Philosopy

Ayurvedism refers to a holistic system of healing that evolved among the Brahmin sages of ancient India. It focuses on establishing and maintaining our balance of life energies, rather than addressing individual symptoms. An ayurvedic approach to health care individualizes regimens for different people with the goal of restoring wholeness and harmony.

Holistic medicine is a personal and comprehensive approach to natural health. It promotes human potential through healing and evolution of the spirit, body and mind. A practitioner may use any variety of natural healing methods. This philosophy of health care looks at the whole patient, not as a disease or collection of symptoms.

Chi in traditional Eastern medicine refers to the power of life. It is invisible, but its actions are observable. A wound healing naturally on its own is the work of chi. Stagnated chi results in illness. Chi flows through “meridians,” which tend to follow the line of muscles and the circulatory system. The meridians connect one body part to another and control movement within areas of the body.

Chakras, which range upward through the body from groin to top of the head, are energy centers of our consciousness. The word comes from the Sanskrit for “wheel” or “vortex.” Chakras function as pumps or valves, regulating the flow of energy through our bodies. They are not exactly physical, but, rather, aspects of consciousness that interact with the physical body through two major vehicles, the endocrine system and the nervous system. There are seven chakras, each associated with an endocrine gland and its functions, as well as a nerve cluster called a plexus. The seven chakras and their associations are as follows:

• Root Chakra – material world security; sense of smell/nose; Element: earth/mother; Color: Red
• Abdominal Chakra – food and sex (bodily needs); communication; reproduction; sense of taste; Element: water; lumbar plexus; Color: Orange
• Solar Plexus Chakra – perceptions of power, control, or freedom; sense of sight; Element: fire; Color: Yellow
• Heart Chakra – relationships and love; sense of touch; Element: air; Color: Emerald Green
• Throat Chakra – expression, grace; sense of hearing and intuition; Element: ether; Color: Sky Blue
• Brow Chakra – spirituality/subconscious; this chakra, sometimes referred to as the Third Eye, controls the entire endocrine system which provides us with hormones and natural steroids, the glandular chemicals that control bodily functioning and growth; sense: “the Inner Sound,” the ability to hear which is a prerequisite to spiritual advancement;. Color: Indigo/Midnight Blue
• Crown Chakra – connectivity to the “father” concept (biological and divine), just as the Root Chakra evokes Mother Earth; sense of direction; Color: Violet.

Yoga is an aspect of ayurvedic health practices. Sanskrit for “union with the divine,” yoga is a discipline aiming toward a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility. In the West, this usually refers to the set of exercises practiced as part of this discipline. Different yogic disciplines emphasize different aspects or combinations of mind, body and spirit. By reaching and maintaining a variety of body positions (asanas) and the centering of the mind and breath in a meditative way, yoga practitioners increase body awareness, posture, flexibility and serenity.

Sivananda Yoga is a classical approach to yoga, was brought to the West from India by Swami Vishnu Devananda and named in honor of his teacher Swami Sivananda. It emphasizes five points for radiant health and progress on the spiritual path: Proper exercise (asanas, or, postures); Proper Breathing (pranayama); Proper Relaxation (savasana); Proper Diet (Vegetarian); and Meditation/Positive Thought Power.

Hatha Yoga (Forceful Yoga) is a major branch of yoga, akin to Kundalini, developed around a thousand years ago. It emphasizes the physical aspects of the transformative path, notably postures (asanas) and cleansing techniques (shodhana), but also breath control (pranayama)

Kundalini Yoga literally means “coiling,” like a snake. In the classical literature of hatha yoga, kundalini is described as a coiled serpent at the base of the spine. The image of coiling, like a spring, should be perceived as a reservoir of vital, creative energy waiting to be tapped rather than visualized literally as a serpent-like entity in our spines. Kundalini energy should be viewed as the very foundation of our consciousness so that – when kundalini moves through our bodies – our consciousness changes with it.

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