Exploring the Self with Ayurveda and Sankhya Philosophy

Dr. Nibodhi

Ayurvedic Practitioner | Board-Certified Traditional Naturopath

30+ years in holistic wellness. Read full bio →

The search for Self through ancient wisdom

Understanding who you really are isn't always a straightforward process. There are layers to peel back, identities to question, and beliefs to reexamine. As we begin to explore the self through the lens of Ayurveda and Sankhya philosophy, we uncover a profound map of consciousness, creation, and healing. It doesn't just help us live better; it helps us remember who we truly are.

Ayurveda is often seen as a health system, but that's just one dimension. It's truly a philosophy of consciousness, rooted deeply in the ancient Sankhya philosophy. And at its heart, Sankhya is about uncovering the truth. It lays out 24 cosmic principles that detail how the unmanifest becomes manifest, how pure consciousness becomes matter, and how the self gets entangled in the experience of the world.

This isn’t just theoretical. It’s a living framework that helps you make sense of daily life, from going to work and paying the bills to feeding the cat, all while staying rooted in something eternal.

From Pure Consciousness to Creation

Sankhya begins with the unmanifest, the Avyakta. Within that stillness exists Purusha, which is pure consciousness, eternal, unchanging, and without form. It does not create or destroy; it simply witnesses. From that witnessing comes Prakriti, which is all of nature, all of matter, and the vast creative potential of the universe.

This moment of creation isn't unlike the Big Bang. It's an explosion of potential, giving rise to everything we see, feel, think, and experience. Prakriti is dynamic. It’s governed by three fundamental qualities or gunas:

• Sattva – Balance, harmony, clarity. Sattva is the quality that elevates the mind and opens the heart. It supports clarity of perception, purity of intention, and a deep sense of inner peace. When sattva is dominant, we experience joy, compassion, and a natural inclination toward truth and spiritual insight.
• Rajas – Activity, passion, movement. Rajas is the force that propels us forward. It's the engine of desire, ambition, and action. While it's necessary for creation and progress, too much rajas can lead to restlessness, anxiety, and a never-ending chase for satisfaction. Balance is key.
• Tamas – Inertia, darkness, rest. Tamas provides the grounding and stability needed for rest and regeneration. It's what allows us to sleep, to pause, and to restore. However, when tamas is excessive, it clouds the mind, fosters ignorance, and leads to lethargy and stagnation.

These gunas are not good or bad; they are essential forces of nature. Everything we do, every thought and feeling, is composed of these three qualities in varying proportions. Disease, from an Ayurvedic perspective, is nothing but a forgetting of our true nature and an over-identification with these shifting qualities.

When we understand that, healing becomes more than just getting better. It becomes remembering who we are beyond the physical and mental fluctuations.

The Cosmic Mind and its individual echo

The first emergence from Prakriti is Mahat or cosmic intelligence. This is the organizing principle behind the cosmos. It’s what allows the stars to rotate and cells to divide. In the human body, Mahat is reflected as cellular intelligence, the innate wisdom that governs digestion, healing, growth.

From Mahat arises Buddhi, our intellect. This is our ability to discern, to choose wisely, to act in alignment with higher truth. When Buddhi is clear, we know what actions support peace, growth, and balance. But when it’s clouded, we fall into confusion, poor decisions, and suffering.

Then comes Chitta, the mental field which includes our thoughts, memories, desires, and emotions. It’s the foundation of the ego, the place where patterns are stored and repeated. Think of it like a computer’s operating system. It’s shaped by everything we input, consciously or not. This is why Ayurvedic and yogic wisdom both emphasize mindful living.

Ego as a tool, not the truth

Eventually, this complex dance gives rise to Ahamkara, the sense of "I." Ego is not the enemy. It allows us to operate in the world, to differentiate between self and other. It lets you say, "I need to eat," or "I need to rest." But when overactive or unbalanced, ego breeds pride, attachment, competition, and ultimately, suffering.

A healthy ego doesn’t cling to identity. It doesn’t need to be special. It becomes a servant of truth rather than the master of illusion.

As Ram Dass once said:

We go through "somebody training" so we can eventually do "nobody training."

Rebalancing through conscious living

This entire framework of mind, including Mahat, Buddhi, Chitta, and Ahamkara, is what allows each of us to operate as individuals. And yet, every level of it can be brought back into balance through conscious practice. Ayurveda offers tools that work with body, mind, and spirit:

• Herbs – Brahmi, Ashwagandha, Lion's Mane, and others that support neuro-rejuvenation
• Diet – Sattvic foods: fresh, seasonal, local, and clean
• Lifestyle – Dinacharya, daily rhythms like oil massage, tongue scraping, and consistent sleep
• Practices – Meditation, pranayama, and especially self-inquiry: asking, Who am I?

These aren’t abstract. They’re tools for remembering. When the ego is in check and the mind is balanced, we respond to life’s challenges with grace rather than reactivity.

Why this model matters for daily life

Understanding the self through Sankhya and Ayurveda transforms the way we relate to our thoughts, our body, our relationships, and even our challenges. When you know that suffering often comes from misidentifying with what is temporary, you stop clinging so tightly to your roles, your moods, your achievements.

You begin to observe rather than react. You soften. You forgive. You breathe.

We can still enjoy life, even revel in it. But now we do so with an inner spaciousness that doesn’t depend on outcomes. We can move through both beauty and pain with the same quiet awareness. We remember that we are not the emotion, not the opinion, not even the body. We are the witness to it all.

And in that remembering, healing begins.

Practical steps to reconnect with the Self

There are a few core practices that truly support this journey. They help you apply the teachings in small, meaningful ways:

• Self-inquiry – Regularly ask, Who am I beyond this body, beyond this thought, beyond this feeling?
• Breath awareness – Use the breath to return to presence. Inhale deeply, hold the question, exhale and relax into the mystery.
• Daily routine – Align your lifestyle with nature: rise with the sun, eat with mindfulness, sleep with the moon.
• Mindful consumption – Choose media, food, and conversations that uplift rather than agitate.

These practices slowly peel away the layers. And over time, what remains is peace, clarity, and a deep, unshakeable resilience.

The journey Is the answer

This isn't about quick fixes or spiritual bypassing. It's about becoming intimate with your own mind, your patterns, your fears, your light. It's about loving even the parts of you that are hard to love. It’s about choosing presence over perfection.

We all came from the same source. And one day, we return to that same stillness. In between, we get to walk this human life with awareness. We get to learn, to love, to stumble, to remember.

And in that remembering, we awaken to who we truly are.

Prefer to listen instead?

This blog post is a written version of the podcast episode, Understanding the Self Through Ayurveda and Sankhya Philosophy (Part 1). It covers the key insights for easy reading. If you want the full audio experience with personal stories and the energy of the conversation, listen to the full episode.

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