What is my Arogya?

 




The pursuit of health is the in thing for quite some time. As many takes as people out there. Then we have piecemeal knowledge floating around. And on that we have overenthusiastic pursuers of those trends & ideas. Dinner party conversations often are loaded with this ingredient.

But what does good health actually mean? Is it bloodwork data points? Is it number on scale? Is it validation from competition? And then add to the spectrum the state of mental & emotional wellness. After all we are our mind & intellect too. So, what is my good health? What does sense of well-being mean to me?

From Ayurveda viewpoint, good health means Arogya, i.e free of rog. Rog is synonymous to pain, sorrow in Sanskrit & ayurveda. When state of balance and harmony between our very core constituents is lost, naadis or energy channels are blocked, rog shapes up. This balance & harmony is unique to each individual.

All can agree that a life well lived & fulfilled would be a reasonably good end goal. To be able to do that one would need a healthy body & healthy mind. Well lived life aspects are succinctly listed as 4 aims of life in Ayurveda.

Many of us have heard of these already. Life on earth needs to be lived ethically (DHARMA) - internally for self & around for other in our environments because we are part of the bigger ecosystem. Although observance of dharma is often relegated to the other, not applied on self. We all agree life needs material resources (ARTHA). Significant focus is here. Then ayurveda says desires need to be pursued (KAMA). Here Kama means beyond its restricting definition. We as humans are inherently creative & growth oriented. Expression is integral part of us. Ultimate is the desire of freeing self from the bondage (MOKSHA). Desire is our Why! Without desire there will be no need to do anything. Wonder about the variety of desires human mind carries and works towards. To be able to do all that we desire to do & need to do, a state of balance & harmony is essential.

How to land upon that balance & harmony?

These pursuits are very well undertaken in yoga. Yamas & Niyamas bring the dharma part within & in the outer environment. Asana & Pranayama make the energy channels clear. Pratyahara helps reduces the consumptions which cloud our mental acumen. Dharana makes us well focussed on abilities & our aims of life. All these work in tandem to take us to true Dhyana. When self and object of focus become one its Dhyana. Samadhi can’t be pursued as a goal by itself. It’s a natural fruit of a job well done till the dhyana stage plus Grace.

So, what will be my Arogya?

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