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Principles
of Ayurveda
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
minds 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

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