Ayurveda-The Healing Touch - An Ayurveda-Story / Part 1

I went about preparing her drink, Mrs. Simon softly hummed, her fingers drumming gently on
the arm of the chair. I offered her the promised water, which she accepted with a smile and
finished all at once, gulping loudly.
I observed her wavy, fine hair which she had kept neatly in place so as to avoid it falling on
her thin forhead. Although Mrs. Simon was 48 years of age, her skin appeared older by its dry
quality. Her tendons were prominent, her cheek bones were sunken, her eyes lay deep in their
sockets. Her body was of medium build, a long neck merging into a flat chest.
With each of my observations, I had begun compiling my initial ayurvedic diagnosis. Either
Mrs. Sabine Simon was of Vata/Pitta constitution or she was suffering from Vata diseases.
“Well, Mrs. Simon” I began “would you like to begin by telling me the reason for your visit
here?”
“One of my friends went to Kerala” she began conversationally, “She did a pancha karma
therapy and described the relief and improvement in her condition. She described all the
different massages, herbal applications, the nutritional aspects… I felt that ayurveda might be
able to tell me more about my own individual health problems. I´m now keen on a pancha
karma treatment myself”.
“Mrs. Simon, are you suffering from any kind of disease or would you say you are totally
healthy?” I asked. “Would you like to undergo treatment as a preventive measure or as a cure
for a particular affliction?”
“Both” she answered immediately. “I´ve been suffering from polyarthritis for the past 6 years.
I take cortisones and analgesics. During the last 2 years I´ve been through a lot of stress with
my husband and I´ve had to move out and look for a new flat. I´m not working anymore either
because of the pain. I just wish I could get rid of this pain. I simply cant spend the rest of my
life taking cortisones and analgesics” There was a sudden flash of fire in her otherwise dulled
expression.
" When my friend told me about her experience with ayurveda, I just hoped that there may be
some opportunity for improvement for me here too”. Her eyes were now full of yearning.
“Alright then, Mrs. Simon, we´re going to start right at the beginning. You are going to tell
me the step-by-step story of all the diseases and symptoms you have ever had in your life and
all the measures and medication you have taken when these afflictions developed. First I will
listen to your story and thereafter I will ask you questions”.
Mrs. Simon sighed, as if reminicing a long and stoney path of past illness. “I´ve had this pain
in my joints for a long long time” she began. “Six years ago when I came back home from
skiing, I had this severe pain developing in my joints, particularly the knees, toes and fingers.
The next day I went to the orthopaedist and after that to a rheumatologist for the diagnosis.
Since then, I´ve been under medication. I´m doing regular physiotherapy too. For the past 6
months I´ve been taking 10 mg. of cortisone and whenever the pain increases, the analgesic
tablets are there to be taken”.
She opened her handbag. “Oh God” she moaned hopelessly “I´ve forgotten to bring my
tablets and the medical records as well…”. She was a picture of despair.
I was not surprised by her general air of forgetfulness.
“Was it Prednisolone and Diclophenac?” I asked kindly, trying to guide her out of her despair.
“Yes, that’s it” she replied, relieved.
We continued. “Have you any other complaints at present?”
“Not really, nothing special. Some simple things like dry skin and a lot of stress. Sometimes I
also suffer from severe tiredness but I don’t suppose that is of real importance to you…”
I hastened to correct her. “You´re very wrong there! In ayurveda, every single little detail
matters! Your whole mental and physical state matters! So now, again: anything else which
may occur to you?”
“Nothing more I can think of right now. I think that’s more than enough anyway! If I could
just get rid of this pain, I´d be ever so thankful …”
I grew emphatic. “Mrs. Simon, ayurveda does not merely look at symptoms to treat and
suppress. We are talking about a whole chain of reactions taking place in our body during our
whole span of life. These are reactions to circumstances coming from the outside world. Each
and every change in impulse or circumstance from the outside will trigger off a new reaction
in the inside of our mind and body. For example: Nobody will get an arthritic attack on a full
moon day!” So, I really do need more information”.
“What is the character, the nature of your pain? Its an important question to make me reach a
dhosha diagnosis”.
Mrs. Simon looked doubtful. “Character??? Hmmmm…. A sort of breaking pain?” she asked
hesitantly.
“Is there any seasonal or diurnal variation of this pain? Let me explain further. Is the pain
more acute at particular times of day or during certain climatic conditions?”
Mrs. Simon mused on the question. “Actually, the pain is more during the evenings when I
begin to relax. Seasons initially never had any influence but for the last 3 years, winter or any
sort of damp weather did start to cause a lot of pain. But now, the pain is always prevelant –
during all seasons”.
“How about swelling or burning?” I queried, taking down my notes.
“I used to have swellings previously. I don’t have them any more, though. But my knees burn!
And sometimes they get really red!”.
“How is your appetite?” I asked, changing to another subject.
“Good!” Mrs. Simon smiled guiltily. “I like eating several times. Mostly sweets. I know
that’s not healthy. But chocolates are my favourites!”
“Now tell me about your pattern of food” I encouraged.
Mrs. Simon´s moment of guilt vanished and was replaced by an expression of churchlike
piety. “I usually do eat healthy food” she said matter of factly. “I eat fruit, wholemeal breads,
yoghurt in the morning”. For lunch, lots of fresh salads”. She paused here, waiting for the
gravity of these glad tidings to sink in. “In the evenings, a normal German meal – bread and
cheeses. I´m a vegetarian most of the time you know. Its only once in a while I eat meat. I
rather prefer fish. I simply adore spicy food. Indian food is my favourite!”. She leaned back
in her chair like a child pleased to have given teacher the correct answers.
But my mind´s eye, however , had another vision. I saw the serpent Vata feeding on Mrs.
Simons ravaged body. I saw him sweeping out the healthy, natural inborn body intelligence
which resides within all of us as the Lord Dhanwantari – God of Healing. A stab of pity shot
through me for this poor woman who was convinced that her daily food was nutritious and of
high quality for her bodily needs.
I was silent for a while, sunk in thought. I continued: “How about your drinking habits?”
“I don’t drink alcohol. I do drink a lot of mineral water, though”
“Do you like fizzy water? Or would you prefer mineral water without the fizz?”
“Without fizz” she replied pushing her glass in front of her with a blank smile.
“How is your bowel motion?” I asked.
Mrs. Simon´s look was questioning. Where was there a connection between polyarthritis and
bowel motion?
“Motion is normal”
“And what, pray is “normal”?” I asked smiling. “Every day? “
“Not every day, every second or third day”.
“And the consistency?” Hard or soft? More in the direction of diarrhoea or constipation?”
Mrs. Simon seemed somewhat irritated by these questions but replied “not diarrhoea”
My questioning continued. “Tell me, do you have haemorrhoids?”
“Yes”
“Dry or bleedin?”
“Dry”
“How is your sleep?”
“Sleep??” the patient reacted as if this were a word alien to her. ”Ohhh….. very bad” She
sighed in resignation. “Its so difficult for me to sleep. I´m always up by 3 in the morning.
After that I cant go back to sleep. I´m tired then in the morning. So normally I make up for it
in the afternoon for a couple of hours”.
“Can you tell me if you have ever had any serious diseases in the past where you were
admitted to hospital or even had operations?” I asked.
“I had the regular children´s diseases like dermatitis and measles and stuff. Operations? Let
me think… I had a disc prolapse and before that my uterus was removed. Only the uterus –
not the ovaries.”.
“Can you tell me why the uterus was removed?”.
“I had so much bleeding and I had a myoma – more than 15 cms large”.
“How was your menstruation before all these problems?”
“Ohhh…. That was always a problem. Severe pain, depression. All kinds of PMS…
I had to take lots of pain killers, contraceptive pills. The flow was also little. Two to three
days the most. With lots of clots – a horrible time it was”.
“When was the uterus removed?”
“It was 10 years ago. I was 38 then”.
After further questions, I found a lot of Vata and Pitta symptoms mixed up in a long and
never-ending queue.
I found tinnitus, cold feet and cold hands. I found severe back pain, tension headaches,
palpitation, giddiness. I found flatulence, fullness of stomach after food intake, fear complex,
irritability and depression. All these symptoms had become part of Ms. Simon´s normal
regular life pattern. So much so that she did not really look upon them as afflications out of
the ordinary. I concluded Vata involvement. At the same time the irritability, the sharp looks
and burning quality of the pain with red knee joints showed a slight pitta involvement in her
diseases.
We plowed on, getting deeper . “Mrs. Simon, lets come to your psychological well-being.
How do you see your present life? Your activities and your emotions?”
“Well, Doctor, I´m generally an active person. I also insist on doing things correctly and as
perfectly as possible. But right now, I have one real fear. Existential fear”. Mrs. Simon
started to cry silently. “I´m totally exhausted. Pain and loneliness depress me. I even try to
sleep during the day. I don’t really have a goal in life any more. I cant believe this is me! I
seem to have changed into someone completely different!” Her lips trembled, her words
came haltingly.
“The seperation from my husband brought on so many changes in my life. In a way, the
break did me a lot of good. On the other hand, loneliness and a sort of depression took hold of
my daily life”. Sabine Simon stopped here, overwhelmed by her sad memories.
I proferred a sympathetic tissue and she accepted it gratefully, dabbing her nose and eyes.
Her eyes were red but they did not glisten with any unshed tears. There was barely any
moisture. I saw that the water element in her body had dehydrated, leaving behind an increase
in the fire and air elements. I missed the unctuous, loving quality of “Sneha” - unctuous love
– in her whole behaviour. I saw disatisfaction mingled with frustration.
I had no more questions. I already had made my diagnosis: an imbalance of the elements both
in her mental and physical functions.
“Ms. Simon” I began gently, “Lets both see what this age-old medical system called
“Ayurveda” can do for you”.
“Time is God…..” Everything need proper time.
“Leave the task for time to accomplish. You yourself should now wake up and act in the
present”
“I am now going to explain to you how Ayurveda sees your disease and I am going to
interpret Ayurvedic basic philosphy and how it will deal with your personal case.
To get you back on your feet, we have to rid the word “Disease” of its prefix “Dis” and then
what do we have there? We have “Ease”! When there is pain in the body and in the mind, it is
difficult to be in a situation of “ease”. So we go ahead and correct the malfunctions of our
mind and body and not only just correct the “structure.
Ayurveda explains this with a beautiful approach to disease and health. But for you, Ms.
Simon, to understand, we have to begin at the beginning.
The Ayurvedic principle is based on the five elements. They are ether, air, fire, water and
firmament, or say, earth. Everything that exists consists of these five elements in varying
degrees. They are also symbolically used as qualities. You and I as humans, the flowering
garden and the dog outside, this office here, the traffic on the road, the whole universe – all
that ever was, that is and will ever be, is born out of the five basic ingredients that make up
this universe. There can not be more and there is no less of the basic materials or building
blocks, so to speak. So speak the ancient scriptures.
These five elements have a basic state of harmony and balance. This is what we humans
call “health” or “ease” . When the five elements are in a state of imbalance, we come into a
state of “dis-ease”. So, balance means health and imbalance means no-health. In your case,
we have a case where your mind and body harbour imbalance in the elements of fire and air.
We have a state of great disturbance in the mind and body here. I come to this conclusion by
observing what you say, the description of your symptoms, how you say it and by observing
many other seemingly insignificant factors such as the way you walk, talk, gesticulate, how
you are dressed, the times at which your symptoms show up, in what sequence they have
come into your life and last but by no means least, how you have lived your past life”.
Ms. Simon shuffled her feet uncomfortably. Doubtlessly, she appeared alarmed to have been
transparent in the eyes of an ayurvedic doctor and that she had been caught off guard.
“Did your friend explain the functions of the body as termed in Ayurveda? We have Vata,
Pitta and Kappha. In Sanskrit, we call them “Dhoshas”. This means a function which can very
easily turn into a malfunction. The equilibrium of these three dhoshas means a state of health.
“Vata” is the movement of force. “Pitta” is the heat generated by our movements. “Kappha” is
the structure where the movement and the heat is generated. Everything which is, in this
universe is categorized into these three “dhoshas”. All living and non-living beings, even
diseases are categorized as a Vata, Pitta or Kappha disease.
When we come back to your case, the Vata / air and the Pitta / fire dhoshas are “vitiated” or
aggravated in your system. They are in a state of unhealthy increase.
Vata or Air-related diseases will produce pain. They will mainly be skeletal, bone or joint
diseases. Arthritis, cervical spondilosis, migraine, interstinal colic, lumbago, sciatic neuritis,
chronic constipation, insomnia and insanity are some of the examples for Vata diseases. The
type of person prone to these kind of Vata diseases will have an erratic personality, he will be
lean, he will be talkative and gesture a lot”.
Sabine Simon looked amazed. “But what about the diseases I have? How do they seek me out
as their victim?”
I was glad to answer her question: “When you talk about your joint pains, your sleeplessness,
your exhaustion, depression, fear complex, constipation and your tinnitus in the ears, you
emphasize what I had already begun to diagnose. They explain the quantity of Vata which is
increased in your mind and body. The corresponding sense organs of Vata are the skin and
ears. There too, you have symptoms like dryness and coldness which are the main properties
of Vata! Tinnitus clearly shows the involvement of the hearing faculty in the Vata dhosha.”
“… And the pain during menstruation? And the constipation?” Sabine interjected bewildered.
“Do you mean to say, they too are pieces in the puzzle?”
I nodded with emphasis. “When we look at the main house of Vata, or “site” we can call it,
which is the region below the naval, especially the uterus, the colon lumbar, the sacrum and
also the lower limbs. Now just think of all your complaints!
Ms. Simon, see the reaction and the accumulation of Vata! See its blocked downward
movement which has already shown in your body as menstrual problems for instance. And the
formation of gas as flatulence. Even the myoma which is a Kappha problem – even that
myoma is established in the “house” of Vata!
Sabine Simon´s eyes were now as large as saucers as she saw her past and present reflecting
mirrorlike in front of her while I explained the continuity of the symptoms during her whole
life.
“Even your gestures, your forgetfulness with your medical documents and your tablets
(Ms.Simon blushed richly at this point) your nervousness, your affinity for food like cold
salads, and bread suggest strongly that the disease is well established in you.
Living beings all have two types of intelligence. One is our health intelligence, which is the
natural urge followed by the body to keep healthful balance, also called in Ayurveda the
healing “GOD” known as Dhanwanthari.
The creation of healthy tissue or the Generative force as called in my country, India, is
“Brahma”.
The pattern of Organising, the maintainance of health and the warmth of the body are from
this second force: “Vishnu”.
The Destroying of bad tissue, the process of elimination from the body, the gradual drying up
of body and mind are performed by the third force called “Shiva”.
I feel that the deities Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are like Kappha, Pitta and Vata. The
Generator of life, the Organisor and the Destroyer – taking the first letters of each word, we
find GOD. The sum of this would be Dhanwanthari – the healing power of the intelligence
within.
However, when we are in a state of “Dis-ease”, it is the intelligence of the disease that calls
the shots. In its urge to survive, it will generate toxins and organize the toxins in such a
manner that will destroy the body.
Let me ask you a question, Ms. Simon: why is it that you are so fond of foods that increase
your Vata disease? Cold and dry foodstuffs! It suggests that the Vata disease with its active
intelligence wishes to increase its hold on you and causes the craving! If you would take the
opposite of that which you long for – for instance, warm foods and unctuous, or in other
words foods with a wholesomely oily or creamy consistency (no! I do not mean “greasy”!) or
say even a liquid diet, which would contain more of the water element, aggravated unhealthy
Vata would subside and swing towards the healthy balanced Vata state, which is condusive to
your health. Kappha, the unctuous, lubricating and soothing element would have a chance to
regenerate and increase in your mental and physical state.
Ayurveda says that to balance dry, cold Vata, we need “Sneha”. We need this oleating,
lubricating medium. “Sneha” is also is known as the quality “love”. Actually, it really means,
that you need to be loved or to give yourself the love you need to be in a state of joyful
balance!”
The patient looked crestfallen. It was obvious again that there was a marked absence of Sneha
and its healing, balancing qualities in her life.
I continued. “When we analyse the second dhosha in our body called “Pitta” or the fire
element, you can easily imagine that the diseases will have an inflammatory nature. We´ll be
talking about …. “ I stopped and gave the crestfallen lady a chance to distract herself.
“You tell me Ms.Simon!” I encouraged her.
“Well… I guess fever?” She said shyly. “And what about skin problems like, maybe,
eczema?”
I beamed at her. “That’s exactly it – you´re getting the hang of it! Lets talk fever, eczema,
ulcers, psoriasis, gastritis and mainly all diseases of the blood. Pitta is in charge of the blood”
Now Pitta also has corresponding sense organs where “he” will “reside”. Those organs will be
the eyes, the stomach and the small interstine.
A Pitta personality will be short-tempered, easily prone to diseases of the stomach and of the
blood. And at this point, I am getting back to you, Ms. Simon. While you were describing
your past life and symptoms, I discerned a certain “fire” in your eye; parallel to that I also
sensed a frustration which you seem to have developed during the past years. Now these
observations make me think that your second powerful dhosha out of the three dhoshas, which
are inherent in all of us, as being Pitta or the fire energy.
We now come to “Agni”, which is the word for the digestive fire in the body. In your case, it
seems to have decreased remarkably. Agni or the digestive potential has wandered off,
displaced and neglected, out of its correct site in the stomach into some other corner of the
body. The result is gas formation and thereby flatulance. And also lack of appetite,
malabsorbtion even though you are eating. The ability to act shows that “agni” is low in his
own “house” but simultaneously a bad Pitta is in the body. As you see, each dhosha has a
good constructive important side to it and a negative disease-bringing side to it where it will
harm the body. Eat your favourite spicy indian food, Ms. Simon – this is going to cause havoc
in your body and in your mind by drying them out further!”.
Ms. Simon sighed deeply, mentally saying a sorrowful goodbye to “Taj Mahal”, her frequent
haunt.
As a feeble comfort, I poured her more water. “Kappha creates more organic types of diseases
like obescity or diabetes, respiratory problems for instance. Those type of people are generally
more sturdy in build, they are more tranquil-natured. All very positive but they tend to put on
weight quickly, even if they eat what we would call “moderately”. The corresponding organ
for Kappha is the tongue. I cant say that you have any increase in the kappha element.
Actually, your thin and angular figure, your instability and dryness show that a very small
amount of good kappha or the water and earth elements are prevelant. This is not good for
your personal balance. There is a lack here.
So, Ms. Simon: in your case, our aim should be to reduce Vata and Pitta elements and
increase healthy Kappha.
Ms. Simon leaned forward eagerly. “How do we do this now; Dr. Jeevan? Eat more cream
and oil? Find a nice boyfriend?”
I laughed and warned her “I said “healthy kappha!” – this does not mean stuffing yourself
with oils, creams and fats and winking at strange men on the other side of the road! Let’s have
a look at the birth, the process of disease and its progress as stated in Ayurveda first, shall
we? It is important that you know why you are doing what you shall be doing! The logic must
be made clear to you.
We are coming to a unique feature in ayurveda now. You will not find this feature in any
other system of medicine. We are going to talk about the “Dhattus” or roughly translated
“tissue systems”.
The Queen of Vata Problems looked blank. “Is there more to come? I thought we could get
down to the prescription now…”
“Aha!” I exclaim triumphantly “There speaks the impatient Vata!”
Sabine had the grace to colour on her pale cheeks.
“When our dhoshas Kappha, Pitta and Vata function properly and all is sweetness and light,
the food and even the impressions we ingest though our five senses – and here I am talking
about emotional impressions, Ms. Simon ! – produce with the help of our faithful “Agni” or
digestive fires - seven dhattus or tissues of which our bodies are made!
Comprehensive nodding on the other side of the desk. “Of course! we are what we eat!” she
exclaimed.
I nodded but raised a majestic finger: “Not quite, unfortunately. Ayurveda says “We are what
we resorb” – but I´m getting to that point….”
“You will agree with me that the body is a combination of Dhoshas – the Vata, the Pitta and
the Kappha. We now throw in the Dhattus or tissues which we have absorbed in their raw
state in the form of food and drink and also in the form of impressions and emotions.
We absorb the food juice, we absorb our emotional impressions! It now happens that the
physical and well as the mental “Agni” or digestive fire transforms that which we have
ingested mentally and physically! The transformed food and the impressions (which are
actually emotions) construct the tissues which accompany us for a while in our lives, as our
mind and body. Can you follow me?”
Sabine frowned. “How can digestive juices absorb impressions and emotions?” she asks
wrinkling up her nose and waving her hands in vata style.
I replied “That’s a tale for long winter evenings so lets just accept it for now as a “given”!
Its important for you to have an understanding of the basics.
The nutritional juices after the diegstion of food is the first tissue. We call this “Rasa” Or
roughly and crudely translated into western terms, it will be “plamsa”. Now, it is important
for the food to be of top quality because the health and stability of the rest of the other six
tissues depends on the purity of the health and proper functioning of this Rasa tissue which is
first in line! Take your case, Ms. Simon: if there is not enough liquid in the food at the onset,
then the other tissues will also gradually dehydrate!”
“That’s why you frown at my eating bread, Dr. Jeevan?” she asked.
“In your particular case history, with your particular dhosha, with your particular present
health situation, bread has to be drastically reduced when being eaten in dry condition. Like
the infamous ham or cheese sandwiches, we stuff ourselves with in this society!” I said
wagging a finger to get the point home. “Go ahead with a slice of bread accompanied with a
warm soup or stew! Or even a mild Indian curry!”
The curry fan´s face lit up! “Oh!” she exclaimed, delighted “Would I be allowed that? A mild
and creamy indian dish?”.
“You´re welcome to all those dishes of exactly that description”! I answered, happy to be a
bringer of good news for a change.
From this Rasa tissue, the food proceeds to tissue no. 2 – which is “Rakta” or the blood tissue
with its fiery colour – red! And after the filteration process here too – where the tissue takes
what it needs to sustain its optimal stability and health, it passes the food juice on further.
This goes on through the other 5 tissues. We´ve got the Mamsa (muscular tissue), the Medha
tissue (adipose tissue) , Asthi (bone, joint, tendon and connective tissue), Majja tissue (bone
marrow tissue which also represent the deeper tissue such as brain and spinal cord tissue and
the neurons) and the final tissue is the finest and most subtle. We call it the “Sukra” tissue and
what it entails is the sperm, ovum. We talk about the potential for a future generation. But
also the immunological strength of a person.
This subtle anatomy is also very interesting when we follow the development of a foetus. In
the first stagte, we see the zygote or initial cell combination as a watery, juicy formation. The
next development is the circulation. Then follow the muscles and the fat tissue. The infant
grows and develops further. When the child´s bone development is completed, the child starts
to walk.
Brain development involves a nature which will understand and which will question. Finally
when the development is completed, the seventh tissue in the form of sperm and ovum
develop. We see here seven months for seven tissues. The rest of the 3 months are only there
for the organism to gain full maturity.
It is important for you to understand that there is a pattern in the development of tissue.
What will surprise you Ms. Simon is that disease also has the very same pattern of
development!.
The patient gave her best frown, signifying that this is indeed new to her.

Fortsetzung folgt

Autor:

Dr. E.P.Jeevan B.A.M.S.
Ayurveda-Care
Adam-Krafft-Weg 2
91438 Bad Windsheim
Tel: 09841 / 660 1058
info@ayurveda-care.de
ww.ayurveda-care.de