The term Ayurveda refers also to the actual programme of this age-old tradition of knowledge of human life. It describes a comprehensive system of natural medicine offering a range of approaches for different aspects of life. Taken together, these different approaches have the ability to create perfect health and long life.

The classical texts of Ayurveda in their written form are almost 3,000 years old. However, like all of the 40 areas of Veda and Vedic Literature, the knowledge of Ayurveda has been passed down orally for thousands of years. This makes Ayurveda older than any other science of health.

The classical Ayurvedic texts describe an ancient civilisation where the presence of illness was unknown. Even today, Ayurveda serves to maintain, promote and restore good health as well as preventing illness.

In centuries past, during periods of foreign rule in India , the traditional knowledge of Ayurveda was increasingly pushed into the background. As a result, many important aspects of this holistic approach to health care became lost. Fortunately, however, other parts of this knowledge, including areas that were previously unknown, have been preserved faithfully by traditional families of India and passed on to succeeding generations.

A number of additional therapeutic approaches recommended by the classical Vedic texts were systematically incorporated into Maharishi's Vedic Approach to Health. These included disciplines such as meditation (Transcendental Meditation), Yoga, Vedic architecture (Maharishi Sthapatya Veda) and Vedic astrology (Maharishi Jyotish and Yagya), as well as the systematic application of Vedic sounds. This pioneering work to integrate of all of these different disciplines included input from leading Vedic experts and also western doctors and scientists. This has made it possible for the integrated, holistic form of Ayurveda – Maharishi Ayurveda – to be scientifically examined and its compatibility with modern medicine confirmed.