The Vedic sciences encompass the knowledge developed over many thousands of years on the Indian subcontinent. "Vedic" refers to The Vedas, which are the original sacred texts written during what came to be known as the Vedic era, around 1500 – 500 BCE. And the word "veda" means knowledge in Sanskrit. It is one of the root words of Āyurveda– which embodies the knowledge of "āyu" which means life.
The Vedic body of knowledge is rooted in philosophy: asking questions about what existence is, how the universe came to be, life principles, consciousness, relationship to the Other, rituals, art, and logic. And of course how best to keep our body, mind, heart and soul inspired, nourished and fit for our precious time here. Many of the texts are written as a dialogue between teacher and student, emphasizing how essential the guru-śiṣya (teacher-student) relationship is to unlocking these texts.
Traditionally the Vedic sciences were all learned in tandem. In today's accelerated world of narrow specialized windows and fractured attention, it is less common for seekers to be initiated into all of the studies simultaneously, especially outside of India. Gia was incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to delve into all of these practices and studies as one.
All of the studies goes hand-in-hand. Just as an Ayurvedic practitioner with no awareness of jyotiṣa, yoga, Sanskrit, mantra, tantra, or sāṅkhya śāstra is incomplete. Without learning the reasons behind your prescriptions, it is difficult to understand in-depth when best to eat, sleep, wake-up, administer medicines, collect herbs, or initiate a new practice.
Within the scope of holistic medicine, many patients will seek further guidance about spiritual practice, when to schedule a surgery, which part of the room to set-up a meditation altar in, or how to flourish within the energies and life circumstances being presented to them. The more tools you have the better. And the elegance of the Vedas allows you to comprehend the full spectrum of life sciences all in one integrated system.
The Vedic Sciences
The Indian subcontinent includes modern day India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka.
the Indian subcontinent.
The Vedas begin with the four primary sacred texts: Ṛg Veda, Yajur Veda, Sām Veda, and Atharva Veda.
The Vedas,
Specific Vedic subjects include –
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Āyurveda (medicine)
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Mantra (sound energies) and Japa (chanting)
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Sankhya Śāstra (numerology)
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Vāstu (architecture and space design)
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Vedanta (philosophy)
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Vedāṅga auxiliary disciplines:
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Kalpa (rituals)
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Jyotiṣa (astronomy/astrology) and Kāla (time)
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Sanskrit language, including:
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Vyākaraṇa (grammar)
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Nirukta (etymology)
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Chandas (meter)
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Śikṣā (phonetics)
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Yantra (sacred geometry)
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Yoga (union with divine)
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What Is Āyurveda
Āyurvedic medicine is the traditional healing practice from the Indian subcontinent. It treats individuals through herbs, food as medicine, diet and lifestyle modifications, meditation, yoga, and therapeutic bodywork treatments.
It is a true holistic science in that we do not separate problems with the body, mind, or emotions. Root cause is the basis upon which we address pathologies of the body, gut, mind, and spirit as one.
Āyurveda works beautifully alone or as an integrative modality with Western medicine to address all ailments from psychological unease, digestive issues and autoimmune conditions, soothing a frayed nervous system, to chronic illness and palliative care.
Āyurveda has some crossover with the Persian Unani medical system, Traditional Tibetan Medicine, and can be cross-compared with Traditional Chinese Medicine.
What Are Ayurvedic Therapies
The many Ayurvedic bodywork modalities come from a larger therapeutic process called pañca karma– which refers to five specific stages of treatment. It traditionally takes place over at least a six week period of in-patient care, at either a healing center or other serene setting.
The hands-on modalities provide a further depth of healing exchange, as an adjunct to clinical treatment. Most body therapies are actually quite luxurious and involve warm oil infused with medicinal herbs. All provide profound calm to the nervous system, the senses, and targeted healing for whichever system or condition the treatment is addressing. An opportunity for the body and mind to access a deep rest state and subsequent rejuvenation, while receiving tender care.
Nothing in this world replaces touch. And Āyurveda always knew that with its emphasis on the vitality of the sense organs (jñānendriya), as a key pillar of health.
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What Is Meditation
Meditation is the ultimate panacea for all confusion, distress, and suffering. My view is that every path of healing leads back to it; and it is my original love. It is the experience and acceptance of solitude.
Meditation leads to the awareness of being uniting with everything. Because we gain clarity. And clarity leads us to truth. And so we can dangle between the reality of both our impermanence and the eternal, with less stress over the in-between. We are again able to recognize what we always knew, but which had escaped us– about who we are and what this life is for.
What actually happens is a calming and balancing of the body, breath, and all its physical and hormonal systems. It cultivates heightened awareness, concentration, and internal discipline. If we can discipline ourself in our most private time for no outside authority or reward but our own wellbeing, it comes with unparalleled sweetness and results in our centering. Even through the storms.
What Is Jyotiṣa
Jyotiṣa is a vast and awe-inspiring study of the universe and consciousness. It systematically explains astronomy and astrology: planets, stars, luminaries, signs, houses, time, and constellations– from the Eastern Vedic lens. Based on the sidereal zodiac (which reflects where the planets actually are) rather than the tropical zodiac (based on their placements 2,000 years ago) of the Western system. Some of your signs may shift, so it offers a new perspective from Western astrology.
The principles and practices of jyotiṣa are woven into the traditions, rituals, and daily customs of both ancient and contemporary dharmic life. It is essential to contemplate the context which fostered revelation of the sacred Vedic knowledge thousands of years ago. Jyotiṣa is the substratum for our entire understanding of time, causality, meteorology, mantra, spiritual practice, vāstu (Vedic architecture), and more.
The foundational thousands-of-years old texts outlining its study and practices come from the sages Parāśara and Jaimini.
Parāśara
Sage Parāśara wrote The Viṣṇu Purāṇa a seminal text on consciousness & the universe, and the comprehensive astrological treaty Bṛhat Parāśara Horā Śāstra
Jaimini.
Sage Jaimini wrote Pūrva Mīmāṁsā Sūtra a significant text on the mīmāṁsā branch of Hindu philosophy and rituals.
What is Yoga
Yoga is the union of self with the divine. To undo the conditioning of our mind. To realize the constant synchronicity of our physiological processes, breathing, thoughts, emotions, and the state of our consciousness at any given moment. Through practice and study.
The sage Patañjāli wrote Yog Sūtras, which accentuates how the practice is ultimately internal. It is a substratum for the growth and evolution of our soul. And yes, asāna (poses) have a place in freeing the physical constrictions. As does prāṇayāma (breathing practice). So that our mind can better focus and reach our unfettered consciousness to access deep tranquility– even in all the rajas and troubling maneuverings that seem to plague existence for all of time.
Various yogic paths include karma yoga (selfless service), raj yoga (meditation), bhakti yoga (devotion), and jñana yoga (study). All paths require a surrendering of self into dedication.
What is Tantra
The broadest definition of tantra is non-duality. Going beyond black & white, in every possible dimension of experience. The root "tan" indicates an expansion of both consciousness and the limits of experience, and ultimately liberation through this expansion. Designated as an alternative to the other yogic and Buddhist paths.
The suffix “tra” indicates a tool… that which assists or saves us. In tantra, specifically a tool for liberation. Like a mantra is tool working with the mind (manas). Yantra is a tool for controlling energies. We are expanding our energy and concurrently focusing it more intensely.
One must endure an intense de-conditioning of all their social and moral prejudices to become fully entrenched in its practices. We must learn to accept our consciousness as is without repression or denial, as well as the world around us– in order to fully engage with it in the way tantra requires.
Tantra gives us the full internal autonomy to really experience. We can actually understand our subtlest, seemingly most autonomic experiences and participate in the whole of existence.
All of this comes back to living on the breath, beginning from Āyurveda and ending with Tantra. Breath is the precious element that unceasingly connects our inner self to the outer physical world. And that connection is essential for us to be “in reality,” and not just in our heads.
As lovers, as friends, as fellow living beings– we all share the same air, the same space, and planet. Constantly affecting each other by altering the energy patterns released by our thought patterns, emotional states, and actions.
No moment can ever be the same with an infinite number of entities eternally breathing, thinking, feeling, and moving. So we must be always alert, constantly dropping our current self to allow the new one to rise. Let go. Because every time we do this, she will rise anew, without fail.
What else is the antidote to a crazy world, but to find internal balance. We simply cannot avoid the chaos, destruction, and drama. There isn’t anywhere else to go on this planet. It may feel or be safest to protect oneself in austere practices, to withdraw the senses, and seek external security. Or one might either be required to by life circumstances, or seek to enter fully into the external world– and still dedicate themselves to striking their inner balance of harmony.
Regardless, taking steps to heal our own personal suffering and trauma is everyone's deepest wish. And the surefire method to be in more constant union with the universal pulse. To understand what our shared karma and trajectory is. How our compassion and sensitivity is our greatest gift to each other, and nothing to be afraid of as too much. No progress on our spiritual path is ever lost. We just have to regain our footing and clarity, by reconnecting with our self and each other.