Ayurvedic assessment is the first step. An Ayurvedic personal assessment is of one hour duration. The doctor asks detailed questions about health, diet and life. He will listen to your pulse. The Ayurvedic doctor also examines the tongue, skin, lips, nails, and eyes. The appearance is to provide clues about areas of the body and mind that may be out of balance. During consultation, a person is examined on the basis of basic constitution, bio-spiritual status of chakra and astrological calculations.

It is very common for the doctor to ask the date and time of birth of their patients in order to know the basic constitution of that person. Vedic Medical Astrology is drawn on basis of time, place, date, of the birth of the concerned person and then appropriate advice is given to solve the problem of a person. According to Vedic philosophy a human being is a universe in him rather every cell is a galaxy. All stars and planets are not merely showpieces they have a specific role in our life span.

What is Prakriti?

Ayurveda, states that the basic constitution of a human being is determined at the time of conception. This constitution is called Prakriti. The term Prakriti is derived from Sanskrit word that means uniqueness. Knowing our Prakriti is helpful as it not only helps us know our self better but also helps us in getting rid of diseases. It helps in understanding certain important physical and mental characteristics.

We must understand that basic constitution is decided at the time of fertilization of sperm and ovum. Sukra-Shonit Prakriti (Condition of sperm-ovum) Kala-garbhasaya Prakriti (Condition of uterus) Jyotish muhurut— state of Moon, Sun and other planets at that time Matu-ahar Prakriti (Food regimen adopted by mother, during pregnancy).

The human constitution, or Prakriti, is comprised of all three doshas. This means that every individual has within himself the dynamic forces of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. The difference between individuals is the degree to which the three doshas interact with one another within each body type. Our physio-psychological aspects change, influenced by social, environmental, and cultural factors.

In our life we are conditioned as per norms of family and society. Some of these conditions are against our Prakriti. These unhealthy foods, lifestyles, thoughts emotions etc create some pathological changes in our body and mind- we call this stage as -Vikriti. Any incident either good or bed has an effect on or life force breathing though our body and becomes a part of our memory in subconscious mind. Sometime it reflect immediately and some time it lies there as a physical or psychic scar. It may react latter and these scars start oozing in the form of symptoms and disease.

Spiritual Ayurveda

There are three types of Truths - untruth, truth and eternal truth. Untruth has no existence because it cannot stand without truth. We can tell a lie but we will have to say that we are telling truth. Eternal truth is true forever. It is indescribable, unknowable, undestroyable and permanent. All religions agree about above two matters. Problem is about third the truth—truth is the matter or thought which can be proven.

Some Great Masters - Jesus, Prophet Mohammad, Krishna Lord Buddha, were able to see and understand eternal. They tried to inform the world about it. They had to simplify the knowledge in common language. They were however not interested in changing the belief or trust of people. They were interested in creating a painless society. After the death of these great Mastered people made their own interpretation of the truth. Hence this became truth but not the eternal truth.

The people wrote literatures which are called holy books like Bible, Gita, and Koran etc. As a result they created a cage for themselves called religion or cult. The problem did not finish here since all religions attempted to glorify their Masters. Hence they utilize examples of miracles etc in order to prove that their master is superior to others. Their master is not a human being but he is superhuman equated to God. This resulted in the eternal truth being lost.

We are frustrated from present and desperate to change “what it is” it what we think “should be” but most of the time we are lost in seminars workshop books, knowledge and meditation. Most of them are nothing more than sensation and are to increase efficiency of mind. Is that all we can do? Are we longing only for sensation of mind? Fortunately it is not true. Our profound desire is more than that.

In the past several revolutions came and vanished without any help to human consciousness as these revolutions were mass oriented. We need revolution on personal level, in personal growth of our own consciousness.

In every era man have searched in thousand of ways, for the unknown, for what is not evident, tangible and material. The path towards somewhere is yet unknown, a rough sea, mined with dangers, with tricks, gurus, masters who want to impose their vision of things and world and the world. In my opinion this journey from known to unknown is the great quest, and the mission of everyone to this planet.

I am product of the East and certain ways I feel conditioned of this. God and Religion for me are a collective way of worship by a group of people rather than a certain set of doctrines dogmas. At that moment of collectiveness there is a connection with a profound awareness. We are then aware that we are not alone in the world. Religion for me is not a set of rules and orders imposed by others.

As a child I was conditioned to be Hindu. I was taught religious dogmas and rituals. At one stage of my life I totally ignored this, but now I realize that while I am 48 years old these dogmas were created eons ago. I think dogmas are so absurd in face value however their constitution is the clearest, most magical and most inspired manifestation of human thinking because they are beyond conscious thoughts.

Every religion or traditional rituals must have a meaning. May be we have not understand these till now. That is the reason I respect all religion and philosophies and atheism. I help my patients to explore more on their chosen path.

These days, no matter how absurd it may appear, to light a lamp, or to offer water to the sun, I accept these dogmas into my heart, not because it is imposed but because I try to humble before mystery of nature which is paradigms of the most profound, arcane mystery. To me that seems beautiful because there is no reason that something I don’t understand rationally should not be true after all natural mystery exists like me and you.

What is karma?

Karma is most misinterpreted aspect of Vedic philosophy. Some call it cause and effect or reap and sow or some divide it into good or bad karma which is another form of hell and haven. Why some actions can be good for someone or bad for someone else. Like eating meat is sin for Hindus and not for others. This is an old and rejected philosophy of allurement and punishment. Broadly speaking, karma is dust on our glasses and we cannot see further. Karma is impression of our consciousness and under its influence we make our decision.

A thought comes to mind- first it will go to the wisdom body where it will be interpreted according to our conditioning and not necessarily according to wisdom or right and wrong. When we act from a place of conditioned reaction, it is called KARMA-action. But this is just a reaction not action as there is no consciousness to the action, it is simply a reaction. In this state of mind we ignore the signals and don’t listen even to our intellect and ultimately we suffer. When our sense of intelligent awareness is clouded we often make decisions and react in ways that are negative to our happiness and emotional body reacts creating further disharmony. The cycle becomes painful and difficult to break.

The Vedic tradition perceives the cosmic activity of the Supreme Being of threefold: the creation, the sustenance and the destruction and these three main activities with the main deities: Brahma, Vishnu and the Shiva. As we already mentioned, Brahma represents the creator aspect of the divine. Vishnu sustains the creation and represents the principle of preservation, and Shiva represents the eternal principle of preservation, and the Shiva represents the principle of dissolution, of destruction of evil, of transcendence. We have to understand that basically Brahma, Vishnu &Shiva are not three distinct deities, independent from each other, but they represent the same Supreme force, in its three different aspects. Brahma is the creator of universe and of all beings. His world is BRAHMALOKA (Cosmic Super conscious), containing all the splendors of earth and all other worlds.

Brahma is super conscious and Maya is Brahma’s manifestation.

This MAYA is of 3 qualities:

• Satwa is the purest state: it is a balanced mind that discriminates accurately; filled with positive thoughts that lead to good self esteem with no arrogance and good physical health; Satwa is obviously the goal to pursue to maintain a healthy immune system; it requires balanced diet, suitable life style, proper exercise or practice.
• Rajas are restless and never satisfied; it can be violent, and subject to irrational mood swings; often intelligent it needs to be balanced and pacified.
• Tamas -implies a lack of vitality, it is ignorant, irrational, greedy and filled with destructive thoughts and ideas; it is the state of mind that enjoys junky and processed food.

From these three qualities, Maya creates three illusions.

KAMA –desire, ambitions etc KAMA (Desires) is the 1st illusion of Maya. Kama is of two types –SAWBHAV (natural- desire to breath, food, sleep) and SANSARIK (to obtain facilities, luxuries, planning for self and family etc).

KARMA -the action KARMA (Actions) is the second illusion of Maya. Ayurveda has accented about three types KARMA the deeds: -

1: VANGA BHAVA KARMA: the deeds through emotions.

2: MANAH VIDHA KARMA: the deeds through thought.

3: SHARIRA VIDHA KARMA: the deeds through body.

FAL—the result FAL (Outcome or result of action) is 3rd illusion of Maya.

These deeds are done by living physical body which is dependent on Doshas—that we are born with specific combinations of VATA PITTA and KAPHA.

PUNARAVTE-PUNA-PUNA -Desires lead to actions, which result in certain outcome of our action. If the outcome of our action is according to our desire we feel proud and our ego is boosted When the outcome of our action is not according to our desire, we feel frustrated which result in anger, inwardly or outwardly.

Anything that is overcome has to be conquered again and again. No problem can be finally overcome, conquered. Maya can be understood, and can be balanced with Ayurveda, but not conquered.

These are two completely different processes. To resist, to dominate, to do battle with a problem, or to build a defense against it. But it will create further conflict. Whereas if we can understand Maya , go into it fully, step by step, explore the whole content of it and treat it with the help of a Ayurvedic physician, then bad feelings and emotions will never return in any form— and we will be very close to ourselves AHAM BRAHMASMI-and that is what I hope we should do.

How does karma effect health?

We think that we are sick and stressed because of our food or life style. Actually under the influence of impaired awareness we forget our body and self. In Ayurveda we consider it to be KARMAJ VYADHI (bio-spiritual diseases). It starts in unconscious mind and we engage ourselves in wrong life pattern and slowly Tamas takes over our activities. Initially we cannot see the effects and causes. We realize these subjective symptoms only after one of our vital organ—OZA is disturbed.

• Because of dust we start wrong food pattern and life-style.
• We take contaminated food, sensitive food & dirty foods.
• VATTA, and KAPHA aggravated and PITTA blocks the energy channels and then.
• Disturb the mental morbid factors RAJAS & TAMAH.
• Therefore leads to low concentration, poor-resistance and fatigue symptoms.
• Due to inappropriate expression, dishonored the signals sent by our consciousness, mental-tensions, instability, slow poisoning.
• Mind has gotten low energy and morbid factors have gone into the our vital organs.
• Making confusions / irregularities and upsets the Prana conscious networking and creating the immunity and hormonal disorders and we accumulate bio- spiritual garbage and physical toxins.

Because of these disorders our body and mind has no option to get rid of these accumulated toxins. This defensive process of our body and mind is called disease with symptoms thereof.

The quality of our inner emotions directly determines the quality of our health. We must be vigilant to prevent negative emotions and thinking from creeping into our inner life. When we make the choice to be positive in emotions and healthy in behavior and a multitude of health benefits will naturally be ours.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me should you require further advice or guidance. Being an Ayurvedic doctor I will try my best to make you as healthy as I can.

Dr Ram Garg > BAMS, MD Ayurvedacharya > http://www.ayurvedaram.com/