Monday 29 August 2016

How Ayurveda Helps Modern Medicine

Ayurveda, is part of the ageless Vedic Heritage of India. Speculations about its origins go back thousands of years before christ. Extensive literature on the subject, dating back to the fourth century BC, has one thing in common- that the essence of Ayurveda is to preserve good health, which is every human beings' birthright.

Ayurveda prescribes lifestyle changes with emphasis on tranquility of mind that is filled with universal compassion, as an insurance against occasional illness. Here disease is only an accident. Just as road accidents are rare if one follows traffic rules, disease would be an exception if one follows the lifestyle prescribed in Ayurveda, which is not hard to comply with. 

The Human body has an inbuilt, powerful immune system that can correct most , if not all, ills that man is heir to. In the unlikely event of this mechanism failing, and only then, should doctors interfere to help the system, when possible. In fact, the concept  of immune deficiency syndromes had been prevalent even then. Immune boosting methods are mainstay of Ayurvedic therapeutics, the Panchakarmas, and the five modalities.

Swasthasya swastha rakshitham (Keep the healthy well as long as possible, is the motto)

This motto would be a great help to modern medicine where a stage has come,  what with the array of scopes and scanners, coupled with our inability to define normality precisely, we end up having no normal healthy human beings at all.

Among the many methods of preserving health in Ayurveda, the one that stands out is Sage Patanjali's Yoga Shashtra,  the science of Yoga.

Unlike what is sold by the new age gurus, original Yoga had eight wings: rules for day-to-day living including diet, the art and ethics of living, regular exercise menu, the all-important breathing method Pranayama, detached outlook towards life, yogic postures for constant ease to enable one to practice the next steps of dhyana- Concentration, tranquility of mind, and the ultimate realisation of the impermanence of life to make man fearless even in the face of death.

Thus defined, Yoga becomes a way of life and not just a few contortions of the body for an hour or so daily. Yoga, in its true form, is a way of life.

Another distinct philosophy in Ayurveda is that every disease begins in our thoughts (Consciousness) and grows in the body. Genetic contributions are very clearly understood, in addition. The concept is holistic and never reductionist.

Man is a part of the Universal consciousness, the environment and even the stars are supposed to have a role to play.

Modern medicine is just trying to grapple with the role played by the mind in serious illness. Science, especially quantum physics, seems to be going into the new realm of human consciousness. Werner Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle and Erwin Schrodinger's Cat Hypothesis point in that direction.

Recent studies of patients revived after cardiac arrest and those undergoing brain surgeries have pointed to the possibility of human consciousness (Mind) outwit the brain in every single human cell. This all-pervasive consciousness has been the hallmark of Ayurvedic thinking.

In the absence of its recognition by mainline science journals, the studies in the field of Ayurveda find it very difficult to get published; but there have been modern scientific inquiries into the effects of Yogic breathing.

Millions all over the world now practice breathing methods for good health. It has become another big business with all market force trappings.

Small pox, the only scourge that we have been able to eradicate so far, was eradicated with the help of vaccination. The authentication for Edward Jenners's anecdotal experience came from the prospective controlled  study observations of a London physician, T. Z Holwell, FRCP FRS, who after studying Indian vaccination systems prospectively for twenty long years in the Bengal province of the Raj, reported his findings to the president and fellows of the London College 1747.

He wrote that the antiquity and the authenticity (90%, protection of the vaccinated) could certainly give credibility to Jenner's method. The graphic descriptions of the Indian method. The graphic descriptions of the Indian method and its efficiency are portrayed in his paper, which could be viewed in the archives of the College library even today.

Although slightly damaged by the great London fire of the eighteenth century, the document, providentially survived the fire to show the original method that eventually led to the eradication of the greatest scourge of mankind. Recent evidence also suggests that the mind could initiate the cardiac rhythm and also the arrhythmias.

Ayurveda classifies human beings into three distinct types Vaata, Pitta and Kapha with multiple subtypes, This typing takes into account the phenotypical and genotypical features, in addition to consciousness.

In short, it is a holistic concept, unlike the modern medical method of matching groups for controlled studies based on tiny fractions of the phenotype, like height, weight, age, sex, and body mass index with a few of the biochemical and physical characteristics.

This kind of science of reductionism has led to doctors predicting the unpredictable. An experienced Ayurvedic physician could classify his patients based on these types since the treatment modalities are individualistic and not based on controlled studies as in modern medicine. Each patient needs individual titration of the methods used for him.

Since time-evolution, in a dynamic system, depends on the total initial state of the organism, controlled studies could be done using these personality types to match cohorts for better results in the future. There are computerised systems to classify people based on this system.

Ayurveda does not look at the human body as a sum total of the organs. The physiology in Ayurveda takes into account every aspect of man's existence, including planetary influence.

There is a whole science of Ayurvedic Astrology. The various rhythms of the body like the circadian and ultradian were explained by their mode-locking to the most dominant rhythm of breathing.

Breathing could control all the systems in the body except the one rhythm that occurs outside 24-hour cycle- the menstrual cycle that occurs once in 28 days. This, Ayurveda, claimed is under the gravitational pull of the moon stimulating the human brain!

"Kujendu Hetu Prathimaasaarthavam" -Because of the moon the woman menstruates once a month.

This might have looked very odd but for the fact that recent advances in human physiology have shown that the final stimulus for the endocrine orchestra that maintains the infradian rhythm of menstruation comes, from the gravitational effect of the moon on the cortical cells.

Most of the present-day " So called" Ayurvedic drugs in the market are reductionist in that they are only extracts of the active principle in the plant to conform to the modern medical standards of drug sales.

Dravyaguna, Ayurvedic pharmacodynamics, do not deal with active principles. It deals with the whole plants extract as envisaged in the ancient texts. This takes into effect even the photo dynamicity of the plant.

Some plants are to be harvested only after sunset lest their properties should change of harvested while the sun is up. Modern medicine now tells us that extracts might have serious side effects in the ling run.

Vitamin C in large does, over long periods, could encourage cancer growth in the body, but eating tomato daily with lots of Vit C in it, would not harm the body.

There are many unknown chemicals in the whole plant that prevent the active ingredient from harming the patient while, at the same time, potentiating the good effects of the active principle. We will have to standardise the drug delivery methods to confirm to the present standards but on the basis of holism only.

In fact, herbal medicines are the least important part of Ayurvedic therapeutics. While yoga, Panchakarma and surgery are the mainstay, herbal medicines are occasionally used.

Ayurvedic surgery was so advanced that the rhinoplasty method used by the Ayurvedic physician, Shushruta, is being used by plastic surgeons even today. his anatomy classes lasted more than 2 years for students and he had devised most of the important emergency surgical methods.

What should an Ayurvedic doctor do? His main  job is to study his patient in great detail with special reference to his surroundings and classify him. Having done that, he should try and tailor the management strategies. Most of them would need panchakarma methids. Almost all of them would do well with change of mode of living that Ayurveda prescribes with special emphasis on diet, yoga and exercise, rarely do surgical methods and/or drugs become appropriate.

With advances in modern science and technology, one cannot ignore the benefits of using modern hi-tech methods for emergency care. This requires the conventional ayurvedic doctor to have a reasonably good knowledge of modern medical methods to be able to give proper advice to patients.

A Judicious combination of modern medicine and Ayurveda would be an ideal training for a family doctor. More skilled specialists in either system could be used only at the referral point. This would bring down the top heavy cost of modern medical care remarkably.

More than 80% of the illnesses are either minor or self-correcting. They could easily be helped using Ayurvedic methods and a placebo doctor. In addition, Ayurveda could help chronic debilitating diseases to a great extent, at a very small cost to the tax payer. Only about 10 % of the time does modern medicine become mandatory.

Roughly, 90 % of the unnecessary costs could be reduced for the benefit of all without being detrimental to public health. Rather, most iatrogenic problems could be avoided.

Iatrogenesis is usually due to the long-term side effects of modern drugs. The latter form about 15% of hospital admissions. Modern medical doctors, who do not have an idea of Ayurveda and how it works, could be baffled when confronted with a patient who has probably taken the wrong advice from unscrupulous Ayurvedic practitioners.

The whole gamut of these intricacies would have to be thrashed out before changing the system of medical education into a complementary holistic system.

Ayurveda would not be of much use in an emergency. For we have to follow the modern medical methods.

But for all the chronic degenerative and ageing problems, Ayurveda is a panacea. The cost is very small in comparison.

Modern medical drugs and interventions are good for acute emergencies, but in the long run most of them have run into serious problems.

Dr. B M Hegde,
Bhavan's Journal, 
15/02/2015




Tuesday 23 August 2016

Exploring the Inner world of Consciousness

In recent years, consciousness has become a significant area of research in the fields of psychology, neuroscience and metaphysics. Consciousness studies have also branched into several subsets like animal consciousness, artificial consciousness, the consciousness of trees and plants (However minimal it may be), measurement of consciousness and the factors that contribute to consciousness.

In the 17th century, western scholars- metaphysics turned philosophers- Des Cartes (1596-1650) and Locke (1632-1704) tried to comprehend the nature of consciousness, Thereafter, several studies followed on the same line (Sir. Roger Penrose et al). But in India such ruminations date right back to the Vedic Days,

Five sheaths cover the self of a human being, Yama tells Nachiketa in Katha Upanishad. They are Annamaya (the Gross Body), Pranamaya (The layer of Vital energy), Manomaya (The layer of Mind), Vijnanamaya (The realm of intelligence) and Ananadamaya (The Realm of bliss).

For the eternal question of "Who Am I?", the seeker was given proper guidance when the sages of yore differentiated the Self that interacts with the outside world in the wakeful state ('Jagrat'), from the self that indulges in the inner world in the dream state ('Swapna') and the  self that draws a total blank during the dreamless Sleep ('Sushupthi'). These are the three different states of consciousness of an ordinary human being.

But a spiritual seeker with his regular practice or 'Sadhana' might be able to reach a state beyond these three called 'Turiya' (Transcendental State). It is on state that the American philosopher Henry Thoreau expounded his theory of Transcendentalism that motivated Mahatma Gandhi. In 'Turya' consciousness in its pristine purity merges with the all pervading universal or Cosmic consciousness called Brahman in Indian philosophy. Mandukya Upanishad gives us a detailed account of the pursuit of liberation or 'Moksha' through these steps.

Patanjali starts Yoga Sutra with the statement that yoga is 'Chittavritti Nirodha' i.e., the elimination of turbulence of the mind. This is the path of a yogi to reach he cosmic source of wisdom and energy. The yogic exercises are based on the concept of the seven 'Chakras' or centres where the cosmic energy in a human body whirls constantly.

Yogic anatomy identifies 5 of these lower chakras with a corresponding nerve plexus on the central channel of spinal cord called Sushumna Nadi starting from the base of the spine (Mooladhara)  where the 'Kundalini' lies in a state of stupor. When aroused through yoga, it moves up through the spots slightly above the base (Swadishtana),  at the level of the navel (Manipura), at the level of the heart (Anahata), and at the neck (Vishuddha). And the the uppermost two, the Ajna, (between the twi eyebrows) and Sahasraara (Below the top central scalp of the head) are intimately connected with the functioning of the two tiny ductless glands, the pituitary and pineal glands in the brain.

The Ajna chakra is used by an accomplished yogi as a transmitting station to send messages in the form of thought waves to other humans and 'Sahasrara' is the receiving station wherein cosmic uplink is possible for him. Sree M, in his book Jewel in the Lotus gives us a lucid description of all these. In Shri M. K Ramachandran's travelogue Thapobhumi Utharakhand, he tells us how, near Gomugh, he saw a young sanyasin belonging to navanath sadhu sangam receiving messages like this. Paramahamsa yogananda also gives us an account of this in his 'Autibiography of a Yogi'. All these provide us the evidence of the presence of being with such superhuman consciousness even in todays world although they are very rare now.

Contemplation and meditation are the processes by which we bring about the sublimation of our consciousness, elevating it to higher levels of awareness. In this process man's knowledge also gets transformed. At the lowest , there is 'Ajnana' or ignorance when one's impressions are restricted to those obtained through the sensors. Higher than that there is Jnana  or knowledge of the Self and other things acquired through intellect , scriptures and teachers. Still higher is 'Vijnana'  discriminative knowledge that is able to differentiate the veiled but real (Truth) from the apparent but the unreal illusion.

Reaching out towards greater perfection, one attains the intuitive experience of Brahman where the duality of the knower and the known ceases to exist. This relationship is achieved when the mind which is only a continuous stream of thoughts is transcended. "I am daily making myself what I am", says Robert Thurman, the eminent Buddhist scholar at Columbia University.

To the question "Where does the soul go after it leaves the body?" Dr. Brian Weiss gives the following answer: "I see the soul as a body of energy, the splits off again, intact, when it returns to a new life". This doctor, who runs the Weiss Institute, Florida, is the author of a series of books beginning with Many Lives, Many Masters. He uses regression therapy- helping a patient through hypnosis to go back to his earlier births- as a tool to heal his present ailments.

He tries progression therapy too by enabling people to peep into the various options that future births offer them and to exercise their choice by regulating their present action. For him, hypnosis is a technique of meditation to gain access to the subconscious. Dr. Larry Dossey, in his book Reinventing Medicine, observes that among heart patients, those who were prayed for from a distant place by their kith and kin had better clinical recovery that those who received only medical attention. This well-connectedness is the principle behind empathy too.

Dr. Weiss' conception of God is as a loving, wise energy that is in every cell of our body. In India, Dr. B M Hegde, through his innumerable articles and lectures propagates his contention that the human body is a huge colony of lakhs of cells which are conscious individually and ready to work in unison for the well being of the whole body. 'Deepak Chopra', the author of 'Quantum Healing' started as an endocrinologist but ended up founding the Chopra centre of wellbeing based  on Ayurveda and on his ideas of mind-body relationship. Opposing the reductionist thinking modern medicine, he argues that it is  consciousness that is the key to evolution and feels confident that it will soon be proved.

With consciousness studies thus embracing a whole spectrum of human activity, time is  ripe enough for us to use their insights for the betterment of the present human predicament on earth. We realise that prayer helps us to be  at peace with ourselves, our vibrations improve and our judgement becomes sounder. We feel a sense of security and  our spiritual quotient improves. The world now is torn with divisive tendencies arising from freaks and cranks with a variety of psychological abnormalities like lopsided notions and frenzied ideas. The ultimate solution for their malady lies in the sublimation of human consciousness through a collective effort to build a society of greater sanity and  perfect mental health.


Ms. P Latha
Compiled from Bhavan's Journal,
15, 2015