Ayurveda teaches that everything in existence is imbued with the energy and intelligence of Universal Consciousness. That is because all forms of matter, organic and inorganic, are simply the outer manifestations of this most subtle creative energy. Matter is the trapped light of consciousness. The vital force of life flows from the universal source, the essence of all matter, and manifests in the myriad forms and phenomena of nature. The classic texts of Ayurveda make it clear that all substances in nature contain this cosmic creative intelligence, and thus have a healing value when used in the proper manner. That is why, in its quest to create and maintain perfect health, Ayurvedic medicine makes use of almost everything in nature and in daily life, including food, breathing, exercise, meditation, relationships, yoga, and massage, as well as regulated daily and seasonal routines. It also uses thousands of herbs and herbal formulas. In addition, Ayurveda utilizes the healing properties of metals, gemstones, colors, and aromas. These contain special, potent forms of energy which may be drawn upon for healing purposes. Most of these methods, clearly described in the ancient textbooks, have been used safely and successfully for healing for thousands of years, though they have been scarcely known and little appreciated in the West until very recently.