian medicine. It isunderstood as the science of life bytranslating ayuh as life and veda as science. It encompasses the oldest traditional wealth of knowledge about the nature of man.

Ancient wisdom from the Indian civilization gives us a deep understanding of our nature. Many practical recommendations refer to health as well as holistic treatment of diseases. For over 2000 years, the ancient teachings with their holistic healing arts have been passed on and practiced. Today Ayurveda is more up-to-date than ever! It combines the ancient wisdom with the needs of the modern world.

Ayurveda helps us to shape life according to our individual needs.

Good life and bad life; happy life and unhappy life; that which is beneficial or detrimental to life; the measure of life and its components; and life itself - where all these are explained, that is called Ayurveda.

Caraka Samhita, Sutrasthana I.41

Individual & holistic - traditional medicine in modern times

The individual approach to the human being and the versatility of the forms of therapy make Ayurveda particularly close to life. The personal needs are in focus, whereby dogmatic demands and strict rules are far away. Who follows the Ayurvedic recommendations, integrates individually beneficial routines into his daily life.

Inner harmony and the balance of all forces residing in the body are the basis for a fulfilled life in Ayurveda. Thus, from the Ayurvedic point of view, health is not only a general well-being, but a state full of joy of life, vitality and inner happiness.

The key to Ayurveda

What is it about Ayurveda that is so fascinating?

Kerstin Rosenberg is one of the pioneers of Ayurveda in Europe. For over 30 years, she has studied and practiced the traditional healing of India as an author, lecturer and director of the Rosenberg European Academy for Ayurveda with an affiliated health and spa center. Watch the video to find out why her love for Ayurveda continues to grow even after so long.

Ayurvedic principles

The three Doshas

With the Doshas are three principles that are responsible for the control of all processes and functions in the body. In Ayurvedic understanding, all people have an individual composition of the doshas. Thus we can observe a unique, individual constitution in everyone. If the three Doshas Vata, Pitta and Kapha are in balance, the person is healthy and happy. If, on the other hand, they are disturbed, this is the cause of physical and psychological complaints of all kinds.

Vata figure

Vata

Vata is the principle of movement in the human organism and is composed of the elements ether and air. It is closely connected to the nervous system and also corresponds to the mental and energetic body.

Pitta Figure

Pitta

Pitta originates from the element fire with a small amount of water. It stands for the conversion principle on the physical and mental level. Thus, Pitta is responsible for all metabolic and digestive processes as well as for the intelligence of man.

Kapha figure

Kapha

Composed of the elements water and earth, Kapha represents the maintaining and stabilizing principle. It carries the function of the lymphatic and immune system and is involved in the formation of the body.

Which Dosha type are you?

If we take into account our individual expression of Vata, Pitta and Kapha, we can shape our lifestyle according to our needs. Our dosha test helps you to assess your most pronounced dosha.

Agni digestive fire illustration

Agni

Next to Vata, Pitta and Kapha is Agnithe digestive fire, is the fourth functional principle in the organism. Agni It is produced by Pitta and has its headquarters in the upper abdomen. As the "life fire" it is present in every cell and is indispensable for all life functions. It determines the ability and strength of food to nourish the various tissues of the body. It works in conjunction with the doshas, is central to all metabolic processes and is responsible for the breakdown and transformation of food.

In Ayurvedic understanding, every illness also results from a disturbance of Agni. Agni is the energy that is needed for all physiological transformation processes and the entire tissue structure. If this is disturbed, diseases of all kinds arise. If, on the other hand, a person has a balanced digestive fire, this gives a healthy life.

Four simple tips to get you started

With small steps to great well-being

Warm water

Water is an elixir of life in Ayurveda. It is recommended to drink it warm, so it is particularly purifying and metabolism stimulating. If you want to adjust the water to your constitution, Ayurveda recommends hot water with ginger and lemon for dominant Vata, hot with ginger and honey for Kapha and warm with cardamom for Pitta.

Turmeric

In Ayurveda, turmeric is one of the most important spices in the medicine cabinet. It belongs to the so-called "hot spices", which are said to have a cleansing and energizing effect. According to Ayurvedic teachings, turmeric has anti-inflammatory and skin-therapeutic effects in particular, as well as stimulating the fat metabolism. To integrate it in the daily meals is quite recommendable. Golden milk is also particularly delicious.

Self-massage

We can help others especially when we have regenerated our own strength. Ayurvedic self-massage is an effective tool for recharging one's own batteries. The ritual helps to better understand one's own body and to feel where tension instead of relaxation gathers. This way for a detailed instruction.

Tongue scraping

For newcomers to Ayurveda, it often seems strange to stick out the tongue in the early morning and scrape it with a spoon or tongue scraper from the back of the palate to the tip of the tongue. Ayurveda connoisseurs do not want to miss this body cleansing. It is an effective method to rid the body of accumulated metabolic waste products(Ama) and thus prevent bad breath, colds and other problems.

The diversity of Ayurveda

Learn more

Ayurvedic Medicine

Traditional Indian medicine as a holistic health care system.

Ayurvedic massage

The feeling of "being touched" provides profound regeneration and relaxation.

Ayurvedic Nutrition

A beneficial nutritional system for body, mind and soul.