Michael Laughrin's North American Jyotish Newsletter June / July 2009

[Guest guest]

in this issue

Kaya Kalpa: Life Extension and Immortality

Book Review: " Secret Journey to The Enlightened Mind "

 

I offer you this newsletter to enhance and deepen your experience of

Vedic Astrology. In these newsletters, expect to find a combination of

helpful articles, book reviews, Jyotish links and more. The purpose of

this newsletter is to educate and titillate the Jyotish-loving public.

The opinions given within are solely those of the author.

 

In this issue, if you are interested in longevity, the ultimate

attainment of Ayurveda or the penultimate attainment of spiritual

practice, read Andrea Pflaumer's article on Kaya Kalpa. Also enjoy my

book review of Secret Journey to The Enlightened Mind by Dr. James

Weldon.

 

Please visit my website, www.Jyotish.ws <http://www.Jyotish.ws> at your

convenience. The best articles from these newsletters are archived on

this site. I offer access to an excellent yagya program.

 

- Michael Laughrin (michael <michael )

 

 

Kaya Kalpa: Life Extension and Immortality

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By Andrea Pflaumer (agpflaumer <agpflaumer )

 

For many readers who savored Paramahansa Yogananda's iconic tome

Autobiography of a Yogi, one of the most intriguing personalities in

that collection of astonishing people and events is the master known as

Mahavatar Babaji, whom, at the age of 1800 years reportedly still roams

the earth in a variety of appellations and forms. His longevity is said

to be the result of a yogic practice known as kaya kalpa, or

transformation of the body. One of the most elusive subjects to come out

of the East, kaya kalpa remains shrouded in mystery and contradiction.

 

The practice originated among a body of disciplines cognized by the

ancient Tamil Siddhas, those perfected yogis of the Shaivite tradition

from the Tamil Nadu area in Southern India, whose founding father was

said to be the Vedic Rishi Agastya. Among several areas of study

attributed to them was native medicine, regarded as the basis of

Ayurveda. The siddhas' cognitions and findings on the subject of health

and physical rejuvenation were written in poetic Tamil verse on

manuscripts made from palm leaves. Those manuscripts have been handed

down through the ages and jealously guarded by the Tamil families in

whose custody they remain. They include the formulas and practices that

were an integral part of life extension.

 

But an analysis into the history and practice of kaya kalpa reveals much

more than descriptions of exotic and complex herbal formulas designed to

bring about physical rejuvenation. Because the Tamil Siddhas were,

according to all legends, high evolved human beings, their pursuit was

not motivated by a desire to drink from the fountain of youth, but by an

intense desire to extend life so that they might evolve to complete

enlightenment in this lifetime, avoiding the need for reincarnation.

Through fabled stories and legends, many of those spiritual seekers, and

those who followed in their footsteps, have provided inspiration to

future generations to aspire toward enlightenment. And in the process of

doing so, some reportedly, (perhaps including Mahavatar Babaji) achieved

immortality.

 

With this in mind, a more accurate translation of the word kalpa is the

alchemical term transmutation. In this case it refers to the

metamorphosis of the body into that more refined 'stuff' from which

beings of light are structured. In a 1960s lecture, the Indian saint and

teacher Maharishi Mahesh Yogi described the refinement process of the

physical body over numerous lifetimes. He explained that in its coarse

and dense state, the human body is primarily kaphic (composed of the

elements of water and earth) in nature, and that as we reincarnate our

more evolved bodies eventually are made from a substance that is

primarily akashic (or etheric) in nature. Because this process requires

purification on every level - physical, emotional, psychological and

spiritual - it becomes evident that kaya kalpa involves something more

than simply ingesting life-extending herbs.

 

In a March 2009 paper for the California College of Ayurveda, Ione

Linker identifies what she believes are the origins of kaya kalpa,

citing the closest evidence in one of the eight branches of Ayurvedic

medicine: rejuvenation therapy or Rasayana. In the classical texts to

which she refers, there are descriptions of Rasayana therapies that

appear strikingly similar to some of the panchakarma procedures

currently practiced in modern-day Ayurveda. For example, as a

pre-requisite to embark upon rejuvenation therapy, one must undergo a

series of physical purifications that include oleation and subsequent

purging of the alimentary canal (basti) followed by a liquid diet.

Additionally, the aspirant must practice and embody what Maharishi

Mahesh Yogi called 'behavioral rasayanas': speaking pleasantly,

controlling the senses, compassion, truthfulness etc. Only then does the

full treatment begin. Clearly, performing tapas - including meditation,

pranayam and devotions - was a crucial component in the success of the

treatment.

 

In a now out-of-publication book entitled Maharaj: A Biography of

Shriman Tapasviji Maharaj, a Mahatma who Lived for 185 Years by T. S.

Anantha Murthy, the writer chronicles Tapasviji's three experiences with

the kaya kalpa rejuvenation procedure. In one chapter describing the

years prior to his first treatment, Tapasviji recounts a meeting with a

5,000 year old Mahatma who reports that he was born in Ayodhya during

the time of Sri Krishna, the deity to whom Tapasviji was devoted. When

Tapasviji inquires about the Mahatma's longevity, he is told: " My

longevity is easily explained. I drink cow's milk and eat some herbs

which I will show you. " The Mahatma then retrieves the herbs which

include that elusive creeper, much sought after throughout the

millennia: somalata. He explains that the soma plant, from which the

soma " milk " is extracted, exists in 15 varieties and that one in

particular - " 15 leaves and red spots " - would allow him to live for

10,000 years. " I spend most of my time performing tapas . . I enjoy my

solitude . . that is all of my story, " the Mahatma adds.

 

The soma plant, the process of manufacturing its juice and the drinking

of it, are the recurring themes of the 9th Mandala of the Rig Veda.

Because of its association with higher consciousness and the inability

of spiritual seekers and health researchers to locate its habitat,

scholars have speculated that soma is actually everything from a

hallucinogen found in a genus of mushroom to a form of water reed or

even a type of honey. That is likely because the verses in the 9th

Mandala poetically describe it in such as way as to make it appear in

many forms. But perhaps this is simply because the Tamil Siddhas often

couched their formulas in obscure and poetic language, opening a wide

door to interpretation by subsequent translators. Vedic researcher and

scholar David Frawley explains his view on the subject: " The Soma plant

was not simply one plant - though there may have been one primary Soma

plant in certain times and places - but several plants, sometimes a

plant mixture . . [soma] more generally refers to the sacred usage of

plants. " Frawley adds that soma is mentioned as existing in all plants

(Rig Veda X.97.7) and many different types of Soma are indicated, some

requiring elaborate preparations. " Water itself, particularly that of

the Himalayan rivers, is a kind of Soma (Rig Veda VII.49.4). In Vedic

thought, for every form of Agni or Fire, there is also a form of Soma.

In this regard, there are Somas throughout the universe. "

 

But Frawley also acknowledges what spiritual seekers have known and

experienced throughout the history of mankind - that soma is the most

refined product of a perfectly functioning nervous system, internally

produced as a result of a higher state of consciousness. He adds, " . .

we must remember that the real Soma is a secretion in the brain from

spiritual practices. " Frawley identifies this secretion as an elixir

produced from Tarpaka Kapha, that form of the kapha dosha, according to

Ayurvedic medicine, that lubricates the nervous system. He adds, " Soma

at a yogic level refers to the crown chakra, which is opened by Indra

(yogic insight) and releases a flood of bliss throughout the body. This

inner Soma is the main subject of the Vedic hymns, though outer Somas

were also important. "

 

Tapasviji's saintly friend who showed him the soma plant came from a

Vedic time when life was more sattwic. There is indeed the possibility

that, as Frawley points out, " there may have been one primary Soma plant

in certain times and places. " In our current Kaliyuga period, one that

elevates science above all else, the physical plant is sought as

evidence of its existence. Could it have been, perhaps, that in the time

of Sat Yuga when beings of more celestial light roamed the earth, this

mysterious soma - in the form of the red-spotted creeper the Mahatma

described - was more easily accessible? Or was it possible that those

holy men were simply able to instantaneously manifest it materially and

imbibe its milk? Is it also possible that those spiritual aspirants who

now engage in decades of tapas have prepared themselves sufficiently so

that they are able to commune with those ancient sages who still roam

the earth and would share their gifts with the devout? If so, that might

explain its elusive nature in this less graceful age. So then, what must

kaya kalpa for the current age entail? Must it necessarily require more

gross procedures? A review of the history and practices provide some

insight.

 

By all accounts, there appear to have been two different types of kaya

kalpa: a lengthier program for monks that involved periods of complete

isolation, and a briefer period for householders. Those who were able to

devote the necessary time, by virtue of their economic status and/or

lifestyle (saints and royalty), were sequestered for at least 90 days

(during his first treatment, Tapasviji did so for one full year) in a

specially-designed womblike hut called a kudi that conformed to specific

rules of Sthapatya Ved for direction, physical environment, auspicious

time for construction and construction materials. This more rigorous

procedure was known as 'kutipraveshika'. Another rasayana treatment,

known as 'vata tapika,' did not require as intense seclusion, but was

also considered less effective in creating the more dramatic

regenerative results, such as the loss and then re-growth of hair, teeth

and skin.

 

For Tapasviji's first kaya kalpa treatment, his saintly Mahatma friend

instructed him how to take the pulses to read the physical state and

then how to prepare the daily doses of " cow's milk and medicine " . Later

in the book, Tapasviji returns the favor to some of his devotees,

although nowhere are specific herbs mentioned. The fact that Tapasvaji

administered kaya kalpa to several of his disciples adds another layer

of ambiguity about just which herbs were used since, in several of those

instances, the treatment was for ailments (such as cataracts). If he had

learned to read the Ayurvedic pulses, this suggests that the herbs were

chosen specifically for the individual's state of health, and were not a

singular generic formula for the purpose of life-extension. And in fact,

that appears to be the case. In a paper entitled A Literary Review of

Kayakalpa Plants in Siddha Literature the authors identify two

classifications of kaya kalpa herbs: " pothu karpam, " used for

rejuvenation purposes, and " sirappu karpam, " prescribed for specific

illnesses.

 

Adding another layer of ambiguity is the understanding that each of the

siddha medicine men had his own proprietary formula, guarded jealously.

Nonetheless, from writings and oral traditions, researchers have been

able to glean some of the herbs that were commonly used. It appears that

many are staples of the modern-day Ayurveda pharmacopoeia that has

become so fashionable in Western alternative health, yoga magazines and

spas. It also appears that some of the preparations combined minerals

with the herbs, which is said to strike a balance between alkalinity

(considered the male principle) and acidity (considered female) in the

body. Although many Ayurvedic formulas and practices were suppressed and

subsequently lost during the British Raj, some common threads appear.

One such practice is the use amalaki fruit for a mixture similar to the

chyavanaprash formula of which many Ayurveda adherents are familiar.

Pippili, an enzyme-like herb also known as " long pepper, " is another

popular ingredient for the cleansing and elimination phase prior to the

kaya kalpa sequestration. Commenting in the appendix of Tapasviji's

biography, Dr. Daniel Bouwmeester describes what he believes were herbs

that were used for the elimination phase (e.g., comfrey dandelion and

uva ursi) and for regeneration (ginseng, dong kwai, wheat grass juice).

Other researchers have described plants such as ginger, neem, winter

cherry and aloe for rejuvenation, and sacred basil, Indian gooseberry

and marking nut for healing. Additionally, the siddha physicians

employed a salt called kattuppu, whose manufacture also remains a

secret. It reportedly has alchemical properties that allow it to be

ingested without any of the harmful side effects associated with common

table salt.

 

In contemporary practice, some vaidyas have developed formulas they

claim adhere to those employed by the ancient physicians that also

include a variety of metals and gemstones. In a book entitled Scientific

Basis for Ayurveda Therapies, researchers explain that heavy metals such

as gold, silver and even extremely toxic substances like mercury have

been used since the Vedic age to promote longevity as well as to treat a

variety of symptoms including anemia, tuberculosis and rheumatoid

arthritis. A report from the Thanuology Foundation even describes

mercury as a fundamental component to any kaya kalpa formula: " There is

no alchemy without Mercury. No Kalpa without mercury. This is a divine

art. " These metals are ingested in the form of what is called bhasma,

the incinerated and crushed remains of those minerals, often treated

with juices such as lime and other decoctions. The process of

incineration alters and converts the metallic salts into extremely fine

emulsified particles so that the body can absorb and process them.

Making of the bhasmas requires many repeated sequences of burning and

crushing the material. Additionally, often the incinerated remains are

buried in clay pots in the ground - sometimes for years.

 

The purpose of using gemstones in Ayurvedic formulas is analogous their

prescribed functions in Jyotish. For example, the bhasma of diamonds

(for Sukra), is said to provide beauty, charm and act as an aphrodisiac;

rubies (Surya) act as a stimulant and heart tonic and increase vigor;

cooling and soothing pearls (Chandra) are considered a tonic for hyper

acidity and liver problems.

 

Although it may seem extreme, the use of heavy metals in medicine is not

uncommon in world history. A somewhat parallel system to Ayurveda called

the Unani system of originated in Greece around 200 AD and became

extremely popular throughout the Middle East as well as India. Some

Unani medications include minerals that are known to be highly toxic in

their raw form: aluminum, arsenic (also used in medicine in the US in

the early 20th century), strontium and lead. In Western medicine even as

late as the 20th century, scientists experimented with the use of gold

for patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis, albeit sometimes with

deleterious effects. In contemporary scientific research literature on

Ayurveda, it is also cautioned that combining these minerals with

ingredients that may have been contaminated with other ingredients -

such as plant materials grown with or containing environmental or

agricultural toxins - can lead to harmful and sometimes fatal results.

As is often the case, the success of diagnosis and treatment is

contingent upon the knowledge, experience and consciousness of the

medical practitioner.

 

Consequently, even under the best of circumstances, ingesting kaya kalpa

" medicines " was and remains something not to be undertaken casually.

During Tapasviji's first kaya kalpa treatment, he is described by his

caretaker as having falling into a coma-like state for several days

after beginning the treatment. Perhaps this is because many of the

ingredients appear to conform to the homeopathic theory of 'like cures

like', i.e., a little dose of a toxin will rally the body's internal

defenses. However, considering the power of homeopathic medicine

(several vaidyas, including Dr. Sun Mukh S. Yogi in his book entitled

Kaya Kalpa: the Science of Rejuvenation, seem to imply these bhasmas are

homeopathic), administering doses of extremely powerful formulas into an

unprepared human body and nervous system can be dangerous. On the

physical level, the purpose of kaya kalpa is to bring the processes of

growth and decay into balance through purification and nourishment of

the cells at their deepest level. If the procedure errs on the side of

purification, the body can lose its balance and drop away. In fact, in a

1969 lecture at his ashram in Rishikesh, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi cautioned

that for someone who was not spiritually advanced, these formulas and

practice, rather than helping to rejuvenate the body, could actually

cause one to leave the body.

 

It is difficult to discern clearly what remains intact from the ancient

Tamil kaya kalpa traditions. It is said that there are fewer than thirty

" true " kaya kalpa practitioners in the world today, likely maintaining

their traditions in some level of secrecy. The rise to prominence of

Ayurveda in general has served to blur the lines between 'true' kaya

kalpa and those decoctions and procedures that are commonly employed

worldwide in panchakarma clinics today. Just as all manner of commerce

has boosted cache (and cash) by attaching the word " green " to product

lines, more and more ayurvedic clinics are now advertising " kaya kalpa "

on their menu of treatments. At one organization in Singapore, kaya

kalpa is described as part of a system of yoga that can be accomplished

by simply learning a five-minute procedure to be practiced twice daily!

Some questions remain regarding the addition of more modern and Western

concepts to the current-day procedure such as psychotherapeutic

techniques like forgiveness rituals and primal scream therapy.

 

Certainly, for even an advanced Yogi, the emotional and psychological

changes that occur during a long kaya kalpa sequestration must be rather

dramatic. In his review of Tapasviji's biography, Conrad Goehausen

writes: " Kaya kalpa is literally a 'fast' of the entire body-mind, in

which not only the physical but the mental, emotional and psychic

aspects of the being are allowed to completely relax. All suppressed

toxins and disturbing emotional or mental contents can then be

released. " Any student of yogic practices who has attended lengthy

meditation courses has had a taste of this experience. But perhaps in

our confused world where adharma reigns, the addition of

psychologically-based treatment is necessary and effective.

 

Ultimately, kaya kalpa seems to succeed in the same manner that much of

medicine, both ancient and contemporary, does: through faith, devotion

and grace. Anyone who has had a sudden remission or miracle cure as the

result of some form of grace understands this principle. In fact,

Tapasviji attributed the success of his kaya kalpa treatments to the

several visitations he experienced from Krishna during those long

periods of isolation in his kudi hut. (Throughout his years of

performing austerities, Tapasviji describes several encounters with the

gods Krishna, Shiva and with other ancient saints particularly while

undergoing the kaya kalpa procedure.) He credits the extreme bliss and

fulfillment he felt from having contact with the deity to whom he was

deeply devoted for enabling the kaya kalpa healing to take place. He

writes: " The Lord exists here and everywhere. He is the Lord behind the

phenomenal universe. He is called Brahman in Upanishads and has infinite

powers of manifestation. You must have faith in his existence. There is

nothing that the Lord cannot do for you. "

 

We will give the final word here to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who spoke on

the subject in a 1959 lecture in Hollywood, California, and offers what

just might be a fast track to our own kaya kalpa - something that heals

the whole person.

 

" Anything that pleases the mind heals the mind . . everything in the

world has healing power to some degree or the other . . everything

charming soothes the mind . . effective healing is greater if the

capacity of charming is greater . . meditation has the greatest healing

power because it leads to the greatest happiness. It leads to the

kingdom of Heaven. It leads to the glory of God. It leads to eternal

bliss happiness of the greatest order and permanent nature. Therefore we

hold meditation has the greatest healing power. And the greatest healing

power will be that which would be able to heal the life as a whole. "

 

About the Author

Andrea Pflaumer is a researcher and writer in Berkeley, California. Her

work covers many areas including consciousness, culture, education,

health and the environment. Her other articles can be read at:

http://andreapflaumer.blogspot.com/

<http://andreapflaumer.blogspot.com/>

 

 

 

Book Review: " Secret Journey to The Enlightened Mind " by Dr. James

Weldon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Review By Michael Laughrin

 

" Secret Journey to The Enlightened Mind " is a memoir of the spiritual

experiences of James Weldon, who was a follower of Maharishi Mahesh

Yogi, GuruMayi and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Many higher states of

consciousness have been experienced by the author including Ritambhara

Pragya (that intellect that knows only truth). Most of Dr. Weldon's

spiritual quest occurred here in the United States of America, although

there were also several trips to India and at least one trip to Europe.

 

The ups and downs of the Enlightened Consciousness are clearly

delineated in this volume, often accompanied by highs and lows of his

life in the " Relative " (what most of us call " The Real World " ). I found

this book to be wonderfully inspirational and uplifting. Any sincere

seeker of Ultimate Reality ought to peruse this tome.

 

Fairfield, Iowa residents: This book is in-stock at 21st Century Books.

 

 

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