Study at the oldest Ayurvedic Institute in the US
Study at the oldest Ayurvedic School in the US
Admissions
Join us for our Open House April 23, 2023
Learn More
Now accepting applications for the 2023-24 school year. Due August 10, 2023
Over 35 Years of History
The Ayurvedic Institute was founded in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1984 by Vasant Lad (BAMS, MASc) as a non-profit. The Institute was previously based in the high desert country of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and moved to Asheville, North Carolina, in the fall of 2022 – to a new wellness campus in the heart of the city.

We Teach You How To Practice Ayurveda
Our Education Programs draw students from around the world and from many professions and backgrounds. Students repeatedly express how transformational their time here is, highlighting the authenticity and depth of our offerings and the care and expertise of our faculty led by Vasant Lad, with his more than 40 years of experience. Whether students are here for a weekend or our two-year program, their experience is one of unfolding awareness and self-healing that supports them in their personal lives and professional practices.
Our Programs
Highly respected around the world, The Ayurvedic Institute has been teaching Ayurveda since 1984. Steeped in Vedic tradition, our Ayurvedic Studies Programs (ASP), now in their 35th year, are full-time immersive journeys into Ayurveda.
Our Programs
Highly respected around the world, The Ayurvedic Institute has been teaching Ayurveda since 1984. Steeped in Vedic tradition, our Ayurvedic Studies Programs (ASP), now in their 35th year, are full-time immersive journeys into Ayurveda.
What is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda is a 5,000 year-old lifestyle science that promotes proactive and preemptive approaches to personal health and wellness
Originating in the Indus Valley, what is now modern-day India, Ayurveda is a science of self-healing, and encompasses diet and nutrition, lifestyle, meditation, postures, breathing exercises and medical herbs along with cleansing and rejuvenation programs for healing body, mind, and spirit. It is a truly holistic approach to wellness and it works! There’s a reason it has survived for 5,000 years, across many generations, and eras. Come be part our movement to translate this ancient science for our modern world, so we too can pass this powerful knowledge onto future generations.

You are part of the cosmos and the cosmos is part of you
According to Ayurveda, everything in the cosmos is reflected and mirrored in the microcosm of the human being. The universe is composed of five elements: ether, air, fire, water, and earth. These five elements combine in varying proportions to create the three doshas: Vata, the principle of movement, Pitta, the principle of transformation, and Kapha, the principle of cohesion or building block material. These elements and doshas that comprise the macrocosm also make up our individual constitutions. The purpose of Ayurveda is to bring balance to these doshas and elements amidst the changing times of day, seasons, and phases of our lives, in order to promote and maintain quality and longevity of life. Optimal health isn’t found in a pill or an herbal compound – it’s rooted in our day to day routines and choices – how we eat, breathe, move, sleep, interact, and connect with one another. It is a dynamic way of living in tune with nature and our own unique constitution.

Join us for our Open House!
April 23, 2023 | 11am-2pm EST
62 Orange Street, Asheville, NC 28801
Come learn all about our programs, see where you will be studying and practicing, meet the faculty, our alumni, current, and future students!
- Get a campus tour
- Meet current faculty
- Get your pulse taken and tongue read
- Join a lecture
There will be live raffles for incredible prizes, a delicious local food truck, and so much more!
Upcoming Admissions Webinars at The Ayurvedic Institute
Learn more about The Ayurvedic Institute with our monthly admissions webinars. Meet with our Director of Admissions, Nishita Shah, and various special guests as they discuss topics ranging from student life to career development.

May 18, 2023 | 11am-12pm
Guest: Vrinda Devani, MD, CAP
Theme: Ayurveda for Health Care Professionals

June 6, 2023 | 11:30am-12:30pm
Guest: Alex Rice, AP, RYT500
Theme: Life after AI: Becoming a teacher and practitioner of Ayurveda
Visit our Campus!
Book your place on a tour and come visit our campus in Asheville, North Carolina – where you can meet our admissions team, current students, and faculty!

Visit our Campus!
Book your place on a tour and come visit our campus in Asheville, North Carolina – where you can meet our admissions team, current students, and faculty!
Founded by World-renowned Ayurvedic Physician, Author, Teacher, and Visionary
Study under Vasant Lad (BAM&S MASc), Director of the Ayurvedic Institute

A dream, to heal all beings through Ayurveda
Vasant Lad’s passion for Ayurveda and his compassion for people have led to him becoming one of the most highly celebrated Ayurvedic Physicians, authors, and teachers in the world.
Vasant Lad predates the yoga and wellness boom, coming to the United States to teach Ayurveda in 1982 – and starting The Ayurvedic Institute in 1984. He is recognized by his associates and friends, such as Deepak Chopra and Sadguru, as playing a key role in the resurgence of Ayurveda, not just here in the West but back in his native India too.
Vasant Lad’s approach to Ayurvedic training synthesizes Western medical research with ancient Ayurvedic knowledge and insight. His gentle disposition, coupled with his academically inclined intellect and rigorous approach to training and practice means that every student who studies with Vasant Lad, comes away feeling as if they have spent time with a true master of the healing arts.






An ecosystem of wellness
Lending support wherever you are on your healing journey



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Learn more about Ayurveda


Start your application
Applications are due on August 10. But why wait? Apply now and start your journey


Have questions?
Sign up for a 15-minute chat with an Admissions Counselor to help answer any of your questions