Transcript Ayurveda - Nancy McCaochan

Ayurveda
The Science of Life
Origins and Definition
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knowledge for long life; science of life
from Sanskrit ayus, long life, and veda, science
of knowledge
Atharvaveda (one of the 4 most ancient books of
Hindu culture): 114 hymns for treatement of
disease dating from (maybe) 1500 BCE
Charaka Samhita (5th or 6th cent. BCE)
attributed to Charaka is primary classical source
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5 Elements + 3 Doshas
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ayurveda stresses balance, a kind of dynamic
homeostasis
everything in the universe, including human beings, is
comprised of prthv/earth, jala/water, agni/fire, vayu/air
and akasa/sky.
these resolve into 7 body tissues/dhatus: plasma/chyle
(rasa dhatu), blood (rakta dhatu), flesh (mamsa dhatu),
fat (medha dhatu), bone (asthi dhatu), marrow (majja
dhatu) and semen or female reproductive tissue (sukra
dhatu)
the elements combine in various proportions to create
the elemental humors, called doshas as follow: vayu
vata (air and space/wind), pitta (fire and water/bile) and
kapha (water and earth/phlegm)
Earth, Water, Fire
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earth represents that which is solid, stable, rigid,
unchanging; manifests as bones, teeth, tissues,
cells/matter; a stable substance
water is fluid, changing, substance w/o stability;
in the body it is the blood, lymph, fluid between
cells that carry off wastes and transport nutrients
fire is transformational power; form w/o
substance; energy of atoms, of digestion and
transformation of food into energy or tissue;
responsible for impulses of nervous system,
thoughts and feelings
Air and Ether/Akasa
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air is gaseous, mobile and dynamic;
existence w/o form; air/oxygen is the basis
for all energy transformations; necessary
for fire
ether is space in which everything
happens; both source of matter and space
in which it exists; also defined as sound-meaning the entire spectrum of vibration
Health
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is defined as balance/ harmony
balance is achieved when prakriti and vikriti are
in sync
prakriti: one’s basic constitution as defined by
the inherent composition of doshas
vikriti: the presenting doshic composite that is
the result of life circumstances and the system’s
reaction to those circumstances
methods: life style interventions and natural
therapies
mind-body one system: both need to be
addressed
Prakruti and Vikruti
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prakruti: constitution, individual composite of
doshas determined at conception; unchanging
throughout the lifespan; sanskrit word means
“nature,” “first creation.”
vikruti: that constitution/composite of doshas
that is a result of the interaction between an
individual and her environment
ideally, vikruti should match prakruti; when it
doesn’t there is disharmony and possibly illness
treatment aims to bring harmony to the system
through diminishing excess and increasing
vitality to that which has become depleted.
Ojas and Ama
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Ojas is vitality, vital essence
Ama is congestion, toxicity
Ama is defined as a sticky plaque-like substance that is
produced as the body’s way of trying to mobilize impurities
from the tissues and organs and micro-channels (or
Shrotas) of the body. When the body is not able to fully
eliminate these impurities through the normal channels of
elimination such as the bowel, urinary tract or skin, then
Ama forms, and may first appear as congestion, phlegm,
dental plaque, the white coating on the tongue, and may
later accumulate in the arteries, joints and tissues.
Ayurvedic practices are designed to decrease/eliminate ama and
increase ojas
The Senses
element
sense
sense
organ
action
organ of
action
ether
hearing
ear
speech
tongue,
vocal
cords,
mouth
air
touch
skin
holding
hand
fire
vision
eye
walking
feet
water
taste
tongue
procreation genitals
earth
smell
nose
excretion
anus
The Doshas
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dosha, that which changes
can be regarded as a mistake
constantly shifting in relation to one another
not only human beings but days and seasons
participate in tridosha
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2-6 (am and pm) vata
6-10 (am and pm) kapha
10-2 (am and pm) pitta
winter is kapha; spring and fall are vata; summer is
pitta (note: this is am approximation)
Vata
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meaning: wind, to move, flow, direct the process
of, command
needed by other 2 doshas for expression
governs all movements w/in the body-mind
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blinking, breathing, pulsations, expansion and
contraction, cytoplasm and cell movements, single
impulses in nerves, feeling and emotions such as
freshness, nervousness, fear, anxiety, pain, tremors,
spasms
primary seat is colon but also lives in hips, thighs,
ears, bones, pelvic cavity and skin
related to touch
Pitta
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dynamic interplay between water and fire, which
are transformative in their interaction and
modulation of each other
governs
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digestion, absorption, nutrition, metabolism
body temperature, skin color, eye luster
intelligence, understanding
arouses anger, hate and jealousy
small intestine, stomach, sweat glands, blood, fat,
eyes and skin are homes for pitta
Kapha
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equilibrium of water and earth/structure and
lubrication
kapha dosha
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cements the body, maintains strength and natural
tissue resistance
lubricates the joints, moisturizes the skin, helps heal
wounds
imparts biological strength, vigor, stability
supports memory retention; gives energy to heart and
lungs and maintains immunity
lives in chest (home), throat, head, sinuses, nose,
mouth, stomach, joints, cytoplasm, plasma, liquid
secretions
attachment, greed, long-standing envy as well as
calmness, forgiveness and love are its emotions
Rules for Healthy Living
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any substance that enters the body-mind
can nourish, balance or disturb the
organism
nourishment is food; balance is medicine;
disturbance is poison
based on the idea that like increases like,
we use food, herbs, thoughts, lifestyle
choices to nourish, heal or sicken
ourselves
Diagnosis
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The Charaka Samhita recommends a tenfold
examination of the patient:
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constitution▪
abnormality▪
essence▪
stability▪
body measurements▪
diet suitability▪
psychic strength▪
digestive capacity▪
physical fitness▪
age
Pancha Karma
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Literally “5 actions”
curative and preventative; recommended at least once a
year to remove ama
done under supervision at health spa--3, 5, 6, 14, 21
days
can include lighter cleansing diet, and several
consecutive days of deeply relaxing, luxurious
Ayurvedic cleansing treatments such as warm oil
massages, herbal steam baths and mild herbal
enemas
originally induced vomitting (vamana) as well as
herbal enemas, netti pot and nysa oil treatments
for sinuses
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