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Marma Therapy: THE SECRETS OF AYURVEDIC PULSE ASSESSMENT

Synopsis

Vaidya R.K.Mishra is an Ayurvedic health practitioner, product formulator, researcher and educator born into a family of Raj Vaidyas that boast of a 5000-year-old history of healing – his familial lineage is traced in the ancient Vedic text, the Puranas. His in-depth theoretical knowledge of the classical ayurvedic texts is accompanied by his unparalleled compassionate practical healing skills.

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.

COURSE OUTLINE

I. The human physiology according to Ayurveda: dhatus, doshas and sub-doshas, ojas, agni and ama, malas, prana.

II. Introduction to Pulse Assessment
A. The concept of pulse assessment

B. The significance of pulse assessment

C. Mechanics of the physical pulse assessment

D. Localizing the heart-mind-body connection through pulse assessment

III. Reading the pulse
A. The pulse and the doshas (VPK)

B. The pulse and the “vibrational gaps” – “sandhi”

C. Reading the pulse on the level of the 7 dhatus – the tissues and fluids : rasa, rakta, mamsa, meda, asthi, majja, shukra (nutritional fluid, blood, muscle, fat, bone, bone-marrow, and reproductive fluid). Definition of role, function, and inter-relations.

D. The pulse and the 15 subdoshas – how to “read” them:
a. Vata Subdoshas: in charge of the circulatory functions of the physiology, the mobility of the mind, the respiratory tract and the nervous system
1. Prana: located primarily in the head, the nostrils, it governance extends to the whole physiology. It regulates the intake, circulation, and elimination of prana from nature and the surrounding environment, primarily through the adhipati marma and the nostrils. It is the dosha in charge of mental energy and abilities, creativity, consciousness.
2. Udana: is seated in the chest, it is in charge of regulating the downward movement of nutrients from the oesophagus to the stomach, as well as ensuring the circulation of prana vayu to the respiratory tract, and the entire chest area, supplying prana to the heart and lungs.
3. Samana: located in the stomach area, it ensures the proper movement of nutrients through the digestive tract. It supports the activities of kledaka kapha and pachaka pitta within the stomach, supplying prana to that area.
4. Vyana: is located in the heart, and governs the proper distribution of blood to the entire physiology, supporting the distribution of nourishment to the vibrational and physical channels overall.
5. Apana: is the down-ward movement extends from below the navel area covering the colon. It is in charge of regulating the peristaltic motion of the intestinal tract responsible for the proper elimination of “malas” (waste products such as urine and the stool) and hence of the overall purification of the physiology.
* How to read imbalances on each vata subdosha (prana, vyana, apana, etc) in every single dhatu (rasa, rakta, mamsa, etc), i.e. prana imbalance in rasa dhatu, rakta dhatu, mamsa dhatu, etc. vyana imbalance in majja dhatu, apana imbalance in shukra dhatu… the participant will also be taught how to detect imbalances in the gaps between the dhatus.

b. Pitta subdoshas: in charge of all metabolic transformations within and outside the digestive tract, as well as the processing of emotional and intellectual thoughts carried out in the heart and the mind
1. Ranjaka: located in the liver and the spleen, and responsible for the bio-chemical transformations that support the five “flames” of the liver – the “bhutagni.”
2. Bhrajaka is located in the skin and is responsible for the enzymatic activities being delivered from the surface of the skin.
3. Alochaka is seated in the visual system, i.e. its site is the eye. It is characterized by the luminous aspect of “fire” rather than its heat and is responsible for the transformational process enabling vision.
4. Pachaka is located in the digestive system. It is the “fuel” for the digestive “flame” – the “jatharagnI”– regulation of the digestive heat, breakdown of food separating nutrients from waste.
5. Sadhaka: seated in the emotional heart, governs the emotions by processing thoughts and supporting the “flame” for “sadhakagni.”

*similarly, the participant will learn how to detect pitta subdosha imbalances on every dhatu as well as in the gaps.

c. Kapha subdoshas: responsible for the balance of bodily fluids, the strength of the physical frame, the stability of the emotions and the mind
1. Shleshaka: is located throughout the physiology within the mucus membrane and the body’s circulatory (blood and otherwise) channels. It serves as the lubricating factor for the skin as well as the circulatory channels.
2. Avalambaka: seated in the chest and lumbar area, it maintains the equanimity of the mind and the heart, it is the “confidence factor.”
3. Tarpaka: located in the brain and lubricates the physical and vibrational channels, involved in the activities of sadhaka pitta and prana vata.
4. Kledaka: seated in the stomach, lubricates and balances the digestive environment, countering the drying effect of samanavata and the burning effect of pachaka pitta.
5. Bodhaka regulates the olfactory and gustative senses, it governs the salivary system.

* kapha subdosha imbalances in the dhatus and the gaps.

E. Reading the pulse for ama, amavisha, garvisha, indrabajraabhidagdha
F. Reading the pulse for malas
G. Ojas : monitoring its presence. How to enhance its presence in the dhatus and the gaps
H. The prana-pulse connection
I. The twenty gunas in light of pulse reading

III. Designing ayurvedic protocols according to TMS ™, individual herbal water recipes and spice mixtures.

IV. “Welcome to the family!”