Ayurveda for Sale: How Commercialization is Misleading People
Ayurveda is a traditional system of medicine that originated in India and has gained popularity worldwide. However, the word Ayurveda has been diluted by excessive commercialization and profit-driven motives. As a result, many people have a distorted or incomplete understanding of Ayurveda and its true value.
Many products that claim to be Ayurvedic are actually misleading and irrelevant. They exploit the trust that people have in Ayurveda and sell them products that do not adhere to its core principles. For instance, hair oils are marketed as an ayurvedic solution for various types of hair loss. However, hair loss can have different causes and require different treatments. Some people may not even need oil, but other remedies. Applying oil without addressing the root cause of hair loss, such as anemia, is pointless. Moreover, different oils may suit different hair types and conditions. How can one oil be effective for all kinds of hair loss problems? This shows the dishonesty and deception involved in selling these products.
Ayurvedic treatments are often distorted and misused for commercial purposes. This is especially true for panchakarma treatments, which are five essential remedies in Ayurveda. These treatments should be customized according to the diagnosis, age, body type, and disease of each person. However, many practitioners offer the same type of treatment to everyone, without considering their individual needs and conditions. They also charge exorbitant fees for doing easy and convenient procedures. Many people think that Ayurvedic treatment is just an oil massage or spa massage, but this is a wrong and trivial interpretation. Oil massage is just one among many treatments in Ayurveda. By doing this, they ignore the significance, uses, and benefits of Ayurvedic panchakarma treatment.
A common misconception is that Ayurveda is linked to religion or faith. This is because Ayurveda is often presented and sold as part of a spiritual package that appeals to many people today. However, spirituality itself is often misunderstood and exploited for marketing purposes. Ayurveda is not a religious or theistic system, but a science of living. It is an ancient science that reflects the beliefs, religions, and practices of the time when it originated. But that does not mean that it should be followed in the same way in the present day.
Ayurveda contains many outdated and incorrect practices in some aspects. But we should not reject it as a whole, but rather update it and adapt it to the modern way of human development. Some people claim that Ayurveda is based on divine or religious principles, but this is not true. Ayurveda acknowledges the role of Charvaka, a teacher who advocated a materialistic philosophy that denied the existence of God. Many Ayurvedic texts and books start with honoring Charvaka as a guru who taught that materialism is the right path. This shows the inclusive nature of Ayurveda. Ayurveda also emphasizes the importance of logic or reasoning as a way to advance in accordance with the progress of human science as a science of living. Ayurveda rejects irrational faith, irrational religious codes, and everything irrational. That is why Ayurveda never becomes obsolete. Therefore, Ayurveda has no problem incorporating new techniques according to the advancement of science.
In this new age, there are many things that are being misinterpreted in Ayurveda. Similarly, Ayurveda, Yoga, and Spirituality are all being misinterpreted in many fields. Our goal is to shed light on these misinterpretations and help people understand the relevance and essence of Ayurveda today.