soch111 history of healing · soch111 –history of healing session 8 ayurvedic and tibetan...

SOCH111 – History of Healing

www.endeavour.edu.au

Session 8

Ayurvedic and Tibetan

Medicine

Department of Social

Sciences

© Endeavour College of Natural Health www.endeavour.edu.au 2

Session Aims

o To explore two of the earliest

documented whole medical systems,

which are still in practice today

o To discuss the concept of “constitution”

and continue discussion of the elements

of nature in medical thought

o To define the key concepts and

philosophies in Ayurvedic and Tibetan

medical systems


Ayurveda

o Sanskrit roots: Ayu = longevity,

ved = knowledge

o Science of life/daily living

o Covers topics from horticulture

and alchemy to sociology and

ethics, as well as medicine

o Blend of science and

philosophy

o Balance of the physical,

mental, emotional and spiritual

components of holistic health

CC-BY-SA

http://herb.wikia.com/wiki/

File:Ayurveda_leaf.jpg

http://herb.wikia.com/wiki/File:Ayurveda_leaf.jpg


o Origins in ancient

Indian literature as far

back as 6000 BCE

o Beginnings of Hinduism

in India and Ayurveda

strongly linked

o Practice since 1500

BCE in India

documented in the

vedas, specifically the

Atharvaveda

History of Ayurvedic Medicine

By HPNadig - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.

php?curid=12401996

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12401996


o ~700 BCE: surgical and

medical aspects of the

system began developing

separately

o Texts documenting these

two facets of the system

may be as old as the 10th

century BCE

o By ~200 BCE, Ayurvedic

hospitals existed with

surgical, obstetric, and

mental wards


By Aotearoa from w:pl, CC BY-SA 3.0,

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/inde

x.php?curid=1010611




o Basis of Ayurveda is

contained in two great

medical compendia:

o Susruta Samhita:

surgical principles

o Charak Samhita:

medical principles

o Medical aspects

developed and

documented further in

1st – 2nd centuries CEBy William Dwight Whitney, Charles Rockwell Lanman

- Atharva-Veda Saṁhitā second half, Public Domain,


497066



Specialties of medicine recognised early in Ayurvedic

history:

o Internal medicine (Kayachikitsa)

o General surgery and anatomy (Shalya Tantra)

o Ear, nose, throat and eye health (Shalakya)

o Paediatrics, Obstetrics/Gynaecology (Kaumarabhrtya)

o Psychiatry (Bhutavidya)

o Toxicology (Agada Tantra)

o Nutrition, detoxification and rejuvenation (Rasayana

Tantra)

o Fertility and virility (Vajikarana)

Ayurvedic Medicine


o One of the oldest and most

influential civilisations in the

world

o Comprised of large number of

distinct cultures, cuisines and

languages

o People range from urban/

modern to rural/traditional to

tribal

o Influenced historically by

Muslim and British occupations

Indian Culture and History

By Bala from Seattle, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0,

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.ph

p?curid=5854598



o Social customs, art greatly

influenced by religious

observance

o Major religions are

Hinduism, Islam,

Buddhism and Christianity

o Cohesive extended

families, cultural customs

and caste system highly

influential in marriages

and community

Indian Culture and History

By (Rajasthan, Kishangarh) - Public Domain,

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?c

urid=17104902



o May be the world’s oldest

living religion

o Roots trace to the Indus

Valley civilisation, 2nd-3rd

millennium BCE

o Currently 80% of India’s

population adhere to it

o Broad array of perspectives,

non-dogmatic, ideology of

tolerance

o Way of life vs religion?

Hinduism/Vedic Religion

By Anonymous (Indian artist) - Walters Art Museum: Public Domain,




o Intertwined with Hinduism

o Universal cosmic energy

exists in all things, living

and non-living

o Source of all existence is

cosmic consciousness,

having male and female

aspects

o Separation from the

Divine is seen as a cause

of disease

Ayurvedic Cosmology

By Calvinkrishy~commonswiki assumed (based on

copyright claims). - CC BY-SA 3.0,

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=

175679



Unifying Principle of Life

o Prana, the Sanskrit

term for “breath”,

though its meaning is

much broader

o Subtle energy binding

fields of mind, spirit and

body into a functioning

unit

o One of three

transformative energies By Photography by Wikipedia

User:MrX, CC BY-SA 3.0,

https://commons.wikimedia.org/

w/index.php?curid=38632806



o Treatment of individual as a whole

o Psychosomatic concept of disease

o Prevention is primary goal, lifestyle is as

important as therapeutic methods

o Ultimate aim is to promote wellness and

creative growth

o By re-establishing balance of all energies in

the body, the process of physical

deterioration (aging) and disease can be

greatly reduced

Philosophy of Health


Revision Questions

o What are the spiritual and philosophical ideas

associated with Ayurvedic Medicine?

o What is prana?

Other food for thought:o What could be some reasons why a medical

system originating around 1500 BCE or earlier is

still widely practiced today?


Constitution

Of or proceeding from the basic structure

or nature of a person or thing; inherent.

American Heritage Medical Dictionary, 2007

Constitutional medicine is an approach to

administering therapeutic agents based

on the recognition of patterns of

imbalance.


Five Elements

o Three principles uphold the cycle of life: creation, maintenance and dissolution

o Creative principle gives rise to the five essential elements:

• Water

• Earth

• Fire

• Air

• Space/EtherBy Krishnavedala - Own work, CC0,




Ayurvedic Constitutional Types

o The five elements combine to create three doshas:

• Vata

• Pitta

• Kapha

o Constitution is determined based upon which dosha(s) is/are dominant

By Krishnavedala - Own work, CC0,




The Doshas

o Vata governs motion, communication, mental

function, nervous system, physical activity, thinking

• Qualities: dry, cold, light, quick, rough, unstable, subtle

o Pitta governs digestion, absorption, assimilation,

metabolism, heat, sweating, enzyme activity

• Qualities: hot, moist, light, fluid, sour, sharp, and

penetrating

o Kapha governs growth, lubrication, gross structures

of body, form, joints, bones, ligaments

• Qualities: heavy, cold, wet, slow, steady, soft, oily,

sweet

SKIN HAIR EYES NAILS BODY FRAME

EMOTIONAL TEMPERAME

NT

UNDER STRESS

Dry Brown Gray Grayish Very short or very tall

Raw nervous system

Loses weight

Cold Black Brown Brittle Thin Low tolerance to pain, noise, bright lights

Insomnia

Rough Dry Unusual color

Dry Narrow frame

Indecisive Easily addicted to substances

Leathery Thin Dull Ridged Big jointed Fidgety Paranoia

Tans easily

Tightly curled

Narrow Tendency to bite nails

Flat-chested Fearful/frigid Restless

Rarely burns

Frizzy Small Sharp or bent nose

Introspective Blurred mind

Dark Body hair: very fine or very coarse

Dry/itchy Gain weight in midriff

Perceptive Constipated

Sallow Disciplined Excess gas

Premature wrinkling

Spiritual/

austere

Vata


EMOTIONAL TEMPERAME

NT

UNDER STRESS

Moderately oily

Strawberry blond

Light brown

Clear/

pink

Medium build

Hot/arrogant Violent dreams

Soft Auburn Hazel Reddish /yellowish

Well-shaped

Irritable Excess sweat /body odor

Warm Red Green Well-formed

Athletic Self-centered Promiscuous

Freckled Straight Almond-shaped

Pliable Toned Alert/acidic High stomach acid/ulcers

Moles Silver Piercing Moderate weight

Adaptable Gluttony/ weight loss

Yellowish/ reddish

Prematurely gray

Easily bloodshot

Aquiline nose

Intelligent Insomnia

Rashes Prematurely bald

Yellow sclera

Gains weight easily

Bright Addiction to intoxicants, hot spices

Pimples Successful Diarrhea

Tans moderately

Pitta


EMOTIONAL TEMPERAMENT

UNDER STRESS

Cool Blonde Black Clear Heavy Stable/attached Oversleeps

Soft Jet black Blue Pale Strong Narrow-minded Overeats or loss of appetite

Dense Dark brown

Clear Strong Overweight Stubborn Inertia

Oily Oily Big/

bright

Square Compact Neglectful Anorexia

Smooth Abundant Sensual Even Wide, square frame

Forgiving

Clear Wavy White sclera

Well-lubricated joints

Calm/complacent Water retentive

Pale Shiny Thick lashes

Gain weight in midriff

Contemplative Greedy

Fair with gleam Gains weight (buttocks, thighs, chest, arms)

Nurturing Lazy

Burns when over-exposed

Maternal

Kapha


o Together the doshas

govern all metabolic

activities:

• Kapha - Anabolism

• Vata - Catabolism

• Pitta - Metabolism

o Balance of the

doshas is the natural

order, creates health

Balance of the Doshas

Pitta

KaphaVata


o Seven constitutional types

formed from combinations of

the doshas and how they

relate in an individual

o Individual constitution

determines specific

susceptibilities to illness,

appropriate treatments and

prognosis for recovery

o Constitution established at

birth and remains constant

o State of health exists when the

three doshas are in equilibrium

Constitutions

By Siddhasana.jpg: CC BY-SA 2.5,

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/inde

x.php?curid=10565212



o Agni, digestive fire—key to good health, covers all

functions of digestive system, including detoxification

and immune functions

o Inadequate digestive strength leads to build-up of toxins,

called ama, in the system, which leads to disease

o Agni also responsible for digestion and assimilation of

ideas and emotions

o Three waste products—sweat, faeces and urine,

appropriate elimination vitally important

o Apana, downward moving energy, said to facilitate

elimination

Digestion and Elimination


o Body, mind, emotions,

spirit in state of order

o Doshas in equilibrium

o Agni functioning in a

balanced way

o Waste products being

produced and eliminated

properly

o Harmony of mind, senses

and consciousness

toward higher existence

Health According to Ayurveda

Public Domain,

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w

/index.php?curid=3529490



o Improper diet, personal

habits, lifestyle

o Incompatible food

combinations

o Seasonal changes

o Repressed emotions and

stress

o Push the doshas out of

balance so that one or more

is aggravated or deranged

o Negatively affects agni and

produces ama (toxins)

Causes of Imbalance & Disease

By William Richard Gowers (1845–1915) D-US,

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31434429

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31434429


o Ama enters the blood stream, clogging the channels

o Retention of toxins in the blood results in toxemia

o Accumulated toxicity slowly affects:

• prana (vital life energy)

• ojas (immunity)

• tejas (cellular metabolic energy)

o Symptoms are nature's effort to eliminate toxicity

from the body

o If toxins not eliminated, disease occurs

Causes of Imbalance & Disease


o Determine constitution of

the patient and which

dosha(s) is/are out of

balance

o Identify cause of the

imbalance in the doshas

o Apply individualised

therapies, diet and

lifestyle changes to return

doshas to balance

General Healing Approach

Pitta

KaphaVata


Revision Questions

o List the three doshas and a few physical, mental

and emotional qualities of each.

o What is the main physiological function that

determines the balance of doshas and

development of disease?

Other food for thought:o Based on what you know about naturopathy and

nutritional medicine, how might Ayurvedic Medicine

have influenced these disciplines?


o Pulse

o Tongue

o Eyes

o Nails

o Face

o Lips

o Urine

Ayurvedic Diagnosis

By Entertheninja - Own work, CC0,


69602



o Taken on the radial artery

o Overall pulse quality is noted

o vata pulse is fast and

slippery

o pitta pulse is jumpy

o kapha pulse is slow and

steady

o Pulse qualities at different

positions give more

information about each

dosha

Pulse Diagnosis

Public Domain under CC-BY-SA,

http://phaeselis.wikia.com/wiki/File:Ayur

vedic_pulse-diagnosis-art.jpg

http://phaeselis.wikia.com/wiki/File:Ayurvedic_pulse-diagnosis-art.jpg


General appearance, colour

and coating of the tongue is

noted

• Vata tongues are dry,

rough and cracked

• Pitta tongues are red

with an oily, yellow

coating

• Kapha tongues are

swollen and moist with

a greasy, white coating

Tongue Diagnosis

Public domain:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tongue.agr

.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tongue.agr.jpg


o Philosophy of preventative and healing

therapies is the same:

• Purification

• Rejuvenation

o General principles to achieve this are:

• Proper diet

• Appropriate lifestyle, healthy habits

• Exercise

• Administering a proper cleansing program

Ayurvedic Healing Principles


o Diet

o Herbal medicines

o Yoga and meditation

o Lifestyle/behaviour

o Medicated enemas

o Massage with

medicated oils

o Aromatherapy

o Colour, gemstone

and sound therapies

Healing Practices

By Vaikoovery - Own work, CC BY 3.0,

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index

.php?curid=15964545



o Yoga means to “yoke” (to

unite) with the source of

our being

o Ancient Indian philosophy

and way of life to achieve

complete harmony

between body and mind

o Special exercise

(asanas), breathing

(pranayama), meditation

Yoga and Meditation

By Thamizhpparithi Maari - Own

work, CC BY-SA 3.0,

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/in

dex.php?curid=17809683



o Wide variety of styles and

methods of massage, as

well as other methods

solely aimed at applying

medicated oils

o Therapeutic use of

marma points, 107 points

on the body that have

different therapeutic

indications for massage

and application of oils

Massage/Application of Oils

Image source:

http://wikiwel.com/wikihealing//index

.php?title=File:Shirodhara2.jpg

http://wikiwel.com/wikihealing/index.php?title=File:Shirodhara2.jpg


o Goal of harmony of body, mind, emotions, spirit,

family, community; coherence of consciousness

o Daily and seasonal routines to bring life in tune with

natures rhythms

o Practice of human values on an individual level with

effects on society

o Routines and habits might include prayer/worship/

devotion, application of the intellect, selfless service

to community, personal hygiene, general practice of

restraint in behaviour

Lifestyle and Behaviour


o Means “five actions”

o Intensive cleansing and

rejuvenating program

o Cleanses the body's deep

tissues of toxins

o Opens the subtle channels

o Increases life-enhancing

energy/vitality

o Increases inner peace,

confidence and wellbeing

Panchakarma

By Prof tpms - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php

?curid=46962390



o Spread to Tibet, much of Asia; part of daily life in

India, Nepal, Laddak and countries close to the

borders of India and China

o Early foundation/texts were destroyed by Muslim

invaders in 10th-11th centuries CE, with major bodies of

knowledge lost through sacking and burning of

university libraries

o Continued as folk medicine until 1835, when it was

declared by occupying Britain to be an unsanctioned

system of medicine

o Also later challenged as a system by growing

allopathic and homeopathic influences

Later History of Ayurveda


o Non-allopathic forms of medicine are mainstream in

India, with 70% of the population utilising one or more

system

o Ayurveda officially recognised by Indian government as

a sanctioned medical system

o Ayurveda is found in most Western countries now,

though practitioners are often practicing under a

different regulated credential, such as medical doctors,

naturopaths, or herbalists

o Mercury, lead and arsenic contamination/inclusion in

Ayurvedic formulas—toxicity, consumers should be

aware when purchasing remedies

Present Day


Tibetan Medicine

o Ayurveda began to sift into Tibet

around 6th century CE, related to

the growth of Buddhist philosophy/

practice

o Early 7th century, Tibetan medicine

became more formalised as an

amalgamation of Ayurveda,

Chinese Medicine and Arabic

Medicine

o Also included its own local,

traditional healing philosophies and

methods, pre-Buddhist shamanism Public Domain,

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w

/index.php?curid=1177478



Tibetan Medicine vs Ayurveda

o Both incorporate the concept of prana

o Cause of disease in Tibetan Medicine is

imbalanced mental state

o Five elements are essentially the same

o Three humours (doshas) are similar in

concept, but in name are more similar to

Greco-Arabic medicine: Air, Bile and Phlegm

o Tastes of foods influence balance of the

humours


Tibetan vs Chinese Medicine

o Many therapeutics from

Chinese Medicine:

• Acupuncture

• Moxibustion

• Pulse and tongue

diagnosis

• Cupping and bloodletting

• System of medicinal

postures and

movements similar to Qi

GongBy Sangye Gyamtso - Gyurme Dorje, Public Domain,




Traditional Tibetan Shamanism

o Pre-Buddhist shamanic

methods of divination,

healing and spiritual

practices

o Prescription of sacred

mantras, movements and

internal visualisation of

colours to a patient as

determined by meditation

of the healerBy ©Christopher J. Fynn / Wikimedia

Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0,

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/ind

ex.php?curid=36723419



Revision Questions

o What is the common goal of all Ayurvedic

therapies?

o List three similarities and/or differences between

Ayurveda and Tibetan Medicine.

Other food for thought:o What is an aspect of Ayurvedic and Tibetan healing

philosophies that has been lost from modern

conventional medicine?


References

o Cuellar, N 2007, Conversations in complementary and alternative medicine: insights and perspectives from leading practitioners, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, London.

o Encyclopedia Britannica Online, Hinduism, viewed 18 June 2016 <http://www.britannica.com/topic/Hinduism>.

o Encyclopedia Britannica Online, India, viewed 18 June 2016 <http://www.britannica.com/place/India/Clothing>.

o Grossinger, R 1995, Planet medicine, North Atlantic Books, Berkeley.

o Kayne, SB 2010, Traditional medicine: a global perspective, Pharmaceutical Press, London.

http://www.britannica.com/topic/Hinduism

http://www.britannica.com/place/India/Clothing

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