Exploring The Mind-Body Connection: Sattvavajaya As A Philosophical Approach To Wellness

There are three primary modes of healing that Ayurveda proposes: Daiya-Vyapashraya, Yukti Vyapashraya and Sattvavajaya Chikitsa. This paper focuses mainly on Sattvavajaya which Charakacharya defines as “ahitebhyo arthebhyo manonigraha” Ahitebhyo refers to harmful, unwholesome and unhealthy elements. This model proposes the concept of Arthmanonigrah, where Arth means object of all senses and Manonigrah denotes the mastery or control of the mind. Thus, Sattvavjaya aims to restrain the mind from desires of unhealthy objects or actions. Considering mental health issues growing exponentially, there is a growing interest in combining traditional wisdom with modern psychological practices. Through a qualitative analysis of existing literature, this paper discusses the crucial role of Sattvavajaya in enhancing contemporary mental health interventions. This approach emphasizes a shift from pharmacological-based interventions to a deeper understanding of the mind-body connection. The Integration of ayurvedic practices into contemporary psychological practices can help bring healers and therapists together to formulate a model that holistically focuses on establishing a mind-body connection.