ayurvedicchinesemedicine.ppt | |
File Size: | 313 kb |
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Ayurveda, the ancient tradition of India, is often translated as the "science of life," but this is a poor representation of the term. Science refers to a method of study that was developed long after Ayurveda; reading Ayurvedic texts, one sees a religious document rather than a scientific one. In the book Oriental Medicine: An Illustrated Guide to the Asian Arts of Healing, an ancient etymological definition is given:
It is called ayurveda because it tells us (vedayati) which substances, qualities, and actions are life-enhancing (ayusya) and which are not.
In other words, Ayurveda is an instruction for enhancing life. Ayurvedic medicine has some relevance to Chinese traditional medicine. Both systems are instructional, rather than scientific, and are fundamentally aimed at enhancing life. Both are additionally focused at treatment of specific diseases that plagued ancient societies for centuries.
Nearly half of the most commonly-used herbs in each of these two Asian medical systems (India and China) are the same or similar and their actions are described in somewhat overlapping terms. For example, in both systems, herbs are described according to the symptoms they treat, their warming or cooling nature, and their influence on the body humors. What differs is the basic set of categories of disharmony: the diagnostic and therapeutic groupings. In traditional Chinese medicine the correspondence systems of yin and yang and the five elements have a strong influence, as do the depictions of certain bodily humors (qi, blood, moisture, and essence), and the internal organ systems (zangfu). In Ayurvedic medicine, although the total system is quite complex, there is a dominance of the three dosha (tridosha) system: kapha, pitta, vata (also called vayu). These three function within a body that is described primarily in terms of stages of transformation (following the path of ingested food as it is converted into essential substances that comprise the body) rather than by physical structures and functional organs.
The reliance on a triad of influences on health and disease sometimes forces Ayurvedic medicine into a relatively simplistic system, which has had the effect of strangling its development compared to Chinese medicine. Several books on Ayurvedic medicine that have been presented to the West expend most of their pages on classifying individuals and their symptoms into these three groupings, and then present foods, herbs, physical therapies that are classified primarily by their effects on the three doshas. As stated by P. Kutumbiah in his book Ancient Indian Medicine: "The doctrine of the tridosha plays an important role in ancient Indian medicine. It is the basis of its diagnosis, pathology, and therapeutics. A correct appreciation of it is, therefore, essential for a proper understanding of Indian medicine....In the later medical works, it underwent great elaboration owing to the influence of the cosmological speculations and consequently suffered much violence to make it fall in line with them." The enforced alignment with so-called "cosmological speculations" was a problem that also affected Chinese medicine, where the five element and six qi (environmental influences) systems had a stifling effect because everything was forced to fit, even when reason and experience indicated otherwise.
Chinese medicine made an escape from its philosophical binds through constantly reworking of the basic system by strong-minded and experienced commentators. Ayurvedic medicine did not have a similar transformation, and so it struggles with certain inconsistencies that date back to a much earlier age without having been addressed, at least in any preserved writings, in the interim.
Ayurvedic, Chinese, and other traditional systems are today yielding their theoretical and experiential frameworks to investigation by modern scientific techniques, applied mainly for the purpose of illustrating the effectiveness of remedies that have been developed over the centuries. In this context, the underlying theoretical framework fades away, and the tested substances become the focus of a new international effort at preventive health care and disease treatment. Herbal formulas developed today rely on a combination of traditional and modern indications for the use of the medicinal materials.
It is called ayurveda because it tells us (vedayati) which substances, qualities, and actions are life-enhancing (ayusya) and which are not.
In other words, Ayurveda is an instruction for enhancing life. Ayurvedic medicine has some relevance to Chinese traditional medicine. Both systems are instructional, rather than scientific, and are fundamentally aimed at enhancing life. Both are additionally focused at treatment of specific diseases that plagued ancient societies for centuries.
Nearly half of the most commonly-used herbs in each of these two Asian medical systems (India and China) are the same or similar and their actions are described in somewhat overlapping terms. For example, in both systems, herbs are described according to the symptoms they treat, their warming or cooling nature, and their influence on the body humors. What differs is the basic set of categories of disharmony: the diagnostic and therapeutic groupings. In traditional Chinese medicine the correspondence systems of yin and yang and the five elements have a strong influence, as do the depictions of certain bodily humors (qi, blood, moisture, and essence), and the internal organ systems (zangfu). In Ayurvedic medicine, although the total system is quite complex, there is a dominance of the three dosha (tridosha) system: kapha, pitta, vata (also called vayu). These three function within a body that is described primarily in terms of stages of transformation (following the path of ingested food as it is converted into essential substances that comprise the body) rather than by physical structures and functional organs.
The reliance on a triad of influences on health and disease sometimes forces Ayurvedic medicine into a relatively simplistic system, which has had the effect of strangling its development compared to Chinese medicine. Several books on Ayurvedic medicine that have been presented to the West expend most of their pages on classifying individuals and their symptoms into these three groupings, and then present foods, herbs, physical therapies that are classified primarily by their effects on the three doshas. As stated by P. Kutumbiah in his book Ancient Indian Medicine: "The doctrine of the tridosha plays an important role in ancient Indian medicine. It is the basis of its diagnosis, pathology, and therapeutics. A correct appreciation of it is, therefore, essential for a proper understanding of Indian medicine....In the later medical works, it underwent great elaboration owing to the influence of the cosmological speculations and consequently suffered much violence to make it fall in line with them." The enforced alignment with so-called "cosmological speculations" was a problem that also affected Chinese medicine, where the five element and six qi (environmental influences) systems had a stifling effect because everything was forced to fit, even when reason and experience indicated otherwise.
Chinese medicine made an escape from its philosophical binds through constantly reworking of the basic system by strong-minded and experienced commentators. Ayurvedic medicine did not have a similar transformation, and so it struggles with certain inconsistencies that date back to a much earlier age without having been addressed, at least in any preserved writings, in the interim.
Ayurvedic, Chinese, and other traditional systems are today yielding their theoretical and experiential frameworks to investigation by modern scientific techniques, applied mainly for the purpose of illustrating the effectiveness of remedies that have been developed over the centuries. In this context, the underlying theoretical framework fades away, and the tested substances become the focus of a new international effort at preventive health care and disease treatment. Herbal formulas developed today rely on a combination of traditional and modern indications for the use of the medicinal materials.
as_you_think_so_you_become.pps | |
File Size: | 738 kb |
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“The mind is everything. What you think you become.”- Budha
bio-psychology.ppt | |
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Biopsychology is a branch of psychology that analyzes how the brain and neurotransmitters influence our behaviors, thoughts and feelings. This field can be thought of as a combination of basic psychology and neuroscience.
Many psychology programs use alternate names for this field, including biopsychology, physiological psychology, behavioral neuroscience and psychobiology. Biopsychologists often look at how biological processes interact with emotions, cognitions and other mental processes. The field of biopsychology is related to several other areas including comparative psychology and evolutionary psychology.
Many psychology programs use alternate names for this field, including biopsychology, physiological psychology, behavioral neuroscience and psychobiology. Biopsychologists often look at how biological processes interact with emotions, cognitions and other mental processes. The field of biopsychology is related to several other areas including comparative psychology and evolutionary psychology.
brahmacakra.ppt | |
File Size: | 3537 kb |
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Brahma Cakra: The Cycle of Creation
In all civilizations people have attempted to explain the origin of the world in one way or another. In each cultural group one can find some mythology in which the story of creation is explained. Most of these stories do not however agree with what modern science says about creation. In Ananda Marga philosophy one can find a theory of creation which is not only in accord with the present views of modern science, but can also serve to guide scientists in their quest to find the answers to the many cosmological questions which are as yet unresolved.
This Tantric theory of creation, while scientific, is also profoundly spiritual.The wonder of how the stars move precisely in their orbits, the intricacy and beauty of the various living creatures from amoeba to human and other evidence of a profound intelligence and order in the universe are not neglected by the Tantric conception of creation and development of the cosmos. Rather, Ananda Marga cosmology begins by looking to the infinite consciousness which is the source of everything. This consciousness is considered to be the first cause and it is known as Brahma. Thus the cycle of creation in which Brahma transforms itself into this manifested universe is known as Brahmacakra.
Brahma means "the Entity which is great and has the capacity to make others great." Brahma is composed of consciousness and energy. In Sanskrit, Consciousness is known as Purusa and energy is called Prakrti. (Another name for Consciousness is Shiva, and energy can also be called Shakti). Although we can say that Brahma is a composite of consciousness and energy, it must be emphasized that Brahma is a singular entity. Its two "parts" are like the two sides of a piece of paper – they can never be separated. Consciousness never exists independently from the cosmic energy.... (there is more)
Ananda Marga – "Path of Bliss"
In all civilizations people have attempted to explain the origin of the world in one way or another. In each cultural group one can find some mythology in which the story of creation is explained. Most of these stories do not however agree with what modern science says about creation. In Ananda Marga philosophy one can find a theory of creation which is not only in accord with the present views of modern science, but can also serve to guide scientists in their quest to find the answers to the many cosmological questions which are as yet unresolved.
This Tantric theory of creation, while scientific, is also profoundly spiritual.The wonder of how the stars move precisely in their orbits, the intricacy and beauty of the various living creatures from amoeba to human and other evidence of a profound intelligence and order in the universe are not neglected by the Tantric conception of creation and development of the cosmos. Rather, Ananda Marga cosmology begins by looking to the infinite consciousness which is the source of everything. This consciousness is considered to be the first cause and it is known as Brahma. Thus the cycle of creation in which Brahma transforms itself into this manifested universe is known as Brahmacakra.
Brahma means "the Entity which is great and has the capacity to make others great." Brahma is composed of consciousness and energy. In Sanskrit, Consciousness is known as Purusa and energy is called Prakrti. (Another name for Consciousness is Shiva, and energy can also be called Shakti). Although we can say that Brahma is a composite of consciousness and energy, it must be emphasized that Brahma is a singular entity. Its two "parts" are like the two sides of a piece of paper – they can never be separated. Consciousness never exists independently from the cosmic energy.... (there is more)
Ananda Marga – "Path of Bliss"
brahma_cakra.ppt | |
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tantra_spiritual_master_disciple_and_devotion.ppt | |
File Size: | 1523 kb |
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food_for_thought_-_cpia.ppt | |
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Food, Cells, Physical and Mental
DevelopmentPublished in: Ananda
Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 4 [a compilation]Tattva Kaomudii Part 2
[unpublished in English]Yoga Psychology [a compilation]Online
additional
informationFood, Cells, Physical and Mental Development14 February 1970, RanchiThe physical body of every
human being is composed of countless cells. These cells are of two kinds:
protozoic and metazoic. All parts of the human body are composed of these two
types of cells. In another sense, the entire human structure can be regarded as
one metazoic cell.
Each of these cells has its individual mind, soul, etc., but the minds of the cells are different from the human mind. (And the minds of the metazoic cells are more developed than those of the protozoic cells.) The human mind is the unit microcosm plus the collection of the minds of the protozoic and metazoic cells; therefore the human mind is a collective mind. Just as the Macrocosmic Mind is inseparably associated with each and every entity of this universe through ota yoga and prota yoga, the unit mind is inseparably related to each of its composite entities [individually]; and in a collective way also the minds of the cells have a certain relationship with the unit mind.
Generally a cell lives about twenty-one days and then dies, being replaced by new cells. When one rubs a certain part of the body, some seeming dirt comes off, even when the body remains covered, but this is not always dirt from the environment. In most cases, it is the accumulation of hundreds of dead cells.
Cells generally grow out of light, air, water and the food we eat. The nature of food and drink has its effect upon the cells, and consequently also influences the human mind. Obviously each and every sádhaka, or spiritual aspirant, should be very cautious in selecting food. Suppose a person takes támasika, or static, food. The result will be that after a certain period, static cells will grow and exercise a static influence on the aspirant’s mind. Human beings must select sáttvika, or sentient, or rájasika, or mutative, food according to time, place and person. This will lead to the birth of sentient cells, which in turn will produce a love for spiritual practice and help in attaining psychic equilibrium and equipoise, leading to immense spiritual elevation... (there are more)
14 February 1970, Ranchi Published in: Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 4 [a compilation]Tattva Kaomudii Part 2 [unpublished in English]Yoga Psychology [a compilation]
Each of these cells has its individual mind, soul, etc., but the minds of the cells are different from the human mind. (And the minds of the metazoic cells are more developed than those of the protozoic cells.) The human mind is the unit microcosm plus the collection of the minds of the protozoic and metazoic cells; therefore the human mind is a collective mind. Just as the Macrocosmic Mind is inseparably associated with each and every entity of this universe through ota yoga and prota yoga, the unit mind is inseparably related to each of its composite entities [individually]; and in a collective way also the minds of the cells have a certain relationship with the unit mind.
Generally a cell lives about twenty-one days and then dies, being replaced by new cells. When one rubs a certain part of the body, some seeming dirt comes off, even when the body remains covered, but this is not always dirt from the environment. In most cases, it is the accumulation of hundreds of dead cells.
Cells generally grow out of light, air, water and the food we eat. The nature of food and drink has its effect upon the cells, and consequently also influences the human mind. Obviously each and every sádhaka, or spiritual aspirant, should be very cautious in selecting food. Suppose a person takes támasika, or static, food. The result will be that after a certain period, static cells will grow and exercise a static influence on the aspirant’s mind. Human beings must select sáttvika, or sentient, or rájasika, or mutative, food according to time, place and person. This will lead to the birth of sentient cells, which in turn will produce a love for spiritual practice and help in attaining psychic equilibrium and equipoise, leading to immense spiritual elevation... (there are more)
14 February 1970, Ranchi Published in: Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell Part 4 [a compilation]Tattva Kaomudii Part 2 [unpublished in English]Yoga Psychology [a compilation]