Ayurveda and the Mind
20.10.23
Introduction
In the past few years since the COVID-19 pandemic, we have become acutely aware of how important our mental health is to our overall well-being.
We are living in a time where people report suffering from mental health problems more than ever before.
Ayurveda teaches us that we experience mental health issues when there is a disturbance of the flow of energy, or Prana through the channels of the mind.
This energy is needed to process our thoughts, emotions, and feelings.
This leads to symptoms of anxiety, fear, sadness, and depression.
We experience the world through our five senses, sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell. Our brain processes all the information received through our senses. This is our conscious mind at work.
At a deeper level, however, is our subconscious mind, which processes our relationship to the whole world or universe on a spiritual or psychic level.
This part of our mind focuses on our connectedness to the whole, the meaning of our existence, and how to live a meaningful and fulfilled life.
If we experience significant disturbance in our superficial minds or past trauma, it can affect us at a subconscious level causing great suffering and confusion.
Living in our modern fast-paced life causes increased motion and movement in our superficial mind. We get “caught up in the moments” so to speak. This prevents us from accessing our subconscious mind to process or digest deeper emotions and thoughts. We lose the ability to connect with our deeper selves and connect with our inner wisdom.
This can lead to behaviors or habits which we know are harmful leading to physical and mental ill health. This is a cause of deep frustration, internal conflict, and suffering when we are acting against our better instincts.

Ayurveda teaches us to
-relearn how to use our senses properly
– learn to make healthy choices in our daily lives and
-ultimately how to reconcile our relationship with ourselves at a deeper, spiritual level.
-restoring our connectedness to the whole world around us and beyond.
How does Ayurveda achieve these goals?
Spending time in nature and developing an awareness of all 5 of our senses and how they work.
Thinking about the 5 elements concept of Ayurveda and how it applies to your own body and its functions.
Developing the practice of stillness and awareness through breathwork and meditation.
Self-contemplation of what is greater than our immediate selves be it nature, the divine, or the greater world within us.
These practices will lead us to optimum health, and peace of mind and enable us to access our natural self-healing ability of body and mind.

How does Ayurveda explain the Qualities of the mind?
Ayurveda uses the tridoshic or 3 qualities of Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas to explain how the mind functions.
It is analogous to the tridoshic concept of Vata, Pitta and Kapha doshas which make up our physical constitution.
We are all part of nature as human beings and as such we reflect nature through the qualities of our mind.
Sattva represents our ultimate our mind at peace. Emotionally and spiritually where we are calm, at peace, focused and at one with our true selves.
Think of moonlight reflected on the surface a calm tranquil lake. This is how nature would reflect a sattvic state of mind.

Rajas represents our minds in turmoil. We feel disturbed agitated and restless. Our emotions are easily provoked, and we suffer fear, anxiety, anger, rage, resentment, and jealousy.
Think of throwing a rock into the lake and seeing the distorted image of the reflected moon and stars in the disturbed lake waters.

Tamas represents our minds feeling stuck or inert. We feel melancholic, depressed, lacking motivation, and become withdrawn and self-absorbed.
Think of stirring up the mud at the bottom of the lake and the murky water obscuring the reflected night sky entirely.

We fluctuate between the Rajas and Tamas states in our minds rarely if ever reaching a Sattvic state. Our goal is to transcend or to let go of the conflicting states of mind of turmoil and inertia to reach this goal.
This allows us to experience peace of mind and equanimity in all situations.
Covid 19 pandemic allowed us to pause our lives.
However, for many of us, the separation and isolation experience that ensued made us more anxious and stressed. The experience had adverse effects on our mental health.
Ayurveda teaches us how to live a life true to our inner wisdom and core beliefs by focusing on sattvic qualities of the mind.
These are love, compassion, and kindness.

We fluctuate between the Rajas and Tamas states in our minds rarely if ever reaching a Sattvic state. Our goal is to transcend or to let go of the conflicting states of mind of turmoil and inertia to reach this goal.
This allows us to experience peace of mind and equanimity in all situations.
Covid 19 pandemic allowed us to pause our lives.
However, for many of us, the separation and isolation experience that ensued made us more anxious and stressed. The experience had adverse effects on our mental health.
Ayurveda teaches us how to live a life true to our inner wisdom and core beliefs by focussing on sattvic qualities of the mind.
These are love, compassion, and kindness.