Exploring mental health with the ancient teachings of Ayurveda

Dr. Nibodhi

Ayurvedic Practitioner | Board-Certified Traditional Naturopath

30+ years in holistic wellness. Read full bio →

Exploring the Ayurvedic path to mental balance

When we begin to explore mental health through the wisdom of Ayurveda, we shift the focus beyond labels, diagnoses, or symptoms to one that centers on connection. It's about listening to the body, to the mind, and to the soul on the deepest levels. This article explores how Ayurveda understands mental health, how it diagnoses imbalances, and how it helps us return to ourselves through practical, spiritual, and profoundly intuitive means.

This is a journey of remembering and rediscovering the sacred intelligence within. If you're seeking a path to balance, clarity, and a deeper understanding of who you are, Ayurveda offers a complete way of life that supports your wholeness in every step.

Seeing the whole you through holistic diagnosis

Ayurvedic diagnostics for mental health are as layered and multidimensional as we are. It requires more than a quick consultation and prescription. It unfolds with patience and care. Practitioners spend time, sometimes hours or even days, simply being with the client, observing, listening, and asking. The focus is on recognizing disconnection, imbalance, and the invitation to heal rather than assigning labels to disease.

At the foundation of this process are three sacred methods:

1. Darshana (Observation) – Practitioners look beyond the surface, observing facial expressions, micro-movements, eye contact, skin tone, gestures, and overall vitality. The eyes, especially, are key—they're seen as windows to the soul. What the practitioner sees is as important as what is said.
2. Sparshana (Touch) – Through palpation and, when trained, pulse diagnosis, touch becomes a direct connection to the doshas, the ojas (vital essence), and the subtle emotional layers. The pulse, in skilled hands, reveals grief, anxiety, trauma, even if these have never been spoken aloud.
3. Prashna (Inquiry) – This process involves sacred questions that open up someone's life story: their dreams, their pain, their purpose, their childhood, their relationships, their beliefs. This dialogue is a mirror into the soul.

The subtle signs speak volumes

Ayurveda teaches that the body is constantly communicating. The tongue may show us where grief is held. The nails reveal our ability to absorb not just nutrients but life itself. The eyes carry the imprints of joy, sadness, trauma. Jyotish or Vedic astrology, offers karmic insight that many find astonishingly accurate in revealing patterns of suffering and potential healing.

When these tools are combined, they offer a deeper understanding of the soul's state alongside physical symptoms. They help reveal what is happening, why it is happening, and what paths may lead us back into alignment with our authentic self.

Training the mind toward freedom with sattva vijaya

Mental health, in Ayurveda, emphasizes restoring our inherent wholeness. The approach is known as Sattva Vijaya, which refers to cultivating a pure and clear state of mind. It involves guiding the mind into liberation through awareness and intentional practice.

There are five classical methods to build sattva:

1. Jnana (Wisdom) – Through study and self-inquiry, we ask: Am I my thoughts? Am I this body? Who am I beneath it all?
2. Viveka (Discrimination) – The practice of discernment helps us shift from ego to soul, illusion to clarity.
3. Dhairya (Courage & Patience) – Discipline is an act of devotion that helps us stay present with ourselves, even when discomfort arises.
4. Smriti (Remembrance) – We remember our nature. Our clarity. Our moments of truth. And we hold onto that.
5. Samadhi (Absorption) – The fruit of all practice. A merging with what we are meditating upon. A taste of the silent self.

These principles are grounded in daily practices that shape our thoughts, our reactions, and our presence.

Transformative tools for mantra, breath, and meditation

Mantras differ from affirmations. They function as vibrational medicines, tuned to universal frequencies. Chanting "Om" or "So Hum" aligns body, breath, and awareness. The repetition becomes a pathway that rewires the nervous system, clears the clutter, and grounds the soul.

Pranayama, or breathwork, is equally powerful. When the breath is erratic, so is the mind. When we breathe with intention, we begin to metabolize emotions, regulate energy, and create inner space. Different techniques support different constitutions and mental states:

• Nadi Shodhana – balances both brain hemispheres
• Bhramari – calms the nerves
• Sheetali – cools Pitta emotions like anger
• Kapalabhati – energizes and clears stagnation

And then, there's meditation. It supports remembering and returning to awareness. A way of witnessing all things and resting again and again in the silent space that holds everything.

Gut, fire, and the mind

Ayurveda makes it clear: you cannot separate the gut from the mind. The digestive fire, Agni, is not just in your belly. It's in your brain, your heart, your capacity to process life. When it's weak, we accumulate Ama, which includes undigested emotion, experience, and food. This leads to brain fog, confusion, and mood swings.

Treatment often begins with the gut. Eating with presence. Chewing slowly. Eating in rhythm with the sun. Avoiding distractions. Cooking with love. These dietary practices serve as spiritual rituals that nurture both body and soul.

Certain herbs support this process too:

• Brahmi – Enhances memory and reduces anxiety
• Ashwagandha – Builds resilience and calms the system
• Jatamansi – Grounds and soothes trauma
• Tulsi – Elevates mood and purifies energy

And when needed, gentle cleansing practices like fasting, mono diets, or Panchakarma can help clear the ama and rekindle the inner light.

Daily rhythm, sacred living

Healing happens in rhythm. Ayurveda's Dinacharya and Ritucharya offer us the blueprint:

• Wake with the sun – Start the day in sattva
• Tongue scrape and oil pull – Clear toxins and stimulate digestion
• Self-massage – Ground your nervous system with loving touch
• Move your body – Walk, stretch, dance, yoga, or go to the gym
• Eat meals at the same time – Create predictability and regularity
• Sleep by 10pm – Support detox and deep rest

These are simple, steady practices that support devotion and foster daily connection with the self.

The spiritual root of healing through returning to the self

Ultimately, Ayurveda views mental illness through the lens of disconnection from self. The approach centers on remembering, re-inhabiting the body, and aligning with our dharma, our soul’s unique purpose.

Whether through Vedic astrology, mantra, mindfulness, or simply walking barefoot on the Earth, this system complements modern scientific approaches. It encourages remembering our essence and honoring the fullness of our being.

Healing unfolds through rhythm, clarity, devotion, and spiritual connection. The Ayurvedic path offers a sacred approach to mental well-being rooted in timeless wisdom and everyday practices. By living in alignment with this wisdom, we nurture balance, resilience, and purpose through every step we take and every breath we breathe.

What I use and love

Want to know what I recommend for a healthier, happier life? Every product on Nibodhi’s Favorites is something I personally use, trust, and love. Take a look at my go-to wellness picks.