Ayurveda for Women: A Guide to Vitality and Health [Paperback]

Dr. Robert E. Svoboda (Author)

Book Description

Release date: December 1, 2000

A time-tested system for achieving health and happiness while balancing the demands of the modern woman's lifestyle.

• A perfect handbook for any woman for whom quality of life is a central issue.

• By one of the leading advocates of Ayurveda in the United States and the author of Ayurveda: Life, Health and Longevity.

• Provides practical advice on exercise, sleep, diet, beauty care, meditation and massage, sex and relationships, childcare, and menopause.

In today's fast-paced world, Ayurveda provides a way for women to live their lives more simply, more naturally, and more contentedly. Women's roles in creating and sustaining balanced, healthy lives for themselves and their families have never been more crucial, and this compelling book will help them fulfill their goals despite the numerous demands placed upon them. Unlike many Western programs for health that treat all individuals the same, the 5,000-year-old science of Ayurveda identifies different physiological and psychological makeups and explains the lifestyle, diet, and environment most conducive to well-being for each.

Ayurveda, India's "science of life," is particularly ideal for healing and empowering the female body, mind, and spirit. Ayurveda for Women explores in detail the landmark changes associated with the three stages of life--childhood, adulthood, and old age--and provides practical advice on exercise, sleep, diet, beauty care, meditation and massage, sex and relationships, childcare, menopause, and other issues central to women's lives today. Simple to enact and profound in effect, Ayurveda could be the answer many women are seeking.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Dr. Svoboda's clear writing style allows easy access for the most uninitiated reader. . . . a terrific read." (Katie MacGregor, Magical Blend, Summer 2001)

"Ayurveda as outlined here could be the answer many women are seeking." (Branches of Light, Spring into Summer 2001)

"Svoboda is uniquely able to detail health issues central to female lives." (PJ Birosik, Nexus, January/February 2002)

"Ayurveda for Women provides all the information contemporary women need to achieve awareness, and does so in an easy to understand manner. It's essential reading for any woman interested in keeping herself and her family healthy and happy." (Sandra I. Smith, The Midwest Book Review)

"Ayurveda for Women provides a way for women to live their lives more simply, more naturally and more contentedly." (Share Guide, Jan/Feb 2002)

"This is a practical guide on creating and sustaining a balanced, healthy life by following Ayurvedic principles, including meditation and massage." (The American Herb Association, Vol. 20:2)

About the Author

The first Westerner ever to graduate from a college of Ayurveda and be licensed to practice in India, Dr. Robert Svoboda is the leading advocate of Ayurveda in the United States. He teaches at the Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico, lectures around the world, and is the founder of Sushakti, a company providing traditional Ayurvedic products. His many books include the bestseller Ayurveda: Life, Health and Longevity.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Healing Arts Press; Original edition (December 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0892819391
• ISBN-13: 978-0892819393
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.5 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #325,783 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #92 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Alternative Medicine > Ayurveda

More About the Author

Robert E. Svoboda is the first Westerner ever to graduate from a college of Ayurveda (in 1980) and be licensed to practice Ayurveda in India. During and after his formal Ayurvedic training, his mentor, the Aghori Vimalananda, tutored him in Ayurveda, Yoga, Jyotish, Tantra and other forms of classical Indian lore. After moving to India in 1973, he lived there for more than a decade. Since 1985 he has traveled the world lecturing, consulting, teaching and writing. The author of more than a dozen books and audio works, he has served as Adjunct Faculty at the Ayurvedic Institute, Albuquerque, NM, and Bastyr University, Kenmore, WA. To read more about Dr. Svoboda and his travels, visit his website www.drsvoboda.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 36 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Ayurveda for Women: A Guide to Vitality and Health February 9, 2003

By Cassandra Barnes

Format:Paperback

Ayurveda is one of the oldest known systems of healing. It emphasizes the quality of life and all that can affect it. Dr. Robert Svoboda focuses on the health and happiness of women in Ayurveda for Women: A Guide to Vitality and Health, his latest book.

Dr. Svoboda is the first Westerner to graduate from a college of Ayurveda and be licensed to practice in India. He currently writes, teaches, and lectures internationally.

According to Ayurvedic principles, "every substance that we encounter and every action that we perform or that is performed on us influences our inner balance for good or ill." Dr. Svoboda adds that "Ayurveda aims to train individuals to evade disease, rather than insisting that they wait for illnesses to develop before they can be treated."

He describes three stages in women's lives-youth, adulthood, and old age-and provides complete information on the role of Ayurvedic practices in each stage. Essential to good health at any stage of life is "flow," that is, the ability of "substances and energies [to] continually and adroitly find their ways into and out of living organisms." In humans, this includes processes like digestion and menstruation. Blockages in any of the fourteen primary flows lead to problems.

Ayurveda is based on three "forces" which are called doshas. Dr. Svoboda describes the characteristics of each dosha, and provides a simple quiz that allows women to determine which dosha predominates in their life. He explains the strengths and weaknesses of each dosha, and how to incorporate those into daily life.

A balanced life includes exercise, sleep, diet, meditation, and good relationships. Ayurveda principles include becoming aware of the role of each of these, and practicing body-mind-spirit healing. Dr. Svoboda says that "the better you can awaken your awareness, the better you will flow through life, and the more health will accrue to you." Ayurveda for Woman provides all the information contemporary women need to achieve awareness, and does so in an easy to understand manner. It's essential reading for any woman interested in keeping herself and her family healthy and happy.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Valuable Information January 19, 2012

By Chandra

Format:Paperback

Ayurveda for Women is an eye opener. There is a lot of great information in this book. I read some of the other comments about it and I can see where the perception comes from. There is a certain quality of speaking "at" vice speaking "to", especially since the author was not born in the body of the women he seems to be so knowledgeable about. Many years of education about a subject don't really touch the reality of being that subject even for a minute.

Ironically, I was sitting outside earlier today thinking about writing reviews when one book in particular on pranayama came to mind. I tried hard to find nice things to say about the book as some of the relevant content most likely went undiscovered because I never gave the book a chance since I was so turned off by the tone of the author... What caused the wall to be put up? Was it my own emotionally mental disruption or the condescending tone and use of language? While reading the book I tried to give the benefit of doubt and talk myself away from the disruptive tone and just see the words as guideposts, but was given a reality check when listening to the accompanying practice CD. Listening to the author speak out loud and make unnecessary comments was definitely undeniable. Whatever the case, I've decided to give the book another go before commenting on it.

This book discusses the doshas and how they relate in a woman's life during childhood (Kapha Age), womanhood (Pitta Age) and wise woman (Vata Age). Nature and elements that make up the cycle of life make an appearance as well. I found useful the information on food as medicine, food guidelines for basic constitutional types, and herbal remedies.

36 of 57 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars informative yet condescending August 30, 2002

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

As a woman interested in the art and science of Ayurveda I was of course drawn to this book. It is a very informative and helpful book but the tone of Svoboda's writing is very condescending. In the beginning the author appears to have great respect for women and the fact that they are the givers of life. But in every other paragraph to follow the doctor seems to make a point to talk down to the reader. It's hilarious actually. I wish I had the book in front of me to quote from. He even goes so far as to instruct mothers in how to raise their children. I don't know if this doctor is even a parent. He makes no mention of his own experience in this area. The amount of effort and energy that goes into creating and then raising up human beings is enormous and deserves respect and appreciation, which Svoboda for some reason is unable to offer to his readers. This book does little to truly support women of any age group now that I really think about it. Women need compassion, not simply facts and a "talking to" about how they should be doing better. So for all those who wish to read this book, you will find clearly presented valuable information about how Ayurveda relates to womenkind. But getting past Dr. Svoboda's holier-than-though tone is like scraping a heavy layer of ama off the tongue.