Ayurveda is an ancient natural wellness system from India. More than 5,000 years old, this time-honored tradition of healing awakens your body’s innate intelligence and repair mechanisms. On a practical level, Ayurveda—the “science of life”—helps you find balance through simple daily rituals, personalized diet planning, and powerful herbs. It’s all about you and your own unique needs.
YOUR JOURNEY WITH AYURVEDA STARTS HERE
In Ayurveda, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Discovering your unique mind-body type is the first step in your journey. From there, we’ll guide you through a personalized path to wellness that involves dietary, lifestyle, and herbal recommendations to support your unique needs.
5 ayurveda basics & Benefits
1
BALANCE
IS EVERYTHING
Ayurveda is a holistic tradition—which means the emphasis is on averting imbalances in the mind and body before they can take hold and cause issues later on. Think of your body as a river of intelligence; Ayurveda can help you keep things flowing smoothly, without obstacles. Wellness is a fluid process, and you can follow it at your own pace. The power is in your hands.
2
FOOD IS POTENT
What you put in your body goes a long way toward how you feel. When you’re eating a healthy, whole-foods diet that’s tailored to your unique constitution and needs, you feel lighter, brighter, more clear, and ready to tackle the day. Ayurveda teaches you how to select and prepare foods that support your unique body type at every age and life stage. But don’t worry: you don’t need a complete dietary overhaul! With a few simple changes, you’ll notice a big difference.
3
Good Digestion
is key
Your digestive fire (agni) is one of the most important keys to good health. When you’re digesting your food well and assimilating all its nutrients, your body produces ojas (life essence)—the source of vitality. When, on the other hand, your digestion is out of balance, ama (toxins) can accumulate and lead to long-term health challenges. Ayurveda is all about priming your digestion so you always feel your best.
4
Routine, routine, routine!
When you’re aligned with nature’s rhythms, you just feel more balanced. Simple things like getting to bed early, making time for meditation and yoga, and eating your largest meal at noon—when both the sun and your digestive fire are at their peak—can help you feel more energized and alert. The Ayurvedic dinacharya (daily routine) helps you stay on track. And our guides to Ayurvedic living during the spring, summer, fall, and winter offer added insights into how to live in harmony and good health, no matter the weather or season.
5
SYNERGISTIC HERBS
Plant-based wisdom lies at the heart of Ayurveda. If you’re feeling something’s “off”— a sense of lethargy or digestion isn’t quite right—our herbal formulas can help you get back in balance. At Maharishi Ayurveda, our sustainable, synergistic botanical blends are prepared in India according to the exacting specifications of the ancient texts, and our single-herb all-stars come from the most potent plants. Find balance naturally with our time-tested Ayurvedic supplements, teas, foods, and bodycare formulas.
Find Ayurveda articles, recipes, videos, and research on The Pulse.
Get to Know the Doshas
Ayurveda teaches us that we are all composed of three basic energies, or doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. The doshas regulate many different facets of your body’s functioning: Vata controls movement, Pitta controls metabolism, and Kapha controls structure. Each of us contains a unique blend of the three doshas—but most of us tend toward one or two in particular.
Vata
Vata is governed by air and ether
TRAITS
- Thin build
- Does not gain weight easily
- Quick to learn, quick to forget
- Enthusiastic & vivacious
- Becomes cold easily
Pitta
Pitta is governed by fire and water
TRAITS
- Medium build
- Balanced weight
- Sharp intellect
- Goal oriented
- Becomes hot easily
Kapha
Kapha is governed by earth and water
TRAITS
- Larger build
- Tendency for weight gain
- Slow to learn, slow to forget
- Sweet & even tempered
- Dislikes cold & damp weather
Take Our
Dosha Quiz!
Knowing your dosha type (or prakriti, your “nature”) makes it easy to find the best foods, exercise, and lifestyle practices for your unique mind-body disposition.
Take our FREE Dosha Quiz and start your Ayurvedic journey today!
