The Complementary and Alternative Medicine Student Interest Group would like to welcome you to:
An Overview of Ayurveda, the Ancient Healing Practice
with Adena Harford
Thursday, November 10th, 2011 noon – 1pm
Med Ed 201 – UVM College of Medicine
About Adena:
Adena has studied at the Kripalu School of Ayurveda in Lenox, MA, under many influential teachers including Dr. Robert Svoboda, Dr. Claudia Welch, Dr. Scott Blossom, and Dr. Vasant Lad. She has been practicing yoga for 7 years and teaching for 3, in the Ashtanga tradition and is currently the yoga instructor for the College of Medicine. She currently works at the Ayurvedic Center of Vermont, and performs Ayurvedic body work out of her home office.
About Ayurveda:
“One who is established in Self, who has balanced doshas, balanced agni, properly formed dhatus, proper elimination of malas, well-functioning bodily processes and whose mind, soul and senses are full of bliss, is called a healthy person.”
Ayurveda is a holistic system of medicine to come out of India. Ether, Air, Fire, Water and Earth are elements present within our bodies and the cosmos. They can either be in balance or out of balance – each of us has our own state of health. Every disease or disorder (even if it does not have a name or fit a specific category in Western medicine) has certain qualities and symptoms which show us what element is out of balance. Through diet and small changes to our daily lifestyle and routine, Ayurveda helps us bring mind and body back into balance. Herbal remedies and yoga practices are also often utilized.
I will discuss very briefly an overview of the 5 elements and how they manifest. I will then talk about the Ayurvedic perspective of cause of disease, touch on the 8 diagnostic tools utilized to find the cause of disease, and mention the three main categories of treatment in Ayurveda.