Anita Moorjani’s Journey from Cancer, to Near Death, to True Healing – New Consciousness Review with Miriam Knight (Latest and updated April 19, 2012)

This is another latest addition to the several audio interviews which Anita revealed more information on her earlier treatment after having had diagnosed with lymphoma. In this interview, she did reveal that she went back to India and sought Ayurvedic treatment. Despite initial improvement on her state of health, Anita’s cancer worsened over time until she was diagnosed as end stage cancer with lemon-sized tumors appearing all over her body parts.

More interestingly in this audio interview, she further shared her comments on such issues as karma, re-incarnation, ego, unconditional love, besides other spiritual and Near-Death-Experiences(NDE) she encountered following her full recovery from lymphoma.

And here is the audio interview conducted by Miriam Knight of NC Review.

Enjoy the interview.
Namaste,
evolutionarymystic

Listen to the whole interview
anita-moorjanis-journey-from-cancer-to-near-death-to-true-healing

Anita Moorjani talks to us about her riveting memoir, Dying To Be Me – My Journey from Cancer, to Near Death, to True Healing. After four years of fighting lymphoma, Anita was admitted to hospital in a coma with total organ failure. While in this state, she had a Near Death Experience that gave her such insight into her true power and her disease that she was able to reverse it within weeks to become cancer free.

The NCR Team
MK-newMiriam Knight, founder

Miriam was born in Venezuela, and moved to Boston as a child. She graduated Boston University with a BA in Romance Languages and Psychology, and received an MA in Experimental Psychology from the University of Virginia. She worked in hospital administration and research funding before joining the team of Creative Output, a a multinational software company as Vice President of Finance & Administration.

She moved to the UK, and became the Executive Director of the Standing Conference on Public Health, an association of UK medical professional bodies, and later became General Manager of Healthcall Euromed, a UK medical locum firm. While in the UK, Miriam studied energy healing with Dr. Harry Oldfield, and in the US has taken classes in Pranic Healing with Master Stephen Co, in Matrix Energetics with Dr. Richard Bartlett, in Energy Medicine with Donna Eden, in CFQ Healing with Chock Hiew, and is a Reiki Master.

Miriam was the editor and publisher of New Connexion, a holistic journal for the Pacific NW and founded New Consciousness Review as a website for transformational books and films driving the awakening consciousness. She also hosts a weekly radio interview show.

Interview with David Frawley

Acharya David Frawley (Pandit Vamadeva Shastri) is a unusual western born knowledge-holder in the Vedic tradition. He carries many special Vedic ways of knowledge (vidyas), which he passes on to students in India and in the West. In India, Vamadeva is recognized not only as a Vedacharya (Vedic teacher), but also as a Vaidya (Ayurvedic doctor and teacher), Jyotishi (Vedic astrologer), Puranic (Vedic historian), a Hindu acharya (Hindu religious teacher) and a Raja Yogi.
In India, Vamadeva’s translations and interpretations of the ancient Vedic teachings have been given great acclaim in both spiritual and scholarly circles. In America he is known as a teacher and practitioner of Ayurvedic medicine and of Vedic astrology (Jyotish) and has done pioneering work on both these subjects in the West. Most recently the integration of Yoga and Ayurveda has come to the forefront of his work.

Pandit Vamadeva (Dr. Frawley) presents authentic Vedic knowledge in the Western world and in a lucid presentation recognized by the tradition itself. He has worked extensively teaching, writing, lecturing, conducting research and helping establish schools and associations in related Vedic fields over the last thirty years. He has studied and traveled widely gathering knowledge, working with various Vedic teachers and groups in a non-sectarian manner.
Vamadeva sees his role as helping to revive Vedic knowledge in an interdisciplinary approach for the planetary age. He sees himself as a teacher and translator to help empower people to use Vedic systems to enhance their lives and aid in their own Self-realization. He sees Vedic wisdom as a tool for liberation of the spirit, not as a dogma to bind people or to take power over them. For him, Vedic knowledge is a means of communing with the conscious universe and learning to embody it in our own life and perception.

Though Vamadeva has worked in several different fields, he has endeavored to approach each of these with a great deal of specificity and precision, providing both the background philosophy and deeper practices. For a good overview of his work and background, it is best to examine his book Yoga and the Sacred Fire: Self-Healing and Planetary Transformation (2005).

Dr David Frawley speaks at Punarnava Ayurveda’s International Ayurveda & Yoga

At the 2nd International Ayurveda & Yoga conference in Rishikesh, India. Ayurveda – A complete yogic system of medicine by Dr David Frawley.

Where he also shares insights and in-depth experiences of these two Ancient Indian Knowledge Systems.

There will also be Yoga and Meditation sessions led by senior teachers, to enable us to open the heart, expand the consciousness and become more receptive to the wisdom.

Relating to Spiritual Experiences – Written by David Frawley (Pandit Vamadeva)

If we take up any form of higher Yoga practice, pranayama, mantra or meditation, we are likely to have various experiences, some of which may be quite dramatic. These experiences may be spiritual,
psychological or even physical in nature or some combination thereof. Most of these experiences are likely to be exhilarating and elevating, but some may prove disturbing or agitating. Sometimes an exhilarating experience may turn disturbing for us, or what began as a disturbing experience may end up providing us wisdom or peace.

Some of these experiences may change our lives forever. Others may fade away after a short period of time and leave no trace. Generally our first spiritual experiences, like our first romances, may be exaggerated. Later on as we have more spiritual experiences, we will tend to take them more as a natural part of our lives.

The range of potential yogic experiences is vast and many sided. It is important to have a sense of what this is, so that we learn how to handle our experiences properly. In addition, it is not enough to seek experiences. We must prepare ourselves to have them, so that when they do arise, we are reader to hold their energy. Developing a higher consciousness is not a mere casual matter, hobby or another outer pursuit. It requires discipline, dedication and an inner orientation of the life. In the following article, we will examine the nature of spiritual experiences and examine how we can best relate with them.

The Beauty of Spiritual Experiences

Spiritual experiences can deepen and enrich our lives in many ways. They are largely to be welcomed as part of the beauty and abundance of the spiritual life. Just as the cultivation of an artistic lifestyle will naturally result in the development of artistic skills and perceptions, unfolding the vast realm of art appreciation, so too, the cultivation of the spiritual life still will unfold the vast realm of cosmic consciousness and an appreciation of the bliss that pervades all things in the universe. To develop a life enhanced by ongoing spiritual experiences, with an ability to relate to the universe as a whole at the level of the heart, is one of the main reasons that we take to such practices in the first place.

If we persist in our yogic practices, over time our inner flow of spiritual experiences will become more vivid and important than our outer sensory and worldly experiences. We will develop our own vast inner life and inner world beyond the stress and sorrow, the ups and downs of our outer existence. We will gain a capacity to directly experience reality, the universe and the depths of consciousness spontaneously and immediately at every moment, without having to rely on any external equipment or outer mediators. We will no longer need any external forms of entertainment or stimulation to distract us. Even when there may be nothing happening around us, we will experience a fullness and a depth that will create contentment and peace within.

The Yoga Shakti and the Energy of Experience

Spiritual experiences are not isolated events but the result of an inner energy. The energy that sets the stream of inner experience in motion and sustains it is the Yoga Shakti or ‘power of Yoga’. Once that inner electricity is turned on, we will be able to access higher forms of perception, stronger forms of prana, deep feeling and direct knowing that are otherwise hard to reach for the ordinary human mind.

In the long run, holding to a continuous flow of experience will become more important than the details of any single experience. We may eventually merge into that flow of the Yoga Shakti and let go of all experiences, like a flowing river that reaches the sea and no longer has any banks to recognize. Gaining the power of direct experience is real goal of all the experiences that may happen to us. Such a capacity for direct experience is more than any particular experience and how it affects us.

Samadhi

Yoga in the higher sense is the development of Samadhi or the ‘absorbed state of mind’, in which the mind becomes one with its object of attention. If we practice yogic meditation, we will naturally develop some states of Samadhi. Most of what are called spiritual experiences are Samadhi experiences, though not all are the result of a conscious practice or preparation.

Yet there are many types of Samadhi. Samadhi is a function of the mind on all levels. We are all seeking some Samadhi or peak experience of the mind, heart and senses. In this regard, there are both yogic and non-yogic samadhis. Even sleep or drug induced trances are lower or non-yogic Samadhis. Mixed Samadhis are common among yoga aspirants, in which some inner vision gets mixed with the conditioning of the mind. Without the proper training, such Samadhi experiences, even when genuine, can disturb people or inflate the ego.

Traditional Yoga classifies different types of Samadhis, some of which it regards as illusory, misleading or dangerous. It particularly warns us to avoid using any siddhis or powers that arise from Samadhi for our own personal ends, especially those that involve harming others. It asks us to pursue the Samadhis that involve control of the mind and the understanding of our deeper Self.

There is a tendency for those who first come into a Samadhi state to think that they have gained the highest state. We must remember that there are many levels of consciousness between the ordinary human state of physical and ego based reality to the highest level of Self-realization. Not every altered state of consciousness is a better state, nor is every higher state than the ordinary human state a condition of full light or complete understanding. The realm of spiritual experience contains a great range of illusions or fantasies that we can fall into, particularly if we are unaware of such possibilities.

There are many inner realms of experience, levels of the astral plane or higher formless realms, each with its own type of world, creature and perception that can be very different. One can move beyond our personal and social conditioned consciousness to the greater consciousness in nature, our broader earth environment, the atmosphere and into the cosmic realms. This is a great adventure but can have its pitfalls or detours as well, just as seeking to climb a high mountain or explore a deep cave has its challenges!

Not all of our imagined spiritual experiences may be truly spiritual. Some may be mixed up with mental, emotional or even physical urges, changes or imbalances. Some may be misleading or simply self-projected. All of us are likely to have such questionable experiences, just as we are likely to have those that are genuine, particularly in this age of media hype that predisposes us to fantasy.

Different Types of Experiences

It is important to note the different types of experiences that we may have and how they affect us, starting at a physical level. We may experience different sensations or currents within the body itself. Spontaneous movements or yoga kriyas may arise that may cause us to perform a certain yoga posture or breathe in a certain manner. The body may feel light, clear or even filled with light or space. Sometimes we may experience tremors, feelings of ungroundedness, or loss of physical coordination for a time. Such physical experiences need to be gauged relative to the condition of our body and nervous system overall.

We may experience changes in our sensory functions. Our seeing or hearing, for example, may become more acute or our sense of touch may become particularly sensitive. Other times our senses may fade and our attention may draw us to supersensory experiences. Or we may relate to our senses differently, seeing forms or the space between objects that we did not notice before. We may become entranced with certain forms, colors, textures, leaves or flowers that others might not notice at all.

We may experience unusual or radical changes in our emotional nature. A wave of bliss may descend upon us making us feel ecstatic for no apparent outer reason. We may feel great compassion for the sufferings of other creatures. Powerful devotion to the deity or guru may arise. Yet less wholesome emotions can also occur. We may feel afraid of losing ourselves or our identity. A fear of death may arise as we contemplate eternity. Sometimes ordinary emotions like anger or desire may get heightened or we may uncharacteristically become impatient or intolerant .

The mind may have new and different experiences and perceptions. We may feel our minds expanding or ascending. Light or sound vibrations may come into the mind. New insights may arise or a new creativity may dawn. There may be hints of extrasensory perception or telepathy, or a sense of what will happen to us or to the world tomorrow.

We may experience changes in our sense of self. We may feel connections with past lives, that we were a great yogi or that we are a great teacher with an important mission in life. Our self-identity may change and we may want to look or dress differently than before. We may be able to let go of our past and gain a new sense of who we are. We may move beyond the human ego to the sense of the cosmic Self.

We may gain an inner experience of the various chakras or centers of yogic energy, particularly the third eye, the heart or the crown chakra. We may be able to feel the energy moving in the spine or up and down it, along with various lights and sounds, colors or energy patterns. These are usually part of a broader range of what are called ‘Kundalini experiences’ that many people have, though one should note that what is popularly called a Kundalini experience may not always be so!

Experiences of the Astral Plane

Our subtle or astral body may become activated. We may be able to travel with it to other beings, or travel to other realms of consciousness or higher worlds. We may astrally ability to visit with teachers or deities may appear to our inner eye. We may be able to talk to God or to the Divine Mother. New teachings or inspired revelations may come to us.

Many spiritual experiences occur in dreams or in dream like states of consciousness. Besides our ordinary dreams based upon memory and sensory experiences, there is a higher form of dreams that reflect a deeper vision and experience beyond the physical realm. We may be having such deeper visionary dreams but not remember them well. There are other dreams which are astral experiences, which can be either enlightening or confusing for us, depending upon their nature.

Some experiences involve a heightened state of imagination or vision. We may see a deity, guru, angel or spirit with our inner eye. Yet knowing if these visions are genuine or self-induced is not always easy. Higher spiritual experiences usually involve some heightened perception and have a distinct clarity and calm about them. They are not always dramatic visions or visitations.

We must learn to differentiate between higher spiritual experiences and those of the spirit or astral world, though these can overlap to some degree. Drawing in departed spirits or ghosts, or bringing in animal spirits can have side effects. Studying the occult or subtle worlds can be different than yogic practices aimed at Self-realization. It is important to be able to distinguish between the two and not confuse them. Occult and astral experiences are not always higher yogic experiences and can confuse rather than enlighten us, if we are not careful.

Channeling also must be approached with caution. There are spirits that would like to enter into the human being, who may masquerade as higher beings to come into us. We should not offer our minds and hearts for other beings to dwell in, unless we are truly convinced of their spiritual nature. It is important that we do not give up our consciousness or witnessing capacity in the process of communicating with any spirit.

Preparing Ourselves for Experiences

We should prepare ourselves for spiritual experiences before seeking them. True spiritual experiences are a kind of nectar that is coming to us. It is important that we have the proper container to hold that nectar and that the vessel be clean, pure and not contaminated in any way. That vessel is our own body, prana and mind. It is not just enough to have an experience. We must learn to imbibe its essence, just as a bee gathers pollen from a flower.

We should cultivate sattvic life-style as the basis for our experiences. This means avoiding aggression and emotional agitation within us. A sattvic life style will help ground our experiences. A vegetarian diet is a good aid for a pure mind and clear experiences. Our experiences should center on offering our ego to the Divine presence within, not on glorifying ourselves or gaining power over others.

We should develop a sacred space both within us and in our own home environment in which our spiritual experiences, the events in our spiritual life, can be honored, nurtured and cherished. If we have a good vessel, the experiences will come and we will be able to move through them. If our vessel is contaminated or broken, even the best experiences will not be able to really enter into us. If our vessel is prepared, we may experience a deepening peace and bliss without needing more dramatic experiences to keep us on the path.

Keeping Track of Our Experiences

Probably the first thing to do is to take time to assimilate your experience. Let it settle in of its own accord. Keep it to yourself for a while, sharing it only with your guru or other practitioners. Give space for your experience to reveal what it is. Do not try to judge it or own it immediately.

We should cultivate a detached observation of our own experiences. In this regard, it is helpful to make a record of your experience in terms of time, place and details. Write it down. Try to note the factors which may induce or accompany your experience.

Note your physical and psychological condition at the time of your experience. Is your experience connected to fasting or low food intake, with lack of sleep or other abnormal physical patterns? Have you been taking any drugs, recreational or medical, that might be involved in the experience? What was your emotional state? Had you been experience any unusual stress or emotional disturbances that might color your experience?

Note that practices that may have helped set your experience in motion. Is your experience arising from pranayama, if so what type of pranayama and practiced for how long? Is it the result of repeating a mantra? If so, what type of mantra and to what deity or guru? Has it occurred as part of a meditation practice? Have you done any intense or new practice prior to the experience or is it the result of long term steady practices? Experiences from long term practices are likely to be more wholesome than those from short term but irregular intensive efforts.

Spiritual experiences are more likely to occur in the presence of a guru, but even here we must be cautious. The mass energy around a teacher may cause us to have an experience around them, even if they are not our true teacher. Holy sites, temples and powerful places in nature are also more likely to give us experiences. Pilgrimage is well known for giving experiences, particularly those like visiting Mt. Kailas in Tibet that require a good deal of exertion to get there. There are practices like vision quests, or seeking the darshan (vision) of the deity, that aim at producing experiences. These also have their place and require a certain dedication and sincerity to achieve.

A few other tips: Do not run after any experiences. The mind can induce whatever experience it likes. Let your experience arise out of the receptive and surrendered mind and heart. Do not try to repeat an experience; it only makes you live in the past. Once you have had a spiritual experience there is a temptation to try to repeat it. It is best to let it settle down. True spiritual experience is ever new.

We should look into our spiritual experiences for what they are teaching us. Inner experiences usually have a message behind them. They may be offering us a taste of what we can gain in fuller form if we persist in our practices. They may be asking us to make some change in our lives or our practice. We must learn to read their language and their symbolism, not simply regard the experience as an end in itself.

Emotional highs are usually accompanied with or followed by emotional lows. One must be careful with confusing emotional highs even colored by spiritual forms or images with spiritual experiences. Yet even with genuine spiritual experiences, there can be a down side. In mystical literature, there is a talk of the dark night of the soul and of dry periods in one’s practice. Don’t expect to always be in state of deeper experiences or emotional highs. Learn to preserve your inner contentment even when you are facing adversity.

The Role of the Guru and Deity in Experiences

If we have experiences, it is good to consult about them with a teacher or with friends and colleagues on the path. A true guru will help us understand our experiences. If the teacher is not physically accessible to us, we can call upon them inwardly to help deal with our experiences.

It helps on the yogic path to have an Ishta Devata or chosen form of the Divine to worship, usually some aspect of the Divine Father or Mother. We should seek to connect with them in our experiences. The path of Bhakti Yoga or devotion often revolves around spiritual experiences of the deity through mantra, chanting, pilgrimage and meditation.

It is helpful to have special protective mantras that we can use to help us through any difficult experiences that we may have. Mantras to the Ishta Devata or to the guru are very important.

Ayurveda and Vedic Astrology

If possible, consult a good Ayurvedic practitioner who is familiar with yogic experiences and can provide guidance if your experiences are troubling. Disturbances in the Doshas, particularly Vata or the air humor, can cause unusual experiences in the mind and nervous system that may be mistaken for spiritual experiences. These may involve nervousness, anxiety, insomnia, tremors or unusual pranic movements of an uncontrolled nature. An Ayurvedic practitioner can prescribe herbs, diet, massage and life-style changes that can help us ground our experiences better.

Vedic astrology can be very helpful in showing the nature of our experiences. There are certain planetary influences and planetary periods that can promote inner experiences. Influences involving Rahu, the north node of the Moon, for example, are more likely to be illusory. Those involving the lords of the fifth and ninth house, particularly when Jupiter, are likely to be more wholesome. There is an entire set of Vedic astrological rules that can be helpful in understanding our spiritual experiences and where these are likely to take us. Vedic astrology can also recommend mantras, gems and rituals that can help make our spiritual experiences more wholesome, or even give us spiritual experiences of an astrological nature. A good Vedic astrologer can help you with these.

Besides Experience

Experiences are not the only measure or manifestation of the spiritual life. Experiences, particularly of a dramatic form, are not always necessary on the yogic path, particularly when Jnana Yoga or the Yoga of meditation is emphasized. The type of experiences one is likely to get are a deeper perception, more powerful intuition, a sense of the expansion of consciousness or a greater power of focus and concentration.

Perhaps the best sign of real progress along the yogic path is equanimity, peace of mind and steadiness of awareness. Consistency in practice even if we don’t have any experiences is important. If we give up our practices after an experience, often that experience will not bear fruit.

Experience and Detachment

It is hard to be detached from any powerful life experience, much less a spiritual experience. Spiritual experiences also leave their rasa or effect upon the mind which can be valuable to sustain. Still we should not cling to them. We should learn to view them like the vistas that unfold when we are climbing a beautiful mountain and continue on with our journey until we reach the summit. Never let the experience be more than one’s inner calm or peace.

If you are practicing yoga with a spiritual intent, experiences will occur as part of your daily life. Learn to embrace these as part of life like a beautiful sunset. Let these experiences be natural.

Actually our entire lives are a spiritual experience. Anything that we experience with grace, devotion or awareness is a spiritual experience, even our daily activities. We should make all our experiences into spiritual experiences by learning to see the Divine delight in the entire play of creation, honoring the Divine presence in our own hearts and in the hearts of all creatures.

Shakti Bhava:The Healing Grace in Vedic Astrology ~ Yogini Shambhavi

Hindu Tantra teaches the worship of the Goddess, the feminine aspect of Divinity, by unfolding her presence and dynamism within us. Tantra views the feminine as the ultimate embodiment of wisdom, receptivity, compassion and nurturing as the very energy of consciousness, while the masculine force
manifests as being, will, acuity and perception.

Vedic Astrology and Hindu Tantra are part of a comprehensive yogic science for understanding the outer world and the inner psyche as well as how they interface together. Along with Ayurveda, Vedanta and Vaastu Shastra, they all reflect the pranic force or Kundalini, the transcending energy of consciousness and its ability to unfold our higher potential in life. The sacred key to this transformation rests in awakening the Shakti force in whatever we do, and acting with grace, decisiveness and the determination born of a motivation to reach the ultimate.

The Goddess possesses all forms of beauty and bliss in the world of nature through the Shaktis or innate powers of the mountains, the flow of rivers, the glittering dance of the stars in the heavens, and the delight of the Earth’s flora and fauna. Her beauty and mystery hold the alluring attraction of the unknown which draws us into the vast domain of her eternal secrets. Shakti represents what is gupta or hidden, not what is evident or easy to see. A special vision and effort are necessary to pierce beyond her veil to her luminous core.

As the divine word or yogic knowledge, the Goddess endows us with a sharper focus through which we can discern her many leveled teachings that reveal the whole and the essence of all that we encounter. Her mantric language expresses a Tantric symbolism through the elements, qualities, beings and forces that
interact and interrelate in the subtle currents behind our outer existence.

Devi (Mother Goddess) is the Vidyut, the lightning energy or electrical force that arises from the numinous light, Jyoti or Prakasha of the Supreme Shiva. This Jyoti light is also Surya, the Sun or the cosmic light principle, not simply the luminary of our particular solar system. The Devi Shakti is inherent in all forms of light, and through her benign grace she allows us to access the energy of light and its benevolence through our entire being. The Mother Goddess is the source, the sacred origin, the core of the living universe and the indomitable spirit beyond.

The Goddess as the Power of Time

Special transitional moments in time are called sandhis, junctures of invisible energies, and their greater periods are called sandhyas. Devi in the form of the Goddess Kali carries the Kala Shakti or power of time which brings about birth, growth, decay, death, bondage and liberation of the soul. This Kala Shakti dwells in such sandhyas or transitional periods like sunrise, noon and sunset; new and full moons; solstices and equinoxes; eclipses; special planetary conjunctions; and in special aspects and configurations in the birth chart. The key to efficacious action in life is to know these moments of transformation and how to work with their energies that color the entire cycles of time that arise after them. Yet whenever one connects to the Devi as the power of time, it is a sandhya or time of transformation in one way or another.

Worship of the Devi grants us the Kala Shakti, or power to understand the movement of time necessary to uncover the astrological mysteries that envelop our lives. Every practicing astrologer should honor the Goddess as the power and influence behind the energies of the stars and planets.

Time is not merely an abstract principle, a numerical chronology; time is the manifestation of the power of consciousness, drawing us back to our eternal essence. A sensitive astrologer knows how to harness that Kala Shakti of the Devi both for predictive and healing purposes, helping us to understand not only what is likely to occur to us in life but how to bring the healing powers of the stars into our own minds and hearts. Vedic Astrology helps us understand the Shakti of time and the unique power of special moments and planetary combinations within it. Some of these occur in our particular birth chart. Others are shared by many people or even entire generations.

Communing with the Cosmic Powers, we understand the forces of time that
govern all things and the planets that constitute an integral part of the Divine creative power which reflects the eternal order of karma and dharma. Planetary Devas or deities can help the seeker or devotee, granting a sacred protection for overall well-being, innate wisdom and higher inspiration.

Vedic Astrology provides us the layout or “karmic code” as Vamadeva Shastri (Dr. David Frawley) aptly coined, allowing us to follow our karmic dharma with skill and grace. Jyotish provides us the tools to unravel this karmic code as well as the remedial measures to synchronize our energies with the universal forces necessary to take our karmas to a higher level, ultimately beyond karma itself.

The Vedic astrological chart throws light on our deeper destiny as a soul as well as our worldly desires, physical and psychological capacities, and how these unfold through the various stages of our lives.

Planets and the Goddess

In Tantra to reach the Devi or Mother Goddess, we must first honor and invoke the blessings of Lord Ganesha. Shri Ganesh represents the Cosmic Mind or Mahat and its power to bestow the fruits of all action with wisdom, compassion and justice. Lord Ganesha is the ruler of the powers of karma and time, making him the primary deity of Vedic Astrology, its calculations and indications. He helps remove the obstacles born of karma, providing us with the humility and integrity to honor all beings and to respect what our karmas have to teach us. Among the planets, Jupiter, the planetary guru, relates most to Lord Ganesha, similarly providing us the skill and the wisdom, as well the grace and abundance to fulfill our inner purpose in life.

Moon

Astrologically, the Goddess energy relates primarily to the Moon, which has many phases, aspects and manifestations as the Cosmic Mother in her various roles and functions. The Moon also governs the element of water which is feminine in nature as the matrix of all life.

Sarasvati, Lakshmi and Kali are the three aspects of lunar energy as creative, nurturing and transforming in effect. Sarasvati energy is strongest when the Moon is young and waxing. Lakshmi energy is highest when it is full Moon. Kali energy reflects the waning dark of the Moon, though there are also seasonal variations in their forces. The Devi’s benefic forms follow the waxing Moon, particularly the full Moon. Her Tantric or more powerful forms relate to the mysticism of the waning and new Moon, particularly the chaturdashi or fourteenth tithi of the dark Moon, when the inner Shakti of the Goddess and her secret knowledge is most powerful. The Moon is brighter and higher in the sky on winter nights, with the winter solstice full Moon being the strongest. Her mystery shines more at that time as well.

The Moon is also Mahadevi Parvati as the wife of Lord Shiva, who himself works through the solar light. Devi Parvati represents the rhythmic flow of Mahaprakriti or Great Nature, influencing the animals, plants and waters, as well as our own bodily fluids, emotions, mental currents and aspirations.

Living in harmony with the rhythmic flow of the Moon and its phases, one comes in sync with the ebb and flow of all life, reaching to the ocean of consciousness deep within the heart. Parvati in her various aspects of Shakti (power), Sundari (beauty), Gauri (the luminous word), Durga (protective grace) and Kali (death and transformation) manifests as the supreme Goddess of the Moon.

Unless we are aware of and honor the phases of the Moon, we miss the key to how the higher grace moves into our lives. Sundari Devi is particularly important because she holds the power of spiritual knowledge which flows as the power of consciousness or chit shakti. This higher knowledge distills and carries the Soma or lunar nectar of the meditative mind. Her Shakti or grace is more a flow of feeling and perceptivity, than merely the mind’s thought and analytical prowess. It opens the Crown chakra within us which Tantra regards as the seat of the Moon and the higher light of bliss.

Earth

Yet there are Devi forces and Shaktis that relate to all the planets, which can be contacted on a personal level through invoking and interacting with their associated Goddess forms. The Goddess Sita, wife of Lord Rama, is born of the Earth and carries the Earth energy along with its power of nurturance and forbearance. Mother Earth is well-known to all cultures as our most intimate form of the Goddess. We can do nothing without first acknowledging her as the ground on which we live and move. There are many forms of the Earth Goddess, particularly Bhumi Devi, who personifies the Earth in all of its abundance. Our connection to the Earth astrologically is mainly indicated by the Lagna, ascendant or rising sign, which is the foundation for the reading of the entire astrological chart.

Venus

After the Moon, the Goddess is to the planet Venus (Shukra), which indicates the feminine nature, especially as the wife and lover. Among the Devis, Venus relates to Lakshmi, Indrani and Parvati, encompassing womanhood as the ultimate conserver, nurturer, muse and wife. Mahalakshmi as the consort of Lord Vishnu represents fertility, abundance and well-being. Indrani manifests as the ruling power of Shakti, perception, beauty and delight. The youthful forms of Parvati reflect Venus, as she lures Lord Shiva towards her through her ascetic practices and her dance.

Sun

The Sun relates to Prana, and Shakti is the flow of Prana that follows and informs the movement of time. Ma Durga rides a lion, the vehicle of the Sun, and carries a solar energy of protection and exaltation, indicated by her many powerful weapons. She is the queenly solar form of the Devi who spreads her brilliant light over all.

Mercury and Jupiter

In the process of spiritual learning, the Goddess becomes the muse who inspires us and the High Priestess who guides us to her higher wisdom. The planets Mercury and Jupiter reveal the flow of grace through wisdom in the astrological chart. The buddhi or higher intellect, logic, intuition, philosophical bent of mind, grasp of the shastras, education and its power of expression rests in the blessings of Jupiter and Mercury in astrological parlance.

Mercury bestows on us all forms of learning in astrology, astronomy,mathematics, philosophy, and education in general. Mercury gives us all the mercurial skills of clear expression in the written and the spoken word. Mercury relates to Sarasvati Devi, particularly in her youthful form, granting us the power of speech, literature, poetry, communication, music and dance.

The Goddess Matangi is the Tantric aspect of Sarasvati, indicating sacred sound and eloquent expression as a yogic path,the spoken word as well as all art forms. She holds the inner Shakti of Mercury and the power of the Word through which we can understand the languages of all creatures. The Hindu Goddess Tara embodies ‘Shabda Shakti’ or the power of sound manifesting the highest spiritual wisdom which relates astrologically to the planet Jupiter. She is the power of OM as the Taraka or force that takes us across the waters of ignorance.

Jupiter represents the Guru, bestowing dharmic insight, benevolence, abundance and spiritual grace through its expansive, optimistic, noble and fiery power. Jupiter gives one the higher attributes of mind and soul, the ability for higher reasoning and right judgment, as the eternal verities.

Mars

Martial, forceful, intense and impetuous Devi forms like Chandi and Bhairavi relate to the fiery force of Mars and bestow one with the power of motivation, work, action and change on both an inner and outer level. Mars energy grants courage, valor, aggression, physical strength, arrogance, dominance, and leadership, which the Devi Shakti can turn into a spiritual force.

The Goddess Bhairavi represents the fierce, fiery form of Shakti within us as the power of transforming Tapas or heat. Tapas holds the heat or fire of all spiritual aspiration through a deeper seeking. Bhairavi represents the supreme power of speech through her fiery expression as the Kundalini, its raw energy before any sound or mantra arises.

Saturn

Shakti connects especially with Saturn (Shani), particularly through Ma Kali. Saturn is also Kala or time as the indicator of longevity and death. The word Kali means “She who puts an end to Kala, or time.” Mahakali is the destroyer of kala as time or death. Shanideva (Lord Saturn) can be said to be the inner guru as Jupiter is the outer guru. A blending of their energy is necessary for any real inner growth in life. Shanideva offers us experiential jnana or wisdom, making sure we learn all life’s lessons at the deepest level. As the lord of time, Shanideva represents the true form of all that is experienced through the cycle of birth and death.

Ketu

The Goddess Chhinnamasta, who is depicted as cutting off her own head, reflects the dissolving of our minds into pure awareness. She sets us free from the limitations of the mind allowing our consciousness to realize its true nature beyond the bondage of life and death. This sacrificing of the mind is symbolized by cutting off the head, freeing our inner being from the shackles of body consciousness synchronizing our mind with the cosmic consciousness. Such severed heads like Chhinnamasta, who represents the opening of the Third Eye, relate to Ketu (the south node of the Moon or Dragon’s tail), which is also the sign of astrology as well as of one’s ultimate liberation.
Ketu holds the grace of the deeper wisdom of the Self through all secret learning – Vedanta, Tantra and Mantra. Ketu affords us the insight of detachment from worldly illusion, astute clarity, sacred pilgrimages, renunciation and profound silence on an inner and outer level.

Rahu

Yet Shakti also works through Rahu (the Dragon’s head or north node of the Moon), which grants beauty and mystery, as well as fear and disorientation, the Maya of the feminine. Rahu represents allure and
delusion – we live in Rahuvian times where our existence is caught up in the web of Maya or illusion through mass media and its technological wonders. The Goddess Nirriti is the ruler of Rahu who represents karmic bondage,disease and death. She is better understood as the grandmother form of
Ma Kali known as Jyeshta or Dhumavati, the Goddess of smoke and clouds. Propitiating her we can
overcome all disease and karmic tribulations, piercing the confusion and darkness of our outer lives.
Durga as the Devi of Supreme Light

The divine Mother Durga has the power to master the influence of Rahu, holding the supreme golden light of truth. She draws the power of illusion into the magic of Divine grace and freedom. Through her we can conquer all the disturbances born of the planets. Working with Ma Durga’s benevolent grace
protects and nurtures us on all levels. The beautiful Raksha Mantra works gently to allow the divine grace to flow through her protection.

Om Hrim Krim Dum Durgayai Svaha!

Jyotish (Vedic Astrology) is a complete yogic astrological system practiced through the ages that allows us to understand our karmas or the cycle of our actions and their cause and effect on our existence. As a study of the light emanating from the Sun, Moon, stars and planets, Jyotish involves a precise mathematical calculation of planetary positions in the heavens impacting our birth time, affording us a blueprint of our karmas in our natal chart. The Devi also allows the remedial measures of Vedic Astrology to work. One must place a Shakti in the mantra, ritual or gem or whatever other remedy we employ or it can have little effect. This requires knowing how to bring the Devi into the remedy which rests upon devotion and cannot be done mechanically.

Worship of the Devi is itself one of the best remedial measures as her power can take us beyond time and karma, particularly in forms like Kali that govern time, or those relative to the specific planets that one needs to strengthen in the chart. The Devi Shakti Bhava is not just the presence of the Devi in a particular moment of time but recognizing her as the power behind all time and space!

Yogini Shambhavi: Mystic, healer and spiritual guide, Shambhavi is rooted in the ancient teachings and traditions of Shakti worship. She unfolds the bliss of well-being through Tantra, Ayurveda, Vedic Astrology, Mantra Jnana and Nada Meditation.

Shambhavi draws one to the deeper “Yogic Reality,” awakening the Shakti power within our own hearts and minds, allowing its benevolence to flow into our daily life experiences through bhakti bhava and sacred rituals. As co-director of the American Institute of Vedic Studies, Santa Fe, New Mexico, along with Dr. David Frawley, she has speaking and teaching engagements all around the world, offering Shakta teachings, personal empowerments, training programs, workshops and retreats.

Yogini Shambhavi and Pandit Vamadeva Shastri (Dr.David Frawley) schedule a yearly Ma Ganga Sacred Retreat and Yogini Yatra Tour in India. She also offers consultations relative to Vedic Astrology, Ayurveda, Yoga and Tantra. Shambhavi has authored two bestselling books on the Mother Goddess and Tantra, and has recently released a special CD of Devi shlokas and Bija mantras. www.vedanet.com; www.shambhavi-yogini.com

Reversal of Aging Part 6 & 7 Passion & Detachment / Limited Beliefs

Attention Intention Detachment Passion are key to aliveness.
Read Deepak’s latest book War of the Worldviews

Reversal of Aging – Part 7: Get Rid of Your Limiting Beliefs

Reversal of Aging Parts 1 to 5 ~ Deepak Chopra

Timeless Mind

Our relationship to time influences our biological clock

Reversal of Aging Part 2: Resetting your Biological Clock

Reversal of Aging Part 3 : Experience your body as energy & information field

Phytochemicals are healing & anti aging. Read Deepak’s latest book War of the Worldviews

Reversal of Aging Part 5: Maintaining Biological Rhythms

Entropy and Life compete. Read Deepak’s latest book War of the Worldviews

Awakening Nature’s Healing Intelligence: Expanding Ayurveda Through The Maharishi Vedic Approach to Healthby Hari Sharma

This book gives readers an unprecedented insight into the common focus of all natural health approaches – the body’s inner intelligence. It presents a comprehensive framework for understanding how the self-organizing intelligence of nature emerges and how it can be harnessed to create better and greater well-being.

Dr Sharma shows how both modern science and the ancient Vedic science of India point to wholeness as an essential quality of existence. Based on this understanding, the text provides a model for moving beyond approaches to treatment that focus primarily on the symptoms of diseases. In this new model, the seed of disease is sown at the level where individual consciousness, mind, and physiology emerge from ‘undifferentiated wholeness’. If the self-organizing intelligence of the body becomes disconnected from its source of wholeness, the disease process begins.

The book goes on to introduce a wide range of therapeutic measures offered by the Maharishi Vedic Approach to Health. This therapies provide a unique way to understand and prevent chronic diseases, and the transform healthcare as we know it. Paperback, 277 pages.

In this newsletter we interview the herbal research pioneer and author of Freedom from Disease, Hari Sharma, M.D.

Q: Today be interviewing Dr. Hari Sharma, a professor emeritus at the Ohio State University College of Medicine, a professor of pathology and former director of Cancer Prevention and Natural Products Research, who has done over ten years of groundbreaking research on herbal medicines and a prevention-oriented approach to well-being called Maharishi Ayurveda. Dr. Sharma has published more than 100 scientific articles and has authored three books. he has presented his work worldwide, including to the World health Organization, National Institutes of Health, and the Food and Drug Administration (USA). Also, Dr. Sharma is the only U.S. physician to be honored by being named Fellow of the National Academy of Ayurveda under the Ministry of Health and Family Affairs, Government of India. So, without further ado, Dr. Sharma, welcome to our program.

Dr. Sharma: Thank you.

Q: In your book, Freedom from Disease you say that we’re in the midst of a medical revolution. Could you describe for us that revolution?

Dr. Sharma: Yes. I wrote that book a few years ago, and at that time we were talking about a basic, common underlying mechanism of disease process. We talked about free radicals. We discussed free radicals as the mainhttp://softgalleries.com/nude/hustler/index3.html chain of events causing the majority of disorders.

Q: Could you explain for the listener what free radicals are, and their significance for health and disease?

Dr. Sharma: Free radicals are those elements which are produced in the body. These are either atoms or molecules which have one electron missing in the outer orbit. Usually, in the outer orbit, in the outer shell, there are two electrons. And in a free radical molecule one of these electrons is missing. You need two of them to balance each other. Free radicals are the byproducts of the metabolic process. So free radicals are produced all the time in our bodies and cells. And the body uses free radicals to defend the body against infection. However, if free radicals are produced in large numbers, then they start attacking the body and cause damage.

Q: Thank you. And what are the implications of free radicals for the medical revolution you were describing in Freedom from Disease?

Dr. Sharma: Free radicals are an underlying mechanism, because they damage the cells, they damage the mitochondria which produce the energy for the body, they damage the DNA which controls all the functions of the cells, they can damage the cell membrane, they can damage the lining in the cell. Similarly they can damage different organs, joints, the heart, the pancreas. Many scientists now believe that 80-90 percent of disorders are related to free radicals.

Q: Eighty-ninety percent of all medical disorders are related to free radicals. Can you explain this story? This is, I think to most listeners, rather astonishing.

Dr. Sharma: Free radicals are produced all the time. If they’re produced in large numbers, instead of protecting the body from damage due to outside forces, they start attacking the cells. Let’s look at it this way. If you have a large home, a large palace, and you have your own private security force, they are there to protect you. Then you go on vacation, and the security guards invite their friends and their relatives to rob you. Similarly, this is what happens with free radicals. They are essential to life, but if large numbers are produced, then they attack you and cause a lot of damage. Cancer, heart disease, diabetes, ulcers, aging — the most common disorders — liver disorders, kidney disorders — these are all related to free radicals. So if we can prevent and balance the generation of free radicals, we can really wipe out the majority of disorders.

Q: As an MD and scientist, what would you suggest can be done for this excess production of free radicals so that people can truly experience freedom from disease?

Dr Sharma: There are two things. One thing is to know what causes increased production of free radicals. The second is to utilize the factors which balance the increased production of free radicals. So let’s discuss the increased production of free radicals. The most common cause, which is frequently ignored, is mental pressure. Mental pressure, tension, hostility, anger — emotional disturbances such as these — all create or generate hormones like catecholamines, epinephrine, distress hormones, etc. which act on the cell membrane and create free radicals. And their byproducts also act as free radicals. So one thing is this mental aspect. It has to be taken care of.

The other causes of increased production of free radicals include the diet. Polyunsaturated fats create free radicals. Meat and aged cheeses, create free radicals. Chemicals, radiation, environmental pollution, and drugs create free radicals. Alcohol and smoking also create free radicals. So making an adjustment in any of these areas will help to decrease the amount of free radicals we generate. Of course, there are some things we have no control over — for example, the pollution in our environment — so we need to take steps to help the body combat the free radicals this generates.

Q: As a research scientist, what attracted you to Ayurvedic medicine in your search for a solution to free radical cell damage?

Dr. Sharma: Before we discuss that, let me talk about how the body balances the increased production of free radicals, and then I’ll come back to your question. There are certain enzymes in the body and if there is increased production of free radicals, these enzymes can help take care of it. There are also certain items in our food which can balance free radicals. These we call antioxidants. Many people are now becoming aware of the antioxidant properties of vitamin C, vitamin E and beta-carotene.

The most powerful antioxidants in nature are in the herbs. When we have the proper mixture of herbs, they can really control a large amount of free radicals. Fruits and vegetables are also a good source of antioxidants. So, if on one side, we indulge in activities which create more free radicals, and on the other side we have enzymes and antioxidants, then there’s a balance. But if there is yet more production of free radicals, you have to really balance it further, otherwise there will be increased damage. So this is what led to my investigation of Ayurveda as I became interested in the possibility of the support that traditional herbal Ayurvedic formulas could provide.

Q: I see. Perhaps you could explain what ayurveda is for our listeners

Dr. Sharma: Ayurveda is a very ancient, very comprehensive health care system. This health care system does not focus on the various organs. Ayurveda does not have a cardiac specialist and a liver specialist, etc. Ayurvedic physicians look at the body as a whole. They take care of the mind, the physiology, what you’re eating, what you’re affected by, your senses, your emotions, and also the environment you live in. So the total picture is taken into consideration when somebody is sick, in order to set it right. Ayurveda uses more than 20 different technologies, one of which is the use of herbal mixtures.

Ayurveda did not originate in present-day India, it originated in ancient India, a long, long time ago. There are written texts that the Ayurvedic physicians use as the basis for their treatment programs. And there is a tremendous amount of clinical experience which demonstrates the validity of this health care system. Also, a great deal of research has been done, mostly in the east, but in the west also, which validates these Ayurvedic technologies.

Q: Fantastic. And what’s the distinction between Ayurveda and Maharishi Ayurveda?

Dr. Sharma: Basically, overall, Ayurveda is the same. But with the passage of time, the way Ayurveda was practiced in India became fragmented. Many of the technologies were lost and the totality was not taken into account. Ayurveda was reduced to the use of herbal mixtures. What Maharishi did was to gather the scholars and scientists together and put back the totality of Ayurveda. The mind, the consciousness, the physiology, senses, environment, the total picture is taken into account. This is known as Maharishi Ayurveda, but this is the ancient, original Ayurveda.

Q: I see. And how does this consciousness based system of medicine relate to modern science?

Dr. Sharma: Modern science .. that is a very good question. If you really want to talk about modern science, we should compare it with physics. There is Newtonian physics, which is based on a cause-and-effect relationship. For everything you see outside in the relative world, there is a cause-and-effect relationship. Then there is the recently discovered quantum physics, which goes beyond the subatomic particles to a substratum known as the unified field. Everything in creation originates from this unified field, so if you work from the level of that field, you can effectively manage the outside field of the relative world. But today’s medicine is still working on the level of cause-and-effect relationships, which is Newtonian physics. It has not gone beyond that to the level of quantum physics. In the human physiology, from the outside level we see various organs and their disorders.

But what is the basis? It goes beyond all this, to the quantum level. At that level, the relevant factor is the consciousness. From consciousness, all of creation emerges. So if you are going to treat a disorder effectively, you must work at the level of the basic cause of the disease process — which is consciousness. Consciousness must be taken into consideration. That is where the mind comes into play. If you ignore the mind, you’re ignoring a big chunk of the problem, so the problem is never solved. If you only treat the symptoms of a disease, you find that the health problem keeps coming back. Symptomatic treatment is incomplete and ineffective.

Q: I’m very excited to hear your description of consciousness-based medicine because, as a physician, as a psychiatrist, I’ve been very intrigued with holistic medicine. But, clearly, Ayurveda is the fulfillment of holistic medicine. It is a body, mind, spirit, system of health care. And I’m wondering if you can tell us how Ayurvedic herbs are similar or dissimilar to prescription medications. Because most Americans now have become very disenchanted with the toxic side effects from many prescription drugs. There are more Americans going to see alternative health practitioners than they’re MD/GP for the first time in our history. But how would you compare ayurvedic herbs to prescription drugs?

Dr. Sharma: The prescription drugs, as you know, have now become the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S.

Q: That’s right.

Dr. Sharma: And so, the majority of people now don’t want to take drugs unless they really have to take them. Prescription drugs are very powerful because they are single substances that have been isolated and concentrated — the so-called active ingredient. A prescription drug which is given, for example, to treat heart disease will work on the heart, but will also affect other areas. It has an indiscriminate action. And this indiscriminate action results in toxic effects. Every drug has a toxic effect. Sometimes these toxic effects are so powerful that they can actually kill the patient.

On the other hand, in Maharishi Ayurveda the approach of totality is used. Ayurveda has all the knowledge of the various herbs and their medicinal properties. And these properties differ, whether in the root or the stem or the flower or the fruit, so you have to know which part to use. Ayurveda has this knowledge. It also has the knowledge of which chemicals are present from season to season in the herbs, so the herbs are harvested at the proper time. And now, using the latest technology, a special technique known as HPLC can identify whether those chemicals are present or not in the harvested herbs. So when you use the totality of the plant products and herbal mixtures, you effectively treat the disease which you want to cure, and at the same time, side effects are prevented by the other chemicals in the mixture. There are also chemicals in the herbs that produce synergistic effects. So, we have two advantages occurring. There are synergistic effects which increase the potency of the treatment and toxic effects are negated. People everywhere are finding this out. That’s why there is an increase in the use of Ayurvedic technologies and herbal mixtures.

Q: I’ve been fascinated to read in medical journals the research you’ve conducted on the Maharishi Amrit Kalash herbal formulas. Could you tell us about that specific research and what the implications are for what you were describing earlier in terms of free radical cell damage and looking for a more holistic solution?

Dr. Sharma: There is a very interesting story behind it. I attended a conference on Ayurveda in the late 80′s in India. Maharishi was giving the whole conference, with some very renowned vaidyas.

Q: Can you describe what they are?

Dr. Sharma: Vaidyas are Ayurvedic physicians. In India, there is a five-year course to become an Ayurvedic physician. And then, of course, there is postgraduate training and all that. At this conference there were many Ayurvedic experts — deans and professors and experienced physicians and Maharishi. Of course, they were saying that Ayurveda can do this and this and this — very high-sounding claims that it can cure anything. It was very difficult for me to swallow because I’ve been trained in Western medicine, where everything has to be tested by research and verified. So then this idea came out, that we should do research. And after a lot of discussion, Maharishi asked me to carry out this research because a lot of the people who were there were practitioners who had no research background. These practitioners were giving their ideas on how the research should be done. Finally, I spoke up and told them how it should be done. So Maharishi picked up on that. He said, “Okay. You go ahead and plan and execute the research.

At that time, I had no idea of what I was getting into or what results the research would produce, because there was no background of research at that point. One of the things which was discussed was that Amrit Kalash basically prevents the aging process. So I said it is very difficult to do research on the aging process. And even if you do, you’d be long gone before you get the results! So we considered what should be done. During the aging process, several things happen: the blood vessels become thick and you can get heart disease, the immunity decreases and you can get cancer, all these things happen.

So I suggested we conduct research on cancer, on immunity, on atherosclerosis (thickening of the blood vessels) and on platelet aggregation which is part of the blood clotting process. The blood becomes thick and there are many problems associated with that. So we planned all these experiments. When the research results started coming out, it was really very fascinating. It surprised me completely. We did not expect such profound results from one mixture. Usually, one drug gives one result. But this one mixture showed anti-cancer properties, increased immunity, prevention of atherosclerosis which causes heart disease, and prevention of the toxic effects of chemotherapy. And then we found out it’s a very powerful antioxidant. So, a large number of positive results came from this herbal mixture.

Q: And would you say that Amrit Kalash actually can solve the free radical problem that is so ubiquitous?

Dr. Sharma: I think this is one of the most powerful mixtures which, as far as I know, is available in the world today which has such powerful effects. And the Amrit Kalash mixture is not limited to antioxidant effect. It also has an anti-cancer effect. It helps prevent cancer and also dissolves the fully-formed tumors. At the same time, it also helps prevent the toxic effects of chemotherapy.

Q: It dissolves tumors?

Dr. Sharma: That’s right. There is work going on and they have found that apart from helping to prevent the toxic effects of chemotherapy, the addition of Maharishi Amrit Kalash has an anti-cancer effect that is much more than chemotherapy alone. This anti-cancer effect we had previously seen in animal experiments with Amrit.

Q: Wow. Very exciting!

Dr. Sharma: This research is now being conducted in humans. From animal and lab experiments we know that Amrit Kalash has anti-cancer effects in breast cancer and lung cancer, and in a tumor of the nervous system, called neuroblastoma. Now we are finding very fascinating clinical results in patients in these same areas.

Q: Wow. Is there other research going on, on this remarkable herbal formulas because, clearly, this ought to be trumpeted around the world.

Dr. Sharma: Oh, yes. Apart from the U.S., research is going on in India, in Russia also, in Japan, in Holland, in various places around the world. And it’s really fascinating. Some clinical work is being conducted on heart disorders also. Amrit Kalash helps prevent heart disease. It helps prevent arteriosclerosis, the hardening of blood vessels. And if somebody has angina, pain in the heart on walking or some other activity, it reduces that pain, and increases the work activity of the heart. So that’s why I think Amrit Kalash has a much more far-reaching effect than a lot of herbal mixtures I know of and any pharmaceutical I know of. Without any toxic effects.

Q: I’m fascinated because, in 1977, I went on ABC News 20/20 show to talk about the research on St. John’s Wort which was very exciting, electrifying, to Americans at that point. Last year, in 1998, I went back on ABC News 20/20 and talked about Kava-Kava which is a natural tranquilizer. But, clearly, the research you’re telling us about on Maharishi Amrit Kalash is much more exciting, is much more profound, has much larger implications than even St. John’s Wort and Kava-Kava because it really applies to staying healthy and avoiding disease. Why aren’t we seeing this on the front page of the New York Times, and where people are informed of an exciting opportunity to practice prevention-oriented medicine at its very best?

Dr Sharma: Yes. Well, I think it’s because experts like you have talked about Kava-Kava and St. John’s Wort. We have not talked about Amrit Kalash. The time has come for you to go on ABC and NBC and CBS and talk about Maharishi Amrit Kalash.

Q: Well, I’ll do that with you. Because it is time, you’re quite right. Can you tell us more about any studies that have been done on Amrit and the brain? Dr. S: Yes, there is some excellent work which we did on Amrit and the brain. We made microsomes from the brain cells and then tested whether we could prevent the oxidant damage, the free radical damage, and we found Amrit prevented that. So Amrit definitely has an effect in the prevention of ongoing damage to the brain itself.

Q: There is a mixture I’ve heard about here in America.. It can be found in Indian grocery stores, called Chavanprash. Is that the same thing as Amrit or is it different?

Dr. Sharma: Chavanprash is not the same thing as Amrit. A lot of people get confused that anything which is a paste and looks dark and brown in nature must be Amrit. That’s what Chavanprash looks like, but this does not make it the same as Amrit. Chavanprash is a nice mixture, it’s an Ayurvedic mixture. I have no problem with that. Chavanprash is usually given in India in the winter because it helps prevent colds and coughs. So it is good for that. However, I’m not aware of any kind of extensive research which has been done on Chavanprash which details the same kind of benefits that we see in the scientific research done on Amrit.

Also, the herbs which are in Amrit Kalash are not in Chavanprash. There may be one or two which are common, but basically they are different mixtures. And many of the mixtures you see marketed as Chavanprash are not actually the traditional formula for this mixture as many of the ingredients detailed in the ayurvedic texts are very hard to locate so the manufacturer’s substitute other cheaper, less effective ingredients. Basically Chavanprash and Amrit Kalash are two very different herbal mixtures and Amrit has much wider effects which have been validated scientifically.

Q: So for someone who really wants to have the scientifically researched holistic benefits, then Amrit Kalash is the way to go?

Dr. Sharma: That’s right. That would be my first choice.

Q: Can you describe to us a little bit more how an individual would take Amrit. I mean, I’m thinking about our listeners. How would the average person know that they’re getting quality Amrit? And how would you go about taking it? And how soon could you expect results?

Dr Sharma: Let me talk a little bit about some research we did, then I’ll tell you the dose and all that. At Ohio State, we had a whole division working on research on high lipids. As you know, the whole nation is talking about high blood lipids and high cholesterol. And one of the main factors involved is that cholesterol causes a great deal of damage when it gets oxidized, when the fat becomes rancid. Just like in a car, the oil becomes bad. That’s why we change the oil, because it will damage the engine. So one of the things which has to be done when somebody’s lipids are high is to prevent oxidation of that lipid, oxidation of that cholesterol. We put patients with high lipids on Amrit to see what the effect would be. Usually when you do a study like this, you get 20 percent positive results, maybe 30 percent. If you get 40 percent, you feel really excited that a lot of things are happening. In the Amrit study, in three months, every patient was showing a very significant, positive antioxidant effect.

Q: Every patient?

Dr. Sharma: Every patient. Which I’ve never seen really. You normally don’t get 100 percent results. This was 100 percent success. We published all that work. And during this work, we had a placebo group and a group which was taking Amrit. The problem which arose was that the placebo group found out that Amrit was very effective, then we couldn’t keep the placebo group. Because they will go and buy it themselves and start taking it! So, the participants acted as their own control in this study. We compared their oxidation of lipids before they started Amrit, to the results after they had been on Amrit. Now, coming to the dose of Amrit. There are two forms of Amrit. One is a tablet and one is paste. The name is the same — Amrit Kalash — but the two are not the same thing. They are mixtures of different herbs. We have used in our research the name MAK-4 for the paste (or Maharishi Amrit Kalash Nectar) and MAK-5 for the tablets (or Maharishi Amrit Kalash Ambrosia). And they are both very powerful.

Q: They’re different herbs literally?

Dr Sharma: They are different herbs. MAK5 (Ambrosia) is one mixture of herbs and MAK4 (Nectar) is a different mixture. The basic difference, apart from the herbs, the MAK4 also contains clarified butter (Ghee) and honey and whole cane sugar. And it’s a powerful mixture. The dose is one teaspoon twice a day for this paste. Some people like the taste and some people have trouble with the taste because of the herbs. But most people get used to it. To help with taking the paste, you can mix it with water or with juice or with milk or with tea or coffee or whatever. The dose of MAK-5 (Ambrosia) is one tablet twice a day.

When you’re looking for the results of taking Amrit, remember that it is not working on the level of the emotions, so you won’t feel any highs or lows or anything like that. We did a survey of 60 or 100 individuals who had been taking Amrit for more than six months. We also did blood tests to see if there were any toxic effects. We did not find any toxic effects. We did biochemical tests for the whole body — for the liver, for the pancreas, for the kidney — everything was normal. What we found very interesting was that those people who had been taking Amrit felt, in general, more healthy. And they did not get sick. Usually people get a cold, a cough, or a minor sickness here and there. They didn’t. Or if they did get something, they recovered from that illness very quickly. And they felt that, overall, their sense of well-being and health was much better.

And we know, from the research, that when you take Amrit, you help improve your immunity, you help improve your overall body functions, you help prevent cancer, and you help prevent heart disease. This we know from experiments we have conducted. Also, clinical studies on patients show that overall health is much better. So Amrit is really taken as an anti-aging agent. Amrit is not just vitamins, it’s not just minerals, it’s much more than that. So Amrit is not a kind of replacement for taking vitamins and minerals. It is something else which is needed in the highly stressful and highly polluted environment in which we live.

Q: Which is what we have in America.

Dr Sharma: That’s right.

Part Two of an Interview With Author of Freedm From Disease
Amrit, High Blood Lipids and High Cholesterol

This issue continues the interview of the herbal research pioneer and author of Freedom from Disease, Hari Sharma, M.D. (listed below as Dr. S)

Q: I’m so curious. When you discovered that Maharishi Amrit Kalash is a thousand times more powerful antioxidant than vitamins C or E, how did your colleagues at the Ohio State University College of Medicine respond to what is really a remarkable discovery?

Dr. Sharma: Well, we did this work when people were really not into free radicals or antioxidants. So we knew that we were way ahead of time and this thing is going to come out some time in the future. Now you hear about antioxidants, at that time when I was talking about antioxidants and free radicals scientists pooh-poohed it as not that important. Now you’re finding out it’s very important.

Q: You were truly ahead of your time.

Dr. Sharma: Yes. That’s what happened.

Q: You mentioned that Amrit contains ghee or clarified butter, as well as some sugar. Some Americans would find that confusing because they usually associate butter and sugar with disease, as opposed to promoting health. Can you explain that?

Dr. Sharma: Yes. That’s a very good question. Now, the ghee is clarified butter, so it is not seen as butter, because the way it is prepared — it’s a long process — but basically, you heat it and you filter it. The material which rises to the surface is discarded, so the rest of the material that is left is the ghee. Which, when you use these herbs with ghee, it facilitates the entrance of the herbs to the inside the cells. So activity is much more enhanced. And you’re not using a large amount of ghee, and we have tested that Amrit Kalash does not increase the cholesterol. It does not increase the blood lipid. So people should know, if this is one concern they have.

Q: What about the sugar in Amrit.

Dr. Sharma: The sugar is used so Amrit can remain at room temperature. You don’t have to refrigerate it. The second quality of sugar is that it acts as a carrier to help facilitate the assimilation of the herbs by the body. The sugar also acts as an antioxidant.

Q: Interesting.

Dr. Sharma: The only thing is, those who have diabetes should not take the paste because it contains the sugar. And for them, I think they have this preparation which is without sugar. The same formula but with no sugar which comes in capsules.

Q: Dr. Sharma, can you explain to our listeners exactly how Amrit can strengthen the immune system, and would Amrit, therefore be valuable for people who are simply interested in preventing the common cold from other who have AIDS and are looking for some other additional benefits?

Dr. Sharma: Yes. We did these tests on animals, and they were repeated in Kansas City and also Indiana and then also in, I think, Tokyo, Japan. So several studies have been done on immunity. With the immune system, we have cells and the plasma. Plasma contains the antibodies which are dissolved. Basically, what they found was that the capacity of the cells increases. So there’s immune enhancement between two to four times. And when the cells are stimulated by some foreign antigen or attacker, then the response is much more profound as compared to those who are not taking Amrit.

Q: And when you say much more profound, on what level of magnitude are we talking about?

Dr. Sharma: At least two to four times higher. But if you just count the immune cells in a person who is taking Amrit and one who is not taking Amrit, you won’t find any difference. But if the cells are challenged, then you find the difference. So they maintain normal status, but if something comes up, the person who is taking Amrit, his body reacts in a very strong way to prevent the attack of the foreign agents.

Q: Dr. Sharma, I’m amazed, how can one formula have all of these health benefits — on the heart, in preventing cancer, the effect of chemotherapy — how is that possible?

Dr. Sharma: That’s a very good question. This comes up from time to time. Remember when we talked about free radicals being involved in more than 90 percent of disorders, either initiating or promoting disease?

Q: Yes

Dr. Sharma: If we have something which can balance these free radicals, prevent the increased production of free radicals, then we should see beneficial effects in a large number of diseases. Now, when you test antioxidants, free radical negating effects of different herbs, most of the people, when they talk about effects, are talking about test tube results. We did the tests in the test tube, then we did the tests on animals, then we did the tests on the whole human body also. We did clinical research. We have tested the whole way through, from the very basic side all the way to the clinical side.

I think the basic underlying mechanism is preventing the increased production of free radicals. Because if you do that, you wipe out most of the problem—free radicals are involved in cancer, they’re involved with heart disease, they’re involved in chemotherapy, they’re involved in immunity. It is a very powerful common theme in all these areas, which is free radicals. But apart from that, I think it has other effects also, which have not been investigated yet.

Q: When we say that Amrit is a thousand times more powerful an antioxidant than vitamins C or E, can you clarify that? Are we talking about per unit of weight? Are we talking about compared to a standard does of vitamin C, say 1000 milligrams, or 400 units of vitamin E? In other words, what’s the comparison?

Dr. Sharma: Obviously these tests were in a test tube to test the antioxidant effect of Amrit and vitamin C, vitamin E and there were some pharmaceutical drugs also which were tested. And, finally, after testing, we dried each one of these mixtures to make a powder. And then took the weight. Then we compared weight to weight mixtures.

Q: I see. So it’s per unit of weight?

Dr. Sharma: Per unit of weight, that’s right. And per unit of weight, you take a very little amount of Amrit which will have such a powerful effect as compared to other things which are available.

Q: Fantastic. And of course, that’s a very practical measure because when people are taking, say, vitamin C or vitamin E tablets on a daily basis, they could be taking equal weight of the vitamin or an equal weight amount of Amrit Kalash and with Amrit be getting a thousand times more antioxidant power. But the question I have is, would you therefore recommend that people who are taking Amrit, that they no longer need to take any vitamins?

Dr. Sharma: No. Vitamins, in general, have some other role. So I cannot say that you should not take vitamins. But if you compare the activity of vitamin C or E as antioxidants, with Amrit — if you are taking those things as antioxidants, you don’t need to take them.

One other thing which we did not talk about is that antioxidant effects, fighting free radicals, occurs outside the cell and inside the cell. Now, inside the cell, you have to go through the cell membrane which is made of fat. But you would have to have a fat soluble mixture which can go inside. On the outside of the cell you need a water soluble mixture. So when you talk about vitamin C, it is only water soluble so it can only help with the free radicals which are outside the cell. And when you talk about vitamin E, it is only lipid soluble, fat soluble so it can only help with free radicals inside the cell. But the Amrit mixture has both antioxidants, both water soluable and lipid soluable. So it gives the total spectrum of antioxidant effect. It works outside the cell, it works inside the cell. That is why is has such wide-ranging effects.

Q: I understand that there are different classes of antioxidants, and that we can benefit from having a broad spectrum antioxidant. Is Amrit a broad spectrum antioxidant?

Dr. Sharma: Yes. It is the broadest spectrum antioxidant I know of. Because it works both on water soluable and lipid soluable. It’s very powerful because it’s a mixture of a large number of different bioflavenoids. These are the chemicals which are present in the plants.

Q: Excellent. With the kind of research that you’ve shown on Amrit Kalash — a thousand times more powerful as an antioxidant than vitamins C or E — have you been approached by the pharmaceutical companies? Because usually they’re looking for this kind of breakthrough product.

Dr. Sharma: You’re absolutely right. They are basically opposed to it. And the reason is because this kind of preparation they cannot patent, because it’s a natural preparation. They would like to really isolate the active ingredient. And there’s not a single active ingredient in Maharishi Amrit Kalash because it’s a mixture of different nutrients which are working in synergy. So you cannot really isolate one thing and use it. So basically, that’s why they really are not interested.

Initially, I tell you, about ten or fifteen years ago when people heard of Amrit at a conference, there were some specialists, some investigators from a major drug company. I’m not going to name it. And they were very excited. And I asked them, “You will be interested in research on this?” He said, “No, no, no. We are not interested in research. And as a matter of fact, if this thing becomes big, we’ll try to see that this thing is no good. Because if it really becomes a competitor, then we’ll try to fight it out. But I think times have changed.

Q: Hopefully. Hopefully, consciousness-based living is on the rise. Can you describe for us how Amrit Kalash is prepared? Because people have concerns sometimes, perhaps that India does not have state-of-the-art production methods in terms of how the herbs are cultivated and then refined and that the product is made with modern manufacturing standards.

Dr. Sharma: I think that’s a very good question. I’ve been there in the manufacturing plant where it is in India. And this area in India is an export zone. Whatever is being manufactured there goes outside the country. It is not consumed by the country. So there are very strictly monitored quality control measures there. And all these different herbs, when they’re collected, when they come into the manufacturing plant, each one is identified by a herbalist, by a botanist, to make sure this is the herb they are looking for, and it’s the proper part of the plant. If it’s not, it is discarded. The herbs are also tested for contamination by bacteria and heavy metals. Because if they find contamination, they discard it.

Then they are also tested by this HPLC chemical process to make sure the different chemicals are there in the herbs. When the herbs pass all these parameters, then they go through the process.

As far as the technology and equipment is concerned, they have state-of-the-art equipment. They imported the equipment from outside the country, and they manufacture under hygienic conditions and they have a very strict quality control. I know of different companies which are manufacturing ayurvedic mixtures, and I think the MAPI facilities are the best.

When it comes to the North American consumer, it’s tested again here in the US for heavy metals and bacterial contamination to make sure everything is proper. Otherwise it will not pass, even, through the FDA and the customs department. And then it is of course distributed here by MAPI.

Q: Magic wand for the moment. If every person in America was taking Amrit on a daily basis, what kind of changes would we see in American health care?

Dr. Sharma: I think you would see a tremendous change. However, f you really wanted to see a change in health, we would have to do more than just take Amrit.

Q: Of course.

Dr. Sharma: We would need to also change our behavior. We would need to do something for the mind also — like meditation for which I think Transcendental Meditation is very good. But Amrit alone will change a lot for the health of the people who take it. Because it has a lot of good qualities in a variety of different areas.

Q: That’s great. And what has been the history of Amrit? Were there people who lived into their hundreds practicing meditation and taking Amrit on a daily basis?

Dr. Sharma: Yes. Those who did really all these things, they lived a long life. But at the same time, people say, you go to India, people are dropping dead all the time. The thing is they are not practicing these things in every day India. So you cannot hold India up as an example of these things because unless people practice authentic, ayurveda they cannot reap the benefits.

Q: That’s really an important distinction because you’re quite right. Americans look over at India and they say, “But aren’t these people doing the ayurvedic practices that are being talked about?” And what you’re saying is that, to a very large degree, they are not?

Dr. Sharma: They’re not.

Q: Right. And that this knowledge of Ayurveda has really only recently come back into its wholeness and its purity.

Dr. Sharma: That’s right. It is very important to really give out this knowledge to as large a number of people as possible so they know what is available. If they don’t know, they’re missing the whole thing.

Q: Dr Sharma, you grew up in India and I understand that you had your training in western medicine. But as a child, did you show any interest in ayurveda? and the ayurveda that you were exposed to, is this the ayurveda that now is becoming so popular in this country?

Dr. Sharma: It’s a very interesting thing. When I was growing up, I was really taken over by the western medical system. And that was my total education. And I was introduced to ayurveda because ayurvedic physicians are all over India. My father-in-law was an ayurvedic physician. And when I was in medical school, he tried to teach me, but I sort of ignored it. So I didn’t learn anything.

And it’s only after I came in contact with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, founder of the Transcendental Meditation program, that I learned a lot about ayurveda and vedic medicine. Then I did a lot of research. The effect is total transformation. Now, I’ve given up allopathic (Western) medicine completely. I was learning all those things at Ohio State and gave it up. So I took early retirement to do work full-time in ayurvedic medicine.

Q: And so you’re now continuing to explore, both personally and professionally, ayurvedic medicine.

Dr. Sharma: Yes

Q: Wonderful. Very exciting. Hopefully that will be the future of medicine in America, that more and more allopathic physicians get training in ayurvedic medicine.

Dr. Sharma: I hope so.

Q: When you give lectures are people in North America really interested in this knowledge?

Dr. Sharma: The interest in ayurveda is really rising. I mean, all the conferences I’m involved in giving, and there are more and more people coming to those conferences, more physicians and more interest.

Q: When you address physician groups across the country and let them know about the research on Amrit, how do they respond? Are they interested? Are they excited? Do they want to see their patients, whose health they are charged with, taking Amrit on a daily basis? What’s the pulse of the medical profession?

Dr. Sharma: They want to know where they can get it.

Q: Great

Dr. Sharma:
The one thing is they want to get it for their family, and then comes the patients. I think, when the knowledge is there, and they know the importance and the scientific basis, they want to have it, and they want to give it to their patients too.

Q: How many people in the United Sates, do you estimate, are currently taking Amrit Kalash on a daily basis?

Dr. Sharma: To tell you the truth, I have absolutely no idea.
Q:
Because it’d be fascinating to compare that group over time, a kind of Framingham study, to controls of the same age, and follow the morbidity and mortality.

Dr. Sharma: That would be a fascinating study. But a long term study like that is quite expensive.

Q: I’m trying to picture your days at the Ohio State College of Medicine. I know how conservative that medical schools and medical universities can be, and here you are, a professor of pathology and director of cancer prevention, and you say that you want to start researching Maharishi Amrit Kalash. That must have raised a few eyebrows. Did you get much resistance to your research proposals?

Dr. Sharma: I think, in general, there was resistance not only at Ohio State, but at every other place. But I must say that Ohio State left me alone because I was interested in investigating. And if you’re investigating something, they don’t really concern themselves with what you’re doing as far as the research. But the other researchers, they were talking behind my back that he’s gone off the deep end. He has done all this work for all of his life, he has a nice career, and now he’s working on this. They were concerned and they were sort of laughing behind my back. But when the results started coming, very good results, then they stopped talking behind my back. And when the results got published, then they wanted to join the team.

Now, the publication of this material was not easy, I can tell you that. When the results came out, I had to literally pick up the phone and fight with the editors because they were not prepared to publish it. The first thing was, “Well, it’s not allopathic medicine. It’s herbal medicine. This is not in our field, so we cannot publish it. So it took some time, after fighting, that these things got published. The same thing happened with presentations also. And now you have all these alternative medicine journals and all that. So a lot of things have changed. But it was, initially, not an easy thing to do research in herbal mixtures. And, even if you find something, it was not easy to get it published.

Q: Right. Well, on behalf of American medicine and the general public, I thank you for persisting because, really, you set the standard no only for researching ayurvedic medicine, but also, really, ushering in the herbal medicine revolution in this country. And it’s easy to forget how way out there you must have been perceived in coming up with such a radical answer to free radicals.

Dr. Sharma: Thank you.

Q: Let me have you step back for a moment and perhaps you and I can dialogue about where the future of medicine is going. You know, what we hear about is still mainly in terms of high-tech, the gene-nome project, organ transplantation, but what do you see as the future of medicine, and where we can be in the next century, in the new millennium?

Dr. Sharma: I think where medicine is really going to go forward now is in those areas it is receiving pressure from the consumers. And consumers are basically not very happy with what is going on. I know it’s high-tech medicine and there are a lot of pharmaceuticals, but the outcome is results. And the results show the diseases which were really giving a lot of trouble before, are still there. Also, many of the pharmaceuticals cause other problems. And the only way to come out of this rut, in my opinion, is to have a medicine based on consciousness. If the underlying mechanism is based on consciousness, from which everything comes out, and if we have that knowledge and then introduce that knowledge into the medical system. That is the future of medicine. And slowly but surely, I think it will get incorporated. I mean, in your field, you know psychiatry has changed, and more and more people are now interested in mind-body medicine. More people are jumping into this.

Q: You know, it’s interesting. Most of the potent medicines that we had even in the allopathic tradition are plant-derived, whether we’re talking about aspirin which comes from the bark of the white willow tree, or penicillin which is mold, a primitive plant-like structure, or digitalis, digoxins are coming from the foxglove plant, tomoxifen coming from a tree in the great northwest. Plants have always been a significant source of healing. And, certainly, 80 percent of the world still relies on herbal products for healing disease.

It seems new to most Americans because we have been sold such a bill of goods by the pharmaceutical companies who have been looking to isolate magic bullets, so to speak. But the future of medicine, I think, is going to come back to a realignment with Mother Nature once again, including our diets having less fat, highly processed foods, and more fruits and vegetables. And ayurvedic tradition pays a great deal of attention to various spices and foods that are important with the change of seasons and with optimizing health.

And the other shift I think we’re going to see in the medicine of the millennium is the medicine of optimum health. How do we recreate individuals who can live at their full human potential? And I certainly have been excited for the last 30 years about the research on the Transcendental Meditation technique, which has been researched in over 600 universities around the world in over 26 countries. And with research and science, the Scientific American, the American Journal of Physiology, showing that it produces a very unique state of restful alertness, a state of consciousness, transcendental consciousness that has profound health benefits. And we will see more and more Americans looking to practice transcendental meditation on a twice daily basis, turning to ayurvedic medicine, to help them stay in an optimal state of well-being so they will need less medical care during their lifetime.

Dr. Sharma: Very nicely put. I totally agree with you.

Q: It’s been my great pleasure to have as our guest today Dr. Hari Sharma, a professor emeritus at the Ohio State University College of Medicine, a professor of pathology and former director of the cancer prevention and natural products research, who has been one of the leading scientists and researchers of the herbal medicine revolution.

Vasant Lad Interview by David Crow & Julie Deife

Dr. Lad is the single most influential figure for Ayurveda in the western world. In this video he is interviewed by Floracopeia founder and master herbalist, David Crow.

Sitting Down With Dr. Vasant Lad

Dr. Vasant Lad, M.A.Sc., is one of the world’ foremost experts in Ayurveda. He holds a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine & Surgery (B.A.M.S.), a Master of Ayurvedic Science (M.A.Sc.) and his academic and practical training includes the study of allopathic medicine (Western Medicine). In the U.S., he is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at the Ayurvedic Institute, which he founded in 1984. Julie Deife spoke with him there.

By Julie Deife
Julie: When does the soul enter the fetus?

Dr. Lad: According to some Vedic traditions, right at the time of fertilization. The moment the male seed, the sperm, and female egg, the ovum, meet. It is called kalala and love is the foundation. That is one school of thought. Another school of thought says that when the fertilized egg undergoes mitotic division. And one school of thought says that the moment the heart is formed, and that period is the third to fourth month. These schools of thought are there and they speak that we carry parents’ VPK (vata pitta kapha) factor.

Julie: What determines the child’s VPK?

Dr. Lad: Mother’s VPK factor and father’s VPK factor and their diet, their seasonal changes, their lifestyle and their emotional patterns. If the father has high pitta and the mother has high kapha, then these two factors will unite to create kapha pitta constitution into the baby. But even when parents have three kids, the three kids will be three individuals, three personalities, three prakrutis because time of conception is different, season of conception is different and the parents who are making love at that time, what was the mental status of their mind? That is also taking part in creation of prakruti, which is constitution.

Julie: Do the karmic properties of the parents influence the prakruti of the fetus?

Dr. Lad: Every soul chooses his or her parents through his own karmic factors. That is called Sanchit karma, the accumulated karma within the astral body. We attract such parents who are karmically connected and the parents’ karma also attracts that soul that is karmically connected to them.

Julie: Has the discovery of the structure of DNA influenced Ayurvedic medicine?

Dr. Lad: No. Even vata pitta kapha has qualities, has energies in the RNA/DNA molecules. We carry cellular memory of our parents and grandparents in us. This memory is recorded into the kapha part of the cell. Intelligence is the pitta part and the vital breath the cell is breathing, that is prana, the vata. So even though there is discovery of DNA, it doesn’t effect Ayurvedic principles because Ayurvedic principles of vata pitta kapha are subtler than RNA/DNA molecules.

Julie: How does Ayurveda see depression?

Dr. Lad: Depression is not a disease, it is just a symptom of some underlying doshic imbalance. And Ayurveda looks at depression according to doshic type.

Depression could be treated like vata type, pitta type, kapha type. Ayurveda says that vata is related to fear, anxiety, loneliness and nervousness. Pitta is anger, aggression, competitiveness and violence. And kapha is rather slow, sluggish, detached. So if we look at vata depression, just like a breeze, it comes and it goes. Nervousness makes the person, even normal person feel depressed. But vata depression, during that phase, the person is agitated and angry, dry tongue, dehydration, little thirst, insecurity and when that is gone, the depression is gone.

Pitta depression is dangerous, because pitta people are very aggressive, competitive, they are always right and they want to be successful and they are always successful, seeking success, and a man of success always carries fear of failure. If a pitta person fails in the business, fails in his image, he becomes upset, he becomes self-judgmental, and then anger comes towards oneself and then he can get thoughts of committing suicide. Such a serious type of chemical depression is a pitta type of depression. It is worthless to live like that, without self-esteem, without self pride.

And kapha depression is rather romantic, sweet depression – when they are depressed they can eat chocolate, and food is a substitute for their depression and they become chubby and obese. We can eradicate the patterns of depression, but Ayurveda is not a quick fix, it takes time.

Julie: In America we often use Prozac and other drugs for depression.

Dr. Lad: It doesn’t go to the root, it is just playing with the branches and leaves and they don’t attack the root cause.

Julie: If I came to you with pitta depression what could I expect?

Dr. Lad: If such a person comes to me, Ayurveda will feel the doshas through the pulse and through tongue and eye examination. Don’t eat hot, spicy food, don’t eat sour or citrus food, follow pitta soothing diet, and then we’ll give pitta soothing herbs. Once we have established the balance between vata pitta kapha, amazing changes will happen. The fellow will become mellow.

Julie: Are organ transplants an Ayurvedic solution?

Dr. Lad: No. The organ transplant concept was not in Ayurveda. If you transplant the organ you are taking the karma of that person, right? And you also do not know whether that person was vata pitta kapha. Suppose a pitta person’s kidneys are given to the vata person? Ayurveda says, why not rejuvenate the organ? But people don’t have patience. People want instant coffee and instant result. And Ayurveda is not a quick fix.

Julie: What about cloning?

Dr. Lad: It is inappropriate for that sort of thing. Our life is a unique phenomenon. Our parents karma, our own karma, and also, life has a purpose – the purpose of life is self-realization. To know oneself as well. In all these artificial means of cloning, we are interfering with the law of karma.

Julie: What does Ayurveda say about Alzheimer’s?

Dr. Lad: Alzheimer’s is kapha blocking vata, so that athersclerotic changes in the cerebral arteries create vata aggravation and vata dries up the brain cells. It will take time for rejuvenation, but Alzheimer’s can be effectively treated with Ayurvedic management of treating the vata dosha, and rejuvenation of the tissue will give quite excellent results. If it is very serious and most of the brain cells are dead, nothing can be done.

Julie: In your most recent book, The Textbook of Ayurveda, you state that Ayurveda uses ordinary perception and extraordinary perception as diagnostic tools. Ordinary perception is experienced by a direct perception through the senses, and ‘extraordinary perception through association and intuition is developed through persistent yogic and Ayurvedic practice and daily observation.’ Would you explain this, please?

Dr. Lad: I am looking at you. This is ordinary perception, how I look at you. Am I judging you? Am I criticizing you? When I look at an object, I become the observer and the object becomes the observed. Observer/observed division in perception is ordinary perception. When I look at something, something goes out of my eyes, that is my attention.

At the same time I look at the client, I look within. Then observer and observed, both are observed. As you are watching, at the same time watch the watcher and when you watch the watcher and the watcher becomes watched, you will have extraordinary perception. Through that total perception, you know what is going on.

Julie: What is intuition?

Dr. Lad: Intuition is insight and insight is inner light, and inner light is the light of attention, the flame of attention. Not to get lost in the object. Hmm? Intuition is there in the heart of every person. Every person is born with it.

Julie: You are also an artist, and as such, would you say that one’s understanding of Ayurveda is facilitated by right hemisphere activity – the practice of visualizing and conceptualizing and synthesizing holistically?

Dr. Lad: Ayurveda is also art. Art of reading pulse, art of looking into the eyes. Art of listening to the heart sound. And art means to put everything in its right place. That is the definition of art. Ayurveda is art and science. Ayurveda is poetry. Poetry is an art. Ayurveda is logical. Logic is science. And you will see in Ayurveda there is a beautiful balance between logic and art. So right hemisphere is art, intuition. Left hemisphere is logic, science. When they both are balanced the third brain (diencephalon), the primordial brain, awakes and that is the ground of Ayurveda.

Julie: You say the seed of the mind is in the heart.

Dr. Lad: Heart means not physical heart. Heart means the seed of consciousness.

Julie: What is the difference between awareness and consciousness?

Dr. Lad: In true awareness, you are not aware that you are aware. The moment you are aware that you are aware, the awareness is released into consciousness. Consciousness is nothing but having boundaries, and consciousness contains thoughts, feelings, emotion and memory. These are the content of consciousness and if you empty the consciousness, it becomes awareness. It loses its boundary. It loses its structure.

Julie: What do you make of research that’s being conducted hoping to prove benefits of yoga and
meditation?

Dr. Lad: Even in India there has been research and many researchers are qualified medical doctors. They took EEG before meditation and after meditation they took EEG. Before meditation they took blood profile, after meditation they took blood profile, then they do breathing pattern, blood pressure, electro cardiogram.

There are some alpha waves and beta waves, and electroencephalogram shows slower pattern and there is more carbon dioxide in the blood. They come up with some positive, concrete results and then they conclude that meditation is a good stress management program.

That’s very good. Then meditation can reduce the blood pressure, which is very good, then meditation increases carbon dioxide in the blood so the meditation trains the brain cells to live, to survive, to hibernate even if there is no oxygen. That’s why yogis stay in samadhi. So this is good to do research so that will make the pitta mind, the scientific mind, happy and they will think that, oh, well, this meditation does wonderful stress management. I think it is good to do research based upon this modern technology.

Julie: Would you say that students of yoga should study Ayurveda?

Dr. Lad: Yoga and Ayurveda are ancient branches of healing. Since thousands and thousands of years in India, the land of the Vedas, the land of yoga and Ayurveda, they are absolutely together, no separation. It is very important for the yoga person to learn Ayurveda because in Ayurveda it is said that certain asanas are not good for pitta people. Certain asanas are not good for vata people. For example, headstand, shoulder stand and inverted positions are not good for pitta people.

What I say is a yogi without Ayurveda is half a yogi. And an Ayurvedic physician without yoga is half a physician. The Ayurvedic physician must know yoga and yogic person must know Ayurveda because these are two sides of the same coin.

Julie: How much time should a person plan to take for their first panchakarma treatments?

Dr. Lad: Ayurveda is flexible. In the West, people, the lifestyle is so busy, to have five days from their busy schedule is quite difficult. So if they come for five days and do panchakarma, they feel much better. We should slowly, with great compassion, make people aware of the value of Ayurveda, which works, rather than having strict rigidity.

Julie: What about ‘quickie’ shirodhara treatments becoming so popular?

Dr. Lad: That’s fine too. You know, Ayurveda should be done at airports also. There should be one little place where people traveling a long distance have massage and a nice hot shower and shirodhara. It will definitely do wonderful jetlag management.

Julie: What would you like to share in closing?

Dr. Lad: Ayurveda is for those people who are seriously seeking a longevity of life and really want to heal their relationships, who want to change their way of life, the way they eat, the way they respond.

Ayurveda is not only a medical science, it is a science of life, it is the art of living life, moment to moment, in harmony with the nature, so that Ayurveda will make the life whole. And such a whole person is holy. So Ayurveda truly brings that holiness in the life of the individual.

Julie: Thank you for your time.

American Veda by Philip Goldberg

By Philip Goldberg

Foreword by Huston Smith

“An illuminating, gracefully written, and remarkably thorough account of India’s spectacular impact on Western religion and spirituality.”

—Deepak Chopra

“American Veda shows us how we got to where we are. It chronicles a revolution in consciousness and describes India’s lasting influence on our culture, from gurus, meditation, and yoga to sitar music and aromatic curries. Savor it.”

—Michael Bernard Beckwith, author of Spiritual Liberation: Fulfilling Your Soul’s Potential

In February 1968 the Beatles went to India for an extended stay with their new guru, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. It may have been the most momentous spiritual retreat since Jesus spent those forty days in the wilderness. The media frenzy over the Fab Four made known to the sleek, sophisticated West that meek, mysterious India had something of value. Our understanding and practice of spirituality would never be the same.
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With these words Philip Goldberg begins his monumental work, American Veda: From Emerson and the Beatles to Yoga and Meditation, How Indian Spirituality Changed the West (Harmony Books; Hardcover; November 2, 2010), a fascinating look at India’s remarkable impact on Western culture, with a foreword by Huston Smith. Goldberg’s eye-opening chronicle shows how the ancient philosophy of Vedanta and the mind-body methods of Yoga have profoundly influenced the nation, producing a radical shift in the worldview of millions.
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What exploded in the 1960s actually began more than two hundred years earlier, when the United States started importing knowledge as well as tangy spices and colorful fabrics from Asia. The first translations of Hindu texts found their way into the libraries of John Adams and Ralph Waldo Emerson. From there the ideas spread to Henry David Thoreau, Walt Whitman, and succeeding generations of receptive Americans, who absorbed India’s “science of consciousness” and wove it into the fabric of their lives.

Charismatic teachers like Swami Vivekananda and Paramahansa Yogananda came west in waves, prompting leading intellectuals, artists, and scientists such as Aldous Huxley, Joseph Campbell, Allen Ginsberg, J. D. Salinger, John Coltrane, Dean Ornish, and Richard Alpert to adapt and disseminate what they learned from them. The impact has been enormous, enlarging our current understanding of the mind and body and dramatically changing how we view ourselves and our place in the cosmos.

With fascinating stories of key players and the times they lived in, Goldberg paints a compelling picture of this remarkable East-to-West transmission, showing how it accelerated through the decades and eventually moved from the counterculture into our laboratories, libraries, and living rooms. Now physicians and therapists routinely recommend meditation, words like karma and mantra are part of our everyday vocabulary, and Yoga studios are as ubiquitous as Starbucks cafés. The insights of India’s sages permeate so much of what we think, believe, and do that they have redefined the meaning of life for millions of Americans—and continue to do so every day.

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In 2009, Newsweek ran a provocative essay titled “We Are All Hindus Now.” American Veda tells exactly why and how that came to be. It is not only the very first popular history of Indian religion and philosophy in America, it is a stirring tribute to India, whose ancient traditions continue to influence our everyday lives.

About the Author

PHILIP GOLDBERG is the author or coauthor of nineteen books, including Roadsigns: On the Spiritual Path and The Intuitive Edge. Based in Los Angeles, he is an ordained interfaith minister, a public speaker and seminar leader, and the founder of Spiritual Wellness and Healing Associates. He is director of outreach for SpiritualCitizens.net and blogs regularly on religion for the Huffington Post. Visit www.philipgoldberg.com or www.americanveda.com for more information.