Vedaṁ jñānasādhanaṁ prāptisādhanaṁ ca| We live in the age of the information superhighway and knowledge of the world is available at our fingertips. Yet, we are unable to use much of it effectively, especially when it comes to health. People often tell me how lost or confused they are because there simply is so much out there, and it all conflicts: Eat or do this is often followed shortly by don’t eat or don’t do this! We know it is the logical structure of Western scientific research to contradict earlier affirmations as it progresses towards new findings, and that’s probably why we are looking for an alternative. We may not know it, but many of us are already familiar with some form of alternative healing wisdom through our grandma’s kitchen -‐ her spice cabinet was not just used to flavor meals but to make soothing herbal teas and homemade balms. If we were to bring together all the grandmas of the world and gather all the fragments of ancient healing traditions to rebuild one system, what would it look like? It would probably amount to a practical science of life very similar to an ancient Indian tradition called Ayurveda. Ayurveda literally translates into science/knowledge of life. Ayurveda is that body of science and knowledge that originated in the East thousands of years ago, when India was still not India as we know it today. However, Ayurveda is also perennial and global in that it stops at no geographical, racial, or temporal boundaries. It embraces and addresses all in its healing scope. Its foundation is solid, and it can even converse with modern science. But perhaps best of all, Ayurveda suppplies knowledge that one can experience personally. That’s why I chose the verse above. It says: Vedic science is that body of knowledge that can give us wisdom (gyan) to enhance the quality our lives, as well as practical tools (prapti) for living. In this sense, Ayurveda is a lifestyle. When your grandmother told you to drink that warm soup and get some rest after massaging your stomach with the herbal oil she made especially for your pain—that is also Ayurveda, the knowledge and practical tools to create healing on a daily mundane level. On the other hand, Ayurveda also makes available highly sophisticated treatment protocols and regimens. But it steers clear of turning into a
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