Heal the Root, Not the Symptom.

Ayurveda is the branch of the Vedas that studies everything related to the balance of the human body and is known as the science of life.

A very interesting aspect of Ayurveda is that when a person presents with an illness—such as the flu—the focus is not solely on treating the flu itself, but on understanding why it is manifesting. Practitioners seek the root of the underlying imbalance and work from that point.

That is why two people with the same symptoms may receive completely different treatments. The aim is to heal the imbalance at its source, rather than merely addressing the symptom through which it is expressing itself.

The same applies to our meditation practice.

The stress and emotions we accumulate over time create imbalances in our nervous system that can manifest differently in each person. Sometimes, these imbalances show up as specific behaviors. For example, we might feel intense anxiety, triggering an urge to smoke a cigarette or vape. We might feel deep sadness and seek relief by drinking alcohol or overeating.

As a meditation teacher, I would never tell a meditator that they have to quit smoking or drinking. That is because if we simply eliminate the symptom without addressing the root cause, the imbalance might end up manifesting in another way that is also detrimental to us.

As a meditation teacher, I would never tell a meditator that they have to stop smoking or drinking. Because if we simply eliminate the symptom without addressing the root cause, that imbalance might end up manifesting in another way that is also not good for us.

The problem isn't just smoking, drinking, overeating, or any other way stress might manifest in our lives. The problem is that there is stress, pain, trauma, or an emotion that needs to be addressed and healed—something crying out for help through that behavior.

Therefore, the goal is not to eliminate the symptom or the behavior, but to heal the root cause behind it.

And that is precisely what we do through our meditation practice. The states of deep rest achieved during meditation allow trapped emotions, stress, and trauma to dissolve. When we eliminate stress at its source, the symptoms that stemmed from that imbalance also begin to fade away.

That is when certain habits—ones that might be negative or detrimental to our health—begin to fall away on their own. Many meditators report smoking less or quitting altogether, drinking less alcohol, eating more healthily, or enjoying better relationships—not because they forced themselves to change, but as a natural consequence of the process unfolding through their practice.

We do not necessarily have to strive to cultivate good habits. As we eliminate stress and become more in tune with our bodies, our habits naturally begin to reflect a state of greater balance.

This does not mean that, simply because we meditate, we shouldn't have a glass of wine or smoke. As meditators and human beings, we have the absolute freedom to do whatever we wish.

What is worth exploring is the reason why we are doing something.

Having a glass of wine because I am deeply anxious and need to escape what I am feeling is completely different from having a glass because I am happy, enjoy the taste, and want to share the moment with someone over dinner.

The point is not to judge our habits as “good” or “bad,” but rather to understand what lies behind them and, if necessary, heal the imbalance driving them.

If we are in a state of balance, fulfillment, and happiness, our habits and our way of life will naturally reflect that.

With all my love and Jai Guru Deva,

Isa