Our Idea of Health 

Here at The Hermitage we understand health to be the outward expression of the vitality arising from the bio-intelligence contained within all living cells. At the heart of this vitality lies what is called in Sanskrit prana, the cosmic life force.

Prana expresses itself through the rhythms of nature. As human beings participating within this universe, we are constantly influenced by these rhythms, yet are usually unaware of their subtle force. Our planet owes its light, life and intelligence to the unfailing generosity of the sun, while the phases of the moon that move the ocean tides also effect growth and change in earth’s creatures. Similarly, the Circadian rhythms that regulate living things respond subtly to variations in light and darkness throughout the 24 hour cycle, while on a larger scale, seasonal changes unfold throughout the year that effect our mood and lifestyle. One of our most important personal bio-rhythms is sleep; by regularly resting the mind and body it brings many benign effects that are essential for health. Meditation is another type of nature’s restorative rest.

We can say that these rhythms, orchestrated by prana, are the ordering principles of creation: creating, maintaining and transforming existence. They nourish and uphold all life on earth, directly influencing both the microcosmic individual physiology and the cosmos at large. Underlying all these rhythms is a unified field of cosmic intelligence, a ground state now posited by modern quantum physics as the silent yet dynamic substratum of reality. From this unmanifest level of life, which the ancient Indian texts call brahman ‘the Totality’, all manifest life evolves, expressing itself through a dynamic and evolutionary sequence of constant change.  

As this innate intelligence animates every cell of our body, it is only when we move away from its benign influence that dis-ease starts to manifest. If, on the other hand, we reconnect to this core of being within, then healing can take place at the deepest level. By coming to rest, the mind and body are reconnected to their source and the potential for increased healing and potency are naturally enlivened.  So good health is always there just under the surface, we only need to find an easy, natural and pleasant way to access it.

Here at The Hermitage we offer the triple praxis of Ayurveda, yoga and meditation as that way. Good health is not just absence of disease, it is a settled state of Wholeness.