Weight measures, Ojas build-up

[Guest guest]

>>

>

> I thought I understood the principles of difference here.

> But your last statments seem contradictory to me. If as we are given

> from ayuveda to know that ghee is lighter weight than honey for the

> same volume, how can you say 1 gram of ghee is equal to 1 gram of

> honey is exactly 1 ml volume?

 

i didn't say that, i was only referring to water

i'm not sure of the volume:mass differences between ghee and honey

as the say in the biz you can't "dry lab" these things

you have roll your sleeves up and actually do the measuring

take the desired dose of herb in its prescribed form, weigh it out and

measure the volume

then you will know exactly how volume (tsp) to use

 

> Maybe I'm not too clear headed here.

> Part of why I don't manage/focus on switching my brain to metric -

> leaning on the forgiving nature of the herbs, with also the variable

> digestion of even different bodies of the same weight, etc. I figure

> 1/2 - 1 tsp of total powder mixed into per cup of hot water or milk

> for most herb applications.

 

it depends on quality

when you think of how much is traditionally used for churna in

Ayurveda, i.e. one karsha, or about 12 g, 1/2 to 1 tsp wouldn't be

considered a therapeutic dose from strict Ayurvedic standards (contrary

to all the more recent Ayurvedic texts, e.g. Frawley and Lad's Yoga of

Herbs). Chinese texts that prescribe traditional doses are much closer

to traditional Ayurvedic standards, usually prescribing 9 g per dose,

and more for mild tonic herbs like Astragalus, about 15 g - this is why

many chinese practitioners have started to use 5:1 extracts, because it

reduces the dose by 1/5th

 

at least one western Ayurvedic practitioner I know uses very large

doses of herbs, esp. considering the quality that we usually get,

following traditional practices, e.g. for turmeric, 2-3 tsp thrice daily

 

then again, there are other herbalists that prescribe tinctures in drop

doses, and still get results (not to mention homeopathy)

this is what i mean when i say herbs have a large therapeutic window,

unlike drugs, which often need to be dosed very close to the toxic

dose, and have much, much smaller margin of error (although this is set

to change, as drug companies manufacture daily "vitamin" combination

therapies with low dose aspirin and statins...)

 

>

> BTW, a note re the closed recent discussion, it may take short time

> for seminal fluids to replenish in young men, but the ojas takes

> normally about 30 days, right?

 

30 days to rebuild ojas sounds too arbitrary and formulaic to me - the

status of ojas depends on many things: prakriti/vikriti, manas

prakriti, diet, mental attitude, sleep, age, love etc

 

generally with age there will be a decline in ojas, and a commensurate

decline in the capacity to create ojas due to the devitalized state of

the dhatus ojas is fed by shulka, but no indication that it is lost by

ejaculation, only that the substrate for its creation is deficient, and

thus this can create a deficiency

 

since young men appear to have an abundant capacity to produce shulka

(hence the "impulsive" urge to discharge it) there appears to be no

lack of substrate, and no significant affect upon ojas - this may

change as they age, or it may not - unlike women men can remain virile

right up until the die, and recent research suggests that this is

healthy for the prostate and associated glands

 

i honestly don't expect to resolve anything by my comments since this

debate has been going on for a very long time in asian culture - i am

also fairly well read in the taoist literature and am familiar with

their concepts on the retention of jing (semen) and transmutation into

qi (ojas), and the debate in that culture - all i know is that i've

never met anyone that has achieved physical immortality: brahmacharya

or materialistic hedonist, the result of our choices after death is

nothing but speculation...

 

my personal philosophy is Ayurveda for the masses, not the select few...

 

 

> Agree with most of your

> thinking, but also have experienced myself feeling bad for the

> classical 3 days after ejaculation (my less aware of his energy shift

> impacts husband's).

 

you felt bad, for him? i'm not sure i understand what u r saying...

Caldecott

todd

www.toddcaldecott.com

[Guest guest]

> when you think of how much is traditionally used for churna in

> Ayurveda, i.e. one karsha, or about 12 g, ... Chinese texts that

prescribe traditional doses are much closer to traditional Ayurvedic

standards,

 

Very interesting! This must be why the Chinese preparations are such

a big batch cooked down and classically so much more difficult to

take (taste), and why the pharmaceutical strength ayurvedic herbs are

decocted and then dried to much greater concentraton, am I correct?

 

> following traditional practices, e.g. for turmeric, 2-3 tsp thrice

daily

That is a LOT of turmeric! Might really turn around my

chronic "malabsorption" symtoms, but I wonder for my pitta! This

winter (after I finish the ayurvedic water cure discussed on the

keralaayurvedics forum) I'm going to continue for a while a

recommendaton by a traditional INdian grandmother for "all women over

40" of 1/2 tsp each pippali and turmeric in hot water in am and

possibly pm. THat is a lot to my understanding, but if feels good as

long as the weather is cool.

 

> this is what i mean when i say herbs have a large therapeutic

window,

This is why I resort to kinesiology to help me determine dosages, but

this range is amazing. Yes, it is amazing what just intent can do.

When my children were in school and something was not right, all the

teacher and I had to do was discuss it, make a plan, but we never had

to implement the plans. THe children changed with the attention.

(Maharishi has said that it the quality of and attention of the

parents is much more important than any particular practices or

educational system that we give them. What a relief! I think it

extends somewhat into medicine, although if the child is about to run

in front of a car, or the body is really out of balance, of course

the prescription HAS to move the body properly somehow).

 

>as drug companies manufacture daily "vitamin" combination

therapies with low dose aspirin and statins...)

You mean, they are putting aspirin etc into vitamins? Now the

research is showing it has side effects and is not so good after all,

whew!

 

> 30 days to rebuild ojas sounds too arbitrary and formulaic to me -

the status of ojas depends on many things: prakriti/vikriti, manas

prakriti, diet, mental attitude, sleep, age, love etc.

 

THis makes sense to me, even with the 28=32 day window I was taught.

I started thinking somewhat outside the box when Dr. John Doulliard

gave me as part of my regimen to nibble on dates thru the day (just a

taste, hourly) to rebuild my ojas (in a particular body-mind

situation). I felt some difference right away even. The postpartum

42 day window is said to be that time frame in part because the agnis

are so compromised for all women after birth, this extended time is

needed for ojas and all that goes with it. I do see women really

going through a phase transition at about 42 days, regardless of what

youth and reserve they bring into it. As my teacher Maharishi pionts

out, life is found in layers. Two "contradictory" statements are

often simultaneously true!

 

>but no indication that it is lost by ejaculation, only that the

substrate for its creation is deficient, and thus this can create a

deficiency

No indication from where says my questioning mind, ref ayurvedic

sources? Your logic does have honest sense, of course, but my

experience of the vibratory state change and comensurate dramatic

shift (decrease) in ease of harmonious communication after the first

little time after lovemaking which I frequently percieved with my

husband seems to verify the more traditional concept. I was overly

fluid in percieving many layers. > you felt bad, for him? i'm not

sure i understand what u r saying...

 

Yes I felt bad for him but that became as secondary to my

mind/body/spiritual perceptions and then matching with "educated"

understanding. ANd I witnessed feeling bad myself in terms of a

psychophysiological state change for 3 days as I seemed to take on

the responsibility for the imbalance which was created

physiologically as well as psychologically. As he did not have to

experience it (my being overly devoted wife that way on that level)

he doubted my experience and it created unfortunate rifts,

contributing our difficulties. At that time I was for several years

in a deep gifted as well as not well guided psychic opening, I guess

you could say, a journeying perceptivity which went places not

common. It had its challenges! Being single for a long time now, I

do not know if that unusual level of perception is still there with

me.

 

It was my observation also that the Taoist approach to sexuality

really left out the emotional-spiritual connection, that can serve

well the physical-spiritual connection if the emotions are already

healthy. I do not have exposure to intimate relationship

with "tantric" approach, but realize that this approach is also very

misused, misinterpreted, more often taking a small part of the wisdom

and makes it the whole package, turning it into a so called sexual

practice. Yet it seems to honor the feminine in a higher conscious

play than the Taoist.

 

> i honestly don't expect to resolve anything by my comments ...

> my personal philosophy is Ayurveda for the masses, not the select

few...

Yes, this is I'm sure a big part of why I haven't taken my ayurvedic

studies further. THere is so much to give within what I have

already, and the people who come to me have so many different needs

around what they are able or willing to do for their health. When I

teach the postpartum work though, in the classroom I give the

classical I have learned, as well as picture of options and do my

best to couch it in a spiritual Unity perspective/organizing

framework from which to make choices and counsel. The principles are

just that, organizing principles to use what is available. Part of

the wonderful gift of Ayurveda. Everyone knows what feeling hot or

cold, dry or moist, felling connected or feeling separate are. It is

easy to talk with people about it!

 

Appreciate the conversation and I hope your move has gone

smoothly and your family is settling into their new home.

 

Martha Oakes

Ayurvedic Postpartum Care, Training & Aromatherapy

www.sacredwindow.com