Support Health the Ayurvedic Way: Explore Your Purpose
While the aim of Yoga is to evolve spiritually and develop awareness in body, energy, mind, and spirit, the goal of Ayurveda is to maintain the health of the organism (aka you) for the sake of longevity. Health and longevity are important because the attainment of enlightened states of mind - or Yoga - takes time and requires as much focus, and little distraction, as possible.
The Ayurvedic term for health is swastha, which is thought of as being “stable in the Self”.
One who is situated in Self, who has balanced dosas (primary life force), balanced agni (fire of digestion), properly formed dhatus (tissues), proper elimination of malas (waste products), well-functioning bodily processes, and whose mind, soul and senses are full of bliss is called a healthy person.
Sushruta Samhita 15/48
This sloka defining health comes from the ancient Ayurvedic text called Sushruta Samhita, and is similar to the modern definition of health offered by the World Health Organization: “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
Swastha references not only balance and ease in the physical body, but also a feeling of bliss on multiple levels: mind, soul and senses. While the body and mind get a lot of attention in modern wellness culture, the idea of social well-being and the bliss of the soul and senses are not usually featured quite so prominently. One of the many factors that sets Ayurveda apart from other systems of healthy living is the importance placed on these integral facets of life.
These four aspects of life: body, mind, senses, and soul, are not listed in order of importance, as they are all equally vital to our well-being and require proper care and attention for optimal health.
For our purposes today, though, we are going to dive into the soul.
But what is the soul?
According to renowned physician and author Deepak Chopra, “The soul is the core of your being. It’s a field of infinite possibilities, infinite creativity. It’s your internal reference point with which you should always be in touch.” And according to author Daniel Pink, “The soul is our capacity to see that our lives are about something more than simply the day to day, and that we’re here for a purpose.”
While there are myriad doorways into the exploration of the soul and how it can be full of bliss, purpose is an especially potent one.
Cornell Psychologist Anthony Burrow describes purpose as intentionality or life aim, as opposed to meaning, which entails making sense of the world as it has happened or is happening. Purpose involves looking forward.
The road towards health, and bliss, is often winding, and lifelong. Similarly, living a path of purpose requires being in it for the long haul. While it might sound trite, it really is true: purpose is a journey, not a destination.
In yoga philosophy, purpose can be thought of as one’s dharma, or sacred calling. Kripalu Scholar-in-Residence Stephen Cope offers copious teachings on dharma, including the prompt to first and foremost discern your dharma.
One particularly fruitful inquiry Cope offers to support connecting with purpose is the question “what lights me up?”. Without censoring or judging, ask yourself:
What endeavors and activities light me up the most at this time in my life?
What pursuits do I feel drawn to, fascinated by, energized by?
What feels interesting or inspiring these days?
What makes me feel engaged, connected, creative, free?
Rather than getting stuck with thoughts, engage this inquiry with all your senses: sound, sight, touch, taste, smell. In what ways do your senses connect you with bliss? It just might be the case that this will lead you to bliss in your soul as well.
There is no need to think hard, and you can simply list words, phrases, or images. The invitation is to feel this in your body and let it be an energetic inquiry, not a mental exercise.
This is certainly not the be-all and end-all when it comes to connecting with or living a path of purpose, but it’s a great start. And if this is not a new exploration for you, it is always a worthwhile endeavor to check in and see what is real and true in this season of life.
Health, the Ayurvedic way, feels like stability, balance, ease, and bliss, all of which you naturally connect with when you live a path of purpose.
May this inquiry serve you to take steps closer towards being situated in your Self - through connecting with purpose.
And may you remember that connecting with and living your purpose not only brings you individual health, but is done for the sake of the health of the collective. We all have a role to play in the growth and healing of the world at large, and the wisdom and tools of Ayurveda are at our fingertips to support us to put our healthiest and most stable selves forward.
As always, reach out directly to me with any thoughts, questions, or comments. There’s not much I enjoy more than talking about purpose! 🎯