When I hear “Ayurveda” I think soap, oil or an herb of some kind.  Stating that shows how ignorant I was about this 5000-year-old philosophy of well-being. Its wisdom, found in its sole intention—the improvement of the human condition, developed in various stages and was passed down from generation to generation. Its success is reflected in its millions of dedicated followers.

The bedrock center of the Ayurvedic world, its Stanford and Harvard rolled into one, is a region in Southern India called Kerala. Although a tourist destination for many, thousands of wellness seekers from every continent flock there for its Ayurvedic-trained doctors and practitioners, and students come for beginning to advanced studies and opportunities to practice.

Recently, I sat down for a chat with two-unbelievably dedicated women, who founded the Ayurvedashram Holistic Wellness Center in North Brunswick:  Priyaa Balaa, a Ayurvedic doctor (Vaidya), who studied and practiced in Kerala, and Pari Mudiginty, a Western-trained pharmacist and Ayurveda practitioner.

My time with them both was illuminative and showed me a tiny glimpse of the vastness of the Ayurvedic approach to wellness.

Question:  Joe

Let’s start at the beginning. What is Ayurveda?

Answer: Priyaa

Ayurveda’s literal meaning is “the science of life or the knowledge of life.”  It views disease as the end result of living out of harmony with our environment.   Its intention is to reestablish, that harmony and balance needed to achieve optimum health in both body and mind.

Answer: Pari

As a holistic medical system, Ayurveda takes into consideration the multifaceted nature of the human condition. It’s a very personalized approach to health with intuitive healing practices and incorporates a wide variety of tools.

Question: Joe

What kind of tools?

Answer: Priyaa

Consultations, proper diet, yoga, massage, Panchakarma (detox therapies), herbs, oils, marma (which is similar to acupuncture but doesn’t use needles), aromatherapy, color therapy, mantras, meditation and intention. It is a rhythm of nature, and philosophy of living, that has the ability to initiate a paradigm shift in the way we manage our well-being.

Answer: Pari

In the wellness consultations at our center, we examine every aspect of the individual’s life, current physical, and mental health, emotional stressors, relationships, lifestyle and so much more. We consider everything important in you—your weight, speech, body type, your hair, reading your face, your pulse, color tone, emotional weaknesses such as anger or procrastination. Everything is a clue to proper harmony and balance.  We are looking to draw a personalized road map for our clients to follow into a balanced life of Ayurveda.

The work they do doesn’t stop at the center. Actively engaged in documenting their case studies, they have partnered with researchers in the field of mind-body evidence-based medicine. An Ayurvedic protocol for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has seen positive results, and they are currently collaborating with educational centers to facilitate a pilot study on the use of Ayurvedic herbal supplements in ASD.

That is just a slight brush stroke of the dedication, belief, and commitment Priyaa and Pari have made to introduce and educate the public to the lifelong benefits of the Ayurveda way.

These amazingly gifted women are focused, trained, educated, passionate, and clearly know what they are doing since clients travel from as far away as California, Texas, and Virginia for their care. Although a trip to India might be nice, we have access to the genuine Ayurvedic way right here in New Jersey. Often we search the world, only to find the diamonds are right here, right at our feet.

Ayurvedashram Holistic Wellness Center is located at 2070 Route 1 North, 2nd Floor, North Brunswick. The center offers 25% off an initial consultation when you mention Natural Awakenings. For information, contact 732-658-6122 or [email protected]. MyAyurvedashram.com.