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Advanced lectures on Ayurveda and Transdermal Marma System™

A Practical Course
on
Classical Ayurveda and Beyond
by Vaidya R.K. Mishra

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Synopsis

This is a course for beginners as well as those already familiar with basic or advanced ayurvedic principles, for it re-introduces the science of Ayurveda from a perspective enhanced by a) the living knowledge passed down orally from father to son in the age-old familial practice; b) an informed awareness of the latest scientific research; c) a personal life-long experience as a healer.

Vaidya R.K. Mishra has been living and teaching in the United States for the past 8 years. Innumerable health practitioners working with him note that the steady dissemination of his knowledge has been gradually yet radically transforming the growing reception of Ayurveda in the Western hemisphere. For example, Vaidya Mishra explains that while most contemporary Western as well as Indian ayurvedic practitioners are familiar with the central concept of "ama" - toxic build-up - and readily design dietary and herbal recommendations, tailoring panchakarma guidelines to cleanse the physiology of toxicity, they are oblivious of the different categories of "ama." More often than not, this unwitting omission leads to incomplete treatments, even resulting in grave complications. Vaidya R.K. Mishra explains that there are four distinct categories of toxicity:

  • Ama
  • Amavisha
  • Garvisha
  • Indrabajraabhidagdha.

In this course, Vaidya R.K. Mishra will not only show how the knowledge of these four categories can be readily available to the savvy reader in the canonical ayurvedic texts (the Charak, the Susrut, and Bhagvat Samhitas), he will also draw on formulations from his ancestors' living tradition, supported by classical ayurvedic sutras and in the light of contemporary scientific research, to address the question of the identification and elimination of the different types of ama. Vaidya R.K. Mishra will also teach the course participants simple, holistic, yet proven healing strategies that go beyond the intake of herbal supplements, such as: designing personal herbal water recipes and spice mixtures addressing an individual's specific imbalances at the root.

The knowledge that will be made accessible to the course participants will thus primarily draw on the familial ayurvedic legacy as supported by the classical canonical ayurvedic texts, in line with the latest scientific research. All indications and counter-indications will thus derive from three sources: a) ancient textual knowledge - the Shastras; b) R.K. Mishra's own experiences as a healer on the Indian sub-continent, in Europe, as well as the United States; c) contemporary cutting-edge scientific research.

To further illustrate Vaidya R.K. Mishra's knowledgeable and effective pedagogic strategy, consider the popular consumption of licorice by alternative health practitioners. Licorice is an all-time favorite amongst Western as well as Indian ayurvedic practitioners for its many attributes, more specifically for its pacifying effects on the vata dosha. Vaidya R.K. Mishra's experience and research over the years has led him to restrict the use of crude licorice in favor of DGL (de-glycerized licorice) exclusively. Modern scientific research validates his informed choice by showing how the excessive use of licorice results in sodium retention - a primary factor isolated in cases of hyper-tension.

In addition to providing a here-to-fore unavailable in-depth approach to Ayurveda as a living science, the course will introduce an avant-garde pioneering healing system developed by Vaidya R.K. Mishra, specifically designed to address the needs of modern man: Transdermal Marma System™. Over the past year, several hundred people have been exposed to this novel ayurvedic approach through workshops and private educational consultations, experiencing the full benefits of the transdermal protocol for optimizing mental, emotional and physical health. Research on TMS will be introduced at the first annual NAMA (National Ayurvedic Medical Association) convention held in Long Beach, California, in October 2004.

The final section of this course will provide an in-depth look at this new, safe and effective ayurvedic healing protocol. The concluding practicum in the early Autumn season of 2005 will provide the course participants with hands-on transdermal marma healing practice.

The course has been designed to allow participants to keep-up with the pace set by modern urban life. It offers the registrants simple yet powerful, easy to follow formulations of concepts that are otherwise considered to be theoretically obscure and inaccessible, and oftentimes archaic. Participants will be taught to experience the knowledge of Ayurveda, rather than be expected to solely acquire it intellectually. Emphasis will be placed on providing a living knowledge of Ayurveda, in line with the latest scientific discoveries; a knowledge that can be applied on a daily basis, either by professional alternative healers or by those wishing to improve their personal lives.

Registrants are expected to participate regularly in the bi-monthly two-hour-long phone conferences with Vaidya R.K. Mishra, scheduled every other Saturday morning 9am to 11am - Central Time. The conference calls will consist of a one-hour-long lecture by Vaidya R.K. Mishra covering the course notes made electronically available to registrants the previous week, followed by an-hour-long question and answer period open to all participants. The course will extend over a period of 9 months, and will be concluded by an intensive two-day workshop designed to instill the practical skills. The workshop will be held twice. The first weekend practicum in Southern Ontario will be held on September 10-11, 2005. The second weekend practicum will be held in Southern California on September 30-October 1, 2005. The course begins on Friday January 14th, 2005.

The course fee, including practicum (room and board not included) is $1251. The bi-monthly phone conference fees are not included in the overall course fee and are to be covered by the participants. The course - minus the practicum - amounts to a total of 225 hours. The fee includes a complimentary set of 7 compact discs recorded by Vaidya R.K. Mishra covering the basics of Ayurveda. The discs will be mailed out to the participants upon the reception of their registration forms and payment.

The inaugural muhurt date for the beginning of the course as calculated by Jyotishi Blaine Watson is the 19th of January 2005. The first introductory electronic notes will be sent out to the course participants between 10:45 am and 11:55 am on that Wednesday. Consecutively, the course notes will be made available every Friday evening, followed by the Saturday morning conference calls with Vaidya R.K. Mishra when applicable.

Deadline for registration is Monday October 25, 2004. Mail your cheque, money order or cashier's cheque for the full payment, made out to AdiShakti, to the following address: 2753 Broadway, #187, New York, NY 10025.

Course participants will have the option of receiving a certificate of completion. Those interested will have to sign up for an examination to be taken after the conclusion of the practicum. For further details if interested in receiving a certificate of acknowledgement, write to adishaktiLLC@aol.com.

Please note that you are entitled to receive a 10% discount if you have already attended any of Vaidya Mishra's TMS workshop courses.

For questions please write to: adishaktiLLC@aol.com.

Course Outline

I- Preliminary notes

  1. Re-assessing Ayurveda
    1. etymologically (2 hours)
      • Ayu
      • Veda
    2. Historically : excursus from pre-vedic to contemporary times (2 hours)
  2. Ayurveda vs Modern Medicine: cross-validation and beyond (1 hour)
  3. Systematic structure of Ayurveda: an appreciation (1 hour)
    • 8 branches
    • Current scientific "recovery" of Ayurvedic concepts and herbs

II- Re-introducing the Fundamental Principles (3 hours)

  • "Yathapinde Tatha Brahmande"
  • An integral system supporting holistic health and beauty care addressing: (2 hours)
    • The mind
    • The emotions
    • The physical senses
    • The physical body
    • The Self (soul)
  • A classical locus revisited: What are the three doshas - Vata, Pitta, Kapha? (6 hours)
    • Description
    • Function
    • Significance and application in daily practice including the sub-doshas

III- Re-thinking the ultimate philosophy of health: sutras of Ayurveda

  • Life as "balance": concept and application
  • Understanding Nature's most fundamental law: the law of similarity and difference (3 hours)
    • Theory
    • Application
    • Case Studies
  • Integral health (3 hours)
    • Theory
    • Application
    • Case studies

IV- Classical loci revisited:

  • Ojas (6 hours)
    • What is Ojas?
    • Types of Ojas
    • Imbalances
    • Description and Practical application
  • Dhatus: (6 hours)
    • Types
    • Theory
    • Role
    • Function
    • Case studies
  • Malas: (3 hours)
    • Types
    • Theory
    • Function
    • Case studies
  • Shrotas (10 hours)
    • Definition
    • Theory
    • Role
    • Case studies
  • Understanding ayurvedic pathogenesis - "samprapti" - in conjunction with shrotas (10 hours)
    • Main shrotas and associated diseases
    • In practice
    • Case studies

V- Understanding health in the light of Agni and Ama

  • Agni (6 hours)
    • Types
    • Application
    • Examples
  • Ama - Production (3 hours)
    • Theory
    • Application
    • Case Studies
  • Accumulation of "ama," "amavisha" and "garvisha" in the: (3 hours)
    • Shrotas
    • Organs
    • Dhatus
    • Malas
    • Description
    • Practical Understanding
    • Case studies
  • The fourth toxic factor: "Indrabajraabhi Dagdha" electromagnetic vibrational toxicity: (3 hours)
  • Health and the Environment
    • Types of pollution
    • Case studies

VI- Basics of ayurvedic diagnosis:

  • Understanding the Pulse - application in diagnosis (6 hours)
  • Ayurvedic assessment of:
    1. Sleep deficiency
    2. Fatigue
    3. Mental Stress
    4. Emotional stress
    5. Deficient immunity
    6. Chronic skin problems
    7. Hair problems
    8. Libido problems
    9. Sugar metabolization
    10. Colon care
  • A full understanding of Imbalances - disease- action of formulations (6 hours)
  • Role of diet - in ayurvedic management
  • Spice mixtures
  • Herbal waters (2 hours)
  • Therapeutic suitability and how to avoid allergic reactions
    • practical understanding.
  • Role of behavioral recommendations
  • Practical understanding (2 hours)

VII- Mechanics of Ayurvedic Diagnosis

  • Isolating the etiological factor(s) resulting in imbalance and/or disease. (3 hours)
  • Correlating imbalances with manifestations of symptoms. (6 hours)
  • Analysis of external factors leading to internal imbalanced conditions. Practical tips and case studies. (6 hours)
  • Six stages of Pathogenesis: understanding and practical application with examples of case studies. (2 hours)
  • What is "Janma Prakriti"?
    • Why an ayurvedic physician should be aware of the implications
    • Understanding the difference between Prakriti and Vikriti
    • Practical Examples
  • "Vikriti Vigyan" and progression of imbalances: (8 hours)
    • Etiology
    • Over-use, misuse, under-use of the senses.
    • Practical application
  • Ayurvedic validation of dis-ease - understanding "Pragya Paradh" (8 hours)
    • Definition
    • Application / case studies

VIII- DravyaGuna

  • Philosophy (10 hours)
  • Fundamentals -
    • Rasa
    • Guna
    • Virya
    • Vipak
    • Prabhava
    • Vishes guna
  • Specific correlation to examples with practical understanding.
  • Top twenty herbs - (10 hours)
    • Guduchi
    • Katuki
    • Ashwagandha
    • Tulsi
    • Guggulu
    • Bhoomi Amla
    • Gymnema
    • Ashoka
    • Neem
    • DGL
    • Gotu Kola
    • Bacopa
    • Turmeric
    • Trikatu
    • Dashmoola
    • Bhringraj
    • Lodhra
  • Classical assessment in the light of scientific validation with full relevance to case studies

IX- Fundamental of ayurvedic pharmacology : behind the scene of ayurvedic formulations (6 hours)

  • Lock and key theory
  • Quality control - quick tips and tests

Follow up skills (3 hours)

What is TMS ™ - Transdermal Marma System? (25 hours)

  • The transdermal approach of Ayurveda
    • History
    • Science:
      1. a) the anatomy of the skin
      2. b) the physiology of the skin
      3. c) the psycho-physiology of the skin
  • Marmas
    • Introduction
    • Identification
    • Description
  • Mantra
    • History
    • Science
    • Mantra for marma
    • Methodology and practicum
  • Introduction to Transdermal Marma Creams: Scientific validation
  • Touch - the science of "Sparsh Vigyan"
    • How to touch a marma point
    • How to apply a transdermal marma cream
  • Addressing imbalances through TMS (Transdermal Marma System) therapy:
    • Regaining emotional strength
    • Relieving mental stress
    • Enhancing physical energy
    • Enhancing libidinal energy
    • Supporting joint health
    • Sleep management
    • Kidney Support
    • Fat metabolism
    • Cellulite Care

Week-end Practicum: 18 hours.