We’ve all heard that meditation and yoga can calm the mind—but what if you struggle to get into those practices? Ayurveda offers a simpler first step: take care of your sense organs.
Our senses—through the Indriyas (sense organs)—are the gateway to the mind. They serve as portals, connecting our outer experiences to our inner world. We constantly receive information in the form of Rūpa (sight), Śabda (sound), Gandha (smell), Rasa (taste), and Sparśa (touch). How well we receive, filter, and process this input determines whether the Manas (mind) is calm and in clarity or spirals into chaos.
When the senses are clear and balanced, we can focus better, stay present, and even enjoy the taste of food more fully—leading to a calmer, happier mind.
Ayurveda andBhagavad Gitaboth use the chariot analogy to illustrate the relationship between the senses, the mind, and the intellect in the journey of life and spiritual growth. If we focus specifically on the mind and senses:
In a state of ignorance or lack of self-awareness—what Ayurveda calls Prajnaparadha (mistake of the intellect)—the intellect is not fully engaged, and the mind becomes reactive and distracted and the sense overpower the system. This is like a charioteer who is asleep or inattentive, allowing the horses to run wild, causing the chariot to veer off course. When this happens, the senses—driven by desires and attachments or by AsātmyendriyaSaṃyoga—improper or excessive use of the senses—which disturbs not only the sense organs but also the mind leading us toward imbalance and away from inner peace and clarity.
In today’s modern world, this disconnection is only amplified. Our senses are constantly overstimulated—whether it’s excessive screen time, loud music through headphones, harsh chemicals on the skin, or diets overloaded with sweet and processed foods that start damaging the body right from the mouth and teeth. Add to that the rise in allergies and constant exposure to polluted, chemical-laden air that irritates the nose.
All this leads to degeneration or blockage of the Indriyas, disrupting how we perceive and interact with the world.
From a scientific perspective, each sense organ is directly connected to the brain via specific nerves, and each of the five senses is processed in distinct brain regions. When these pathways function optimally, sensory input is accurately integrated—allowing the body to release appropriate neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin, and reducing cortisol. This neurochemical balance supports memory, focus, mood, and emotional resilience.
In Ayurveda, the Indriyas (sense faculties) and Manas (mind) are deeply interconnected. The Manas is sometimes called the sixth Indriya, because it processes, interprets, and responds to the input of the other five. When the Indriyas are impaired or overstimulated, the Manas becomes agitated—resulting in VibhrāntaDarśana (distorted perception), kṣobha(mental agitation), and cognitive dullness. When the senses are nourished and clear, the Manas becomes Sāttvika—calm, steady, and luminous.
Clear perception supports the rise of Sattva (clarity and peace), while sensory imbalance fuels Rajas (restlessness) or Tamas (dullness and confusion).
1) Yoga offers Pratyāhāra—the withdrawal of the senses from external distractions. It allows the Manas to turn inward, helping to reset the sensory system and foster clarity and calm.
2) Meditation (Dhyāna) works by directly stilling the Manas. As the mind quiets, the Jñānendriyas become more balanced and refined—leading to sharper cognition, better memory, and deeper perception.
3) Ayurveda provides specific sense therapies (Indriya Chikitsā) that target each of the Jñānendriyas. These therapies involve oil-based or cleansing treatments that:
When Vāta becomes aggravated in the sense organs, it can manifest as anxiety, depression, memory loss, or hallucinated perception.
We’ve all experienced the deep calm after a good oil massage (Abhyanga). From an Ayurvedic lens, this pacifies Vāta. From a physiological standpoint, it is the Tvak (skin)—our touch sense—sending soothing signals via nerve endings to the brain, stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system, lowering stress hormones, and releasing calming neurochemicals like endorphins and oxytocin.
Each of these therapies works to clear blockages, rejuvenate the pathways, and balance the doshas, especially Vāta, resulting in a calmer, clearer, and more focused mind.
“The senses are the windows; the mind is the room. Clean windows bring in clear light.”
Next week, we’ll explore each of these Ayurvedic therapies in detail—and how to integrate them into your self-care rituals for better memory, clarity, and emotional well-being.
Simmi Chopra is a highly accomplished Ayurvedic Practitioner with a unique blend of expertise in traditional Ayurveda and modern science. Trained in the ancient healing system, she completed the prestigious Ayurveda Doctor program from Kerala Ayurveda. Based in New York City, Simmi practices at SIDH Ayur, where she offers personalized Ayurvedic therapies, dietary guidance, lifestyle recommendations, and herbal solutions to help clients achieve holistic balance. –https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQYpp5dRjrk
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