The Ayurvedic Institute

The Ayurvedic Institute was founded in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1984 by Vasant Lad, BAMS, MASc. Since 1986, the Institute was previously based in the high desert country of Albuquerque, New Mexico at the foot of the Sandia Mountains but moved to Asheville, North Carolina, in the fall of 2022 – to a new wellness campus in the heart of the the city.

At the Ayurvedic Institute, we teach traditional Ayurvedic Medicine and provide ancient Indian therapies to help heal and maintain the quality and longevity of life. As a science of self-healing, Ayurveda encompasses diet and nutrition, lifestyle, meditation, postures, breathing exercises and medical herbs along with cleansing and rejuvenation programs for healing body, mind, and spirit.

Our Education Programs draw students from around the world and from many professions and backgrounds. Students repeatedly express how transformational their time here is, highlighting the authenticity and depth of our offerings and the care and expertise of our faculty led by Vasant Lad, with his more than 40 years of experience. Whether students are here for a weekend or our two-year program, their experience is one of unfolding awareness and self-healing that supports them in their personal lives and professional practices.

Our Panchakarma Programs further the mission of the Institute by providing the traditional cleansing therapies of Ayurveda accompanied by diet and lifestyle recommendations and support for clients. The preparation period and methods in advance of panchakarma can provide a fulcrum point for personal transformation. By following post-panchakarma recommendations and adopting of lifestyle changes and practices, the client can embark upon a healthier and more balanced life.

Our store and online shopping provide Ayurvedic and Western herbs, audio and videotapes from our programs, books, incense, specialty foods, and a variety of Ayurvedic and other products.

Purpose

Vision

Mission

Purpose

Vision

Mission

Educational Philosophy

Ayurveda is a healing art and a science. Descending from Charaka, Sushruta, and Vagbhata, it is one of apprenticeship in which the student learns from the teacher, who shares knowledge and experiences to assist the student in developing a conceptual framework and fundamental working knowledge.

The Ayurvedic Institute reflects the teaching traditions of ancient India. This tradition gives emphasis to the oral transmission of knowledge by being present with the teacher. It is taught, as the Vedic tradition emphasizes, with practical examples and stories, keeping the integral aspects of the body, mind, and spiritual components intact. It requires soul searching, faith, and trust without proof or guarantee. In its traditional form, the student is expected to trust the teacher to present the subjects in the manner the teacher feels are appropriate. For each of us to develop as practitioners, experiencing this tradition and all its components helps to expand our inner awareness.

Goals

The integration of Ayurveda with modern medicine, yoga, Jyotish (Vedic astrology), other healing disciplines, and the individual Self to bring about total health, awareness, and harmony.

It is the dream of Vasant Lad and the goal of the Ayurvedic Institute to be able to offer a complete program of Ayurvedic study. This program would be similar in content to that taught in the traditional Ayurvedic colleges in India.

Vasant Lad is the visionary behind AyurPrana: it serves his and the Ayurvedic Institute’s vision of spreading Ayurveda across the globe. AyurPrana is an expansion of Vasant Lad’s mission, and the Ayurvedic Institute and AyurPrana work together to provide access to the teachings and benefits of Ayurveda to everyone–whether internationally, locally, or online.