Foundations
Core concepts that underpin Ayurveda, Jyotish, and Yoga. Understanding these foundations makes the specific teachings of each science more coherent and their connections more visible.
The Shared Framework
These Vedic sciences share fundamental assumptions about reality:
- Consciousness is primary. Matter arises from consciousness, not the other way around.
- The macrocosm and microcosm mirror each other. What exists in the universe exists in the individual.
- Everything is interconnected. Nothing exists in isolation; everything affects everything else.
- Natural law (dharma) governs all phenomena. Understanding these laws allows us to work with them rather than against them.
Core Concepts
Pancha Mahabhutas - The Five Great Elements
Space, air, fire, water, and earth - the building blocks of material existence. Every substance, every quality, every phenomenon can be understood in terms of these elements.
Trigunas - The Three Qualities
Sattva, rajas, and tamas - the three fundamental qualities of nature that govern all mental and material phenomena.
Doshas Overview - The Functional Principles
Vata, pitta, and kapha - how the elements combine into the governing forces of physiology (Ayurveda) and temperament.
Grahas Overview - The Cosmic Influences
The nine planets of Jyotish - how cosmic forces pattern individual experience and collective time.
Prana and the Subtle Body - Life Force
The vital energy that animates the body and the subtle structures through which it flows.
Karma and Time - Cause and Effect
How actions create consequences across time, and how Jyotish maps these patterns.
Why Foundations Matter
It is tempting to jump to practical applications - to learn your dosha, read your chart, or practice asanas. But without understanding the foundational concepts, these practices remain superficial.
When you understand why vata increases in autumn, or why Saturn's influence feels heavy, or why certain pranayamas are cooling - you can adapt intelligently to circumstances rather than following rules by rote.
The foundations are not preliminary material to get through. They are the ground that makes everything else make sense.