Ayurveda, the knowledge of life and longevity, is the oldest, most comprehensive scientific discipline, a complete health care system or healing system that was preached, practiced and documented in the ancient times by omniscient sages. This knowledge was revealed to them in their spiritual pursuits. Closely associated with the Indian thought process, the origin of this system can be traced to the Vedas, the earliest codified knowledge body, which deals with all aspects of the universe. This ancient knowledge was then dissipated to mankind around 5,000 years ago by sages and seers for the well being of mankind.

Ayurveda originated in the hearts and minds of Indian sages, enlightened seers also known as Rishis thousands of years ago. Evidence supports Ayurveda to be at least 5,000 years old. That is a long time. The fact that Ayurveda is still alive not only in India but all over the world speaks for its power to deliver consistent positive and predictable results. According to the writings of India’s great sages, there never was a time that Ayurveda was not present in this universe in some form or the other. Maybe not in a tangible form like books and active clinics but present in the collective consciousness of this universe as eternal principles of unity between all things of the universe, of unity between man and nature, of the changeable but rhythmic nature of the universe, and of the unity between body and mind and that both are vehicles or tools for the one that is eternal – the spirit. Thus, Ayurveda originates from the creative intelligence behind this universe, the same intelligence that makes a flower bloom, a baby smile and planets revolve around the sun.

Ayurveda’s laboratory was the entire universe, its ingredients simply the basic building blocks of this universe itself: the great 5 elements (panch maha bhutas) – Space (Akasha), Air (Vayu), Fire (Tejas), Water (Aap) and Earth (Prithvi). Shake up the 5 elements and you have the recipe for creating this universe in all its entirety and variety. Man is a part and parcel of this universe and can hardly be considered in isolation. The pancha maha bhautik Sharira (body) along with manas (mind) and atman (soul) constitutes you and me, the Purusha (the living, breathing, feeling self) in constant interaction with the outer universe (loka). The self of the person (Purusha) is a continuum of the universal self while the physical body composed of pancha maha bhutas (five great elements) originates from the pancha maha bhautik seed and derives nourishment from food and drinks of similar composition. Hence equilibrium and non antagonism between the internal and external milieu of man is essential for the maintenance of the living body. Since the individual human being is the miniature replica of the universe; the individual (purusha) and the universe (loka) stay in constant interaction with each other and also derive and draw materials from each other in order to maintain their normalcy and homeostasis. This interaction and exchange continues in a normal way such as by breathing the air, eating foods available in nature, etc. So long as this interaction is wholesome and optimum, the man is in optimum health. When this harmonious process breaks down, a disease state starts. Hence in Ayurveda the main principle of treatment will be to restore the harmonious exchange between Purusha (individual) and Loka (universe).

In a living being, when the five elements combine to become forces that help a living being ‘live’ then these forces are known as doshas. Air and space combined to form the force of Vata which is responsible for all movement in the body, and it governs mainly all nervous functions. There are 80 kinds of possible disturbances due to Vata. Pain, stiffness, paralysis, and hypertension, heart diseases – all these are caused by Vata. Fire and water combine to form the force of Pitta. Pitta governs mainly enzymes and hormones. Pitta is also responsible for digestion, pigmentation, body temperature, hunger, thirst, sight, courage etc. There are 40 kinds of possible disturbances due to Pitta. Burning sensations, excessive body temperature, blue moles, jaundice, and pharyngitis are examples of disorders caused by Pitta. Water and earth combine to form the force of Kapha. Kapha regulates the other two. Kapha is responsible for the connections of joints, the solid nature of the body and its sustenance, sexual power, strength, patience etc. Among the 20 possible disturbances due to Kapha are anorexia nervosa, laziness, mucus expectoration, hardening of vessels, obesity, suppression of digestive power etc. In Ayurveda, we not only recognize these forces (the Tridoshas) but we also learn to harness them and develop an optimum food and lifestyle program that balances the three doshas. When doshas are in balance the individual is disease free and when in imbalance – disease begins to grow.

Ayurveda does not stand against western medicine. In acute cases, the role of classical medicine is irreplaceable. In chronic illnesses, combination with Ayurveda can be beneficial, and in many chronic illnesses Ayurveda achieves excellent results even where classical medicine has failed. Ayurveda is strictly individual (the treatment is determined on the basis of given person’s consti-tution and state of his/her health). It aims at the elimination of causes, not the suppression of symptoms; during the treatment only natural remedies free of any side effects are used. The cause of illness can be found in the inner imbalance as well as in the relation with the surrounding environment whereas western medicine considers, for instance, virus or bacteria as the main cause.

Ayurveda offers a treatment for each of the five senses: herbs and nutrition act on the sense of the taste, the olfactory sense is influenced by aromatherapy, the touch is related to Yoga, precious stones and massages, the hearing is treated by mantra (sound energy with curative effect) and we can affect the sight by colours (colour-therapy).

Ayurveda mostly proves successful in the treatment of chronic illnesses. Ayurveda covers and cures a wide range of illnesses, from the common cold to chronic illnesses, allergy, chronic fatigue, ulcers, bad digestion, from insomnia to grave mental disorders. The choice of relevant therapy depends on the individual constitution, on the type of imbalance and on the season. The following are the most frequently used treatment techniques:

• aromatherapy including the use of aromatic oils and incense sticks
• herbal treatment using natural substances without side effects
• special breathing exercises carried out before meditation
• choice of appropriate exercises contributes to the whole health
• the detoxication method called Panchakarma cleans the organism and eliminates the settlement of toxic substances
• shirodhara with its deep calming effect,
• alimentation and contingent change of diet belong to the most important measures to keep or recovering health. Agni, the fire of digestion, operates in the stomach; it is responsible for correct and perfect digestion. To a large extent our health is dependent not only on the kind of food but also on the amount of food we eat and when we eat it. An improperly set-up meal, eaten at an inconvenient time or eaten in a haste – all of these factors contribute to our imbalance and disease
• meditation influences positively our mind and thus the entire organism
• marma therapy stimulates by gentle massage some points on the body and reflexively affects the respective organs
• yoga – special exercises called “Asany” belong to the part of treatment of many illnesses. Hathayoga is the nearest to Ayurveda,
• therapy by colours and stones.

Shirodhara is a method during which warm oil is applied on the patient’s forehead for 15 to 40 minutes from a specialised vessel which is suspended above the head of the reclining patient. The application of oil on that place promotes not only a deep relaxation and thus regeneration of the organism, but also helps to cure approximately 80 illnesses such as headache and migraine, insomnia, memory loss or concentration failure, depressive state and other mental complaints.

Yes. You can try our massage provided by experienced masseurs for very reasonable prices.

Herbs are gentle and natural treatment. They do not have any side effects, because they are compatible with the body’s own chemicals. They are absorbed easily and because of their different characteristics (desiccant/humid, incentive/sedative etc.) it is possible to choose exactly the right herbs which can cure in the given case depending on the illness.

According to Ayurveda up to 70 % of illnesses can be influenced by correct diet. A maximally satisfying diet that leads the organism to balance can be designed in compliance with the constitution. Ayurveda does not forcibly forbid any food, nor does it incline to any artificial unnatural diet, but rather in each group (fruit, vegetables, meat, cereals and dairy products) there are certain foodstuffs that are more appropriate and others less so. Properly chosen food, through its own quality, has a curative influence on particular organs.

The history of Ayurveda goes back 5,000 years. At present there are more and more physicians from all over the world who are interested in it and who have adapted this medicinal system to our western society. Ayurveda and ayurvedic treatment techniques have been proven effective in many clinical studies. Ayurveda should be the first choice in case of chronic (drawn-out) illness, which can not be treated in a satisfactory manner by conventional medicine. Ayurveda aims not only to treat the sick person, but also to prevent illness in healthy people, who can get ill due to stress, family problems and so on. Therefore it is not possible to call Ayurveda, the science of life, merely as alternative medicine.

Roughly, the constitution can be ascertained by filling out the dosha-test on our website. The exact conclusion, on which basis the individual recommendations are made, is possible only after a personal consultation in our centre.

If not indicated otherwise by the attending physician, Ayurveda Medicines can generally be taken along with allopathic medicines. Moreover, Ayurveda Medicines are used as adjuvant to allopathic medicines in most of chronic and degenerative diseases.

No. This is a common misconception about Ayurveda. The question you must ask yourself is: Are you looking for a quick fix or merely suppression of symptoms? Or are you seeking to dissolve the deep-rooted cause of the imbalance and rejuvenate your body entirely? If you are looking for a quick fix or a quick suppression of symptoms then Ayurveda is not the right modality for you. If, however, you are looking to get to the bottom of your imbalance then you will be pleasantly surprised to discover the benefits of Ayurveda, in a relatively brief period of time.

Realistically, the time to heal any imbalance depends on numerous factors such as age, type of disease, degree of imbalance, whether it is acute or chronic and how many doshas, tissues, organs and channels are involved in the disease process. If the disease is newly formed and effects a single dosha and various tissues, then Ayurveda can balance this condition very quickly. On the other hand, if the condition is formed with the aggravation of two or three doshas, and if more organs and channels are involved, and it has become somewhat chronic then naturally, the treatment takes longer to restore balance.

Ayurveda is a very effective health and wellness system that is being recognized more and more in the West. It is one of the primary healthcare systems in India, and it has been used for thousands of years to treat all sorts of ailments and disorders. The Ayurvedic path has been for thousands of years. Today, Ayurveda is popular all over the world. Hospitals and clinics offer it, news reports share it, researchers examine it, governments host it and people love it. Ayurveda has stood the test of time; and regardless of the political or legal climate – people continue to practice it, from little clinics in India to large spas all over the world. The word is out today – ‘Try Ayurveda, it works.’

Its full effectiveness will depend on various considerations, including the age and state of health of the individual, how much effort they are willing to put into making the necessary changes toward better health, and how compliant they are with taking their formulas and following the recommended guidelines. Since an Ayurvedic regimen is very individualized, its results will depend on individual factors as well, and on follow-up treatments, since adjustments and close supervision are necessary to obtain optimal results.