If you’re looking to learn about the basics of Ayurveda, watching some of these brilliant YouTube videos are a great place to start!
You may have heard the word ‘Ayurveda’ making its mark on the twitter-sphere or have learned of this ancient healing system through one holistic practitioner or another. If you’re curious about what this practice is, you may find yourself over-faced with information when you’re just trying to get to the bare bones of what it is and why it may be a useful practice.
In short, Ayurvedic medicine (or Ayurveda for short!), is one of the world’s oldest healing systems. Developed in India more than 3,000 years ago, it preaches the importance of balancing the mind, body and spirit. Steeped more in prevention than treatment, it centres around doshas (the human body’s three life forces). These doshas are the Vata dosha (space and air), the Pitta dosha (fire and water) and Kapha dosha (water and earth).
To many of us, this concept of the elements won’t be entirely new, but these 10 YouTube videos delve into the art of Ayurveda concisely, and help to make sense of why it’s such a popular practice.
Banyan Botanicals: What is Ayurveda? How to Get Started
This video from Banyan Botanicals is a great place to start if you want to drill yourself on the basics of Ayurveda. Ayurveda practitioner and Banyan Research Director Vrinda Devani shares her thoughts on the key aspects of Ayurveda and gives viewers the low-down on the doshas and how this knowledge is key to self-improvement.
This video is a great introduction to Ayurveda, and very concisely reviews the basics to encourage further research should you wish to undertake it.
An Introduction to Ayurveda- The Three Doshas (Vata, Pitta, Kapha)
It’s of paramount importance to get up to speed on the Doshas, and this video featuring Justin Robertshaw is a fantastic guide to the basic principles of Ayurveda. Speaking with a special emphasis on applying Ayurveda’s principles to our daily lives, it’s an enlightening video that’s very easy to understand, and helps to guide you through the characteristics of each dosha and how we can balance them.
Ayurveda For Dummies – What Is Ayurveda?
This friendly video by Charlene Ishani is a great introduction to the basic concepts of Ayurveda. Aptly named, this really is a guide to Ayurveda for Dummies! With a fun style and conversational approach, Charlene’s video helps to outline the different approaches used in Ayurvedic medicine without being overwhelming.
What Are the Doshas? | Ayurveda Explained
Another great video from Banyan Botanicals is their explanation of the three doshas. As these doshas are intrinsic to the practice of Ayurveda, it’s crucial to get as clued-up as possible on these. Providing a much deeper look into the three doshas, this is a great follow-on video that helps to explain exactly what Ayurveda is for both beginners and avid enthusiasts.
Introduction to Ayurveda: Vikasa Yoga Teacher Training
If you’re feeling brave, why not check out this lengthy lecture by Jason Milne on Ayurveda? A detailed look at Ayurveda and functioning as a lecture on the basic concepts, this is an excellent extended look at the practice. With more diet-based information, this is a really great place to come if you’re looking to explore the nutritional side of Ayurvedic medicine.
Introduction to Ayurveda by Dr. Deb Kern
Another great video presentation for the more lecture-inclined is this introduction to Ayurveda by Dr. Deborah Kern. Explaining the basic concepts of Ayurveda in a simple, practical and understandable way, Deborah Kern helps to explore how the concepts of Ayurveda can be applied to everyday life. With an easy to follow presentation, it’s structured in a way that even allows notetaking should you wish!
What Is Ayurveda|Ancient Nutrition
For a further look into the Ayurvedic diet and for information regarding the practice in general, this video is a great look into the importance of nutritional balance for Ayurvedic medical success. Very thoroughly explained, this video is great for total newbies that are looking for information to cover what the Ayurvedic diet consists of.
What is Ayurveda? | Nerd Assassin
If you’re easily distracted or like a more illustrative approach when you’re sifting through information, this video is a great way to learn the basics of Ayurveda. It’s a great basic introduction that covers all the important information in a clear and very aesthetically pleasing way. Though you won’t get the level of detail that you get in some of the other videos here, this is an excellent introduction that is sure to keep you interested.
The Ayurvedic Body Types and Their Characteristics (Vata Pitta Kapha)
The most highly viewed video on this list is an explanation of the Ayurvedic personalities (Vata, Pitta and Kapha respectively). If you’re interested in knowing which of these characteristics is most dominant in your own life, this video a cool way to try some self-exploration and try to match which dosha is most prevalent in you.
Intro to Ayurveda
A popular favourite for a reason, this video explores the basics of Ayurveda in a documentary style that utilises an expert in the field to clearly explain the functional side of India’s traditional medicine. This video is very accessible and well-researched and will be just fine for any beginner out there looking for an expert’s opinion. Noting Ayurveda’s foundation in health and wellness, it’s a great exploration of the holistic importance of this branch of medicine.
