Salvation - An Art of Ayurvedic Living

Ayurveda, an ancient science of life, resorts to the overall development of the mankind. It does not limit itself in physical boundaries, but expands the wisdom of its experiences to guide the life to the ultimate realm, the salvation. Every breath in this physical world is a journey towards the fundamental reality of life – the death. Factually the death should not be an ending, but a beginning of the unknown world. Since the time of evolution, human race conquered many mile stones. The science of medicines made amazing discoveries in the field of life, but unfortunately, no one could define how the journey ends? Why the heart stops beating even though the muscles of it are not prone to the fatigue? But the answer is illusive. When the logic cannot define something, one needs to turn towards philosophy. Ayurveda explains, “An ultimate purpose of human life is to get Moksha (salvation).” To get rid of the vicious cycle of rebirth is called as Moksha. To explain the salvation, different methodologies have been taught. Ayurveda says, “Physical body manifests itself due to Moha (attachment), Icha (desires), and Dwesha (revenge).” In a simpler format it could be assigned that Moksha (Salvation) is the complete detachment from these mental blocks. It is the union of oneself with the cosmic conscious. Though, it remains an uphill task to find the cosmic awareness, however many methodologies have been formulated in different philosophies. 

Ayurveda classifies Atma (The soul) in two categories; Paramatma (The universal conscious), and Jeevatma (The conscious). Difference between the conscious and cosmic awareness could be identified in following verse,

निर्विकार परस्त्वात्मा सत्व भूत गुण एन्द्रीयहि !

चैतनयो कारणं  नित्यो द्रष्टा पश्यती हि सर्वा क्रिया !!

                                    चरक संहिता/ सूत्र स्थान

Paramatma (the pure conscious) is Nirvikar (absolutely perfect). When the universal conscious combines with Satva (mind), Bhoota (five elements), Guna (qualities), and Indriya (senses), it manifests itself into the physical body. It is immortal, spectator, and witnesses all the actions.

Above definition of Paramatma is an absolute eye opener. It does not only describe the existence of the Almighty, but also makes us realize that every individual is the manifestation of the universal conscious. As per the description, universal awareness multiplies itself into various forms of life and each of the living entity is mere replication of that perfect self. It raises a question. If we are all the part of that Paramatma, we should be equally aware. Acharya Charaka says, “When the conscious unites the Bhoota, it is predominated by Rajas (selfish mobility), and Tamas (blissful ignorance) which results in subconscious suppression of the ultimate wisdom.” It makes us to forget our origin and enables us to become mechanical entities.

The ultimate purpose of human life is to realize that particle of the supreme conscious within oneself and all. Because our analytical ability is an advantage above the other races of life. Probably this is the reason why we are repetitively told that human life is precious. The time we separate ourselves from the mental and physical limitations, it lifts our conscious to another level of awareness. One should practice conscious detachment from the materialism. Having said that, it does not mean that one should not love what he does, but one should not cultivate the nature of possession. One should constantly practice to overcome the desires because desires result in greed which further ends up in attachment to the Karma (resulting action). And any residual desire forces the conscious to reincarnate itself to materialize the completion in next life. Having said that it does not mean not to have any desires, but one should try to fulfill the desire that had manifested within the subconscious and at the same time one should constantly practice to limit the desires which are manifested out of the greed quotient. The sense of revenge is another factor responsible as a blocking stone on the road of higher conscious. Ayurveda call it as Dwesha. One should cultivate the habit of loving thy world as a replica of itself. Not to have the sense of jealousy and also not to have a feeling of competition. Completion makes us the part of the rat race. It also develops the inferiority complex that end up in various forms of mental sickness. This again holds us back to be spiritually free and lands us into the cycle of rebirth. Ayurveda says, “when mind overcomes Rajas (selfish mobility), and Tamas (blissful ignorance), it destroys even the strongest of your Karma (unaware actions) resulting in spiritual freedom, which is nothing but Moksha (The Salvation)."

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Carbon Footprints - Pranayam Helps

As a human being, we have an inquisitive brain; and to justify our every deed without paying much attention towards the facts is our habit. It is a very natural tendency of us to blame everything except us for the results that could not go our way. Why and how long we have to live with the same? Why we can not hold ourselves responsible for a few destructive things that could have been restricted? It is a time to introspect, to peep in side the darkness, which is prevailing within me, in the form of lack of awareness or I must say “Wisdom.”

Carbon footprint- this is the word that stings me every now and then. I was reading many stories off late, and measures that we must take in order to check carbon emissions. Why we woke up so late? After destroying everything, did we realize suddenly? This is called as corporate.

For every project, we always do a SWOT analysis, and it shows us the Threats as well. But in the name of development we ignored it; not that we did not know where this development would take us. To repent over the spilt milk is human being. And let us try to control our carbon footprints now. Can we shut down all the factories? Can we grow a jungle over night to control our carbon emissions? And by the time our jungle grows up, what would be the extent of carbon produced by our on going projects? It is a very clear and simple calculation, and the inference is pricking me somewhere at the level of my soul. I have to blame myself for all this, and I wish to take the responsibility.

Largest source of carbon production is the humanity in fact. What is the total population of the world? It is beyond my imagination, and still growing each passing day. We breathe out for 18 – 20 times per minute approximately. That means individual breaths out for 25920 times per day approximately. And here onwards we can calculate the amount of breathes expelled out on yearly basis by an individual. And with every such breath we emit carbon dioxide in the environment. The amount of carbon released by all the human beings, across the globe, at the end of each passing minute aghasts me. 

The fountain of traditional wisdom in the form of philosophy gives us the in sight. It shows us the absolute truth, and tries to differentiate us from the canines. Because we can analyze and based on facts we can draw an inference as well. Yoga philosophy was narrated only to take the human quest of spirituality to a new height. Unfortunately, it became a science of flexibility and refrained within the art of postures itself. Yoga is a true mirror of ones self. It connects us to our inner being. And Pranayam plays a major role in this process of spiritual realm.

Pranayam is an art of breath control. The philosophy behind it is that we have been given a set number of breaths for our life time, and slower we breath longer we live. It may sound absurd, because we live in the era of evidence based practice. But do I need to explain the physiology of breathing? Slower we breathe; better the exchange of gases occurs in side the lungs, which results in good amount of oxygen supply to the body. The other aspect of this Pranayam is the one that I am discussing or trying to explore; it can help us controlling our carbon footprints as well. For that matter we have to control our over all breathing process. We have to insist on deep breathing process, instead of our routine shallow breathing. Deep breathing automatically cuts down the speed of inhalation, now only thing we need to do is to with hold the breath as long as we can. There should be no compulsion initially that how long you have to hold, but gradually we should increase the timing of holding on to the breath. This process in Yoga philosophy is called as Kumbhaka. Now as a last step we need to expel the air as slowly as possible. With this simple process, if we can reduce our two breathes per minute individually, can you imagine the extent of reduction in carbon amount controlled by every intelligent, and awakened individual on this earth. In my opinion, it would be the most effective and practical step to check our carbon footprints. As per my belief, a true spirituality is to find out the solace with in ourselves, rather than rushing around here and there in search of it. Quest of spirituality can never be resolved merely by asking questions to the prophets who themselves are confused by materialism; but the true prayer towards the Almighty is to find out the answers within myself. Lord Krishna says,

Sarvam anyat parityajya Mam ekam sharnam gacha !!

Bhagvad Gita

Leave everything else behind and follow the path of myself. Try to find out this “myself.” Probably, all your prayers would be answered, all your questions would be solved.

In the name of Lord Brahma – the wisdom, for the sake of humanity.

 

Service with Love......

Just slipped into my bed and was thinking about the whole day. It’s been two lengthy years; I am doing something that I love to do most – Ayurveda training. I wanted to find out that how could I do it? I also could have chose to be something else, but why only Ayurveda? And when I look back in to the pages of my life that I already had turned, I have a feeling of accomplishment. I am what I was supposed to be. I am right there where I was meant to be. And, all that I possess, I owe it to you all my friends.

My students, they came here to learn something. They had a quest for learning and in fact they taught me so many things in turn. I don’t know whether I was up to the mark or not, but for sure they were. Everyday that I spent in the class with them, they kept on teaching me. This is something that I am writing here for them. A sense of gratitude towards my students, you were exceptional. Your questions made me what I am. I felt hungry, and I had food for that; I felt thirsty and I was offered water. Well, but when my brain cells were hungry, you were there with all your questions and it served as food for them. You might have gone far, far away and must have started your lives doing what you like most, but I am still doing the same at the same place and in same routine but for sure in a different way, every time. I am just to finalize my last batch for the month of March 29, 2009 and tomorrow will be again back to preparations for the upcoming sessions. While I take on the new note, I just wanted to remember you all, and wanted to tell you all that I am blessed to have you all in my life in various forms as students, friends, mentors and last but of course not the least – my teachers.

If I ever had even the slightest of the influence in your life, I hereby take an opportunity to request you that we all will be the human beings once again. We will not be the part of the rat race and would stand for the humanity where ever we find an opportunity. We must understand that every opportunity does not mean the business, but our business should be to capitalize over the opportunities that we get. There should be a scope of charity while doing a business. We must not utilize the science just because it is popular, but we must popularize the science so that we can live and sustain over it. There should be a sustainable market and that has to be created, and we can create the same with patience.

The message is very clear, do whatever you want to do but never bring bad name for the science. You are all the mascots of Ayurveda; you are the one to bring glory for the science. And I have all my faith entrusted in you.

May God bless you all, and may you prosper in your life. Thanks to all of you again to be my best teacher, after all we learn the best from each other.        

Doshas – mischievous forces of your body

As a part of my Ayurveda training many a times I come across people who want to understand the depth of this science. Learning massage is easy but to learn it scientifically is slightly difficult. The forces which are working behind the curtains can not be explained and it remains as an experience of an individual to feel them on his own. But if you understand the basic principle well, motive of massage becomes clear to you and lead you to the state where body starts talking to you.

There are three biological forces which regulate the body and ensure proper functioning of the same as long as they are in equilibrium. Which vitiate others is called as dosha. Though, it is not universal because all the times they are not playing a role of villain in the body. And when they are in equilibrium they help in sustaining the body. It is just like two sides of the same coin, head or tail they are featured on the same plane. Just because they are very sensitive in nature and easily get affected by various conditions viz. food, environment, life style etc. and easily gets imbalanced to vitiate dhatu (formulators of the body) which in turn initiate the diseases. There names and constitution are as follows:

 

Vata – Air + Space

Pitta – Fire + Water

Kapha – Water + Earth

These are biological forces and in fact behave in the body similar to the characters of their constitutive factors. By saying so I definitely intend to say that if you want to understand doshas and their functions; start observing above said elements around you. To make it simple, air is a restless entity so is vata in the body and so is your nervous system. Sympathetic and parasympathetic types of nervous system make it workaholic in nature. And it does not rest even if you are sleeping. Similarly, fire cooks food for you in real life and so is done by pitta in your body. Sun, which is the representation of fire, regulates temperature in this world and thermodynamics of your bodily world is maintained by the sun of the same i. e. Pitta. Finally water in this world is responsible for bonding, smoothness and it nourishes a seed to make it a tree; and similarly kapha does the same for the body.

To understand more of their behavior, one must go in depth and a qualitative analysis should be done of these constitutive elements. As you will start understanding the qualities of elements, it will unplug the pacific of knowledge and sitting in the ship of your wisdom you may travel places. 

Further on, doshas they represent themselves by means of their qualities. And they tend to increase or decrease by means of these qualities only. Having said that, if one indulges in too much of food having dry qualities will lead to the increase of dryness thus Vata in the body, similarly it stands true for other qualities as well.

Following are the qualities of doshas:

Vata                                        Pitta                                                     Kapha

Dryness                                   Slightly oily                                         Oily

Lightness                                 Sharp                                                   Coldness

Coldness                                 Hot                                                      Heaviness

Rough                                     Light                                                   Slow in action

Minute                                     Foul smell                                            Smoothness

Mobility                                  Spreading                                            Sticky

--                                              Liquidity                                             Static

Above qualities should be observed very minutely and then their utility for the sake of understanding should be put in to the practice. It’s all about playing with the nature and letting you flow with the same to be in harmony.

Not to let these strong forces over power you and at the same time when either of them is becoming stronger, to neutralize it with the opposite quality is the key. Because, if repetitive use of the same quality increases it, then opposite quality balances it – thus say Charaka, the master of Ayurveda and divine soul of healing.

 

 

 

Ayurveda – a refined approach

Learning is an endless process. Once we complete the prescribed norms of academic standards, it must not be considered as an accomplishment. It’s a beginning in fact. Since the time immemorial, lust to succeed prevailed. Questioning the abilities of other’s and scrutinize them at every step is the nature of human being, which lead the mass towards destruction and produced nothing good. Everything that exists in this world is useful and credibility of same can not be downgraded at any cost. All the sciences are equally important and jeopardy must not be created against it. Ayurveda brings solace. It is a multi utility science. It just not confines itself explaining diseases and their treatments but goes beyond the level of academic interests and instills moral values in the life of an individual. It’s a tool which should be learnt by everyone to lead a healthy life. In fact the greatest aim of this science “ swasthasya swastha rakshanam – to maintain the health of a healthy being” , can be achieved only if we start teaching Ayurveda to our coming generations right from the beginning itself. Because, the word Ayurveda it self means – knowledge of the life; and that is what we want to share with our children, isn’t it?

Ayurveda is a data based knowledge. It’s a heritage, and sum total of experiences of our ancestors. It’s an out come of all the pain that they underwent during the process of development, it’s a message to the coming generations that they wanted to convey - we suffered and we want that you must not, so we are intent to carve it down on the pages of history for your ease. Unfortunately it did not reach to the mass or thanks to our we don’t want to learn approach.

How to maintain health? For the ease following steps have been explained in the classical texts:

Dina Charya – regimens to be followed on daily basis.

Ratri charya – regimens to be followed on night basis.

Ritu Charya – regimens to be followed on seasonal basis.

Actually if we observe scientifically, physical health can be maintained by above measures. But another leaf has been added in order to help people to be in the best state of their health, and that is “Sadavritta – code of conduct”. It’s all about reinstating the moral values which are an important tool for over all development of life. Its way to represent ourselves in to the society. It’s a yardstick to measure our behavior.

If one follows the advices given in the ancient texts, we can sure see the change. We can create a flawless society. We must change ourselves, and we must not bank upon some good deeds of past, but every day there must be a good deed indeed.

Everyone should learn Ayurveda, not to become a doctor; but to be a human being. It connects you to yourself; it reminds you not to be cynical but to be a part of the success story.

Ayurveda is way ahead of diseases, their diagnosis and treatment. In fact it stresses to be fit. It’s a refined approach towards the life.   

Ayurveda- Time to introspect ourselves

Quest of a human being to find out ultimate truth of life have taken him many a miles in life. Ability of differentiation among good and bad segregate us from the category of canines. But as it enables us to become higher class and establish us on the top of the pyramid of evolution or we can say food chain, our ability to analyse and quest of running ahead of our mates incepts instability and jealousy. Later on it becomes a bad trait of our personality and hunger to succeed makes us vampires of real world and ultimately leads us towards self destruction.

Since the time Ayurveda made a come back on the global scenario, a debate started about the efficacy of Ayurveda medicines and its procedures. Whether it is scientific or a fluke was a big question mark on this science. Inability of the folks in the field to represent this philosophy in a scientific manner and lack of knowledge has put this ageless ancient tradition of healing on the back foot. Series of allegation and cross questioning to counterparts of the medicines will lead us nowhere but it shows our lack of patience. Time never remains the same, thus changes the mode of perception time to time, and accordingly changes the methodologies of our learning and teaching. So adoption of same laws does not hold significance. In the era of evidence based medicine practice to treat patients by old law will never earn a good name for the science. My statement is not contradictory, but if you go into the mode of self introspection, you will realize the relevance of my words. During the period when world was  not having a potent system of medicines, ancient intellectual entities of the world created a system of absolute healing, basic principles were drawn from the daily life. Ayurveda was built on the foundation of strong observational skills, and till date principles hold the truth. That was the time when various Samhita were written. But, if you observe centuries AD, none out us emerged with a work which can be compared to the Samhita. This is not an understatement but establishes our lack of application and intellect as well. How can we blame counter parts not to question us? Over the period of times, texts books have been published in view of passing exams and CCIM norms for syllabus books does not hold any relevance. I don’t know how many will agree to my opinion but I know 80% will come in opposition. Quality of the matter present in text books leads us to more and more confusion and tendency to translate or reiterate the books in the classroom shows the lack of innovation and teaching methodologies.

One can build many number of premium institute of technology, but if it does not produce any kind of innovative research and keeps on teaching older version of knowledge, I doubt the credibility of the Institution. Same is true for the premium institutes of Ayurveda. Knowledge that does not reaches to the mass, is as good as non existence of the same.

There is a big question whether Ayurveda Medicines have side effects or not? I say, they do have. And people who do not believe the same, for them answer is, go through ayoga, atiyoga and mithya yog lakshani. Sages were very clear of effects and efficacies, and it is mentioned that any subject becomes Siddhant only after a strong scrutiny and practice of the same over thousand times. So I insist on evidence based medicines. Though, if you plunge deeper into the texts you will realize that everything is there, but it needs to be sorted out. Only lack of application among us is there. What is the protocol of research in Ayurveda in leading PG Institutes? I remember one of my friends XYZ needed a PG thesis work for submission as deadline was nearing and requested me to offer the same, I was amazed and disappointed with the way he was going ahead and as per Sheshvat anumaana I can guess the condition of his mates. I don’t intend to take away the credit from real researchers and do respect them from the core of my heart. There is a lot of work which is yet to be done in this field and my article is not meant to hurt anyone but I wanted to appeal everyone to raise the bar of their practice and share the knowledge with everyone. Ayurveda need not to prove anything to anyone, but the torch bearers of the same need to prove their credentials and I am also one of them.