Herbs and Rasayanas: a Stairway to Health
During my thirteen years at Lancaster as well as before my arrival here, I have had the opportunity to acquire skills in Vedic Medicine by practicing alongside the finest vaidyas from India. During my medical career in the US and Canada I have also had the opportunity to work with many distinguished physicians, mentors who have taught me intangible aspects of modern medicine not available in textbooks.
I have noticed an important difference in the approaches of these two groups to the management of chronic disorders. Western doctors tend to begin with the least injurious medication or procedure they think will have an effect. They then observe the result, and proceed from there. Vaidyas on the other hand, plan a stepwise program oriented to work on the underlying cause of the disorder.
According to Vedic Medicine chronic disorders are due to imbalances on several levels:
- accumulation of ama (by-products of inefficient digestion and metabolism which block the channels in the physiology through which intelligence flows)
- aggravation on the level of the doshas (physiological operators) which may also cause the ama accumulation
- disorders on the level of the dhatus (tissues) due to the influences of ama and the dosha imbalance.
Like a general on the battlefield, vaidyas plan on a multiple step strategy for conquering the problem. Ashtvaidya Devakaran Mooss, during a stay at Lancaster, explained to me how to prepare a patient for rasayana therapy, the herbal programs for promoting longevity, immune resistance, endurance and full mental potential.
"If you want to pour something precious in a vessel, first you must repair the cracks and cleanse it." In other words, for any herbal program to work properly ama must be eliminated and any further ama accumulation arrested. The ancient text of Ayurveda, Caraka Samhita, says the same thing another way, "The cloth must be washed before it can be dyed."
Guests who have taken our previous in-residence programs gave themselves an important head start in ama elimination through the most efficient internal purification procedures. However, they have often forgotten to finish the campaign during the post-operative phase, which focuses on diet and rasayanas.
Similarly, our non-resident clients commonly fail to shake their disorder because they do not report for the next phase of therapy. Ayurvedic physicians often prescribe an initial program focused on ama elimination and then plan to focus on the doshas several months later. But we may not see the person again for six months or even years later, by which time the chronic condition may have changed or even progressed. This is like routing the enemy but not cutting off their ability to retreat and regroup.
We know that a visit to Lancaster is like a pilgrimage for some people, and many undertake the trip with that intent: to leave their consultation physically and spiritually cleansed. For those who cannot make their follow-up visit on time, telephone consults are available to design the next step. We would always prefer to see you in person, but during our initial consultations, we have documented your imbalances and qualities of your pulse, and with an interview by phone, we can plan the next strategy required.
And for the many who do not check in because you have been cured, please make our day by dropping us a note to let us know.
More articles
This information on "Herbs and Rasayanas: a Stairway to Health" is in the "Herbs & Rasayanas" section of AyurvedaMed.com website. To return to the index page of this section, please click here.
| 
{Contact Us}