At vpk® by Maharishi Ayurveda, every formula is prepared using the principle of samyoga, the ancient precise science of combining herbs. Samyoga includes the principle of using the entirety of intelligence available in a plant, not just a partial value captured in an isolated ingredient. This is one of the major differences between an authentic, traditional Maharishi Ayurveda formula and the modern medical model. Maharishi Ayurveda uses the whole plant, which helps avoid negative side effects and ensures maximum effectiveness.
One of the specialties of Maharishi Ayurveda is the science of herb combining, called samyoga in Sanskrit. This principle has been proven and applied over thousands of years of clinical practice. Maharishi Ayurveda herbal formulations are, with very few exceptions, blends rather than single herbs or oils. Maharishi Ayurveda applies the science of herb combining at its sophisticated best.
Each formula is a precise combination of herbs carefully selected and combined to strengthen the formula in different important ways.
- Primary herbs target a specific area of health, such as energy or the mind.
- Supporting herbs enhance the action of the primary herbs and reinforce their healing action.
- Bioavailability herbs help your body assimilate and use the nutrients.
- Herbal "co-factors" remove impurities and the effects of less-than-perfect digestion from your body.
- Balancing herbs cancel out any potential discomforts or side effects that can come with the benefits of a particular herb.
Used together, these different types of herbs, precisely blended, create a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts and result in a final formula that has the twin benefits of wholeness and balance.
At vpk by Maharishi Ayurveda the whole herb is used in formulas, not isolated ingredients, because Nature's healing intelligence available in plants is a delicate balance preserved in the whole plant. It is not contained in a single isolated chemical.
Wild-crafted herbs from India
Wild herbs are 100 times more potent than cultivated herbs. By gathering most of our herbs from pristine Himalayan areas, and picking them according to strict ayurvedic guidelines of time and season, these herbal products are not only free of harmful chemicals and pollution, but they are alive with maximum potency. Being wild-crafted, they are engineered by Nature — matured and nourished under completely natural rhythms, cycles and growing conditions — with no deviation from nature. This conformity to the natural laws helps add intelligence and potency to the herb.
The ancient ayurvedic texts maintain that how a formula is prepared is as key an element for herb efficacy as what goes into that formula. Ayurvedic herb processing, or sanskar as it's known in Sanskrit, is therefore a meticulous and highly developed science. It ranges from instructions on when to harvest a specific herb to the sequence in which ingredients are to be added to a formulation.
Maharishi Ayurveda formulas are prepared meticulously as laid down in the ayurvedic texts. For example, it takes six months to prepare some of our minerals alone.
Herbs used in these formulas are harvested at the point of maximum freshness and vitality in India. This science of harvesting allows us to standardize herb potency at its natural maximum without the use of chemical additives. Herbs naturally vary in potency with seasons, cycles of the moon and even by the time of day. Maharishi Ayurveda follows these ancient traditional harvesting and processing techniques to a natural standardization of potency. With great care and without threatening the natural ecological balance, MAPI herbs are gathered in the wild, because wild-crafted herbs are so much more potent and pure than their cultivated counterparts.
After the herbs are harvested, they are inspected by experts in dravyaguna, the ayurvedic science of identification and use of healing plants. This takes great attention and expertise to correctly identify herbs, and each batch is then sorted for quality. It's not unusual for over half of a crop to be rejected, because ayurvedic standards for maturity, purity and potency are so stringent.
We use traditional methods of extraction and processing. No chemical solvents are used in the extraction process, nor are the herbs exposed to high temperatures that can damage their natural intelligence. Different ingredients or components are added to a formulation at the specific times and temperatures detailed in the texts to maintain the integrity and authenticity of the final formulation.
"We take every precaution to protect nature's intelligence — the deep healing force within every botanical and herb. This means we protect the molecular level of the plant through each step of the production process. From harvesting the herbs at the peak of their potency, to processing and manufacturing the final product, we take the care necessary to maintain the healing properties of the herbs that go into our line of herbal formulations." — The Council of Maharishi Ayurveda Physicians
© 1999, 2021 Maharishi AyurVeda Products International, Inc. (MAPI). All Rights Reserved. MAPI does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. See additional information.
