Prajñāparādha (A Crime Against Your Own Wisdom)

I recently attended an herbalism event where one of the classes was "Ayurvedic Care for a Healing World" with Anjali Deva. I was introduced to the concept of prajñāparādha which means "a crime against your own wisdom." This is the human tendency to knowingly choose foods, habits, or environments that cause oneself harm. Essentially acting against your inner knowing or common sense; for example, eating foods you know upset your digestion, staying up too late when you know you need rest or letting stress dictate your choices.

In Ayurvedic thought, prajñāparādha is considered one of three root causes of disease, because it disrupts the natural balance of the body, mind and spirit. Compounding the harm of this tendency, the Standard American Diet (SAD) is often lacking in nutrients that support impulse control.

In my practice when a client struggles to make healthy choices, even when they know better, I often see this manifest as shame or guilt. Shame and guilt are not productive feelings, they create avoidance rather than change. (In Ayurveda it is said that these emotions weaken ojas (vitality).) You have the power to bring your actions back into alignment with your innate wisdom when you acknowledge a poor choice, take responsibility, and commit to making a more aligned choice at the next opportunity.

To change this tendency toward prajñāparādha, start by cultivating smriti (awareness/mindfulness) by slowing down enough to notice how food and habits actually affect you. Journaling your symptoms after meals or simply pausing to take deep breaths before eating can help you to reconnect actions with consequences.

Then strengthen buddhi (intelligence/discernment) by learning new things; read, study, meditate, practice morality, develop resilience. This keeps the "higher mind" stronger than the "habitual mind."

Most importantly, support your senses (indriyanigraha). Overstimulation (loud media, constant scrolling, eating in a rush) weakens wisdom. Eat in a calm space, avoid screens during meals and pay attention to taste, smell and satisfaction. Be present with your food.

Instead of being bombarded by synthetic fragrances, pausing to smell roses offers the senses something sattvic (pure, calming).

Align yourself with a daily routine (dinacaryā). Going to bed/waking up at consistent times, eating meals at regular intervals and living with the natural cycles of the day keeps the body in harmony. A regular rhythm reduces the tendency to slip into harmful habits.

And remember to be kind to yourself. If you do eat something that you know is harmful for you Ayurveda emphasizes balance, not guilt. If you eat a fatty meal that irritates your gallbladder, balance it at the next meal with bitter greens and beets rather than spiraling into self-criticism and self-sabotage.

Essentially, Ayurveda says that prajñāparādha comes from disconnection and the cure is reconnection to your body's signals, natural rhythms and inner clarity. I find myself more aligned with these principles than with Western medicine because the two systems operate on fundamentally different models. Ayurveda views health as a dynamic balance of mind, body, and spirit, emphasizing prevention, individualized care, and self-awareness. Western medicine often focuses on treating symptoms and isolated diseases, whereas Ayurveda addresses the root causes and patterns underlying them. This holistic, personalized approach resonates with how I understand and experience wellness.

The combination of this natural human tendency toward self-harm (prajñāparādha) and a nutrient poor (SAD) diet can compound the difficulty in exercising impulse control. This is why I start nearly all nutrition clients with the 3 foundational steps found in my guide for Improving Stress Tolerance with Nutrition and Herbs. The nutrition guide specifically addresses the nutrients your brain needs to cultivate smriti, strengthen buddhi, and practice indriyanigraha and dinacaryā with greater ease. It's a wonderful introduction to nutritional therapy and may be the only help you need to feel your best.

Be well,

Helaina

SOURCES

Chandola HM. Lifestyle disorders: Ayurveda with lots of potential for prevention. Ayu. 2012 Jul;33(3):327. doi: 10.4103/0974-8520.108814. PMID: 23723635; PMCID: PMC3665099.

Chauhan, Dr. Partap. "Pragyaparadha - The Root Cause of Diseases." Speaking Tree, 3 Mar. 2018, https://www.speakingtree.in/blog/pragyaparadha-the-root-cause-of-diseases/m-lite.

Hiemstra, Gabe. Wisdom Library. https://www.wisdomlib.org. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

Om, Vishnu. "Story of Disease: An Ayurvedic Understanding." Still Point Ayurveda, 1 Feb. 2017, https://www.stillpointayurveda.com/health-tid-bits-1/summary-of-disease.