What is Ayurveda?

Ayurveda forms the basis of our holistic health education and products here at One Eleven. But what exactly is Ayurveda? Glad you asked, we get this all the time.

Ayurveda is a system of holistic health, designed to empower you to attain balance of the mind, body and spirit through a set of simple principles and practices that align with nature's wisdom.

This natural system of universal medicine is tens of thousands of years old, but was initiated into ancient Indian times over 5,000 years ago. Ayurveda is part of the Veda – the body of that knowledge that governs the laws of nature, from which yoga, meditation, Ayurveda, Stapatyaveda (vedic architecture) and Jyotish (vedic astrology) all come from.

The term Ayurveda is derived from the Sanskrit words Ayur (life) and Veda (science or knowledge). 

Thus, Ayurveda आयुर्वेद translates to the “science of life”. 

What a broad and holistic science! A science that has perspective on literally everything in life. In accordance with addressing the health of individuals, Ayurveda includes the entire universe, nature, the body, mind and spirit in healing and in lifestyle. 

If you're sick of all the confusion and contradiction that often accompanies other health approaches, this will be music to your ears - there are no "rules" in Ayurveda. There is no "don't eat this, do eat that,", it's completely adaptable to absolutely anyone. It's not a fad diet or the latest superfood, it's something that has been around for millennia and stood the test of time.

It is simply based on principles, easily applicable to every individual in a way that feels relevant to you. Simply put, it teaches us how to live in harmony with nature and it’s rhythms and cycles. 

When you live in tune with nature’s rhythms and cycles, you align with your own unique human nature. That is where perfect health lies.

Most people think Ayurveda is “traditional Indian medicine” but it’s not. Although strong and dominant in India, Ayurveda is universal and for everyone. The principles of Ayurveda have been utilised by various cultures and countries for millennia. 

When you start to learn about Ayurveda, it may appear sophisticated, but at its essence, it is simple intuitive knowledge that can be practically applied to any living creature, wherever in the world they reside, and whatever their life circumstances entail. 

Through a wide variety of holistic and preventative actions and treatments such as dietary principles, lifestyle recommendations, herbal remedies, body treatments, therapies and more dynamic interventions, Ayurveda helps bring your body and mind back to its true, natural, birth-rite state of health.

You have the memory of perfect health. When you were born, you were basically perfectly healthy. And even if you were not, maybe you were missing an organ or had some defect at birth, you still have the memory of perfect health at a cellular level.

Rather than focusing on disease, Ayurveda enlivens health. It reminds your body and mind what it is to be healthy. Even if you have had a chronic disease for decades or a terminal illness, the memory of health is there, and it has to be enlivened. When that sense health is restored and re-established, disease ultimately dissipates.

At One Eleven, our mission is to empower you with these ancient and time-tested principles of health so that we can shift the way we view health as a collective, envisioning a world where perfect health is enjoyed by everyone each day as our birthright, rather than something we only think about if we get sick.

Take a deep dive into our educational content and learn all about how Ayurveda can transform your life and health!