Over 35 Years of History
The Ayurvedic Institute was founded in the high desert country of New Mexico in 1984 by Vasant Lad, BAM&S, MASc as a non-profit training health coaches and practitioners – the first Ayurvedic school of its kind in the United States. The Institute moved to Asheville, North Carolina, in the summer 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 across the globe and from many professions and backgrounds. Students repeatedly express how transformational their time at the institute is – highlighting the authenticity and depth of our offerings and the care and expertise of our faculty led by world-renowned Ayurvedic physician, teacher, and author, 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.
Admissions
We are currently accepting applications for our full-time Ayurvedic Studies Program, with the first semester beginning in the Autumn/Fall of 2023.
Applications are due August 10, 2023
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 truly a holistic approach to wellness and as a lifestyle medicine it works! There’s a reason it has survived for 5,000 across generations, and we’re part of this generation’s movement to translate this ancient science into today’s living and pass on this knowledge to 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.
Founded by World-renowned Ayurvedic Physician, Author, Teacher, and Visionary
Study under Vasant Lad (BAM&S MASc), Director of the Ayurvedic Institute
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 Ayurvedic healing 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.
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