It would be a fair comment to state that I have been blessed with the Grace of Teachers - be they at school, in the profession or in the Healing Arts. Therefore, if I were to be involved in a research project, I would like to pursue or undertake a study that would encompass and integrate all the knowledge I have been exposed to and move towards greater unification and synthesis. A Mahāsangama of Healing Arts, so to say.
The science and practice of Yoga and Meditation was used more than 5000 years ago to raise Herbalism to an evolved system of therapeutics called Āyurveda. The language of Āyurveda is the language of Yoga and Tantra, which were practiced in their truer form in the previous era or Age (Yuga). Āyurveda has a prolific Materia Medica and the actions and qualities of the remedies are described in terms of energetics, vibrations and sensations. Homeopathy interprets the same concepts in a more contemporary language while retaining its feet firmly on the bedrock of Vital Force.
Hahnemann stands like a Rishi (Seer) of this Yuga or era. It would be only fitting if Homeopathy could make use of the remedies in Āyurveda by initiating fresh research via provings. Āyurveda employs the concept of Rasa (Flavor), our subjective interpretation of the Five Elements; Vīrya or vibrations that affect our Prāna, the Vital Force; Vipāka (Post-digestive effect), the drug-receptor interactions; and Prabhāva, inexplicable energy that arises out of Samskāra, i.e. processes like trituration etc. In today’s practice these metaphors are poorly understood even in India, especially by the doctors and even members of the faculty of Āyurveda in Medical Schools. The focus has totally shifted to extraction and distillation of chemicals and active principles from herbs and finding applications that will earn them a pat from their Big Brother, The Allopath. Hahnemann can be seen as the Rishi of this Age who gave us the wonderful technique of Provings and the Law of Similars; making it possible for the present day Man, who is not versed in Tantra and Yoga, to practice the Healing Art as it should be – on the plane of the dynamis that animates us.
The project or study that would stimulate me would be reviewing the Āyurvedic Materia Medica with the Homeopathic model of provings and introducing Homeopathic therapeutics to Āyurveda. Āyurveda provides a very simple and commonsensical approach to dietetics and Yoga provides a very simple yet effective form of exercise that promotes calm and awareness. The combination of the Triad would truly benefit every citizen of the world, rich or poor. Also, Yoga can contribute immensely to Homeopathic psychology as it will bring with it its Vitalist perspective, something that is sadly lacking in the contemporary Western model of psychology.
Somewhere, the deeper secrets of Āyurveda have been lost during the cultural churning that has taken place in India over the past many millennia. The seed of Homeopathy has flowered and prospered on the cultural and intellectual soil of India from the very beginning. With globalization and free exchange of information I feel there is now a critical mass of people both in the East and the West who desire that this transformation must take place. I am sure there will be many who are working towards this end and God willing, I shall be a close witness or even a participant in this revolution.
Amen!
Ashok RājGuru
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Do computers dilute the essence of Homeopathy?
The introduction and adaptation of computers to the field of homeopathy brings in its wake the debate about whether or not it helps or harms its practice as an Art. Introduction of computers along with multi-media tools, networking, and integrated audio, video, graphic and print capabilities has revolutionized education making it possible for people like me to study homeopathy from a distance. Most homeopathic software available today is the product of the combined labor of homeopaths, computer programmers and students, so it is more about evolution than mere adaptation.
The computerization of our homeopathic literature represents one of the most significant advances of the profession. Many practitioners find homeopathic software invaluable in daily clinical practice and for their continual self-education. We have today some 400 reasonably well-described remedies, along with over 1200 additional lesser known remedies. The task of getting along by a "diligent and attentive study" of our Materia Medica is today next to impossible. Hence there is a need to replace the century reliance on "full acquaintance with the specific effects of each drug", with ready access to the resources of our literature[1].
It is a commonly held view that beginning and intermediate students of homeopathy should steer away from the use of computerized literature. Many homeopathic educators discourage the use of Repertory and Materia Medica software programs until proficiency is developed in using printed-text references. The traditional skills of a homeopath include the knowledge of Repertory structure and familiarity with its content, and it is feared that these skills might be neglected if reportorial software is relied upon to "automate" case analysis. Dr. Will Taylor MD likens the resistance to adoption of the computer as a learning tool in homeopathic education, to the early resistance to acceptance of the stethoscope by the medical community.
Use of the Repertory on the computer can facilitate learning its structure and familiarizing its content, allowing the user to gradually develop an organic understanding of Repertory structure and content gained in daily use. Consultation of the Materia Medica on computer permits more ready comparative study and greatly facilitates consulting multiple authors.
It should be remembered that a computer cannot "find the remedy" for a case. The task of case taking, observing and perceiving the Totality of Symptoms, choosing the Rubrics, doing differential analysis of the leading remedies and then making the ultimate choice of a simillimum, still remain tasks for the practitioner. The tools of a carpenter do not build a house; they extend his grasp, make it much easier to drive nails and drill holes. A hammer in unskilled hands can only smash thumbs.
Each software has its own set of strengths and weaknesses. The computer science dictum of GIGO or Garbage-In-Garbage-Out emphasizes that the integrity of output is dependent on the integrity of input. If poor data is used as input into a Repertory, the result will be erroneous. This applies equally to using a printed version of the Repertory as well. Besides saving time the computer allows us to store all the relevant literature in less space and makes searches easier.
Computers are here to stay so it is best to learn how to put them to use effectively. The limitations must be first understood before reaping the benefits of its advantages. Despite the availability of GPS maps, there is no substitute for “The Knowledge” that every “black cab” London Taxi driver prides himself/herself in. Yet, even the taxi drivers have kept pace by educating themselves through the use of computers to fine tune and hone their skills. Like our 400 commonly used remedies, the London Taxi drivers are supposed to be thoroughly familiar with 320 “runs” within a 6 mile radius from Charring Cross station[2]! And like the 1200+ lesser known remedies they have to be familiar with over 100 embassies, all the post codes in the City and some 30,000 “points”. Of course, a lot of this is intuitively imprinted in their minds, much like the drug pictures we develop in our minds.
In recent times, homeopathic software has included “expert-systems”. However, the user must not lose sight of conventional learning methods which involve the use of the five senses, learning at the feet of a teacher, empathizing with the patient and above keeping in focus the high and only mission to restore the sick to health, to cure, as it is termed[3].
Ashok RājGuru.
[1] Taylor, Will MD: A Review and Brief Comparison of the Leading Repertory / Materia Medica Software Programs (http://www.homeoint.org/articles/taylor/software.htm).
[2] http://www.the-knowledge.org.uk/
[3] Hahnemann, Samuel: §1-Organon of the Medical Art, (O’Reilly Edition)
The computerization of our homeopathic literature represents one of the most significant advances of the profession. Many practitioners find homeopathic software invaluable in daily clinical practice and for their continual self-education. We have today some 400 reasonably well-described remedies, along with over 1200 additional lesser known remedies. The task of getting along by a "diligent and attentive study" of our Materia Medica is today next to impossible. Hence there is a need to replace the century reliance on "full acquaintance with the specific effects of each drug", with ready access to the resources of our literature[1].
It is a commonly held view that beginning and intermediate students of homeopathy should steer away from the use of computerized literature. Many homeopathic educators discourage the use of Repertory and Materia Medica software programs until proficiency is developed in using printed-text references. The traditional skills of a homeopath include the knowledge of Repertory structure and familiarity with its content, and it is feared that these skills might be neglected if reportorial software is relied upon to "automate" case analysis. Dr. Will Taylor MD likens the resistance to adoption of the computer as a learning tool in homeopathic education, to the early resistance to acceptance of the stethoscope by the medical community.
Use of the Repertory on the computer can facilitate learning its structure and familiarizing its content, allowing the user to gradually develop an organic understanding of Repertory structure and content gained in daily use. Consultation of the Materia Medica on computer permits more ready comparative study and greatly facilitates consulting multiple authors.
It should be remembered that a computer cannot "find the remedy" for a case. The task of case taking, observing and perceiving the Totality of Symptoms, choosing the Rubrics, doing differential analysis of the leading remedies and then making the ultimate choice of a simillimum, still remain tasks for the practitioner. The tools of a carpenter do not build a house; they extend his grasp, make it much easier to drive nails and drill holes. A hammer in unskilled hands can only smash thumbs.
Each software has its own set of strengths and weaknesses. The computer science dictum of GIGO or Garbage-In-Garbage-Out emphasizes that the integrity of output is dependent on the integrity of input. If poor data is used as input into a Repertory, the result will be erroneous. This applies equally to using a printed version of the Repertory as well. Besides saving time the computer allows us to store all the relevant literature in less space and makes searches easier.
Computers are here to stay so it is best to learn how to put them to use effectively. The limitations must be first understood before reaping the benefits of its advantages. Despite the availability of GPS maps, there is no substitute for “The Knowledge” that every “black cab” London Taxi driver prides himself/herself in. Yet, even the taxi drivers have kept pace by educating themselves through the use of computers to fine tune and hone their skills. Like our 400 commonly used remedies, the London Taxi drivers are supposed to be thoroughly familiar with 320 “runs” within a 6 mile radius from Charring Cross station[2]! And like the 1200+ lesser known remedies they have to be familiar with over 100 embassies, all the post codes in the City and some 30,000 “points”. Of course, a lot of this is intuitively imprinted in their minds, much like the drug pictures we develop in our minds.
In recent times, homeopathic software has included “expert-systems”. However, the user must not lose sight of conventional learning methods which involve the use of the five senses, learning at the feet of a teacher, empathizing with the patient and above keeping in focus the high and only mission to restore the sick to health, to cure, as it is termed[3].
Ashok RājGuru.
[1] Taylor, Will MD: A Review and Brief Comparison of the Leading Repertory / Materia Medica Software Programs (http://www.homeoint.org/articles/taylor/software.htm).
[2] http://www.the-knowledge.org.uk/
[3] Hahnemann, Samuel: §1-Organon of the Medical Art, (O’Reilly Edition)
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Herb in focus: Tāmraparna
Kings prohibited it, Popes pronounced against it and Sultans condemned users to cruel deaths. Three hundred years later, in 1885, it was included in the British Pharmacopoeia. Today it is called by activists as the Evil Weed and lawyers in the US are reaping huge profits while helping those who suffer from the effects of its addictive use and abuse. As a student of Āyurveda and Yoga, one must know this herb in greater detail. After all, “... the use or uselessness depends on the use the user lends[1]”.
Tobacco (Nicotina Tobacum) is a member of the nightshade family (Solanaceae). This family includes food plants (potato, tomato, pepper, and eggplant), poisonous and medicinal plants (deadly nightshade and Jimson weed) and garden plants such as petunia. Medicinally it is used as a sedative, diuretic, expectorant and internally only as an emetic, when all other emetics fail. The smoke injected into the rectum or the leaf rolled into the anus as a suppository has been beneficial in strangulated hernia. A wet leaf applied to piles is a certain cure[2]. Tobacco poultices are used externally in the treatment of rheumatic swelling, skin diseases and scorpion stings[3]. The American Indians have used it historically as a “psychological aid for insanity caused by masturbation and as a remedy for tuberculosis[4]”.
Habitual smokers are known to be able to fine tune their response to everyday life by determining the way they puff. Short puffs arouse the nervous system while deep drags calm it. This fact has often been used to artistically express moods in cinema and theatre. Ash and smoke are often used in poetic metaphor also. In the words of Harry Paul Lonsdale, author of one of the top-selling cigar books, The Good Cigar, “To smoke was to recognize in the ash and in the smoke itself the transitory nature of life, for what was the fate of man but to flare up for a time and then burn out?”
The first reference in Āyurvedic literature occurs in the 17th century text Yogaratnākara. It was a Portuguese import into India during the 16th century. Its properties, uses and actions are described as relieving asthma, cough, edema, Vāta and Kapha vitiation, dental diseases, as a supplement in enema to tone the colon and as a germicidal. Āyurvedic formulations that use tobacco are Shvāsagajānkusha Rasa and Shvāsāntakavalehya.
The active ingredient in tobacco is Nicotine (C10H14N2), an alkaloid (caffeine is another common alkaloid). Nicotine is metabolized in the lungs, kidneys and liver. The liver and kidneys are the sites of Pitta and lungs the site of Kapha and Vāta. The action of nicotine on the three doshas and their respective sites are all too well known – increased heartbeat, increased blood pressure and rapid, shallow breathing. These effects could be of positive help and bring relief to patients suffering from Alzheimer's Disease and Tourette's syndrome if used in a controlled way.
A closer look at the physiology of tobacco usage would help in understanding its effects. In the brain, neurons are the cells that transfer and integrate information. While signals are conducted through individual neurons as electric current, communication between neurons is mediated by chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. Nicotine works by docking to neurotransmitters called acetylcholine. In normal circumstances, acetylcholine delivers signals from the brain to muscles, controls basic functions like our energy level, the beating of our heart and how we breathe. It acts like a "traffic cop" overseeing the flow of information in your brain and plays a vital role in learning and memory. Nicotine causes increased activity of acetylcholine which leads to the effects mentioned above. Nicotine also causes release of glutamate, a neurotransmitter involved in learning and memory. Also it releases endorphins. Endorphins lead to feelings of euphoria and create a memory loop of good feelings and further drive the desire to use nicotine.
Āyurveda explains this in terms of the tobacco’s Vātahara and Kaphahara qualities and its Tikshna and Ushna gunas that vitiate Sādhaka Pitta, Tarpaka Kapha and Prāna and Vyāna Vāyu. The rapid absorption of nicotine by smoking occurs at the alveoli, so Āvalambaka Kapha is also disturbed. It is Āvalambaka Kapha that creates confidence and courage while supporting both the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Tarpaka Kapha is the “film” on which impressions digested by Sādhaka Pitta are imprinted. The combined effect of these explains the mood elevation and confidence the drag on a cigarette creates for the smoker.
Interestingly, Yoga provides a solution. Practice of āsanas[5] and Prānāyāma[6] regulate the level of acetylcholine, endorphins and other neurotransmitters in the blood. Thus the yoga practitioner can have all the “benefits” of altered level of neurotransmitters without falling prey to the addictive and damaging effects that follow tobacco abuse.
Tobacco had widespread ceremonial and spiritual use amongst Indian shamans in Central and Southern America. Since it has an anti-aphrodisiac effect (shukrahara), reduces hunger and increases pain tolerance levels, it found acceptance amongst wandering ascetics in India too. Some yogis and Tāntriks use tobacco and marijuana in their Tapas to actively “dry out” their bodies, reduce their diets and control Prāna’s movement in order to reduce the production of their physical juices and allocating more resources to the production of Ojas[7].
It is indeed unfortunate that injudicious use of this herb has led to a lot of misery. But that is true of any substance. Overindulgence in even the healthiest of foods can lead to addiction, obesity and death. Yoga and Āyurveda are the science and art of Yukti, a word which encompasses and includes ideas like common sense, pragmatism, union, combination, harnessing, reason, deduction, device and even magic. For that reason the middle path is the best path. Dynamic balance and harmony is the essence of Sattva and that is what the practices lead us to.
Ashok RājGuru.
[1]Caraka Sutrasthana 9/20a
[2] Grieve: A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
[3] Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986
[4] http://www.uihealthcare.com /depts/medmuseum/galleryexhibits/naturespharmacy/tobaccoplant/tobacco.html
[5] Criswell, Eleanor (1988). How Yoga Works: An Introduction to Somatic Yoga. California: Freeperson Press
[6]http://www.yogaspirit.co.uk/articles/Yogaandpromotionofhealth
[7] Svoboda, Robert E: Ayurveda, Life, Health and Longevity. Penguin India, 2003.
Tobacco (Nicotina Tobacum) is a member of the nightshade family (Solanaceae). This family includes food plants (potato, tomato, pepper, and eggplant), poisonous and medicinal plants (deadly nightshade and Jimson weed) and garden plants such as petunia. Medicinally it is used as a sedative, diuretic, expectorant and internally only as an emetic, when all other emetics fail. The smoke injected into the rectum or the leaf rolled into the anus as a suppository has been beneficial in strangulated hernia. A wet leaf applied to piles is a certain cure[2]. Tobacco poultices are used externally in the treatment of rheumatic swelling, skin diseases and scorpion stings[3]. The American Indians have used it historically as a “psychological aid for insanity caused by masturbation and as a remedy for tuberculosis[4]”.
Habitual smokers are known to be able to fine tune their response to everyday life by determining the way they puff. Short puffs arouse the nervous system while deep drags calm it. This fact has often been used to artistically express moods in cinema and theatre. Ash and smoke are often used in poetic metaphor also. In the words of Harry Paul Lonsdale, author of one of the top-selling cigar books, The Good Cigar, “To smoke was to recognize in the ash and in the smoke itself the transitory nature of life, for what was the fate of man but to flare up for a time and then burn out?”
The first reference in Āyurvedic literature occurs in the 17th century text Yogaratnākara. It was a Portuguese import into India during the 16th century. Its properties, uses and actions are described as relieving asthma, cough, edema, Vāta and Kapha vitiation, dental diseases, as a supplement in enema to tone the colon and as a germicidal. Āyurvedic formulations that use tobacco are Shvāsagajānkusha Rasa and Shvāsāntakavalehya.
The active ingredient in tobacco is Nicotine (C10H14N2), an alkaloid (caffeine is another common alkaloid). Nicotine is metabolized in the lungs, kidneys and liver. The liver and kidneys are the sites of Pitta and lungs the site of Kapha and Vāta. The action of nicotine on the three doshas and their respective sites are all too well known – increased heartbeat, increased blood pressure and rapid, shallow breathing. These effects could be of positive help and bring relief to patients suffering from Alzheimer's Disease and Tourette's syndrome if used in a controlled way.
A closer look at the physiology of tobacco usage would help in understanding its effects. In the brain, neurons are the cells that transfer and integrate information. While signals are conducted through individual neurons as electric current, communication between neurons is mediated by chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. Nicotine works by docking to neurotransmitters called acetylcholine. In normal circumstances, acetylcholine delivers signals from the brain to muscles, controls basic functions like our energy level, the beating of our heart and how we breathe. It acts like a "traffic cop" overseeing the flow of information in your brain and plays a vital role in learning and memory. Nicotine causes increased activity of acetylcholine which leads to the effects mentioned above. Nicotine also causes release of glutamate, a neurotransmitter involved in learning and memory. Also it releases endorphins. Endorphins lead to feelings of euphoria and create a memory loop of good feelings and further drive the desire to use nicotine.
Āyurveda explains this in terms of the tobacco’s Vātahara and Kaphahara qualities and its Tikshna and Ushna gunas that vitiate Sādhaka Pitta, Tarpaka Kapha and Prāna and Vyāna Vāyu. The rapid absorption of nicotine by smoking occurs at the alveoli, so Āvalambaka Kapha is also disturbed. It is Āvalambaka Kapha that creates confidence and courage while supporting both the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Tarpaka Kapha is the “film” on which impressions digested by Sādhaka Pitta are imprinted. The combined effect of these explains the mood elevation and confidence the drag on a cigarette creates for the smoker.
Interestingly, Yoga provides a solution. Practice of āsanas[5] and Prānāyāma[6] regulate the level of acetylcholine, endorphins and other neurotransmitters in the blood. Thus the yoga practitioner can have all the “benefits” of altered level of neurotransmitters without falling prey to the addictive and damaging effects that follow tobacco abuse.
Tobacco had widespread ceremonial and spiritual use amongst Indian shamans in Central and Southern America. Since it has an anti-aphrodisiac effect (shukrahara), reduces hunger and increases pain tolerance levels, it found acceptance amongst wandering ascetics in India too. Some yogis and Tāntriks use tobacco and marijuana in their Tapas to actively “dry out” their bodies, reduce their diets and control Prāna’s movement in order to reduce the production of their physical juices and allocating more resources to the production of Ojas[7].
It is indeed unfortunate that injudicious use of this herb has led to a lot of misery. But that is true of any substance. Overindulgence in even the healthiest of foods can lead to addiction, obesity and death. Yoga and Āyurveda are the science and art of Yukti, a word which encompasses and includes ideas like common sense, pragmatism, union, combination, harnessing, reason, deduction, device and even magic. For that reason the middle path is the best path. Dynamic balance and harmony is the essence of Sattva and that is what the practices lead us to.
Ashok RājGuru.
[1]Caraka Sutrasthana 9/20a
[2] Grieve: A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
[3] Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986
[4] http://www.uihealthcare.com /depts/medmuseum/galleryexhibits/naturespharmacy/tobaccoplant/tobacco.html
[5] Criswell, Eleanor (1988). How Yoga Works: An Introduction to Somatic Yoga. California: Freeperson Press
[6]http://www.yogaspirit.co.uk/articles/Yogaandpromotionofhealth
[7] Svoboda, Robert E: Ayurveda, Life, Health and Longevity. Penguin India, 2003.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Yoga Nidrā
In this post I shall introduce you to a very powerful and effective, yet simple technique that will empower you to overcome stress, foster better relationships, accelerate learning and improve your health. It is not a new age fad. It has been used for many thousands of years and refined over the course of time. This technique or process is known as Yoga Nidrā. Yoga means yoking, in other words utilizing an asset. That asset could be your mind, body, thought or emotion. When you yoke something, you are in charge. Yoking you mind does not mean restraining yourself. It means harnessing your innate powers.This technique is a part of the science of Yoga and it has Tāntrik origins. Tantra is a set of practices to achieve Yoga. It derives from the word Tantu which means a thread or yarn. So literally, a practitioner of Tantra weaves the fabric of karma on the matrix of the mind and body. It has been practiced widely in India where it originated and later spread to Tibet, China, Korea, Japan, Burma and Sri Lanka. It works on the five elements that make up the entire universe. In brief, it is a method of tapping cosmic energy for transformation.Now, a word about Yoga. The popular image of Yoga in the minds of people is a set of weird postures and exercises. Actually, Yoga is a complete guide to intelligent living. It consists of eight limbs. They are called Yama, Niyama, Āsana, Prānāyāma, Pratyāhāra, Dhrāranā, Dhyāna and Samādhi.
Yama and Niyamas are affirmations. Like, I shall not indulge in violence. I shall live and abide by the truth. I shall not covet anything that I have not earned and so on. Āsana is body awareness. Prānāyāma breath awareness, associated with emotional awareness. These four practices are external in nature. The last three are associated with the process of meditation and are essentially deep and internal in nature. The bridge between the internal and the external is provided by the practice of Pratyāhāra.Our Mind is constantly interfacing with the external world of sensations and the internal world of emotions, thoughts and prejudices. Pratyāhāra means dissociating the Mind from the sway of sensory inputs. This way you are put in command of your Mind. The Mind no more reacts instinctively with likes and dislikes, but learns to view events more dispassionately.Yoga Nidrā is a very effective tool to achieve Pratyāhāra. Thus we can see that Pratyāhāra is the quantum leap that helps you to transcend from the sensory to the inner dimension. Yoga Nidrā is really a guided tour of your sensory explorations.Every action has a reaction. Every effect has a cause. That means every action will bear a fruit. We tend to expect a fruit based on our effort, without realizing that there are other variables in this equation that affect the outcome. The Yogic concept of time is based on experience. The experience which follows an action, the fructification of effort defines time not just quantitatively but also qualitatively. This is the basis of the concept of Karma. In a word, Karma is action and its fruit.The intention behind every action is very important as it gives a subtle but definite direction to the fruit of action. Therefore the use of a knife at the hands of surgeon has a different Karmic outcome as compared to a murderer using the same knife.All unresolved Karma is carried forward in time. When the action will bear fruit is not within our control as we have free will only over our endeavor.Unresolved Karma leaves behind its impression on our mind, body and psyche in the form of impressions. These impressions drive all our psycho-mental activity. Our likes, dislikes, cravings, phobias and fears are rooted in our karmic residue or Samskara. We are actually slaves of the Karmic impressions. As humans we have some free will to break free from this wheel of cause and effect. All practices of Yoga and Tantra are meant to do just that.Karmic residue is not stored in the form of memories of incidents or stories. It is held in a subtle way in the form of symbols. These symbols are often understood in psychology as archetypes. Our past experiences are stored as symbolic characters, like hero, lover, sage, etc. But they can also be in geometric forms. All written and spoken words are actually suggestions to our mind which sub-consciously deciphers the meaning on the basis of the innate symbols that represent our individual or collective Karma. The importance of these symbols is that we can use them to break or dissolve unresolved Karma. The cross, a circle, dot and some other geometrical shapes can be used to resonate with our deep Samskaras and help them to be resolved.Yoga Nidrā is a technique that is based on scanning your entire body in a particular sequence. It is like a cursive-writing practice children do at school. By repeating the strokes of the pen over and over again, children soon master the technique. The principles of Yoga Nidrā follow the same principle. By scanning all the parts of the body sequentially, we learn to notice the sensations as opposed to reactions. A person who can observe the sensations will not react – he or she will act in a conscious and aware manner.What are the benefits we can expect?A relaxed mind, with a focus on matters at hand provides you with tremendous insight. This will automatically reflect in better relationships, ability to cope with stress and also disease. Better visualization will help you see your objectives with clarity.Remember, every holistic healing modality like Yoga, Āyurveda, Hypnotherapy, Psychotherapy etc uses the techniques and method I talked about. Use them and apply them moment to moment. You are bound to succeed. They help you overcome reaction and support action. Reaction is uncontrolled. Action is completely within your control.
Anjali RajGuru, Yoga Siromani.
Yama and Niyamas are affirmations. Like, I shall not indulge in violence. I shall live and abide by the truth. I shall not covet anything that I have not earned and so on. Āsana is body awareness. Prānāyāma breath awareness, associated with emotional awareness. These four practices are external in nature. The last three are associated with the process of meditation and are essentially deep and internal in nature. The bridge between the internal and the external is provided by the practice of Pratyāhāra.Our Mind is constantly interfacing with the external world of sensations and the internal world of emotions, thoughts and prejudices. Pratyāhāra means dissociating the Mind from the sway of sensory inputs. This way you are put in command of your Mind. The Mind no more reacts instinctively with likes and dislikes, but learns to view events more dispassionately.Yoga Nidrā is a very effective tool to achieve Pratyāhāra. Thus we can see that Pratyāhāra is the quantum leap that helps you to transcend from the sensory to the inner dimension. Yoga Nidrā is really a guided tour of your sensory explorations.Every action has a reaction. Every effect has a cause. That means every action will bear a fruit. We tend to expect a fruit based on our effort, without realizing that there are other variables in this equation that affect the outcome. The Yogic concept of time is based on experience. The experience which follows an action, the fructification of effort defines time not just quantitatively but also qualitatively. This is the basis of the concept of Karma. In a word, Karma is action and its fruit.The intention behind every action is very important as it gives a subtle but definite direction to the fruit of action. Therefore the use of a knife at the hands of surgeon has a different Karmic outcome as compared to a murderer using the same knife.All unresolved Karma is carried forward in time. When the action will bear fruit is not within our control as we have free will only over our endeavor.Unresolved Karma leaves behind its impression on our mind, body and psyche in the form of impressions. These impressions drive all our psycho-mental activity. Our likes, dislikes, cravings, phobias and fears are rooted in our karmic residue or Samskara. We are actually slaves of the Karmic impressions. As humans we have some free will to break free from this wheel of cause and effect. All practices of Yoga and Tantra are meant to do just that.Karmic residue is not stored in the form of memories of incidents or stories. It is held in a subtle way in the form of symbols. These symbols are often understood in psychology as archetypes. Our past experiences are stored as symbolic characters, like hero, lover, sage, etc. But they can also be in geometric forms. All written and spoken words are actually suggestions to our mind which sub-consciously deciphers the meaning on the basis of the innate symbols that represent our individual or collective Karma. The importance of these symbols is that we can use them to break or dissolve unresolved Karma. The cross, a circle, dot and some other geometrical shapes can be used to resonate with our deep Samskaras and help them to be resolved.Yoga Nidrā is a technique that is based on scanning your entire body in a particular sequence. It is like a cursive-writing practice children do at school. By repeating the strokes of the pen over and over again, children soon master the technique. The principles of Yoga Nidrā follow the same principle. By scanning all the parts of the body sequentially, we learn to notice the sensations as opposed to reactions. A person who can observe the sensations will not react – he or she will act in a conscious and aware manner.What are the benefits we can expect?A relaxed mind, with a focus on matters at hand provides you with tremendous insight. This will automatically reflect in better relationships, ability to cope with stress and also disease. Better visualization will help you see your objectives with clarity.Remember, every holistic healing modality like Yoga, Āyurveda, Hypnotherapy, Psychotherapy etc uses the techniques and method I talked about. Use them and apply them moment to moment. You are bound to succeed. They help you overcome reaction and support action. Reaction is uncontrolled. Action is completely within your control.
Anjali RajGuru, Yoga Siromani.
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