Origins of Ayurveda
The early inhabitants of the Indian continent probably moved from place to place, taking with them a treasure trove of herbal remedies and other traditional healing methods. When they settled in places such as Himachal Pradesh in central India, these nomadic tribes started cultivating the herbs that they used for their traditional medicine. Most health practices at that time involved spiritual therapies, animal or plant based medicines and a strict regimen of diet and restriction of movement.
Although practiced for many thousands of years, this form of healing was documented initially during the early Vedic period in India, sometime around the 6th century BC. This was the time when many of the Vedas (texts or manuals) were written by masters of the art (called sages or wise people) as a reference book for future generations. The Vedas created around that time include the Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, Atharvaveda and Ayurveda.
Three of the major texts that deal with medicinal preparations, surgical procedures and holistic healing methods are the Sushrutha Samhita, the Charaka Samhita and the Kasyapa Samhita. The authors, Sushrutha, Charaka and Kasyapa were all practitioners of Ayurveda at that time. Most of the people who wrote these texts are believed to be sages who knew the secret to a long life. Some people believe that Ayurveda has divine origins
Based on historical accounts, Ayurveda has been around for over 5000 years. Similar to the pagan way of life, it may have started as a response to the people’s trust in nature and its healing powers. People who believed that the Earth held all the solutions to their problems intuitively reached to the land around them for sustenance. On the days when they