AYUMED^® Ayurveda Academy

KAIZEN is the Japanese art and philosophy of small steps and the willingness to constantly adapt to change.

For 27 years, no two courses at AYUMED have been the same.
Every day, we adapt our content, didactics and organisational structures to the constantly changing conditions of the outside world and the needs of our participants and their future clients or patients.

The KAIZEN way of thinking also permeates the structure of our courses. Ayurveda cannot be learnt in seminar days, but only through daily application in small steps. 24/7, day and night. 

What sounds like an outdated slogan is not a matter of course in the Ayurveda training market. Many graduates go straight from the classroom to the teacher's desk without any practical experience.

AYUMED has a clear formula: Anyone who has not independently diagnosed and treated at least 1,000 patients over a period of at least five years cannot and may not train prospective therapists as a senior lecturer.

In this way, we ensure that not only theoretical theorems from old compendia are taught, but that these are continuously put to the test in terms of their effectiveness and practicability.

Ralph Steuernagel studied Ayurveda medicine in the 90s with the most renowned Ayurveda doctors in northern India in the traditional way. In the morning in the clinic, in the afternoon in class and in the evening at his desk. His textual sources were always the classical compendia (Samhita), from which he still quotes and teaches today.

The foundation of all teaching units at AYUMED are the four means of knowledge: Authorised texts & teachers > Sensory perception > Logical reasoning > Proof by application.

Personal opinions or interpretations are welcome, but must always be recognisable. This ensures that the stream of knowledge that has been flowing from India for over 2,000 years remains authentic.

Classical Ayurveda is timeless and independent of location.

However, in order to be recognised and respected in the modern Western world, a scientific foundation and explanation is required. This is the only way to successfully integrate complementary medicine, psychology and philosophy.

AYUMED has been working tirelessly for 27 years to replace esoteric or pseudo-scientific approaches in European Ayurveda with modern study findings and explanations from newer fields such as psychoneuroimmunology, epigenetics and gerontology. Tradition meets modern science!

Who is actually allowed to do what and how? Even though there are few restrictions on the exercise of health counselling activities in Germany, there are still clear demarcations from the practice of medicine, the use of professional titles and advertising with healing promises.

Not all Ayurvedic services and products are freely marketable for everyone, but they are taught and offered across the board.

From the very first day of training, AYUMED makes it clear what is allowed and what is not, what the legal consequences are in the event of non-compliance and which ethical attitudes are Ayurveda-compliant. This creates the necessary inner calm in the therapeutic work.

Only an economically viable practice that is geared towards making a profit can survive in the long term and help as many people as possible. Like health, success is based on the application of natural laws.

Every practice owner is a therapeutic entrepreneur! Unfortunately, most healthcare professions do not adequately teach business management. This often leads to the avoidance of self-employment or uneconomical behaviour.

At AYUMED, success is conveyed from three perspectives: the beneficial results of therapy, a personal sense of happiness and meaningfulness, and monetary gain to finance one's own healthy lifestyle and further desired training.

The Ayurvedic knowledge of a long and healthy life was traditionally passed on from teachers to their students (guru-shishya). The personal relationship plays a decisive role in this.

Ralph experienced this for years in contact with his Indian teachers, with whom he not only worked and was taught by them. He also spent a lot of time with them in his private life and felt a sense of closeness and connection.

Teachers not only pass on specialised knowledge, but also profound insights and life experiences. The more intimate and harmonious the contact is, the more the student can learn and experience.

We at AYUMED would like to revitalise this quality, which has unfortunately been largely lost in the West, in a modern way.

Our first impression of people is accompanied by two central questions: Can I trust them? Can I respect them?

These two values characterise the mission statement at AYUMED bidirectional. The development of trust and respect is a dynamic development process that requires both sides to act proactively.

This keynote speech by Ralph illustrates the importance of this: 
> Trust and respect - building healing relationships