dhatus

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For those new to the ayurvedic lingo, a quickie lesson on digestion of

food to deepest tissues looks like this. I'm forgetting the number of

digestive processes/agnis/enzyme steps ayurveda identifies some 40 -

starting in this kind of primary sequence:

 

jataragni - in the stomach

bhutagni - small intestine and liver as I understand it, breaking food

into the 5 elements

dhatu agnis - break food sequentially into the various tissues. Dhatu

means tissue. If the first one is functioning well and correct

nutrients also supplied, then the body creates the next one which we

call " deeper " , and so on:

 

Rasa dhatu - plasma, from which we make breast milk, menstrual fluids,

lymph et al

Rakta dhatu - blood tissue

Mamsa dhatu - muscle tissue

Meda dhatu - fat tissues

Asti dhatu - bone tissue

Maija dhatu - nerve and marrow tissue

Shukra or atharva dhatus - male and female reproductive tissues

If all these steps are working well we also create ojas, subtlest

product of digestion and without which we cannot live

 

From eating food, most foods in normal healthy digestive system, to

deepest tissue and ojas, is considered about 28-32 days. As

postpartum mamas have had a temporary shut down of agni in favor of

energy going into the work of birthing, it is considered to take about

42 days from most foods, to being able to rejuvenate/recreate the

deepest tissues if all is cared for wisely. Fascinating, isn't it?

 

There is so much more to it. Each dhatu and other tissues as well

have their own type of by products, channels, foods and herbs that

direct influences to this level, foods and herbs that nourish, cleanse

or otherwise correct functioning at this level, etc. I love the

orderliness of this understanding, and have much to learn about things

in this paragraph still. In the ayurvedic pulse techniques, a skilled

practitioner can read from here (and other assessment tools) which

dosha (metabolic principle), which of the 20 gunas (qualities of

nature like rough or smooth, dry or oily etc), and other things like

mental issues are in what condition at each of these levels too. So

beautiful!

 

Blessings,

Ysha