Now that we have a better understanding of what ayurveda is — why is it suddenly everywhere? Aside from the novelty of the Sanskrit jargon, the trendy terminology is perhaps an empathic tug on the increasingly common thread of self-empowerment through self-healing.

Practically speaking, for many workers health insurance isn’t a dependable reality. As the nature of our economy changes, the nature of our working livelihoods changes also. So many jobs are part time or independently contracted. Preventative wellness is the cheapest and most effective solution to ensuring optimal physical integrity.

Second, the lid has officially been blown off the fact that health is a full-spectrum concept, with mental health and physical conditions inextricably intertwined. The proliferation of talk therapy opened the door for other forms of healing and recovery, many of which are based in the practice of getting back into the body, acknowledging the felt sense of our physicality, and processing the blockages therein through movement, breath, or hands-on treatments such as acupuncture or massage.

People are waking up to the fact that their bodies possess the wisdom to heal themselves.

Mindfulness is a fully embraced practice. We’re now prompted to pay attention to the patterns of our daily routines, and how those patterns ultimately leave us feeling: overwhelmed, exhausted, uncomfortable, or in a productive and capable state of gratitude and bliss.

Ayurveda is ultimately a complete and comprehensive science of how to live life as the optimal version of YOU, not someone else. While there’s a time and a place to seek a doctor’s treatment, you don’t need a medical degree to know what makes you feel well. Not “pleasured,” but well. Ayurveda is an easy to digest approach to staying in tune with the best you.