Ayurveda and Immortality: Treadways:

Chapter 8.

1. The Charaka Samhita says that all diseases are caused by at least one of three separate factors:

1. Intellectual pride or blasphemy that results in illness

2. Seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, and tasting that which is disease producing.

3. Stress due to climate, environment, or season (Ayurveda advises that diet and habits be adjusted at the juncture point of each season, for it is at the juncture of the seasons that diseases are thought to originate)

2. In the execution of therapy, Charaka says that four things are required for a successful cure, of which one is absolutely essential. The first three are:

1. The proper attitude on the part of the patient (a sincere desire to become well)

2. The proper attendant or health professional to provide care and support during the healing process

3. The proper medicine prepared and administered in the proper manner (This is the Vedic discipline of upashaya, the beneficial administration of medicine, diet, and health practices in order to effect a complete balancing of the doshas)

4. The last and essential requirement is the healing awareness of an Ayurvedist or health practitioner.

3. The Ayurvedist is trained to see the disease and the patient as separate entities and to treat the immortal self and the body it inhabits with great gentleness, but to be merciless toward the negative energy that is the disease.

4. Heat and oil always subside vata dosha

Cold and moisture always subside pitta dosha

Heat and drying or friction always subside kapha dosha

Chapter 9: Ayurveda, Enlightenment and Immortality

1. Ayurveda recommends deep meditation as the primary technique for attaining maximum health and longevity.

After this fundamental contact with the self is established through meditation on a regular basis, the Ayurvedic literature recommends first the panchakarma therapies and then the herbal rasayanas, which may be incorporated into daily, monthly, and seasonal routines.

2. If for some reason we had to choose only one principle of Ayurveda, it is recommended we chose the priority of deep meditation.

3. Restoration of balance of the doshas through deep meditation is the Ayurvedic approach to health through the angle of consciousness, the self.

Through the angle of education and behavior, by utilizing the agency of the mind, Ayurveda promotes balance through proper diet, and hygiene, in daily, monthly, and seasonal routines.

A third Ayurvedic angle to promote balance is rejuvenation through Ayurvedic treatment programs.

4. Ayurveda defines health as the lively presence of the self in the body, mind and consciousness, and declares that it is this which establishes balance of the doshas and prevents disease from developing.

Absence of contact with the self will allow imbalances to occur in mind and body and subsequently allow disease to develop.