AYURVEDIC MASTER
At age 10,
Vasant Lad was initiated into Ayurveda when his father's guru told him he would grow up to become a great Ayurvedic student and teacher, that he'd spend his time traveling, teaching, writing books, spreading healing across the globe.
He was completely surprised, and said, "I don't even know English!" His guru responded, “You don’t have to do anything. Just close your eyes and do your prayers and things will happen.”
And as we all know, that's exactly what happened!
After honing his Ayurvedic practice as both Medical Director of the Ayurveda Hospital in Pune and Professor of Clinical Medicine at the Pune University College of Ayurvedic Medicine, Vasant Lad met a man named Lenny Blank, and with Lenny’s encouragement, decided to carry his Ayurvedic wisdom further afield.
In 1979,
Vasant Lad began his travels across the United States — accompanying Lenny in his little white Volkswagen. They traversed the country, from New York to Chicago, to Houston, and finally, to Santa Fe, spreading Lad’s message of Ayurvedic healing along the way.
In Santa Fe, Vasant Lad befriended Dr. Scott and Vivian from the Santa Fe College of Natural medicine, and they suggested he stay and teach regularly at their school. He did a few seminars, but was very homesick. Longing to return to India, Vasant Lad decided to stay after they offered to sponsor him, and so he taught their 200 students regularly until the school closed.
"We were driving in his car; a small Volkswagen that was like a little, white bug. I would sit in the back, and he and his girlfriend were in the front. I would to sleep there in that tiny car. I saw all the seasons from the back seat of that car."
- Vasant Lad
Eventually,
Vasant Lad transitioned to teaching at the Institute of Traditional Medicine. There, he also had the job of neighborhood Ayurvedic consultant. In the evenings, people would come to him to be treated with common herbs like cinnamon, cardamom, and turmeric. Eventually, he became famous for his simple remedies in Santa Fe, and people even began to trek up from Albuquerque seeking his expertise.
Continuing his quest to bring Ayurveda to all, Vasant Lad decided to open his own school. Citing better weather and a closer airport, he settled on Albuquerque — so it was there that the Ayurvedic Institute was founded in 1986!
"Our whole life is a movement of loving and learning together."
- Vasant Lad
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