Healing and Synergy
"Ok give me the one thing that's going to clear this problem that I have" typically goes the refrain going through our minds as we try to figure it what to do
Heart synergy
And while we have been programmed to believe that it's that one pill, the one operation, the one piece of advice that's going to turn the corner, it's really not that way It may be that in an acute situation such as appendicitis that the immediate action of removing the appendix fixes the problem But even in that clinical scenario there is the need for doing things after the operation to fully recover In the management of chronic diseases this process of needing to do more than one thing in order to evoke a healing response becomes even more apparent Energetically the heart serves as the unifying field that brings all these various activities together
The Energy Science Approach to Healing
In order to evoke a change toward real healing the mindbody needs to know that we're serious about wanting to turn things around for us and move in a different direction Toward balance in this situation This means that there needs to be not only consistency in our actions but also a willingness to pile on the energetic effects produced by our actions
For example we might feel a tad bit better by introducing nutritional changes that bring about more physiologic balance Bringing about more balance to the physiology occurs when we stop adding to our imbalances For example, if we happen to have a Pitta Kapha energy constitutional make up then nuts are not a good choice for us because they carry the vibrational frequencies of heavy, slow, oily, static, and cloudy When we stop introducing these qualities of nuts into our physiology then the mindbody begins to shed those qualities that we were consistently putting into our mindbody
So we stop adding to the imbalance that is creating our ill health That's a good thing...changing our nutrition so we don't continue to keep ourselves sick A step toward healing has been made But there's another layer What about incompatible food combinations? Well, by avoiding them we begin improving our agni That's a good thing Another step has been taken
But then we can add another layer What about restructuring our day to a favorable time for the mindbody to do certain things...like getting up early to exercise, eating our biggest meal of the day at around noon, going to bed early to take advantage of the night time detoxification duties that the mindbody naturally does if we don't interfere with them So another layer has been added to the complex process of energy healing And we should point out that this healing has not cost anything....only just changing the way we do things
Synergistic Healing
So from an energy science point of view, real healing requires our participation and this layering effect There are a multiplicity of things to be done to bring physiologic balance and release excess vibrational frequencies that don't serve us well
This layering phenomenon is actually promoting synergy It's not just one thing but the multiplicity of things that are done that bring about the desired effect Each lifestyle behavior pattern that we add supports and makes stronger the previous pattern that we just put into place That is, these changes that we make feed on one another creating a grand foundation on which to support the healing of the condition that doesn't serve us anymore
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5 Ways to Use Biologic Energy for Healing
From present day physics the body can be viewed as an energy field or molecular/matter field Modern day medicine follows an molecular approach to its study of disease whereas the energy sciences of Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine(acupuncture) have developed sophisticated systems of healing to deal with man's diseases The areas where the energy sciences have their most impact is in chronic disease and prevention since as we have discussed in the past the origin of disease is well worked out in the Ayurvedic energy science discipline
Because the energy science understands the origin of disease it can be effective in chronic diseases From an energy science perspective disease is brought about due to an imbalance of vibrational frequencies called gunas or qualities So in chronic disease the qualities become out of balance These qualities become overly abundant in affected tissues producing the symptoms of disease
Srotas: The Energy Channels
Although the energy science views the body's anatomy in a similar way as the matter science discipline the channels through which energy flows are arranged conceptually in a different way The energy channels are called srotas and have specific characteristics that are unique to the energy body It is through these channels that the qualities move The most common way we alter the qualities of the body is through our nutrition which is why what we eat becomes so important in the management of the IC BPS
But there is a second channel system in the energy body called the nadi system which overlays the srotal system and is more subtle in its expression
The Nadi System
This channel system only carries vibrational energy called prana and is more ephemeral than the above srotal system Unexplained spontaneous remissions of all forms of disease occur at this level of the energy body Our nadi system(microcosm) is responsible for the maintenance of our energetic aura(see diagram) and is our connection with the greater energy field(macrocosm)
The common concept shared by these two energy channel systems is agni, the digestive fire, or the ability to take an experience and completely comprehend its meaning And there are two bridges that connect the two systems such as the autonomic nervous system(fight or flight system) and the endocrine(hormones and thyroid gland) system The nadi channels are connected to the 5 senses so we can see that doing things to enhance the senses and clear them helps improve flow through them
In yogic classes where asana(posture) is performed the anatomy that is most common discussed and used is the nadi system Energy nadis such as the ida, pingula, and sushumna are terms often used There can be healing using the nadi system and the energy science of Ayurveda uses these concepts in therapies
5 Ways To Access the Nadi System
Pranayama particularly kapalabhati because breath use and breath exercises are powerful ways to influence the fight or flight response which is managed by the above autonomic system From what we have just said not surprisingly this group of exercises can influence agni which is extremely therapeutic in management of disease Done routinely it can change the course of a disease Since the breath influences the subtle vibrational energy channels it can help clear the srotas and our aura
Kevala As part of the day in balance(dinacharya) oil pulling has been recognized by Western observers of health that it can bring about dramatic benefits Kevala influences the nadi channel system and hence has profound energetic consequences to the body
Nasya This is the application of herbs that are in an oil solution and has direct impact to both the autonomic nervous and endocrine systems Because this therapy influences both bridges to the nadi system it can have an impact on our subtle energy body, aura, and healing
Karna purna This is application of oil to the ears which have a connection to the nadi channels and can influence them
Marma and abhyanga The application of oils to the external surface of the body stimulates acupuncture points that Ayurveda calls marma These are subtle energy points that connect to the nadi system and improves pranic flow through the channels
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The Quick Medical Fix
What we wish from any healing tradition is a quick way out of our problem whatever it is The magic pill, the magic operation, the magic whatever So it is with any formidable chronic disease And intuitively we know there is no such thing but we can still hope that there is something that is going to deal with it But as a recent visit with a patient who is a gastroenterologist said, "I would have thought you were a crank if you would have promised me a quick solution"
The Quick Fix
So even though we yearn for the quick fix we know it realistically doesn't exist We know this intuitively So if this is the case then what are we actually looking for?
I believe any sufferer of the IC bladder pain syndrome is waiting for "a trusted way" that will get them to where they want to go...that is, feeling better And they feel that the "system" has not been that trusted way anymore
But as we have already said there is no quick fix but there is a fix....maybe not a fix but nonetheless a fix It's just that this trusted way, this path requires TIME When time is put into the equation, impatience can become a problem While we rationalize with the mind, it still wants whatever that's supposed to happen, to happen quickly
Three Solutions for the Impatient Mind
Journal Probably from a practical point of view the best way to show the impatient mind that progress is being achieved is to review our journal entries and see for ourselves that things are better Even the mind's memory is distrustful of itself but if we can see for ourselves in black and white what has been going on in the past and compare it to what's happening now the impatient mind will shut up
Realize the ups and downs of healing As an energy field the mindbody expresses itself as waves and so do the diseases that it experiences So any disease has its good days and bad days, good weeks and bad weeks, flare periods and no flare periods of the disease process Name any disease process and it will express itself in waves The point here is "no discouragement" because of a particularly "bad period" Keep up the good pursuit toward our goal of ever improving health Real healing takes time...the correction of an energetic imbalance requires repetitive perseverative effort
Get reliable help in achieving our goal If we are in a forest and hear the sound of waves crashing on the beach we know we are near But we have no path to follow We search but no one has gone there We can forge our own path and cut our way through the forest, guided by the sounds of the ocean But we can search for a path that other people have taken and use their experience to show us the way This is the value of Ayurvedic consultations They give us a path to follow rather than trying to make our own path
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Choosing a Healthy Habit and Making It Happen
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit
Aristotle
We all create habits that can make us sick or make us healthier It's clear as in any other chronic disease that poor choices have been made since we are all responsible for the diseases we create for ourselves
But what makes a healthy choice and what makes an unhealthy choice? That my dear reader is the essence of a health system based on a philosophy(energy science discipline) versus a system created by one that doesn't have one(matter science) If our choices are based on a system that bases its choices on a philosophical relationship with Nature Herself not only are the recommendations always rock solid and something that we can count on but there is a weaving of the recommendations such that all support one another in the pursuit of better health
So we create better habits when we are aligned with Nature Herself These will always be the correct choices And when we practice them they become stronger habits that over time will create physiologic movement toward better health Habits are lifestyle behavior patterns that either create health or move us away from it So let's assume that we have identified a habit like kevala(sesame oil swish aka oil pulling) that is worthwhile promoting in our lives
Formation of a Habit Like Kevala
For some swishing oil around the oral cavity is repulsive so there is resistance But we understand that doing it from an Ayurvedic point of view is energetically valuable since it pulls Kapha from the oral cavity So we decide to try it First of all we have to have the unrefined sesame oil near the sink because, and this is important, we want to put this habit in our morning routine We also have to find a receptacle for getting rid of it after we have done the swish Does it go down the sink?(not a good idea) Does it get flushed down the toilet?(acceptable as long as we're not on a septic system...if septic we should have a container under the sink to spit it into once done)
So as we can see there are some steps for us to do in order to set the stage for doing kevala to begin with Now we're ready to do kevala....but there's this resistance about the whole thing That's OK Let's just give the mindbody a chance to settle in and do it BUT every morning we're at the sink thinking about doing kevala Not yet, not today, maybe tomorrow But every morning there's a dialogue going on about whether to do kevala or not
We've got everything set up and then one day, the mindbody is ready to DO it We take a swig of oil run it around the mouth and spit it out WE DID IT Voila! the first step of a habit has been created We actually did it Now it's all down hill We repeat it over and over again and a habit has been born Notice what has happened There was a particular cue or situation that occurred to remind us that the kevala needed to be done...the morning routine But before we even did it we needed to have all the proper materials and thinking about beginning the habit that needed to be done We needed to prepare the mindbody
Refining Habits: The Journey to Better Health
The best thing about habits going forward is that there are made to be modified Oh maybe we'll do the kevala before brushing the teeth After trying it that way for a while we might try it after brushing the teeth Or maybe we'll try doing some gum massage with the fingers while we swish the oil around the mouth Hey this oil isn't as bad as we thought! Maybe we'll try using the tongue to massage the oil around on the gums while we have it in the mouth
We get the idea that once an identifiable healthy habit is formed that playing with it in a creative way can not only enhance it but also begin engaging ourselves in the health benefits of it We begin to notice that when we spit the oil into the toilet bowl that we notice that the longer we hold the oil orally we see that it's broken down into smaller and finer droplets until it's a fine well digested solution This my friend is a remarkable energy science observation that shows that the agni is strong and well supported in the oral cavity
This happens with all positive health promoting habits that we cultivate in our lives All we have to do is remain observant
And lastly if we want to replace a bad habit with a new healthy one....we follow the same kevala steps
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