SVASTHA
"Established in One’s Own Self"
Vedic Wisdom for Self-Care in a Broken Healthcare System
“Svasthasya svasthya rakshanam, aturasya vikara prashamanam.”
— Charaka Samhita
“The purpose of Ayurveda is to maintain the health of the healthy and to cure the disease of the diseased.”
The Modern Dis-ease: A Vedic Diagnosis
“When the natural order (Rta) is disturbed, when Dharma is abandoned, when the collective Prana is depleted — disease manifests not only in the body, but in the body politic itself.”
The Numbers Speak: Vata Derangement of a Nation
THE MODERN REALITYTHE VEDIC UNDERSTANDING85 million Americans UNDERINSUREDRasa Dhatu (plasma of society) is depleted — the nourishment does not reach the peopleNot enough doctors, nurses, psychologistsThe healers (Vaidyas) cannot reach those who suffer — Vyana Vayu (circulation) is blocked60% living paycheck to paycheckChronic Vata imbalance — fear, anxiety, insecurity. No Ojas (vital reserve) to draw uponMillions of children and elderly in povertyThe beginning (Kapha) and end (Vata) of life are abandoned — violating DharmaIncome and wealth inequalityExcessive Kapha in the few, depleted Rasa in the many — the body politic is diseasedMillions of jobs will disappear overnightKala (Time) has no mercy — only the SVASTHA will survive the transformation
Sutra 1: The Healthcare System is Broken Because It Was Never Whole
“Arogya” means “without disease.”
“Svastha” means “established in one’s own Self.”
Modern medicine seeks Arogya. Ayurveda seeks Svastha.
SICK-CARE (Modern)SVASTHA (Vedic Self-Care)Wait until sick, then treatMaintain health daily through DinacharyaDependent on external authorityEstablished in one’s own Self-knowledgeBody as machine to be fixedBody as temple of consciousnessOne-size-fits-all protocolsIndividualized by Prakriti (constitution)Profit-driven industryDharma-driven service (Seva)Access for insured/wealthy onlyKnowledge belongs to all who seek it
Sutra 2: Self-Care is the Birthright of Every Being
“Vidya” (knowledge) cannot be taxed. “Prana” (life force) cannot be insured. “Ojas” (immunity) cannot be purchased.
These are the birthrights of every being, accessible through Self-knowledge alone.
What no system can take from you:
Your knowledge of your own constitution (Prakriti)
Your understanding of food as medicine
Your breath (Pranayama) — free and always available
Your daily routine (Dinacharya) — costs nothing
Your ability to read your body’s signals
Your power to choose what nourishes vs. what depletes
Sutra 3: The Disconnect Between Rulers and People is a Sign of Yuga Decline
“When the powerful make decisions without hearing the voice of the people…
this is the signature of Kali Yuga — the age of disconnection.”
Symptoms of Kali Yuga:
Leaders disconnected from the people
Wealth hoarded at the top (violation of Aparigraha)
Abandonment of elders and children (violation of Dharma)
Fear and anxiety dominant in the collective (Vata derangement)
Technology outpacing wisdom
Sutra 4: Kala (Time) Has No Mercy — Only Preparation Survives
“Kālah pacati bhūtāni” — Time cooks all beings.
“Kālo’smi lokakṣayakṛt” — “I am Time, the destroyer of worlds.”
THOSE WHO WILL STRUGGLETHOSE WHO WILL THRIVEDependent on external systemsEstablished in Self-knowledge (Svastha)Living in fear of what they might loseLiving from what cannot be takenWaiting for others to fix the systemBecoming the change (Gandhi’s principle)Resisting transformationMoving with Kala (Time)
Sutra 5: The Answer Lies in Returning to Rta (Natural Order)
“Rta” is the natural law. Health comes when we live in alignment with it.
Violations of Rta in Modern Society:
Eating without regard to constitution, season, or need
Sleeping against natural rhythms (violating Dinacharya)
Accumulating beyond need (violating Aparigraha)
Disconnecting from nature, community, and Self
Treating symptoms while ignoring root causes
Returning to Rta:
Know your Prakriti — eat, sleep, and live accordingly
Follow Dinacharya — rise with the sun, sleep with the moon
Practice Aparigraha — keep only what you need
Reconnect with nature, community, and Self
Address root causes (Nidana) — not just symptoms
The Call: Become SVASTHA — Established in Your Self
“You cannot wait for the system to heal itself.
You must become SVASTHA — and help others do the same.”
Self-care is healthcare for ALL
Self-knowledge is wealth that cannot be taxed
Self-establishment (Svastha) is freedom that cannot be taken
The Seven Pillars of SVASTHA
Self-Care for the Underinsured, the Overworked, and the Forgotten
PILLARVEDIC PRINCIPLEPRACTICAL APPLICATION1PRAKRITIKnow your Vata/Pitta/Kapha nature. Eat, sleep, and live accordingly. Costs nothing.2DINACHARYARise early, eliminate waste, scrape tongue, oil body, move, breathe. Free and powerful.3AHARAEat according to dosha, season, and agni. Kitchen pharmacy over the real one.4PRANAYAMAYour breath is always with you. Calms Vata, cools Pitta, energizes Kapha.5NIDRASleep is when Ojas rebuilds. No insurance required. Just discipline.6SATTVAMind-food matters. What you consume mentally affects your clarity. Choose wisely.7SANGHAWe heal together. Share knowledge. Support each other. Grassroots response.
Callout: Vedic Healing for Modern Times
🌿 Begin Your Journey to SVASTHA
Dr. Helen Thomas, D.C. — Healing Airwaves
Phone: +1 (707) 527-7313
Phone: +1 (707) 484-9018
Thomas-Cuneo Ayurveda Healing Arts
✨ Self-Care is Healthcare for ALL ✨
Final Call to Action
Pause and reflect:
Are you established in your Self — or waiting for others to restore your health?
Choose one pillar to integrate this week.
Begin where you are. Return to Rta. Reclaim your SVASTHA
