Ayurveda means “The Science of Life.” It does not mean Hindu medicine, nor must its herbalism be considered Indian herbalism. It is a science of living that encompasses the whole of life, and which relates the life of the individual to that of the universe. As such it is open to and includes all life, and all methods that bring us into greater harmony with life.
Ayurveda is not of the east or the west, of ancient or modern time. It is one with all life, a knowledge that belongs to all living beings – not a system imposed upon them, but a resource to be drawn upon freely and to be adapted to the unique needs of the individual in his or her particular environment.
Ayurvedic herbalism gives us not only specific herbs, but a way of understanding all herbs. Ayurveda welcomes the removal of barriers between human beings. The sharing of human healing knowledge must develop for the new age to come. But it must find its place in the immediate world of today. And that is the true purpose of Ayurveda.
