Use Herbs in Ayurveda
Dravyaguna: Therapeutic Wisdom of Ayurvedic Plants
Learning Outcomes
After this course, you’ll be able to think more critically and creatively as an Ayurvedic herbalist. You’ll know how to assess complex cases and formulate targeted herbal protocols that go beyond textbook recommendations. With a deeper understanding of how herbs affect agni, āma, and doṣic imbalances, you’ll be better equipped to work with both chronic and acute conditions. You’ll also gain experience in advanced preparation techniques, customizing formulas, and applying Ayurvedic herbs safely and ethically in a clinical setting.
Curriculum
Build a strong foundation in advanced Ayurvedic herbal medicine, including key concepts and therapeutic strategies.
Learn diagnostic and treatment frameworks that guide effective herbal prescribing in clinical settings.
Explore how to formulate herbal blends that bring balance to each doṣa, based on individual constitution and current imbalance.
Understand the influence of herbs on āgni (digestive fire) and āma (toxins), and how to work with them to support metabolic health.
Study advanced herbal preparation methods, including techniques for tailoring potency and delivery.
Gain confidence working with herbs for specific pathologies, from chronic conditions to acute flare-ups.
Learn how to customize herbal protocols for complex cases, integrating both traditional wisdom and modern context.
Explore the ethical considerations and safety guidelines for using Ayurvedic herbs responsibly in practice.
Competencies
Demonstrated ability and knowledge to safely recommend predesigned herbal medicines, minerals and other natural substances for internal or external use with consideration of the dose (mātra), vehicle (anupāna) and timing (auśadha kāla) for the purpose of balancing agni (digestive fire), eliminating āma (undigested material) while supporting the malas (waste) and protecting and building ojas (essence of life), and treating disease.
Demonstrated ability and knowledge to administer, combine, provide, compound, and dispense herbal medicines, minerals, or other natural substances. Herbs may be used for internal or external use for the purpose of balancing agni (digestive fire) and eliminating āma (undigested material) while supporting the malas (waste) and protecting and building ojas (essence of life), as well as for treating specific diseases affecting any dhātu (tissues), upadhātu (by products of nutrition), malas (waste) or srotas (pathways) in any stage of the disease pathology.
Demonstrated ability and knowledge to make the following recommendations and provide the following treatments and interventions:
- Appropriate herbs to balance agni (digestive fire), eliminate āma (undigested material) and support the malas (waste)while protecting and building ojas (essence of life).
- Pre-designed herbal formulas or create custom herbal formulations that include the use of herbs, minerals or other natural substances for internal or external use with
consideration of dose (mātra), vehicle (anupāna) and timing (auśadha kāla). - Prescribe herbal and related medicines for the purpose of treating disease.
Knowledge of:
- Herb classification and their energetics based on taste (rasa), potency (vīrya), post-digestive effect (vipāka), quality (guṇa) and unique action (prabhāva)
- The actions of herbs (karma). The counselor is informed of the major actions of an herb. When Western terminology matches the Saṁskṛta t terminology, the Western terms should be known. When a unique action is described in Saṁskṛta that has no simple translation into English, then the Saṁskṛta terminology for that action should be known
- The effect an herb has on the agni (digestive fire), āma (undigested material), doṣas, and malas (waste)
- How to prepare powdered mixtures (cūrṇa)
- Appropriate dosage (mātra) based on age, strength, doṣas, agni (digestive fire) and pattern of elimination ( koṣṭha)
- The indications for using herbs and contraindications to assure safe use
- Herbs based on storage, processing, purity and government regulations
- The use of appropriate herb and herbal related medicines for the management of
specific disease conditions. - The effect an herb has on dhātu (tissues) and srota (pathways)
- Different anupānas (adjuvants) to target different doṣas and dhātus (tissues)
Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa
Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa, Yogaraj (Ayurveda), A.D., D.N.-C, R.H., has over 50 years of experience in holistic medicine, and is one of the foremost natural healing experts in North America. Khalsa is President Emeritus of the American Herbalists Guild, director emeritus of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association, and is a respected teacher, writer and lecturer.
Khalsa is a state certified dietitian-nutritionist, a nationally registered herbalist, and a nationally certified massage therapist. He offers health consultations by phone with clients around the world.
As the author of over 3,000 published health articles, K.P. Khalsa has written or edited 30 books on a variety of health topics, including major works on massage, Ayurveda, Chinese medicine and physiology. His recent book, The Way of Ayurvedic Herbs, co-authored with Michael Tierra, brings Ayurveda to life in an understandable and practical way.
Khalsa is a professor at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, a founding faculty member in the Ayurvedic Sciences program at Bastyr University, and a faculty member in the Botanical Medicine Department at the National College of Natural Medicine, where he trains naturopathic medical students, and teaches Ayurveda.
For 30 years Khalsa served as Senior Research Scientist and Chief Medical Formulator for Yogi Tea, an Ayurvedic medicinal tea company. He also served at Peace natural products, and at Golden Temple, where he created an extensive line of Ayurvedic body care products, including the Soothing Touch Ayurvedic massage product line.
Today K.P. Khalsa’s approach to holistic healing is very eclectic. His work is focused on herbalism, the medical and therapeutic value of Yoga, Ayurvedic massage, meditation and other holistic therapies. He lives with his family in Eugene, Oregon.
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