Ayurveda, this science of life, which beyond medical practice is above all a philosophy and an art of living, considers man in his entirety. It considers that the human being is not only a physical body, but above all a being which vibrates with feelings, passion, creativity, an emotional being, a mental being, with its thoughts, its reason, its intelligence, a psychic and spiritual being, in search of the invisible, the imperceptible, consciously or unconsciously.
The Vedas, sacred texts
The knowledge of the Vedas , sacred texts from which Ayurveda comes, is extremely in-depth in very varied fields (physics, chemistry, mathematics, astronomy, etc.) and specifies that the countless treasures of well-being, prevention and healing that it contains are also within everyone's reach. Although it has its roots in ancient India and is colored by Indian culture, what Ayurveda offers is perfectly accessible and adaptable to Western lifestyles. Understanding its fundamental principles allows it to be transposed to any part of the globe. Common sense, knowledge of humanity, the aspiration for happiness and health have no borders!
The history of this medical practice
The word “ Ayur ” in Sanskrit means “ life ” which must be assimilated to the vital force of man. The word Vedas translates as “knowledge”. Ayurveda means “knowledge of life”. The term “science” is taken here in its noblest sense, it incorporates “the art of living” and “philosophy”. Ayurveda provides elements to improve longevity and quality of life. Ayurveda comes from the Indus Valley civilization, and has existed for around 5000 years. Despite the vagaries of history, this Ayurvedic tradition remains alive today, just like traditional Chinese medicine. These two traditional medicines have many points in common, they are both transmitted by the Sanskrit language (ancient language but still used) and the Vedas (sacred texts of India).
The Vedas are the founding texts of Indian culture. They are considered eternal texts, which cannot be of human origin and would have been revealed to great sages. The writing of the Vedas dates back to around 1500 BC. For some historians, these are the sacred texts of Hinduism, the oldest religious writings. For others, they are collections of knowledge and wisdom, and for still others they are simple poetic works.
Branches of Ayurveda
Already 5,000 years ago, Ayurveda defined eight branches or medical disciplines . We find general medicine, surgery (including plastic surgery made necessary by combat and other wars), ENT medicine, toxicology, pediatrics, geriatrics and the science of the energy of aphrodisiacs (sexology). .
Ayurveda today
During the English colonization of India, Ayurveda was a forensic medicine. But allopathy, which gradually gained ground, was not enough to treat the entire population. Ayurveda was practiced in the most remote corners of the country. Ayurvedic doctors and scholars have thus carefully preserved the knowledge. Since India's independence in 1947, Ayurveda has become a recognized legal medicine. Currently the training of a legal doctor requires six years of higher education, two years of internship and two years of specialization.
Finally, two years of practice under the direction of an experienced doctor complete a course of 12 years in total. And if, today in India, allopathic medicine is predominant, many people regularly use Ayurveda. Ayurveda is also practiced in Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Mauritius, etc. Eastern countries such as Hungary, Romania and Russia are also starting to take a very serious interest in it. In Great Britain, at the University of London, Ayurveda is taught as an alternative medicine and can be practiced legally. The care is not reimbursed by insurance. We will discuss the basic concepts of Ayurveda in a future article. Indeed, Ayurveda describes a certain number of concept terms that it is necessary to explain well in order to constitute a base of knowledge which will allow all the refinements to be understood.
