Why Ayurveda?

Billy Huynh

I've been doing a lot of reflecting and soul searching these first few weeks of the new year. Living a life that is full and whole and happy and healthy has been on my mind a lot. My husband and I even spent a whole day planning out the year and how to grow together as friends and spiritual companions above all else--how can we push each other to be better human beings all around. As I get older, I've realized I've taken my life for granted--a lot! At some point that has to end.

When Nandan and I got married, we made a promise to live a life of spirituality above all else. Everything else will fall into place, if only we keep this one thing in the center of it all. I personally have made a firm resolution that I truly want to be an instrument for something greater than myself. It's a desire of mine to be of value to this universe in some way, shape, or form. And although it is quite easy to sit here in this coffee shop and type out all of these words that make us seem really cool, I have to admit that many times it's really, really hard to stay true to these convictions. I want to be happy. And I don't just mean happy like for a short while, I mean for the rest of my life. Unfortunately, that is quite a large undertaking. There's a lot to that concept of happiness that I haven't even discovered quite yet. The more I dive deeper, the more I realize it's not SO EASY, but yet incredibly easy at the same time. It just takes a lot of sacrifice that I'm not quite ready for. What a conundrum! Luckily, Nandan and I have both been blessed with Ayurveda in our lives. Right after we got married, we went and studied Ayurveda with our amazing teacher, Dr. Lad. We promised each other that we would let this science become the foundation of our life moving forward.  

I wanted to take the time to tell you all why I love Ayurveda so much. If you would please indulge me, that would be awesome! I'm not here to be preachy or to convince everyone to start implementing tools of Ayurveda right now (although, I really do encourage it, because it's truly changed my life). But, more of just a testament of what Ayurveda can truly do for you in your life. 

The story of Ayurveda goes as follows (I'm giving you the cliff notes version here, because it's a long story to be honest!): 
In India tens of thousands of years ago, there was a group of seers/saints that conducted an immense amount of penance to receive a form of healing from the universe to help the people in their communities. They're prayers were finally answered, and from that resulted Ayurveda. 

Why is that important? Well, it's said that Ayurveda is born of the universe. A simple and practical guide on how to live in accordance with nature and our environment. Ayurveda is so great because it takes each and every individual and creates a diet and lifestyle protocol that is unique to that person. 

Why do I love it? Because it's all common sense. After studying this for 2 years, it became clear as day. Not every human is born the same, so why are we treating all humans in a general sweeping motion? What works for me, may not work for you. I love seeing the difference in even myself and my husband--because there are so many different things that each of us do to remain healthy. 

But again, Ayurveda is so much more than a healing mechanism. It's truly a way of life. That is my absolute favorite thing. Taking the basic principles of Ayurveda--implementing simple tools of proper diet, routine, and a few preventative measures depending on you and your history, you can live a healthy life with little to no effort other than daily practices that are equivalent to having to eat food. Remember, the goal of Ayurveda is to allow us to live in accordance with nature. That which is within, is without, and vice versa. We are just a microcosm of the greater macrocosm.

Ayurveda has provided me a vehicle of how to live my life so that the goal of health and happiness can be achievable. You don't have to be this yogi sitting in the Himalayas for an entire life span to attain what you want in life. Ayurveda has given me that spiritual foundation in life. Incorporating everything that I love about life, it's taught me more ways to see things for the way they are than I could ever imagine. And ultimately that is life, right? Seeing the beauty always. Not holding past conceptions on how things were/are/could be. Seeing with fresh eyes not only for the first time, but moment to moment--living a judgment-free life (of both good and bad!).

Our life is worth so much more than the value we place on it. We are meant for and destined for great things. There is a force greater than ourselves we have the ability to serve each and every minute of our life. What an incredible gift we've been given. Without Ayurveda, I would have never realized any of this.

Maybe I would have, but for right now, I'll give Ayurveda the credit.