My name is Megan and I am twenty four years old. I currently live in the mountains of Asheville, North Carolina and work as a freelance artist. However, my true passion lies in holistic health and wellness and the power of medicinal herbs. As you will see later in this article, I used Ayurveda as a healing path for my digestive problems and other imbalances.
I am currently a student of Ayurveda at the California College of Ayurveda where I am on track to become a certified Ayurvedic Practitioner and Herbalist. I gained a very basic knowledge of Ayurveda a few years ago. Ayurveda in Sanskrit translates to “The Science of Life”. It is an ancient form of alternative medicine originating in India.
In 2015, I was very sick with severe digestive issues, no period, terrible acne, and emotional extremes. I saw a lot of western doctors who prescribed medications that did nothing for me, but rather were a bandaid for my symptoms and never truly got to the root of the issue. Fed up, I decided to do my own research.
I searched online for natural healing methods, as the synthetic medications western doctors prescribed did not sit right with me. Later, I came across simple Ayurvedic charts and began changing up my diet, but I had so much stomach pain at the time that I chose to see a naturopathic doctor. I took many food intolerance tests and discovered I had SIBO (small intestinal bacteria overgrowth) from a round of antibiotics I took for my acne. It was time to fully commit to my healing.
In Ayurveda, there are three fundamental causes of disease: the misuse of the senses, failure of the intellect, and transformation, better described as controlling your monkey mind. I began following the Ayurvedic physical and psychological constitution that fit me.
There are three doshas or body constitutions in Ayurveda: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. I am a Vata through and through and, for example, took the steps to eat more warming foods cooked in oils to ease my digestion, as well as took 3 hours between meals. Later on, I also began meditating regularly to ease my anxiety. You can take a simple version of an Ayurvedic constitution quiz online which covers your physical, emotional, and spiritual body.
Even though Ayurveda helped my digestive problems subside, my period and emotions were still out of balance. Through my naturopath I took a hormone test called the DUTCH test. After a few months, I learned I had “lean” polycystic ovarian syndrome. This explained my acne prone skin, my irregular menstrual cycle, and anxiety. My naturopath gave me general guidelines, but I had to go deeper and implement a routine and herbal remedies if I truly wanted to heal.
This is when I started implementing more in-depth concepts of Ayurveda, which included not just what I ate, but the way I ate, as well as herbal remedies such as the grounding adaptogen Ashwagandha. Ayurveda is a proponent and guide for full body awareness and self love practices. These include mantra meditations for healing your chakras, daily self-massages, aromatherapy, and utilizing pranayama or breathing techniques throughout the day. It has healed my emotional, physical, and spiritual body. Healing is always a journey, but a conscious journey that I choose and devote to every single day.
Through my studies to become a practitioner, I have become more conscious of the three causes of disease. I now do my best to create a harmonious balance between myself and my environment. I also do my best to listen to my intuition and my highest self at all times. This is something that has really come into fruition this year as I have faced my childhood trauma head on. Though this is really a journey, I have definitely made immense steps in this area in particular. In terms of transformation, I have created new morning rituals to make sure my mind is present and still, rather than caught up in the past and future. I now trust in the unknown and trust myself deeply and my heart to guide to me. I am always right where I am supposed to be.
The single most important gift that Ayurveda brings me is that my body is a temple inhabiting my highest self. It is of the utmost importance to be mindful what comes in and out of my temple in all ways— physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Through studying Ayurveda, not only was I able to heal my all my digestive problems but I am also learning that healing in this life is found in unconditional love for yourself and others. It is part of my dharma to now to guide others to create unconditional love within their own temples. I hope this post encourages you to explore the beauty of Ayurveda!
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