Though my family moved to the United States when I was two, my parents' traditional background
afforded me an early and ongoing appreciation for the transformative potential of meditation, yoga,
and Ayurvedic medicine. It was all around me, and a venerated methodology for healing rooted in my
ancestry. In the years since then, numerous research studies have reinforced the value of what I myself
had experienced as fundamental truth. The practices of Ayurvedic medicine, meditation, and yoga have
been demonstrated to be powerful tools in alleviating suffering, whether that suffering be physical,
mental, emotional, spiritual, or – as is often the case – some combination of all of them.
Yet so few among us here in this hemisphere have access to well-trained practitioners and qualified
specialists. Certainly, it's easy to find yoga or holistic treatment branded as Ayurveda in America.
But what they offer is a far cry from the practices I knew and benefited from in India.
My goal for the Humanity Institute is to create a place that welcomes all – regardless of their
creed, place of birth, or persuasion – and introduces them to the whole–person healing power
of
Ayurveda, meditation and yoga. It's my belief that finding healing and self–realization is the first
step
to finding peace: peace that begins in each individual, and grows to enfold families, communities, and
ultimately the world.
It's a collaborative effort, and we need to set our best foot forward as we build such a place. While
true Ayurvedic medicine is comparatively rare in the United States, it is both venerated and protected in
India. The Indian government sets the highest legal standards for practice, and those who wish to do so
must first be approved by and register with the national body before they may proceed. In this way,
the intrinsic healing potential of Ayurvedic medicine is being preserved and promoted.
Now we must build the facility. Our hope is that in the years and generations to follow, this moment
proves to be an inflection point in the lives and cultures of all those who visit, study, train and heal
at
the Institute. I invite you to join us in this historic, transformative work: for yourself, your loved
ones, and all the places where self–realization, healing and peace are needed.
Sincerely,
Harshad Patel
Harshad Patel
Founder
