Ayurveda a universal science of life

[Guest guest]

>have i said that ayurveda _needs_ the validation of western

medicine? in my last email i questioned the apparent hypocrisy of

one writer who chimes in with statements of the need for an authentic

understanding of ayurveda, who then goes on to explain his

understanding as a hodge-podge of medico-ayurvedic thinking " >

 

 

 

Ayurveda is a universal eternal science and it's basic premises can be

translated into any intellectual context. Indeed the writer of that

statement is constantly making reference to modern concepts as they

relate to Ayurveda – it is he who often brings up metabolic syndrome,

insulin resistance, etc. My father wrote a small book forty years ago

translating TCM terminology into Ayurvedic terminology – he also wrote

extensively on Ayurveda and western scientific concepts. There is no

subject that Ayurveda can not discuss. In the modern times people have

a mixed mentality and have many medical ideas in their mind - they see

it on TV, read articles in magazines and newspapaers – in fact it is

the job of modern Ayurvedic advocates to help to translate the

concepts of Ayurveda into a modern idiom. This is being done very

beautifully by the TCM practioners – the great medical scholar Bob

Flaws has written (with Philippe Sionneau) a very important book in

modern medical discourse - The Treatment of Modern Western Diseases

With : A Textbook & Clinical Manual . The same is

being attempted by three young men for Ayurveda. Such correspondence

is not a betrayal of tradition it is simply facing the fact that we

modern people are a mix of many ideas. It is the same with spiritual

development – the highest spiritual practice is valid in all times and

places and for all peoples. Many Indians believe that Ayurveda and

Yoga are Indian and should not be appropriated by foreigners – and

many western people believe that Yoga and Ayurveda are intellectual

constructs relating to Indians and do not apply to them – both groups

are wrong. Ayurveda and Yoga are universal understandings and belong

to no one they are simply a description of reality, it's dilemmas, and

the solutions to those dilemmas. These ideas belong to no individual,

time, or place. All of the medical systems have a great deal to offer

each other and this can easily be done by those who know how to

translate across the systems but to do this it is necessary to learn

the language of each system.

 

But this was not my point. My point was that there is a very big

difference in understanding basic Ayurvedic concepts - even school

boys talk about vat-pit-kaph – and in the study and practice of

Ayurvedic science as a healing profession. Those who would like to

practice Ayurvedic science as a medical descipline and see and treat

patients should have a proper education in the original Ayurvedic

scriptures because a great deal of the validity of diagnosis and

treatment is dependent on those scriptures. Mixing up dosha theory

with some other natural healing system is in no way Ayurvedic medical

practice and those people are not Ayurvedic physicians and should not

present themselves as Vaidys. I know practioners who have made a

successful blending of Ayurvedic theory and other disciplines such as

Yoga or Naturopathy – but those people are not Vaidyas – that was my

point.

 

Dr Vinod Kumar

[Guest guest]

I congragulate you on your exposition. there is no doubt you are right.

Ayurveda and yoga are timeless. there is no proprietorship on these great

sciences. instead they were created for the upliftment of mankind and that

is why currently there is even some exposure in the west about them. they in

fact are causing positive experiences and making the general public wonder

frustratingly why they are receiving the benefits. they want to understand

but their biases towards their own cultural superiorities are in conflict

with this new light of understanding. also you are right western medicine

has become a hodpodge of this and that information and deduction. western

medical research has many times (journal articles) proven ayurvedic concepts

(unknowingly) however they won't connect the line back to Ayurveda. because

their findings are everywhere like a blind man throwing darts their system

is corrupted with major side effects. to get to concrete measures it would

be very important for western medicine (science) to refer back to the

principles of Ayurveda and come to a better understanding of the principles

of medicine.

 

 

 

namaskar,

 

__________

 

Raja G. Gursahani

[Guest guest]

On 1-Oct-07, at 2:39 AM, ayurveda wrote:

 

> Many Indians believe that Ayurveda and

> Yoga are Indian and should not be appropriated by foreigners – and

> many western people believe that Yoga and Ayurveda are intellectual

> constructs relating to Indians and do not apply to them – both groups

> are wrong. Ayurveda and Yoga are universal understandings and belong

> to no one they are simply a description of reality, it's dilemmas, and

> the solutions to those dilemmas. These ideas belong to no individual,

> time, or place. All of the medical systems have a great deal to offer

> each other and this can easily be done by those who know how to

> translate across the systems but to do this it is necessary to learn

> the language of each system.

 

this was my original point, which you have now validated

excellent, thank you

 

>

> But this was not my point. My point was that there is a very big

> difference in understanding basic Ayurvedic concepts - even school

> boys talk about vat-pit-kaph – and in the study and practice of

> Ayurvedic science as a healing profession. Those who would like to

> practice Ayurvedic science as a medical descipline and see and treat

> patients should have a proper education in the original Ayurvedic

> scriptures because a great deal of the validity of diagnosis and

> treatment is dependent on those scriptures. Mixing up dosha theory

> with some other natural healing system is in no way Ayurvedic medical

> practice and those people are not Ayurvedic physicians and should not

> present themselves as Vaidys. I know practioners who have made a

> successful blending of Ayurvedic theory and other disciplines such as

> Yoga or Naturopathy – but those people are not Vaidyas – that was my

> point.

 

well, when i was in india and talking with ayurvedic physicians,

those who weren't cloaked in cultural supremacy shook my hand and

said i was a true vaidya

 

i don't spend too much time considering this or even claim it because

i store little faith in titles, but it is interesting detail nonetheless

 

the picture you paint of ayurveda is that it exists in only one way,

when in truth, ayurveda has a heterogenous application even on the

subcontinent, from kerala, gujarat, bengal and nepal

 

either ayurveda is universal or its not

ayurveda in my country can never be a pure indian ayurveda, and i

have every confidence that Charaka would agree with me

 

this isn't cultural appropriation - its a very thoughtful

consideration of the principles of ayurveda applied in a non-indian

context

 

we are clearly not at the same level as ayurveda is practiced in

india, but give us some time and it will evolve this way

 

the ground is rich for ayurveda here, but the tree that grows will

produce a different fruit than what is found in india, as indeed, our

plants bear no similarity to those in india - if we refuse to

acknowledge this, all we are doing is perpetuating a game of cultural

politics

 

goodness knows the poison of cultural politics has already happened

to the developing world, whose basic values have been unduly

influenced by colonial powers

case in point is the current obsession for ayurvedic title and

licensing in india, when ayurveda existed for 5000 years without such

a notion

 

as india rightly regains her importance and influence

internationally, let us not engage in reverse discrimination, or

close our minds to the unfamiliar

 

Caldecott, Dip. Cl.H, RH(AHG)

Ayurvedic practitioner, Medical Herbalist

203 - 1750 East 10th Ave

Vancouver, BC V5N 5K4 CANADA

web: http//:www.toddcaldecott.com

email: todd

tel: (1)778.896.8894

fax: (1)866.703.2792

[Guest guest]

Dear Online Friends,

This is indeed a healthy, enlightening and lively

discussion. Yes, Ayurveda is universal science that

needs further research and enrichment by Ayurveda

practitioners all over the world irrespective of

caste, creed, race, colour or country. is also adding to our knowledge further. Hence my

hats off for his incessant efforts to add to every

one's knowledge.

Wishing all ayurvedic researchers the very best,

 

S. M. Acharya

Founder of atbsnr.com (an Instict Therapy) that might

help all patients a little more to get well and enjoy

this beautiful life given by God a little more than

hithertofore; Amen. Thank the Lord that we are humans.

 

 

______________________________

 

Ayurveda and Yoga are universal

understandings and belong

to no one they are simply a description of

reality, it's dilemmas, and

the solutions to those dilemmas. These ideas

belong to no individual,

time, or place.