Holistic Medicine

Expanding Nature Of Medicine (2)

Explore your holistic nature to understand Holistic Medicine and live the balanced life with these verities of life and health.

According to the description of Integrated Medicine in Ayurveda there are three bodies attached with our soul � our essential and pure nature, our Consciousness. The same applies to Universe.

The first one is physical component of the body, the anatomy, the physiology, the biochemistry, the pathology of our body. Modern scientific and medical tools are doing a wonderful research with this physical aspect. While dealing with body alone, we can adopt the approach of Holistic Medicine.

Second one is Subtle and Pranic body � the field of vital energy that is subtler than the electron, proton and neutron of atomic realm. This part would emerge to be the foremost front of Holistic Medicine in the coming centuries.

People are accepting and using this field in recent years. Reiki, Pranic healing, Distant healing, Homeopathy, Ayurvedic bhasmas, Chakra healing, Gems and Crystal healing, Astrology, Vastu, Feng Sui, Aromatherapy and so many other systems are gaining acceptance. These are the emerging fields. In Modern Medicine we are using CT scan, MRI etc. where we use the energy and magnetic fields for the purpose of diagnosis.

Third is Causal body � the body that is the root of the physical and pranic body. As genes are to a cell so Causal body is to the two other bodies. It is the subtlest. This is in the form of packed consciousness or bhavas or ideational or intentional consciousness. At the present level of development of humanity, very little is known about this field. Where else can we find these deep intricacies in medicine and transforming it into Holistic Medicine?

Despite this, it is functioning in each of us and we are aware of it�s functioning � our thoughts, our feelings, our emotions, sunshine of inspirations, willpower, inner resolve, prayer healings, our sattwa or spiritual psychological nature � all this is self evident.

Beyond the three bodies is our essence, our pure consciousness, our soul. This pure Self presents itself as identified to these bodies in the form of �ego�. The awareness of this deep reality was before the great saints when they laid down the holistic principles of Ayurveda's Holistic Medicine.

On the level of body, we have to have the dynamic balance of the three bodily humors (Vata, Pitta and Kapha), the tissue layers and the excretory waste of our body. Our health depends upon equilibrium of these body parts and their functioning.

All these parts and functioning are in constant interactive mode with themselves and with so many other factors � as our diet, timings of day and night, timings of seasons of year, our age, our disease, our mind, sleep, climate, the direction of flow of wind, pollution, chemicals, radiations, our society, our surroundings, our ecosystem, our planet earth and other astronomical planets, our individual physical and psychological nature and so many other things.

This is yet another aspect of unique holistic nature our body. And Ayurveda works with all this. Even modern physiology accepts this concept of dynamic equilibrium as Homeostasis. Every tissue, cell and biochemical plays its role independently and within the constraints of homeostasis.

Otherwise we all know what would happen when heart tells kidney or brain that I won�t supply you the blood! Each and every component and functionality in our body while occurring or happening itself individually is a part of some broader system of components and functionality. This ultimately merges into what we call life. So it is clear why the holistic approach is essential to Medicine.

The holistic nature of Ayurveda is its integrity of theory and practice and the resulting benefits. We consider and use this holistic nature when we consider the etiological or causative factors of diseases; when we pursue the pathogenesis or the process of development of disease in the body; when we consider and choose the remedial measures and when we consider the health promoting factors in the already healthy individual.

This holistic nature of Ayurveda is applicable simultaneously in analyzing as well as in synthesizing situations. This is as intricate and complex as we find life. This is as simple, direct and practical as we live life. Whether we consider this holistic nature or not, this remains holistic.

Our nature doesn�t change with our considerations or beliefs; yet we are surely affected by those considerations and beliefs. Whatever system of healing or lifestyle attunes to this holistic nature of our body and of this world is essentially holistic. Ayurveda is already offering it�s blessing on us with its holistic and integral nature.

Go back to part 1 of this article - Holistic Medicine - Exploring Its Nature>>>