Introduction
According to ayurvedic philosophy an individual bundle of
`spirit’, desirious of expressing itself, uses
subjective consciousness or Satwa to manifest sense organs
and a mind. Spirit and mind then project themselves into a
physical body, created from the five (Pancha) great
(maha)
eternal elements (bhutas) – together called the
Panchamahabhutas – which arise from Tamas. The sense
organs then using Rajas to project from the body into the
external world to experience their objects. The body
becoming the mind’s vehicle, its physical instrument for
sense gratification.
The Bhutas combine into "tridoshas" or
bioenergetic forces that govern and determine our health
or physical condition. While the three gunas (Rajas or
activity, Tamas or inertia and Satwa, which balances the
first two) or psychic forces determine our mental and
spiritual health. Ayurveda is thus a holistic system of
health care that teaches us to balance these energies in
order to achieve optimum health and well being.
Introduction | Panchamahabhutas
| Tridoshas
| Trigunas
| Agni
| Dhatus
| Malas
|
