Many people, once they've experienced the benefits and personal insights of Ayurveda, want to share their new found knowledge with others. When you decide to become an Ayurveda practitioner, you are making a choice to serve others and help them to be healthy. You are also making an important investment with lifelong personal benefits and growth opportunities.
As you consider your options, certain questions might arise.
- What will your life be like as a practitioner?
- How do practitioners support themselves financially?
- What are the legal considerations to practicing Ayurveda?
These and other questions are frequent ones asked by applicants in Joyful Belly's
School of Ayurveda. The answers to these questions can help you make an informed decision about starting your Ayurveda career.
The growing rate of chronic yet preventable diseases like diabetes, obesity, and IBS proves that the medical world needs Ayurveda's insights for everyday health. Although Ayurveda is gaining popularity, there are too few practitioners to fill the need for truly holistic & natural medicine.
Will I make enough money to support a family?
Most Ayurvedic practitioners are in private practice. They give consultations, teach seminars, write books, and sell products as their primary sources of income. Other practitioners serve in a wide variety of contexts including in integrative medicine practices, at spas, with estheticians, massage therapists and yoga teachers.
Ayurveda, like many professions, is not a guarantee of employment. It is an attractive skillset you can use to improve quality of life (including clients & your own). At Joyful Belly, we also teach our students the professional skills they need to market and promote their services to the public.
Build Your 5 Step Ayurveda Career Plan
Will I be respected as an Ayurveda practitioner?
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A common concern we hear is this: "a friend of mine says Ayurveda is just another fad, and a hoax." Granted, Ayurveda may be exotic and new to Western civilization. Yet, Ayurveda has served nearly an entire continent (South Asia) as a primary system of health care for thousands of years. Its time-tested approach proves its effectiveness across generations.
Ayurveda has a different way of thinking about health and wellness, which seems foreign to many who are familiar with a western model of medicine. The diversity Ayurveda offers is an asset, not a detraction from the western model.
Modern medical science, though impressive and life-saving, can benefit from Ayurveda's insights into nature - the nature of the body, disease and medicine. Huge shifts in western medicine have brought ancient health systems like Ayurveda to the forefront as doctors become more and more aware of the limitations of statistical based medicine.
How Do I Encourage My Spouse / Family to Support My Study of Ayurveda?
More often than not, your loved ones will support your investment in Ayurveda education once they see that you have a
solid, well thought out plan. Sometimes, they simply need to
know & understand what Ayurveda is, in simple terms.
Finally, more often than not, the skepticism of family & friends challenges the authenticity of your interest in Ayurveda, rather than Ayurveda itself. If you are passionate and committed to a life of service to your clients, your skills as a practitioner will grow, and friends and family will come to recognize and appreciate the quality of life improvements offered by your practice.
When I became an Ayurveda practitioner, my parents were similarly skeptical. They wondered if Ayurveda was an appropriate use of my Harvard degree and the funds they contributed to my university education. My father, at 59, was 40lbs overweight and often complained of feeling tired. A year after studying Ayurveda, I visited my parents for several months, cooking breakfast, lunch and dinner for them. My father said he felt, "twenty years younger." He had lost weight, and didn't even realize he was on a diet. Since my father's direct experience of the benefits of Ayurveda, he has promoted Ayurveda among his friends and church community. As they say, the proof is in the pudding.
What are the legal risks to practicing Ayurveda?
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Ayurveda is an unlicensed profession in most states except for California. No matter what the state, it is illegal to diagnose and treat medical conditions without a proper license. Following a few simple guidelines, however, you can avoid most legal trouble. First and foremost, do not to make wild claims about your ability to heal others. Humility is a virtue even in Ayurveda and you should set realistic expectations and stay within your scope of practice. Secondly, remember that you are an educator, not a doctor. Instruct your clients to research your recommendations and consult their medical doctor before making any changes to their health and wellness plan. Finally, consult a lawyer when drafting your services agreement, or use a boilerplate from a reputable source. These and other guidelines significantly reduce your risk of legal action. Doctors are much more likely to get sued in their lifetime than Ayurvedic practitioners.
What will my life be like as a practitioner?
As an ayurveda practitioner you will experience the joy of interacting with people and discovering them on a very personal level, every day of your life. As your explore your clients' health & inner life, they will share their stories, trials and beliefs with you. This window into the life of your client is an exciting opportunity for personal growth, and will lead to many insights benefiting you and your family's personal lives.
Hopefully, these considerations have shed light on your own decision to choose Ayurveda as a vocation and career. Once you've made your decision to practice Ayurveda, you'll also decide how to apply your Ayurveda knowledge within the profession itself. There are numerous options. Will you make herb formulas, provide consultations, or be a teacher? Will you commit to a single ailment like multiple sclerosis, to a part of the body such as the nervous system, or to a group of individuals such as athletes?
To decide, ask yourself how your unique skills and calling will help you serve the needs of your chosen community. With your passion, and this level of direction, you'll go far.
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A common concern we hear is this: "a friend of mine says Ayurveda is just another fad, and a hoax." Granted, Ayurveda may be exotic and new to Western civilization. Yet, Ayurveda has served nearly an entire continent (South Asia) as a primary system of health care for thousands of years. Its time-tested approach proves its effectiveness across generations.
Ayurveda is an unlicensed profession in most states except for California. No matter what the state, it is illegal to diagnose and treat medical conditions without a proper license. Following a few simple guidelines, however, you can avoid most legal trouble. First and foremost, do not to make wild claims about your ability to heal others. Humility is a virtue even in Ayurveda and you should set realistic expectations and stay within your scope of practice. Secondly, remember that you are an educator, not a doctor. Instruct your clients to research your recommendations and consult their medical doctor before making any changes to their health and wellness plan. Finally, consult a lawyer when drafting your services agreement, or use a boilerplate from a reputable source. These and other guidelines significantly reduce your risk of legal action. Doctors are much more likely to get sued in their lifetime than Ayurvedic practitioners.
