Ayurveda: Life, Health and Longevity Book

Acknowledgments

Ayurveda: the Art of Life ....................................... v

1 History ....................................................................... 1
Veda and Ayurveda ................................................. 6
Medical Politics ........................................................ 7
Text and Tradition ................................................. 10
The Training of a Physician .................................. 12
The Modern Age .................................................... 18

2 Basic Principles ..................................................... 21
The Universe, External and Internal .................... 23
Sanskrit ................................................................... 25
Creation .................................................................. 26
The Five Great Elements ....................................... 29
Like and Unlike ..................................................... 30
Qualities .................................................................. 32
The Three Doshas ................................................... 34

3 Anatomy .................................................................. 41
Earth and Sky ........................................................ 41
The Five Sheaths .................................................... 42
Channels of Flow ................................................... 53
Constitution ............................................................ 55

4 Routine ..................................................................... 63
A Life Well Lived................................................... 63
Land and Space ..................................................... 64
Rasa ......................................................................... 65
Time Cycles ............................................................ 67
Mind and Body ...................................................... 69
Seasonal Routines .................................................. 70
Daily Routines ........................................................ 71
Pregnancy and Childbirth .................................... 77
Samskaras .............................................................. 81

5 Food .......................................................................... 85
Natural Qualities ................................................... 87
Preparation ............................................................. 87
Combination .......................................................... 88
Amount ................................................................... 89
Climate and Season ............................................... 89
Rules of Eating ....................................................... 90
The Eater ................................................................ 91
Qualities of Specific Foods .................................... 93

6 Pathology .............................................................. 111
The Fever of Desire .............................................. 113
Disease Personalities ............................................ 113
Crimes against Wisdom ...................................... 117
Causes of Disease ................................................. 118
The Six Stages of Disease .................................... 124
Classification of Diseases ..................................... 127
Immunity ............................................................. 128

7 Diagnosis .............................................................. 131
Jyotisha ................................................................. 133
Methods of Knowing ........................................... 134
Ama ...................................................................... 139
Prognosis .............................................................. 140

8 Treatment ............................................................. 143
The Importance of Physicians ............................. 145
Types of Therapy ................................................. 148
Ayurvedic Treatment ........................................... 149

9 Medicinal Substances ....................................... 163
Plants .................................................................... 163
Kshara ................................................................... 183
Salt ........................................................................ 184
Shilajit ................................................................... 184
Animal Products .................................................. 184

10 Pharmacology ...................................................... 187
Plant Preparations ............................................... 191
Sneha .................................................................... 199
Oils ........................................................................ 200
Ghees .................................................................... 200
Minerals ................................................................ 201

11 Diseases ................................................................ 213
Diarrhea ................................................................ 213
Fever ..................................................................... 216
Diabetes ................................................................ 218
Respiratory Distress ............................................. 220
Consumption ........................................................ 222
Heart Disease ....................................................... 225
The Disease of Vata .............................................. 227
Cancer ................................................................... 228

12 Rejuvenation and Virilization ......................... 235
Regeneration ........................................................ 236
Peace and Agitation ............................................. 236
Substances ............................................................ 238
Virilization ............................................................ 239
Kundalini .............................................................. 241
Spiritual Medicine ................................................ 243

Afterword ............................................................. 245
Bibliography ......................................................... 247
Index ....................................................................... 251