Ayurveda And yoga

[Guest guest]

Natural law is the foundation of Yoga and Ayurveda. These systems

evolved at the same time and from the same sources. In the mind of

many modern thinkers one can not seperate the two.

 

Modern examples is the teaching of many Yoga masters such as Swami

Sivinanda. My Father was a vaidya and came under the influence of

Swamiji and Ghandhiji who both synthasized a system of health that

integrated Yoga teachings of Patanjali with Ayurveda and

Naturopathy.Swami Sivinanda himself had been trained as an allopath.

 

These teachers taught that the proper use of Ayurveda is as a natural

system of recovery and realization. Some yogis have said that it is

not correct to practice Ayurveda as a system of medicine - rather it

must be practiced as a system of self healing and self-realization.

Using the basic premises of Ayurveda (The Science of Life) mahabhuta

theory and guna theory one can heal oneself of any non-congenital

disease and take the further steps to Yoga (moksha - or Union).

 

My father is an advanced yoga practioner and has used Ayurveda and

Naturapathy (modern Naturapathy in India is often based on Ayurvedic

teachings) in his Sadhana for many years.

 

Of those various teachers the approach is slightly differant. Swami

Sivananda taught that one must not rely on medicines to recover

health because the development of disease processes is caused by

improper lifestyle choices and taking tons of medicines can not

correct this - only living according to natural order will cure

disease - what to say of achieving higher states of perfect health.

Also many yoga practrioners do not approve of many of the Ayurvedic

therapies such as the techniques of Panchakarma.

 

My Father taught these concepts to us from childhood. He believed

that the most important elements in health were proper lifestyle

choices according to ones personal prakruti, seasonal changes,

geography, climate,etc. One must eat in a healthy manner do exercise

physically, mentally, and spiritually according to the teachings of

natural law as we can learn from the great Ayurvedic Rishis and the

Naturapathic physicians. He advised against all violent therapies

such as strong veerachana, and vamana. He believes such therapies

have side effects and create samkaras that will possibly cause

symptoms of their own (as adminestered by 99% of therapists). He used

many of the external oil treatments of Kerala.

 

Some yogis advocate the use of techniques such as basti - some do not

use these theraputic concepts.

 

His teaching was that most diseases have a component of excess and or

improper imcompatable combinations - therefore he belived that gentle

lightening practices are the best therapies. Cleanse the body gently

without violence and then rebuild the dhatus with classic Rasayana

therapies of Ayurveda. He often said that food, water, sunshine,

fresh air, and asana are the best treatments for balancing dosha

imbalance. Another saying was that the best medicines for Vata and

Pitta are Ghee and the best medicine for Kapha is honey. Practice

Asana and Pranayama in a scientific manner without stressing the

body. Eat nourishing foods such as milk, ghee, honey,vegetables, and

fruits, Chavanaprasham, etc.. Take other medicines cautiously - he

was against complicated medicine formulas because of the potential

for side effects. Example he often said that people take to many

tonics and end up with symptoms of overheating. He thought example

that pipalli is a great medicine for many defeciency diseases that

need stimulation - but he belived that such medicines are over used

and create side-effects. He had similar opinions about medicines such

as Shilajit. He often boiled herbs in milk medium and used them as a

single herbal to make theraputic foods. One example was his use of

Ashwaghanda, Bala, Shanka-pushpi boiled in milk to create warm

beverages to support those under stress or for specific purposes such

as mental weakness..

 

This is only one way in which different people use Ayurveda to regain

health and achieve yoga. The various ways to heal disease in modern

India have similar roots and may or may not come from traditional

understandings - natural law is the same at all times and places

therefore there are many ways to use self observation to heal ones

disease by onself or with the help of an experienced yogi or vaidya.

 

One often sees the combination of many ancient and modern concepts to

develop 'new' systems of medicine. My personal sadhana is based on my

father's teachings combined with modern theories of Endocrinology and

antiageing (Rasayana). The particulars of natural order are

constantly being elaborated and we will not come to the end of this

process for generations to come.

 

The world is full of healing techniques and always has been.

 

 

 

ayurveda, "bonniect" <bonniect@c...>

wrote:

> Dr. Mankikar:

> Thank you for your answer. Now I have another question, how do you

know how to integrate medicine with the yoga, to achieve the best

goals?? I tried to delete portions of this, but it wouldn't do it

for me. so sorry!!

> Namaste

> Bonnie

> -

> durgesh mankikar

> ayurveda

> Saturday, May 01, 2004 9:09 AM

> Re: <ayurveda> Digest Number 449

>

>

> Bonnie,

> Ayurveda and Yoga are like comparing Exercise and Western

Medicine.

> However, unlike the latter combination,

>

> Ayurveda is a science of Herbal Medicines and Dietary

recommendations, and uses Yoga for 3 purposes---its meditative value,

its exercise and toning up the body value and for stimulating or

regressing certain body points, which may have effects on the neuro-

endocrine system.

> The 2 are not synonymous. And the body does not get the Herbal or

dietary help in Yoga, if practiced alone, unless one integrates it

with Ayurveda. At the same time, one does not get the beneficial

value of Yoga, unless one integrates it with Ayurveda. The 2 are

mutually beneficial.

>

> Durgesh Mankikar,MD

[Guest guest]

Dear Dr. Mankakar:

Again thank you, your post is very insteresting and insightful. I don't suppose

you would be willing to adopt me as your spiritual daughter for a few decades,

so I may learn from you???

Bonnie

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Dear Boonie,

There are 2 ways of integrating Ayurveda and Yoga.

1) At Practitioner level, as a Vaidya

2) As a normal person, who is not a Vaidya.

 

Since you come under the 2nd category, you must first take some basic course in

Ayurvedic principles and ayurvedic Diet. Also, take a course in Yogic meditation

and yoga as an Exercise. You can now blend Ayurvedic diet, according to your

doshas, and blend in meditation and yogic exercise. As explained by Vinod ,

fresh air, meditation, sunlight, and good mental attitude are ideal healers by

themselves. You can have the additive effect of a good diet, as per your doshas.

Again, as explained by Vinod, there is an overemphasis in the West about

Panchakarma therapy. The simplest and best is oil massage and the oils he has

mentioned are ideal--Ashwagandha, Bala, etc...

with an occasional treatment of your Apana vata with Harde or Hingashtak.

 

Durgesh Mankikar,MD