We are all on a ladder, either moving towards or away from Sattva. This is really the secret to all of existence, the meaning of life, or why we are here. Yes, that may be debatable, but you will note there is no discrimination. You don’t need to be a theist, a specific race or gender, have a certain upbringing, are a specific dosha, or any other such limitation to be Sattvic.
All you need to do is act in accordance with the highest, most virtuous version of yourself.
We have three bodies:
Yes, we have a physical body, a subtle body, and a causal body.
The Physical Body:
This one that is framed by our skeleton. The physical body is the densest, most tangible body we have. It is comprised of the 5 elements (earth, air, fire, water, and ether). This body is ruled by the doshas (Vata, Pitta and Kapha), needs food for fuel, corresponds with the Mahaguna of Tamas, since those in a tamasic state do actions only to please their senses.
The Subtle Body:
The subtle body is what houses our mind that doesn't mean the brain, that is in the physical body. Within each of us, we have a mindscape, an imagination, or a mind’s eye – The subtle body houses our thoughts, feelings, and imagination. It is governed by the subtle doshas - Prana, Tejas, and Ojas. Because of it’s dynamic and agitated nature, the subtle body corresponds with the Mahaguna of Rajas.
For every physical aspect we have, there is a subtle corresponding aspect. For example the Brain has the mind, the doshas have the subtle doshas, the nerves have the nadis (channels that affect the mind), etc, - the bridge between the body and mind is our breath. The correlation is easy to see, as an unstable breath can cause both the mind and body to malfunction (panic, hyperventilation, etc), and a stable breath can calm the mind and regulate the body’s functions.
The Causal Body:
This is the body that houses the seed of our connection to universal intelligence, truth, or god. The causal body is dictated by the laws of karma. This body is the most subtle and impossible to pinpoint. It connects us to that place where there is pure consciousness. If consciousness is an ocean, we are a wave in that ocean, feeling it’s separateness for a brief moment until we return to the ocean again, indistinguishable and whole. It is the brief moment that we are most disconnected, and strive to move closer towards the Mahaguna of Sattva, or enlightenment. Without the causal body, there would be no way to enlightenment.
Each body we have has it’s own challenges, and true health won’t ultimately arrive unless we address all three. Arguably, addressing solely the Causal body will align the other two regardless, but the path to that health of the Causal body is difficult without striving for health in the other two first. It’s a process. We have to transcend our physical pain via our diet, our mental imbalances via our thought patterns, and we have to overcome our rajasic or tamasic lifestyle by shedding our karma through that sattvic way.
Much like the Physical and Subtle body are connected via our breath, there is a bridge between our subtle body and our causal body where upon sits the The Buddhi: Our organ of interpretation. This Buddhi is responsible for sorting information either to serve the mind or to serve our higher consciousness. The more we use The Buddhi to move towards Satva, the closer we come to our enlightenment. The more we move towards the mind, the more Rajasic we become as we feed the ego. It’s the difference between treating everything as a meditation, or treating everything as a problem to solve.
All our three bodies are connected, and to focus solely on our physical body and forgetting the others will never bring us complete health. But working first on the body can alleviate much unnecessary suffering and pave the way for us to heal the mind and spirit. This is what Ayurveda can help you with as you pursue your spiritual goals. Nothing is completely separate, and everything is connected. What effects the body effects the mind which in turn affects our personal journey, for better or worse.
If we are living in harmony with the rhythms of life, the nature of our service varies with our stage of life. During our formative years (kapha time), our primary role is to learn and grow. At this age, we generally take more than we give. This is natural.
It is during the second phase of life that Ayurveda calls it the pitta phase. This phase begins biologically between the ages of 13 and 16 though we generally don’t enter this phase in modern society till between the ages of 18 and 22.
During the third phase of life, nature has intended for us to reflect upon the work we have provided and the life we have lived. This is the vata time of life. This period generally begins between the ages of 55 and 70. During this time of our lives, each person benefits most by spending more time in meditation and reflection and cultivating their spiritual connection. The person in their vata time of life, reflecting upon what they have learned, now has a responsibility to share and pass on the wisdom and experience they have gained.
Ayurveda is much more than a science of understanding what foods are right for you. It is a science of using health as the basis of one’s journey toward enlightenment.
Ayurveda is capable of assisting in the healing of many conditions as well as extending life itself.
Foster Your Inner Glow with Ayurveda
Schedule Your Consultation
Call 9773170560/9825463394
Ayurvedic psycho-spirituality is based on the idea that we are all souls growing and evolving toward enlightenment or reunification with God. It is our spiritual journey to move from dark to light, from ignorance to awareness, or from tamas to sattvic.
Ayurveda prescribes many regimens to bring about harmony or sattva in our lives. These regimens are numerous-recommended actions include eating slowly in a peaceful environment, using proper aroma and color therapy, going to bed early, awakening with the sun or earlier, applying oil to the body, meditating, doing yoga, and many more.
Ayurveda advocates that living in harmony with nature and maintaining harmony between body, mind and spirit contribute to a long and healthy life. Any imbalance in this harmony results in disease. The focus of Ayurveda is on preventive and curative aspects as well a wholistic approach to treatment.
No comments:
Post a Comment