When you meet Ayurveda, when you cross your path with this millenary science, you feel that you have found the piece of the puzzle that you lacked, that in reality: Ayurveda itself, is the puzzle. You understand so many things about your daily life, your tastes and preferences, your ways of feeling and acting, your discomforts and alterations ... everything, your whole life , you understand. You understand and accept and, you respect much more others.
Ayurveda teaches us to look with different eyes, to look broad and in depth. It teaches us that from the observation everything is clear, the signs, the symptoms that the body shows us, its screams when it hurts, when it sickens, when we get angry, when we are not comfortable ... , everything is an expression of what we need, of what what are we missing. And it shows us everything that makes us and is good.
In our searches, we were lucky enough to meet Dr. Venugopal VA , from Kerala, South India, and we knew immediately that our paths would continue together, drawing a bridge between Kerala and Spain, strengthening our union to continue spreading Ayurveda from the passion we share. The D r. Venugopal is a very special being, he is more than a doctor, he is a teacher, he is a huge heart full of love in a man's body.
We share our talk on the last trip from Sukha to Kerala, the "home of Ayurveda", this past summer:
SUKHA: Ayurveda is expanding all over the world. It has crossed the borders of India to enter the West. There is curiosity, a growing interest. In recent years Ayurveda has become more known in Spain and the first thing that people ask is what does it mean? Literally from the Sanskrit the difinición is: Knowledge of the Life, Science of the Life, of the long life. Perhaps the defining Ayurveda not reach the depth nor the whole of what truly encompasses ... ¿ What is Ayurveda for you?
Dr. Venugopal: Everything that brings balance to life. I find that everyone can have different methods to find their own Ayurveda. The balance of physical, mental and intellectual health, balance in the family, in society ..., all that brings balance is Ayurveda. For this, you have to know yourself, understand yourself. If you know yourself you can bring balance everywhere. Because the human being is the instrument, if you know the instrument, you can use it better. So Ayurveda tells you how to use your instrument and find balance in everything.
Treatments can bring balance, but Ayurveda is more than treatments, it is more than medicine . There is Ayurveda in all parts of the world, in Spain, in Europe ... in the US ... everywhere , because there is everything that gives you back your balance. And the concept and philosophy Ayurveda cu allow you to understand that to nto know more Ayurveda, the more you understand how to use nature, society, everything around you, to find your balance.
SUKHA: You say that we are where we are, with the changing that this present world presents us, increasingly technological, can we live in balance with Ayurveda ?. When practicing Ayurveda outside of India we encounter many obstacles: our rhythms of life, stress as a currency is habitual, our diet, lack of time is the excuse for our diet to have fast, unnatural meals ... Here in Kerala, it is easy to do Ayurveda because it is easy to access plants, oils, doctors, we can see medicines, buy them easily in Ayurvedic pharmacies. How can we live ayurvédicamente in Europe ?, ¿how can we do Ayurveda if we do not have these plants, nor do we have enough doctors - unfortunately there is a lot of fraud on this issue?
Dr. Venugopal: It's a good question, because people believe that Ayurveda is the treatments, like the Panchakarma that you do here and that you get the people you bring every year. Yes, treatments are very necessary when you have health problems, but Ayurveda is not only solving problems but also preventing them . It's more about prevention than healing. And for this prevention you do not need a doctor or too many medicines. So for Europe the first thing is to understand the philosophy of Ayurveda, try to understand what is the balance of your Vata, Pitta and Kapha, and how to react to the changes. When you know this, you can use the local herbs, everywhere nature provides plants for the climate and the area in thethat you live. But it is difficult to understand which herb is good for everyone. If you apply the Ayurveda philosophy, its pharmacology, you can discover how to use your plants in Spain. So you do not need to have Indian herbs.
Now, if you have serious health problems, if you have to receive treatment, be hospitalized ... in that case, of course, you have to come to Kerala because we are talking about treatments for serious physical problems, otherwise you only need minor treatments that will return the balance. I think you are already providing it: different massages, shirodhara, many treatments, diets, many resources that help people to balance themselves. That's why they come back to you again and again. They come back because , even with the limitations of oils and available treatments, you are giving them back their balance. When someone experiences their balance, they like to return. SoThe big focus on Ayurveda is not strong treatments, but to restore balance and help people to achieve their balance . It can be through Ayurveda therapy, food, yoga, pranayama, meditation , music, dance, it can be through so many things ... and the person will find their own methods to balance themselves. I think that in Europe this is enough. Let's not focus on the strong treatments that are for really sick people, who have to go to the hospital. Most people s or it needs to be balanced, and thus society will be happier.This is what you are already doing, Ayurveda therapy, eating patterns based on your food, using the principles of Ayurveda, taking care of the rasas, enjoying the taste ..., asking them to try resources connected to the body, to the mind (pranayama, yoga, meditation). I think that everyone will find their balance. And that s or what can be done through traditional Ayurveda centers. So I think that in Europe , an Ayurveda Center like yours , is the best way to bring balance to people.
Little more help you need, you just need to know how to use your herbs with Ayurvedic principles . In that we should work together. We have the experience, I do not say the knowledge, because we have used it for many years, and you have your own experience. So we have to share it, choose the herbs and how to use them and prepare Ayurvedic formulas in Spain. You do not need anything from India, what you already have in Spain is the best for you. Once you have the essential Ayurvedic vision, apply it , then you will have the "Spanish" Ayurveda, and when you come to India you will have the "Indian" Ayurveda (laughter).
When you are in India, eat the Indian Ayurvedic food, when you are in Spain, eat the Spanish Ayurvedic food, your traditional food is the best for you. No junk food. That's Ayurveda: The food that brings balance is what our ancestors tried and they found it was good for them to stay in harmony. Eat your traditional food, it is the best, nothing more. That will balance your Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Because your climate is different, your food is different. Ayurveda does not mean Kerala food and treatments. When you are in your country, what you have there is the best.
SUKHA: Can you imagine your life without Ayurveda?
Dr. Venugopal: No !!! (laughs)
It is part of my life. Ayurveda brings everything together in life. It would be difficult to find balance in my professional, physical, emotional life ... so I can use the principle of Ayurveda of Pitta, Vata and Kapha. When my mind becomes Pitta I know that I get angry and I tell my friend that I have become angry, that my Pitta is there. So I do not fight against it. Ayurveda is part of you, it's s or the nature. You can name it from the philosophy of the Vedas but Ayurveda is used throughout the body and gets your total balance. There are those who seek balance through yoga or meditation, Ayurveda is another way, it helps you so much! Ayurveda says "What is good for you, use it". It gives you so much freedom! With Ayurveda you can live life more comfortable than following rules, deciding for yourself.¿ Sugar? Yes, you can take, if it helps your balance, take it. That is why Ayurveda becomes the Veda that is for the ordinary person, who will understand and love it. Is so easy. Knowing Ayurveda helps you to understand, and when you start to understand it appears love, unity, happiness and makes you return to your roots.
The change takes time, but I have found many people who come for Ayurvedic treatments, and who become less aggressive, have calmed down. That's where the healing comes from. Most people calm down and are grateful. Ayurveda therapy is definitely useful to relax people and start looking within themselves. So I think the therapy you do in Spain is good, it's helping people. Gradually they will find their balance. It is a great service, it is not a treatment, it is a help for people to find themselves.
You are invited to live Ayurveda as and from what it is: the science that helps us to know each other and with it understand how to live in balance throughout our life using what we have available in our environment, to build a life of health and harmony .
Lic. Susana Fumis
Director of SUKHA Centro AYURVEDA
Diagnostic Consultation Dosha, Massages and Treatments
PANCHAKARMA at Ayurveda Clinical Center in Kerala, India
TRAINING at AYURVEDA Annual Presencial in Madrid
TRAINING at AYURVEDA Intensive in India
www.sukhacentroayurveda.com
