Ayurveda Introduction

Get a taste of how Ayurveda can help you and your family with simple, natural, safe, and effective therapies in this introductory course. This is also an excellent starting point for students considering our 2-year professional Ayurveda Practitioner certification program.

This course will teach you how to address  many of life’s challenges  – colds, winter flu, hyperactivity, stress, aches & pains, female reproductive issues, and much more.

Enjoy learning how to use aromatherapy, colors, foods, and more – each therapy personal for each family member!

Study Ayurveda with Swami Sadashiva Tirtha, author of the Ayurveda Encyclopedia!

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Benefits of Taking the Course
Overview:

• Ayurveda tridosha theory
• Spiritual Ayurveda foundations
• Introduction to therapies Mock consultations (applied Ayurveda)

Details:
Part 1: Introduction, History, & Theory – Spiritual Ayurveda

Defining Alternative/Holistic medicine
Defining Ayurveda
History of Ayurveda
Goal of Life
Intro to Ayurvedic Theory
Fundamental Life Elements & Foods, Herbs, Disease & Personal Constitutions (doshas)
Achieving Balance (Health)
Insights into the 6 Tastes & the Elements

Part 2: Ayurvedic Body

Subdoshas
The Digestion Process (agni)
The Tissues (dhatus), Wastes (malas), & Life Sap (ojas)
Taste – Energy – Post Digestive Taste (Rasa – Veerya – Vipaka)
Mental Qualities (Sattwa, Rajas, Tamas/Prana, Tejas, Ojas)
Developing Inner Peace (Samadhi)
Doshas & Organs
Thirteen Natural Urges
Time, Geography & the Doshas
Undigested foods (Ama)

Part 3: Determining the Constitution (Prakriti)

How We Determine a Person’s Constitution
The three Origin Sites of Illness
Subtle development of illness (6 stages of disease development)
Observing the client
Five methods of determining illness
Three Causes of disease
Three Disease Pathways
Common Dosha Symptoms
Face, Tongue, Eyes, & Nail & Pulse Analyses

Part 4: Therapies part I

Herbs
Choosing herbs for dosha safety & efficacy
Best herbs for the organs & specific disorders
Choosing herb doses
Foods
Healing Properties of Food
Food for Dosha balancing
Mutually Contradictory Foods

Part 5: Therapies part II

Massage
Yoga
Exercise
Music Therapy
Aromatherapy
Colors Therapy
Meditation
Universal Spiritual Foundations

Part 6: Miscellaneous

Life Purpose (Dharma)
Frequently Asked Questions
Mock Consultation

Final Exam (open book)

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Weekend as Ashram Farm (optional)
For those who wish to attend a class weekend during the summer at the ashram farm, we will cover as much of these topics as time allows

wildflower/herb walk and identify make sandalwood body powder for summer make salve for bruises, bites, rashes, etc. tea infusion from wildflowers growing on farm herb picking for lunch make yogurt make lassi make ice cream make paneer cook kicharee (rice/beans/vegies) cook roti (wheat flat bread) quite time in nature to commune and develop relationship with the earth & plants & wildlife pick organic fruits & vegetables experiments with aromatherapy weekend bonus bird watching/identifying visit mystical quilt shop in town meditations campfire under the stars music & dance (bring your instruments) yoga/meditation at dawn & sunset visit an organic cow farm (you can bring home raw organic milk if you have a cooler.

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Who is this course designed for?
For people who don’t have the time, interest, and/or money to commit to a full 2-year training program, or for those who want to get a feel for what Ayurveda is about and our teaching style before committing to a the 2-year program. And for folks who cannot travel to class in NY but wish to have live telephone classes.

How this course developed
At the request by many of our community members who want to study some basics about Ayurveda, but aren’t ready or able to devote a full two years to becoming a practitioner, we have created this shorter introductory course.

Course Purpose
To provide a basic understanding about

• Ayurveda theory
• introduction to therapies
• introduction to spiritual foundations of Ayurveda
• a little hands-on training

Teleconference
The class calls into the teleconference hall 2 times a month (1 hour per class).

Teacher
Swami Sadashiva Tirtha, D.Sc. (Ayur. Research) – author of Ayurveda Encyclopdia & Bhagavad Gita for Modern Times; founder of this school

Study/Homework requirements
2- 4 hours per week

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Options:

• TeleCourse (begins when 3+ people are enrolled)
• CD Course (home study with phone/email support with your teacher)

Organize an Intro Ayurveda Course!

• Start sooner
• Study with friends
• Have Swamiji teach the course to your yoga studio, meditation students, school, university, or other study group
• You want Swamiji to teach live at your center, studio, school, or university

How to Organize A Course
Get 3+ or more people interested in starting (For at-your-center courses there is a 10 person minimum)
Arrange a course schedule (dates & times) with us
Determine the method of learning you wish (CD, telecourse, webinar, live)

Additional fees will apply depending on the type of course delivery you wish
Travel/Day fees are extra
Discounts are available for course books and CD’s

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Credits

186 (with weekend) 150 without the weekend

Waivers for 2-Year Program
Graduates of this 6-month Ayurveda Intro course may waive the text portion (i.e., not the hands-on training) of Months 1 & 2 of the 2-year certification program should they with to enroll within 3 months of completion of this introduction course). This is a $300 discount on the program and saves two months of study

Grading

Grades are pass/fail, based on

• homework
• final exam (open book)

Upon graduation students receive a certificate of completion for

186 hours in Ayurveda Introductory Studies

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Study Options
Distance learning DVD/Live TeleCourse/Hands-on Weekend

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Pre-requisites
None. However, it is strongly advised to have an Ayurveda consultation and follow some or all of the suggestions. In this way students are experiencing the marvelous balancing effects Ayurveda offers. Experience makes learning more valuable and easy to grasp.
Course Fees
$550 ($50 discount for graduates of Bhagavad Gita Introductory course)

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Questions?
Contact us by email or phone