Secrets of Ayurveda

by Dr. Harish Verma, Karen Sullivan, Gopi Warrier

A combination of science and philosophy, Ayurveda is a traditional system of healing that draws on elements of yoga, herbal remedies, massage, meditation, and astrology. Practiced in India and Sri Lanka for over 2,000 years, the book explains the principles of Ayurveda and the importance of finding a natural, harmonious balance between the three doshas, or characteristic types. It examines all branches of Ayurvedic medicine and shows how, by following a simple Ayurvedic lifestyle, you can remain balanced during times of stress and maintain optimum well-being.

Genres: Nonfiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published July 6, 2001

Reviews

[Janis Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to thank Quarto Publishing Group - Ivy Press for providing me with a free electronic ARC of this book, via Netgalley, in exchange for an open and honest review.

Okay, so this book seems to be similar to ‘Secrets of Aromatherapy’ – which I also read around the same time…. And, sadly, the same issues I had with ‘Secrets of Aromatherapy’ happened with ‘Secrets of Ayurveda’ too.

It is another book that starts out well, and I found the whole history and logic of Ayurveda fascinating… as I’d honestly not heard much about it before. And I totally felt a connection to its logic and holistic approach to health. Has quite a few good principles and ideas.

However, the layout and formatting was another let down. Jumbled, all over the place and, although the book was supposedly broken into the four sections, the jumbled formatting seemed to just go wherever and not really match to the section of the book it was shown in. Perhaps this would have been easier to read as a paper book – where I could flip through the pages easily? Perhaps it would have worked better for me if I knew more about Ayurveda and wasn’t such a newb that the cluttered appearance got me lost and put me off.

I seriously feel someone who has more of an idea about Ayurveda is going to get MUCH MORE out of ‘Secrets of Ayurveda’ than I did. As I got the feeling a lot of its secrets… remained a secret to me. :-/

So, it’s another good book simply given to the wrong reader - me. Gosh I am good at finding these, aren’t I? ;-) Seriously though, it did have a lot of really interesting information in it that has had me start looking into where to find local Ayurveda practitioners… but I strongly feel this book isn’t one for a newb, I should have should me a ‘Dummies guide to Ayurveda’ as this book is far more suited to those already educated in its holistic principles and already practicing some, if not all, of them.

Would I recommend this book to others?

I think I would… but only to those who already know all about Ayurveda and aren’t just learning like me. This is because people as clueless as me may find it as overwhelming and hard to follow the more you read it. Definitely a better guidebook for those in the know.

Would I buy this book for myself?

Probably not. Even if I do look into Ayurveda more and start seeing a practitioner of it… this book is still more for them than me. I think something more on Ayurveda and everyday life would be better suited. The ‘Secrets of Ayurveda’ comes across more as a book for people who wish to practice it on themselves as well as others, where I just was curious in how to incorporate it into my own life. My Ayurveda training wheels still need to be attached!

In summary, a very interesting and informative book… I was just the wrong reader.

[Lora Milton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been aware of Ayurveda for a while but this is the first time I sat down and read a book about it. This one is divided into four chapters: Ayurveda: The Science of Life, The Ayurdedic Approach, Diet and Lifestyle and Practitioner Led or Self-Help?

The first chapter explains what Ayurveda is and gives history and a method to determine your Ayurvedic constitution. It points out that medicine is one "spoke on the wheel" of a holistic lifestyle approach to promote balance and good health, thereby making it easier to combat illness and mostly prevent it.

It explains that illness affects both body and mind and not just one in isolation of the other. It claims that modern illnesses like chronic fatigue and irritable bowel syndrome have been successfully treated with Ayurveda when modern medicine has failed.

It has its roots in Hinduism and both date back over 5000 years, yet stay dynamic to keep up with modern conditions. There are some surprising facts cited about the history, like knowledge of cells and microscopic organisms in a book written 2000 years before the microscope was invented. There's a strong spiritual connection with the practice, yet it embraces science and finds a balance between the two.

The book is filled with colourful pictures of the sort you might see in Hindu texts or temples and these are accompanied by snippets of relevant information. Over all the book is beautifully laid out.

Naturally the Hindu belief system that Ayurveda is based in comes into it and the concept of Karma is explained in full as well as the belief in reincarnation connected with it. In some ways the book is repetitive as the basic concepts get restated many times, but I can see why it is important to drive a different way of thinking into the average western mind.

I admit to feeling some scepticism about the physical types and how it affects the person to be one or another. It seemed too generalised to me. Having said that, I fell heavily into the Kapha category. The second chapter expands on methods and the third chapter, as the title suggests, deals with diet and lifestyle. The final chapter explains when you need to see a practitioner and how to treat yourself at home.

Overall I found the book very informative and easy to follow. While I might not be in complete alignment with the beliefs expressed, they are explained well and I felt the book covered the subject very thoroughly and clearly.

[Jaanika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice basic introduction to ayurveda philosophy for beginners.