Abstract
In this paper, I aim to discuss how is the process of the institutionalization of Ayurveda in the Czech environment reflected in experiences of Ayurvedic students/future practitioners. Instead of direct examination of main promoters' trajectories I explore how are these trajectories reflected in that kind of Ayurveda their students are taught and continue to work with.
In the Czech Republic, there are no official regulations of Ayurvedic practice. It has been less than a decade when the Ayurveda started to experience attention of wider public.
Today, there are a few training centres for future Ayurvedic practitioners and dozens of therapeutic and consultation settings all over the country. I consider training centres focal points of its dissemination while the leaders of these centres are the main promoters of Ayurveda in the Czech environment.
Each of them introduces Ayurveda differently. The differences are done not just by usage of different teaching technics, but often by different approach to what is a content and function of Ayurvedic practice.
To contribute to the knowledge of what has been accommodated under the umbrella of Ayurveda in Europe I aim to introduce the common and different features of these forms while emphasising how are these differences made. Building on an ethnographic research among two Ayurvedic training centres I analyse the students' reflections of their Ayurvedic practice.
As I consider students' practice a core mover in local development of Ayurveda I will first describe its main characteristics. Furthermore, I will introduce how the main differences among this practice are constructed.
I argue that these differences have an origin in the different aims of Ayurvedic lecturers. In relation to their aims they employ different ways of legitimation of Ayurveda.
In consequence, this influences the function and content of Ayurvedic practice which has been reproduced by their students.