Ayurveda literally means “science of life” – ayur (life) + veda (knowledge). It is one of the oldest healing and philosophical systems, originating in India more than 3,000 years ago. It is not focused solely on the body or diseases, but understands health as a state of balance between bodily functions, mind, senses and consciousness .

The basis of Ayurveda is the teaching of the five elements (ether, air, fire, water, earth), which manifest in the body as three basic doshas : vata, pitta and kapha. Each person has a unique constitution (prakṛti), which determines their physical and psychological settings, needs and vulnerabilities.

Ayurveda does not focus on suppressing symptoms, but looks for the cause of imbalance – in lifestyle, diet, emotions or relationship to the environment. It offers practical tools to re-establish harmony: from diet and herbs to daily rhythm and movement to working with the breath, senses and mind.

Unlike Western medicine, Ayurveda is not outside of the individual, but rather comes from within. It teaches that everyone has the potential for healing and knowledge if they learn to perceive the body's signals and the natural laws by which life works.

Ayurveda and yoga are sister disciplines that are based on the same philosophical foundations – the Indian Vedic traditions – and complement each other. While yoga is focused on the development of consciousness and inner transformation, Ayurveda cares for the body, balance and health as a prerequisite for this path.

Ayurveda helps to understand which type of yoga is suitable for a particular person – according to their constitution (prakṛti), current state (vikṛti), time of day, season or life stage. What feels empowering for one person may be overwhelming for another. Similarly, breathing techniques (prāṇāyāma), cleansing procedures (kriyā) or meditation practices have their place in Ayurveda – but also their conditions and contraindications.

Yoga without Ayurveda can lead to imbalance if the constitution and current needs of the body are ignored. Ayurveda without Yoga can only remain with physical hygiene without developing inner stability and knowledge.

Together they form a comprehensive system of care for body, breath, mind and consciousness . Ayurveda prepares the ground – it cleanses, nourishes and harmonizes. Yoga builds on this ground – it develops alertness, concentration, balance and inner silence.

Ayurvedic diagnostics is not focused on the disease, but on the person as a whole . Its goal is not to detect pathology in the body, but to recognize imbalances before they manifest as problems – in physical health, psychology, digestion or energy.

The basis of diagnostics is the distinction between innate constitution (prakṛti) and current state (vikṛti) . Prakṛti determines what proportions of doshas (vata, pitta, kapha) are natural for a given person. Vikṛti shows what is currently out of balance – due to diet, stress, season, life stage or emotional stress.

Diagnostics is carried out through observation, conversation and a subtle perception of the connections : body shape, gaze, speech, digestion, sleep, emotions, habits and environment. It is not a template, but a sensitive tuning into what is essential for a given person.

Properly performed diagnostics allow you to choose the appropriate regimen, diet, herbs, exercise, and approach to yourself - not in general, but individually .

Ayurveda is often associated with diet, but in reality it is a comprehensive system of life - diet is only one part of a larger whole. Health in Ayurveda does not arise in isolation in the kitchen, but at the intersection of what we eat, how we think, how we breathe, sleep, feel, move and perceive the world .

The daily routine (dinacharya) also plays a crucial role : when we wake up, when we eat, when we move, when we create, when we sleep. Ayurveda teaches us to live in the rhythm of nature and the body , not against them.

Ayurveda is not a collection of recommendations, but a way of cultivating a relationship with oneself – through body, breath, senses, mind and consciousness. It uses simple, natural means that strengthen one's own ability to regenerate and achieve inner balance.

Ayurveda sees the mind as an integral part of health . It does not separate the body from the psyche – it observes how thoughts, emotions, the rhythm of life and sensory perceptions influence our physical and energetic processes. Every internal imbalance has its reflection in the physical body, and vice versa.

According to Ayurveda, the basic qualities of the mind are three gunas – sattva (purity, calmness, clarity), rajas (activity, restlessness, ambition) and tamas (heaviness, stiffness, ignorance). Each mental state is a manifestation of their momentary ratio. The goal is not to suppress emotions or “have positive thinking”, but to recognize what influences the mind and how to harmonize it .

Treatment in Ayurvedic psychology is not separated from everyday life. It includes adjusting the regimen, diet, daily rhythm, breathing techniques, meditation, sounds, smells and interpersonal relationships . The goal is not performance, but a return to nature, stability and inner peace.

Ayurveda can thus sensitively complement modern psychology or therapy - it provides a practical framework for how to take care of yourself in everyday life, including during periods of increased stress, exhaustion, overload, or life transitions.

Ayurveda approaches women's health as a dynamic and cyclical process that constantly changes over time - depending on age, season, life stage and emotional environment. It is not just about organs or hormones, but about the overall balance between body, psyche and life rhythm.

From an Ayurvedic perspective, the female body is made up of a predominance of the dosha kapha and the natural movement and transformational variability of vata and pitta during the cycle. Each phase – menstruation, ovulation, pregnancy, postpartum and menopause – brings a different type of need, support and perception of the body.

Ayurveda offers women the tools to reconnect with their own wisdom and rhythm – not through control, but through listening, nurturing and continuity . It leads to a deeper connection with themselves, and thus to greater balance in partnership, motherhood, work and personal growth.

Men's health in the Ayurvedic sense does not only consist of strength, performance and endurance, but also of the overall balance of body, psyche and energy . Ayurveda distinguishes different phases of a man's life - from growth and maturation through active years to periods of decline - and for each of them recommends a different approach to nutrition, exercise, rest and mental hygiene.

The foundation of care is understanding one’s own constitution (prakṛti) and its current state (vikṛti). Many men are naturally pitta or vata dominant, which brings with it specific challenges – from a tendency to become overly stressed, angry or restless to impaired digestion, sleep and vitality.

Ayurveda understands the male body as a container for inner strength that is not aggressive, but calm, grounded and creative . It teaches how to nurture this strength so that it does not become exhausted, but matures – not only for performance, but for life in relationships, family, work and personal development.

In Ayurveda, agni – the digestive fire – is considered one of the most important principles of health. It is not only the physical digestion of food, but also the processing of emotions, sensory perceptions and life experiences . A strong agni is the basis of vitality, immunity, clear mind and resistance to disease.

There are several types of agni: jatharagni (the main digestive fire in the stomach), bhutagni (digestion of the five elements), or dhatvagni (digestion at the level of body tissues). In practice, however, it is most often referred to as how well our system can accept, process, and eliminate what comes from the outside – both in food and in the psyche.

Ayurveda teaches that as we digest, so we live – and that taking care of agni is taking care of our overall metabolism, stability, and ability to handle life's challenges.

In classical Ayurveda, soma refers to one of the three cosmic principles that make up all life: agni (fire), vāyu (wind), and soma (lunar nourishment, cooling nectar) . While agni transforms and vāyu drives, soma nourishes, calms, and stabilizes.

Soma is not a substance, but a quality – a state in which the body has sufficient nutrition, the mind is at peace and the soul has space for deeper perception. In physiology it manifests as ojas – a subtle essence of life force that arises from good digestion, a calm mind and a conscious life. In the nervous system soma manifests as a feeling of security, deep sleep, regeneration and inner silence .

Ayurveda understands soma as a living aspect of the inner space , which is essential not only for health, but also for the maturation of consciousness, creativity, stability of the nervous system and spiritual practice . Without soma, life is overloaded, the body is exhausted and the mind is restless.

Restoring soma is an often neglected but crucial part of treating exhaustion, insomnia, emotional instability, or spiritual burnout .
Therefore, Ayurveda emphasizes not only cleansing and dynamism, but also deep nourishment – ​​of the body, senses, and consciousness.

Ayurveda uses herbs and spices as an integral part of treatment and daily health care. They are not used to suppress symptoms, but to harmonize physical and mental functions - according to constitution, season and life stage. Their effect is subtle, but deep and long-lasting.

Each herb has a specific taste, energy, and effect on the dosha and psyche. They are commonly administered in the form of powder, tea, paste, decoction, or oil.

Spices as everyday medicine

Czech and European herbs suitable for daily support

Herbs and spices work best as part of a holistic approach: in conjunction with proper diet, daily rhythm, quality sleep, breathing, and mental hygiene. Not just as a treatment, but as a daily tool for balance .

Ayurveda is not just a system of physical care – it is a holistic science of life that also encompasses the mind and consciousness . Health in Ayurveda means balance on all levels: physical, mental, sensory and spiritual. In this system, consciousness is considered the primary force that shapes the experience of body and mind.

The foundation of a healthy mind is sattva – the quality of calm, purity, clarity and natural wisdom. When sattva predominates, the mind is balanced, emotions are fluid, thoughts are not chaotic and a person feels an inner direction. Conversely, excessive influence of rajas (restlessness, overload) or tamas (stiffness, apathy) disrupts both mental balance and the ability to perceive the world truthfully.

In Ayurveda, consciousness is understood as a mirror of health and disease . Imbalances in the body can cloud consciousness, just as restlessness in the mind can disrupt digestion or hormonal balance. Health and consciousness influence each other - and Ayurveda provides the tools to connect them into one whole.

In this sense, Ayurveda is not only a healing system, but also a spiritual discipline that teaches us to live in harmony with our own nature and the depth of our being.