Ayurveda and Astrology
THIS TEXT IS A LESSON FROM THE EMAIL COURSE 'APPLIED VEDIC ASTROLOGY'. IN THIS COURSE YOU WILL LEARN VEDIC ASTROLOGY ON THE BASIS OF YOUR OWN HOROSCOPE.
Visitors from the UK or Eire click here for course information Visitors from other countries click here.
13. AYURVEDA: VEDIC HEALING
Ayurveda is the system of Indian healing that has been practised in India for thousands of years. Long before our era began, there were universities in India where ayurveda, among other subjects, was taught to tens of thousands of students. Ayurveda, as Vedic astrology, originates in the Vedic traditions.
In the Veda's (the holy scripts of the Hindu religion) we can find descriptions of the methods of Vedic astrology as well as ayurvedic healing. No one need be surprised at the relationship between the two.
13.1 THE THREE DOSHA'S
Ayurveda is based on the three constitutions, the three dosha's. These three dosha's are called vata, pitta and kapha. Vata corresponds to air, pitta to fire, and kapha to earth and water. The astrological signs can then be divided as follows:
There are several methods which can help us to decide the constitution of a person, such as the pulse diagnosis, a urine test, face reading and the general impression a person makes.
SEVERAL TYPICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DOSHA'S
13.2 ASTROLOGICAL ESTABLISHMENT OF THE THREE DOSHA'S
Astrology can also play a role in establishing the constitution or dosha. Naturally, we must use a Vedic horoscope for this and not a Western horoscope, although there are astrologers who define the dosha via a Western horoscope. This is wrong, because both ayurveda and Vedic astrology have their roots in the same Vedic tradition. This tradition forms a unit. The various methods rooted in this tradition supplement each other and re attuned to each other.
Actually, this is a complicated analysis, which seldom gives an unequivocal answer. This is not a catastrophe, because most people are mixed types. So we can have a vata-kapha type, a pitta-kapha type, etc.
DIAGRAM 19: ASTROLOGICAL FACTORS AND DOSHA'S
VATA
element: air
signs: Gemini, Virgo, Libra, Capricorn, Aquarius
planets: Mercury, Saturn, Venus (secondary), Rahu.
KAPHA
element: earth and water
signs: Taurus, Cancer, Pisces
planets: Moon, Venus (primary), Jupiter (primary) Saturn (secondary),
PITTA
element: fire
signs: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius, Scorpio
planets: Mars, the Sun, Jupiter (secondary), Ketu.
Our example is the Kennedy horoscope
John F. Kennedy 29-5-1917 GMT: 20.13, 42.20 N.,71.07 W.
7th Pisces |
8th
Aries |
9th
Taurus |
10th Gemini Ketu 18.29 |
6th Aquarius |
Rasi |
Chart |
11th
Cancer |
5th
Capricorn |
John F. |
Kennedy |
12th Leo Moon 24.36 |
4th
Sagittarius
|
3rd
Scorpio |
2nd
Libra |
1st
Virgo |
I shall now explain how to define the dosha from our example.
We then have a mixed vata-pitta constitution. The amount of kapha is very small.
Special note: In Indian astrology, there is a special and very detailed system to measure the strength of the planets. We call this system shadbala. In this numerical system a large number of factors are taken into consideration when deciding the strength of a planet.
It may be expected that Venus is the strongest planet in the Kennedy horoscope. Venus is in her own sign and in a trikona house. However, according to shadbala it is the Sun (pitta, Shadbala score 7,63) which is the strongest planet, followed by Mercury (vata, score 7,18). This supports the earlier conclusion of a vata-pitta constitution.
Usually what appears to be the strongest planet in a quick analysis is also a strong planet according to the more detailed shadbala system. However, this is not always the case. The Kennedy example shows us that the planet that we would expect to have the highest score (Venus) only obtained a 5,89.
When making an analysis of a horoscope, we must always remain alert and attentive for apparently remarkable situations. Never switch over to the automatic pilot while analysing a horoscope.
13.3 THE CONSEQUENCES OF A DISTURBANCE IN THE DOSHA HARMONY AND ITS TREATMENT
Every person has a unique dosha (constitutional) harmony. It is mostly the dominant dosha that can become too much and that is responsible for disturbing harmony.
When we define the dosha, or dosha's, of a person, we have a great deal of information about that person - how he functions, what types of illness he is susceptible to, what types of food he should eat and which (ayurvedic) therapies are desirable. People with a certain constitution are susceptible to subsequent illnesses. There is a big chance that at a certain time the dominant constitution will be disturbed, become too much, and cause sickness.
Examples if illnesses, which fall under a certain constitution are: obesity is a kapha ailment, a red rash is a pitta ailment and rheumatism is a vata ailment.
An example of treatment via diet: A vata type is predisposed to rheumatism. If a vata type wants to avoid rheumatism it would be advisable to follow an anti-vata diet. He should eat food that weakens the vata.
In ayurveda there are six different tastes: sweet, sour, salt, pungent, bitter and acid. Everything we eat or drink falls under one of these six tastes.
In our example horoscope we had a vata-pitta constitution. An anti-vata diet consists of the tastes sweet, sour and salt. However, sour and salt stimulate pitta. The emphasis in the diet of someone with a vata-pitta constitution will then be on sweet tastes. This will stimulate kapha, which Kennedy lacks. In a large number of foodstuffs such as potatoes and rice, we can find sweetness. Eating sweet food will decrease the chance of sicknesses developing which are connected with too much vata and pitta.
DIAGRAM 20: THE EFFECT OF TASTE
TASTE | STIMULATES | WEAKENS |
sweet | kapha | vata and pitta |
sour | kapha and pitta | vata |
salt | kapha and pitta | vata |
pungent | vata and pitta | kapha |
bitter | vata | kapha and pitta |
acid | vata | kapha and pitta |
Apart from eating certain foods, there are many other ways of influencing the dosha harmony. Teas (yogi Bhasan, Golden Temple Products) can stimulate or weaken kapha, vata or pitta. In ayurvedic massage, different massage-oils are used, which are suitable for certain constitutional types. Massage is usually a form of therapy suitable for the vata type, considering that this type of person generally does not feel particularly happy in his body.
There are many other therapies, for example an extensive purification therapy, called pancha karma. This is a therapy well suited to the kapha type. Kapha builds up in the intestines, which can be thoroughly cleansed by pancha karma. There are rules for all the constitutional types to follow in order to prevent a certain dosha becoming negative.
For example: It is important for a vata type to rest, not to watch too much television, and to rush around doing many things at the same time. These activities stimulate vata. A pitta type should also take care not to do things too fast. However, a kapha type should be active. A pitta type should also take care not to do things too fast.
When a person becomes ill, the prescribed remedies are partly directed at curing the illness itself and partly to restore the harmony in the damaged dosha.
13.4 EXERCISE
THIS TEXT IS A LESSON FROM THE EMAIL COURSE 'APPLIED VEDIC ASTROLOGY'. IN THIS COURSE YOU WILL LEARN VEDIC ASTROLOGY ON THE BASIS OF YOUR OWN HOROSCOPE.
Visitors from the UK or Eire click here for course information Visitors from other countries click here.
Questions? Send me email: steve.hubball@btinternet.com
copyright of this article belongs to Dirah Academy International.
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