Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
SPIRITUAL AYURVEDA
We have discussed Áyurveda, the “science of life” as the original world medicine. Yet Áyurveda is more than this; it is a spiritual science. This is the most important aspect of Áyurveda.
Around 1500 B.C. the book, the Charak Samhitá discussed these spiritual principles. It said that even if Áyurvedic doctors had a complete knowledge of Áyurveda but could not reach the inner Self or soul of the patient, they would not be effective healers. Furthermore, if the practitioner were more concerned with fame and fortune, and not with spiritual development (Self-Realization), they would not be effective healers.
To understand the spiritual nature of Áyurveda, we must know something about the Vedic roots of philosophy, spirituality, and universal religion. According to the ancient Vedic scriptures of India there is a goal to life. We are not simply born, to live, and then to die without some meaning or purpose. Albert Einstein reflected this idea when he said God does not play dice with the universe. Order and reason exist in life. According to Vedic philosophy life is Divine and the goal of life is to realize our inner Divine nature. Áyurvedically speaking the more a person realizes their Divine nature the healthier they are. Thus it is the responsibility of the Áyurvedic doctor to inspire or help awaken the patients to their own inner Divine nature. Positive thinking or love is the best medicine. When patients are taught they have this Divinity within themselves, they feel a connection to life and God (however each patient defines God). For atheists, we speak of the greater mystical power, which is synonymous to God. This connection allows patients to feel they have a handle on life and an ability to develop their own inner nature. After this, secondary therapies of herbs, diet, meditation, etc. are offered.
Even modern medical doctors are finding a link between their healthy patients and the patient’s degree of spiritual faith. Spirituality changes the definition of health, giving it an added dimension. Two types of health can now be seen diagnosed health and true health. Often when a patient is diagnosed as healthy, they still may not feel healthy or alive. This is due to psychosomatic conditions where a troubled mind affects the health of the body. The deepest level of mental agitation is the longing for a deeper spiritual connection.
Áyurveda suggests true health is based on the healthy functioning of four areas of life; physical/mental health, career or life purpose, spiritual relationships, and spirituality. First one needs to be physically and mentally able to do work and play. Then persons need to work to support themselves and afford a social life. Work however is defined as making a living doing something meaningful or purposeful. To do this type of work one needs to use their innate or God-given talents; they need to work at something they love to do. It is this love that cultures spirituality.
The third realm of health is spiritual relationships. When persons are healthy and purposefully working, they can now begin to truly enjoy their social life. These days we have become acutely aware of the emotional and physical abuses that exist in many people’s relationships. Co-dependency and enabling are often used terms to describe relationship diseases. From the spiritual standpoint if one is dependent on anything other than God, co-dependency exists. People look for something lasting or permanent; only God is eternal and everlasting. Spiritual development directs one to focus inwardly to discover their eternal nature instead of the ever-changing outer realm of life. For relationships to be healthy all people must continue to develop their individual inner spiritual lives. Then they are able to share their growing spiritual fullness with their spouse and others.
This is the multi-dimensional definition of health according to Áyurveda. Life is composed of many elements; it is not seen as independent parts. If one aspect of life becomes imbalanced all the other aspects are affected. Rather than merely treating a symptom, Áyurveda looks to the root cause or underlying reasons of illness. The body may be sick because of mental or career stress. Rather than instruct the patient to merely take a drug or an herb to heal the physical condition, the practitioner of Áyurvedic medicine looks to restore balance within the patient (e.g., calming the mind or finding a more purposeful job). The deepest root level is spiritual development. Thus, all four areas of life must be cultivated; mind/body, career, spiritual relationships, and inner spiritual development.
AYURVEDA
Ayurveda, the “science of life,” or longevity, is the holistic alternative science from India, and is more than 5,000 years old. It is believed to be the oldest healing science in existence, forming the foundation of all others. Buddhism, Taoism, Tibetan, and other cultural medicines have many similar parallels to Áyurveda. The secret of Áyurveda’s individualized healing method was preserved in India, whereas it has been lost or superseded in other cultures.
The First World Medicine
Áyurveda (pronounced Aa-yer-vay-da), said to be a world medicine, is the most holistic or comprehensive medical system available. Before the arrival of writing, the ancient wisdom of healing, prevention, and longevity was a part of the spiritual tradition of a universal religion. Healers gathered from the world over, bringing their medical knowledge to India. Veda Vyasa, the famous sage, preserved the complete knowledge of Áyurveda in writing, along with the more spiritual insights of ethics, virtue, and Self-Realization. Others say Áyurveda was passed down from God to his angels, and finally to humans. The methods used to find this knowledge of herbs, foods, aromas, gems, colors, yoga, mantras, lifestyle, and surgery are fascinating and varied.
The sage, physicians/surgeons of the time were the same sages or seers, deeply devoted holy people, who saw health as an integral part of spiritual life. It is said that they received their training of Áyurveda through direct cognition during meditation. That is, the knowledge of the use of the various methods of healing, prevention, longevity, and surgery came through Divine revelation; guessing or animal testing was unnecessary. These revelations were transcribed from oral tradition into written form, interspersed with aspects of mortal life and spirituality.
Originally four main books of Vedic spirituality existed. Topics included health, astrology, spiritual business, government, military, poetry, and ethical living. These are known as the Vedas: Rig,Sama, Yajur, and Atharva. Áyurveda was usedalong with Vedic astrology (called Jyotish, that is, one’s “inner light”). Eventually, Áyurveda was organized into its own compact system of health and considered a branch of Atharva Veda. This upaveda/branch dealt with the healing aspects of spirituality; although, it did not directly treat spiritual development. Passages related to Áyurveda from the various Vedas were combined into separate books dealing only with Áyurveda. Among the Rg Veda’s 10,572 hymns are discussions of the three constitutions (doshas): air (Váyu), fire (Pitta), and water (Kapha). Topics comprised organ transplants, artificial limbs, and the use of herbs to heal diseases of the mind and body and to foster longevity. Within the Atharva Veda’s 5,977 hymns are discussions of anatomy, physiology, and surgery.
There were two schools of Áyurveda at the time of Átreya, the school of physicians and the school of surgeons. These two schools transformed Áyurveda into a scientifically verifiable and classifiable medical system. Through research and testing, they dispelled the doubts of the more practical and scientific minded, removing the aura of mystery that surrounded Divine revelation. Consequently, Áyurveda grew in respect and became a widely used system of healing in India. People from many countries came to Indian Áyurvedic schools to learn about this medicine in its entirety. Chinese, Tibetans, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Afghanis, Persians, and others traveled to absorb the wisdom and bring it back to their own countries. India’s Silk Road, an established trade route between Asia (China, Tibet, etc.), the Middle East (Afghanistan, Persia, etc.), and Europe (Rome, Greece, etc.), provided a link between cultures. On this route travelers first discovered Áyurveda.
Charak and Sushrut are two reorganizers of Áyurveda whose works are still extant. The third major treatise is called the Ashtánga Hridayam, a concise version of the works of Charak and Sushrut. Thus, the three main ancient Áyurvedic texts still in use are the Charak Samhitá (compilation), Sushrut Samhitá, and the Ashtánga HridayamSamhitá. These books are believed to be over 1,200 years old and contain the original and complete knowledge of this Áyurvedic world medicine. Consequently, Áyurveda is the only complete ancient medical system in existence.
Charak represents the Átreya school of physicians, discussing physiology, anatomy, etiology, pathogenesis, symptoms and signs of disease, methodology of diagnosis, treatment and prescription for patients, prevention, and longevity. Internal and external causes of illness are also considered. Charak maintains that the first cause of illness is the loss of faith in the Divine. In other words, when people do not recognize that God dwells within all things, including themselves, this separation of vision creates a gap. This gap causes a longing or suffering for oneness of vision. This suffering then manifests itself as the beginning of spiritual, mental, and physical disease. External influences on health include time of day, the seasons, diet, and lifestyle. An entire section is devoted to discussions of the medicinal aspects of herbs, diet, and reversal of aging.
Sushruta comes from the Dhanvantari school of surgeons. In America, a society of surgeons named themselves the Sudhruta Society in remembrance of the Áyurvedic father of surgery. This text presents sophisticated accounts of surgical equipment, classification of abscesses, burns, fractures, and wounds, amputation, plastic surgery, and anal/ rectal surgery. Human anatomy is described in great detail, including descriptions of the bones, joints, nerves, heart, blood vessels, circulatory system, etc., again, corroborated by today’s methods of mechanical investigation. From the Sushrut Samhitá, the first science of massage is described using marma points or vital body points, later adapted into Chinese acupuncture. Even the popular Polarity Massage Therapy in America was developed after advocates studied massage in India.
EIGHT BRANCHES OF ÁYURVEDA
The ancient Áyurvedic system was astoundingly complete. In the colleges of ancient India, students could choose a specialty from eight branches of medicine.
1. Internal Medicine (Káyachikitsá). This is related to the soul, mind, and body. Psychosomatic theory recognizes that the mind can create illness in the body and vice versa. The seven body constitutions and seven mental constitutions were delineated here: Váyu (air/energy), Pitta (fire), Kapha (water), Váyu/Pitta, Váyu/Kapha, Pitta/ Kapha, and a combination of all three (tridosha). Although finding the cause of an illness is still a mystery to modern science, it was the main goal of Áyurveda. Six stages of the development of disease were known, including aggravation, accumulation, overflow, relocation, a buildup in a new site, and manifestation into a recognizable disease. Modern equipment and diagnosis can only detect a disease during the fifth and sixth stages of illness. Áyurvedic physicians can recognize an illness in the making before it creates more serious imbalance in the body. Health is seen as a balance of the biological humors, whereas disease is an imbalance of the humors. Áyurveda creates balance by supplying deficient humors and reducing the excess ones. Surgery is seen as a last resort. Modern medicine is just beginning to realize the need to supply rather than to remove, but still does not know how or what to supply. Additionally, there are over 2,000 medicinal plants classified in India’s materia medica. A unique therapy, known as pancha karma (five actions), completely removes toxins from the body. This method reverses the disease path from its manifestation stage, back into the blood stream, and eventually into the gastrointestinal tract (the original site of the disease). It is achieved through special diets, oil massage, and steam therapy. At the completion of these therapies, special forms of emesis, purgation, and enema remove excesses from their sites of origin. Finally, Áyurveda rejuvenates–rebuilding the body’s cells and tissues after toxins are removed.
2. Ears, Nose, and Throat (Shálákya Tantra). Sushruta reveals approximately 72 eye diseases, surgical procedures for all eye disorders (e.g., cataracts, eyelid diseases), and for diseases of the ears, nose, and throat.
3. Toxicology (Vishagara-vairodh Tantra). Topics include air and water pollution, toxins in animals, minerals, vegetables, and epidemics; as well as keys for recognizing these anomalies and their antidotes.
4. Pediatrics (Kaumára bhritya). In this branch prenatal and postnatal careof the baby and mother are discussed. Topics include methods of conception; choosing the child’s gender, intelligence, and constitution; and childhood diseases and midwifery.
5. Surgery (Shalyá Tantra). More than 2,000 years ago, sophisticated methods of surgery were known. This information spread to Egypt, Greece, Rome, and eventually throughout the world. In China, treatment of intestinal obstructions, bladder stones, and the use of dead bodies for dissection and learning were taught and practiced.
6. Psychiatry (Bhúta Vidyá). A whole branch of Áyurveda specifically deals with diseases of the mind (including demonic possession). Besides herbs and diet, yogic therapies (breathing, mantras, etc.) are employed.
7. Aphrodisiacs (Vájikarana). This section deals with two aspects: infertility (for those hoping to conceive) and spiritual development (for those eager to transmute sexual energy into spiritual energy).
8. Rejuvenation (Rasáyana). Prevention and longevity are discussed in this branch of Áyurveda. Charak says that in order to develop longevity, ethics and virtuous living must be embraced.
HAND SHADE
PALMISTRY
HAND SHADE
The passions and the health of the individual are revealed by the intensity of the skin color on the inside of the palm.
RED COLOR
A fiery, hot blooded, sometimes violent nature. Most often found on coarse textured types. In fine hands, it gives the energy to apply creative and mental talents. A passionate disposition. May sometimes point to high blood pressure.
PINK COLOR
Adds warmth to the type. Usually a sign off good health. A cheerful disposition. Nice people to have around. Abundant energy. Moderation is keynote.
PALE COLOR
A cold, selfish nature, poor circulation, lacking in energy and physical passion.
YELLOW COLOR
Irritable, maybe an angry mood which will pass. Maybe an indication of jaundice.
ORANGE COLOR
Have liver check. It may be causing mental confusion.
HYPERTENSION
Kinds of Hypertension (high blood/alta presyon)
1. Secondary (complication 10%)
2. Essential or Primary (90% complication)
DO’s:
1. Meditation and Asanas (bow & wheel exercises)
2. A long time bath
3. Crackers, none salty foods only milk
4. Time of eating :
6:00 am – 7:00 am
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
DON’T’s:
1. Vinegar, soy sauce & meat
2. Ham, bacon, salte potato chips, sausage, sardines, catsup, coffee, cheese, corned beef and chocolate.
OVARIES STRENGTHENING TONIC
POTION:
1 cup whiskey
1 cup honey
1 cup lemon juice
Stir the mixture well until the honey dissolve. Store the mixture in a previously sterilized jar. Shake the jar well before each use. Drink one to tablespoons daily.
CAUTION:
If you are experiencing a very heavy menstrual flow, refrain from taking the mixture for a few days until you have normalized. This recipe will last several months, and the more it ages, the better it becomes. Store it in a coll dry place.
Healing Love Through Tao, Cultivating Female Sexual Energy
MANTAK CHIA
GARLIC Puts the ‘OoMpH’ Back in YouR Love Life
COUPLE TIME
If you love life isn’t as wild and zesty as it used to be, spice it up – with garlic!
The miracle herb is loaded with power-packed ingredients guaranteed to get your sex engines revving, says Dr. Morton Walker, author of Sexual Nutrition and Healing Power of Garlic.
“Garlic is a prime sex nutrient,” says Morton. “It will fill a woman with desire and allow man to build up his supply of the male hormone testosterone – dramatically increasing sex drive.”
Many ancient cultures used the pungent herb as an aphrodisiac, adds Dr. Herb Pierson, of Preventive Nutrition Consultants in Seattle Washington. They just boiled it in water and then sipped it like a tea.
“The most common sex-enhancing potion in the wolrd, especially in primitive cultures, is still garlic and hot water,” says Pierson.
In addition to directly building up your sex drive, garlic does even more to boost your love life. Experts say this miracle mood food:
· Wipes away anxiety and irritability – two things that can wreck a romantic moment;
· Is loaded with feel-good substances that get you fired up about sex;
· Keeps a gal’s reproductive system in tip-top shape and slashes the risk of female infections;
· Helps men and women look their best – and most appealing.
“Garlic banishes negative feelings that take the spark out of your love life and leave it completely flat, “ says Lynn Allison, author of the Magic of Garlic.
“By lifting your mood, it can make sex much easier – something that returns naturally to your life.”
While testing garlic’s effectiveness at cleaning the blood and lowering cholesterol levels. German researchers discovered a surprising side effect – a greater sense of well-being.
That’s because garlic triggers the flow of serotonin – Mother’s Nature’s feel-good chemical – from the brain.
“Some researchers think garlic could even be used as a natural substitute for antidepressants,” adds Pierson.
Incredibly, European scientists have discovered that people who eat garlic for health and long life often hit the 100 mark – and remain sexually active! The same researchers are building a mountain of evidence that the herb is a potent antibacterial agent, a natural wonder at clearing up infections that can devastate a woman’s love life.
Garlic even makes skin more elastic. And, if you mix it with cider vinegar, it becomes a great weight-loss concoction that helps you look and feel more frisky.
Physical problems can also slash your sex drive and interfere with your ability to perform. But taking drugs to treat the condition can sometimes make thins worse.
“Fatigue can rob you of both your sex appeal and your sex drive,” says Allison. “But the reservoir of energy you get from adding garlic to your diet as a natural tonic can restore both.”
Good news for folks who can’t stand the smell of garlic: There’s a non-smelly deodorized variety called Kyolic, which works just as well as the real thing. And it’s available in most health food stores.
But if you’d rather go natural, simply chew on a sprig of fresh parsley or a coffee bean to kill the odor. You can also eat a bowl of sherbet or sip some lemon juice to leave your mouth feeling fresh – and more kissable.
MOD Vol. XXXI No. 1419 November 27, 1998
THE SEVEN STAGES OF SICKNESS
1. Fatigue – This includes physical and mental tiredness. The causes include over-exertion, improper diet, lack of exercise, inadequate sleep, etc.
2. Pain – Physical pain includes muscular pain, headaches, cramps, etc. emotional pain includes worry, depression and feelings of insecurity.
3. Blood Disease – This includes high and low blood pressure, anemia and leukemia, as well as asthma, epilepsy and skin disease.
Mental problems include nervousness, hypersensitivity, chronic depression, timidity and loss of direction in life.
Recovery generally takes at least three or four months.
4. Emotional Disorder – This manifests as short temper, over-excitement, anger, frustration and despair.
Recovery takes several months. It requires proper diet as well as physical and mental relaxation.
5. Organ Disease – Cancer is a prime example but all chronic conditions are included: artherosclerosis, diabetes, kidney, and bladder stones, multiple sclerosis, etc.
Mental symptoms of organ disease include stubbornness, prejudice, narrow-mindedness and general rigidity, with a delusional view of life.
6. Nervous Disorder – This includes schizophrenia, paranoia, a negative view of life, and suicidal or destructive tendencies.
Recovery requires years of proper diet and emotional support.
7. Arrogance – This takes the form of selfishness, egocentricity, self-pride, vanity, self-justification, etc. arrogance is considered the most advanced stage, as well as the root cause of all the earlier stages.
Recovery takes indefinitely or instantaneously, through strong emotional or spiritual experiences.
Friday, July 2, 2010
HEALING HERBS PHOTOS
Rosas de Olabtik (red)
Pitcher (pitsil-pitsilan)
Sulong Agbaa
(photos taken by me at middle part of Mayon Volcano)
Sensitive Plant (MAKAHIYA)
Gamot sa hika, pananakit ng lalamunan (itapal at inumin) o pagkapaos. Mabisa sa sakit sa bladder (pantog) at kidney, inumin isang beses isang linggo. Kung hahaluan ng sukang puti maaaring itapal sa may puson at sa balakang.
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