Where does Ayurveda Medicine Stand in Today’s World?

Ayurveda originated in the Indus valley (4500 to 1600 BC) 5000 years ago and is practiced until now in India. Ayurveda is made up of two words; Ayur meaning ‘of living’ and Veda meaning ‘knowingness’. It literally means knowledge of life and is a systematic and holistic approach to total health. It aims to promote health on mental, physical and spiritual level.

Ayurveda is an official and popular medicine system in India curing and preventing most of the diseases successfully. India has been researching aggressively on Ayurveda from scientific point of view since 1969.Two-thirds of the rural population and southern regions of India rely heavily on ayurvedic practices.

Ayurveda started getting recognition out of India because of people like Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Deepak Chopra, Vasant lad, Bikram Choudhury (Bikram Yoga) and many more like them. Many other important factors like the 1960’s nature movement in the US, side effects of allopathic medicines, costs of allopathic treatments, anti-biopharma choices, holistic philosophies and rejuvenation therapies also let to its entry into the western world.

But the science has limitations as an effective medicine system in the West mainly due to the nature of practices and philosophies and the limitations caused by their social infrastructure. It is an alternative form of medicine in the west and is considered as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) within USA. Surprisingly, most of the westerners consider ayurvedic doctors as massage therapists till date. As western societies value technology and instant gratification of desires, they are dependant on immediate cure (allopathic medicine) rather than the holistic care. Ayurveda is a healthy way of living which requires lifestyle and dietary changes because of which the western society is opposed to it.

Apart from the limitations, the popularity of Ayurveda is rising worldwide. Lot of support and action is needed to strengthen the ayurvedic science in the western society. Teacher and information exchange is required to train people into ayurvedic science.

Unfortunately, some highly motivated physicians from India have attempted to promote indo-centric ayurvedic philosophies whereby they only accept practitioners trained according to the historical standards. But due to the cultural and geographic differences, Ayurveda will evolve differently in the west remaining true to its mind-body-spirit paradigm.