Two significant Asian medical systems, Ayurvedic Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM), are gaining immense recognition, as the rising tendency shows amongst Western medicine. For a long time, seen from a scientific aspect, this two medical systems were viewed with suspicion and were pushed to the corner of esoteric. Since these two above mentioned Asian medical systems have found their position in the field of science and medicine as something serious; the point of view is shifting amongst the so called conservative oriented western school of medicine.
The essence of the two systems emphasises the individual human being as central; seen as a complete integral part of a cosmos; with its unique capacity of thought, feeling and action. All aspects of the individium as a whole are considered in these two healing methods. The interest in alternative healing methods is gaining momentum as the dissatisfaction and helplessness is increasingly rising due to the atomisation, specialised methods of western medicine; where parts and not the whole ailment are treated.
One learns to appreciate alternative healing methods if one has gone through the experience of western specialised medicine where one is sent from one specialist to another; and has become a cog in the wheel in this system and is trying to find the red tape of orientation. Very often a patient turns to other healing methods out of sheer disorientation, lost in the maze of specialists, unable to grasp the root of a disease where parts of an ailment are analysed and not the entire symptom.
Many patients wish for a holistic medical system but are very often disappointed in the world of specialised oriented medical systems. In 1933, A.Stacher had formulated what is to be understood in a holistic medical system:
The basic axiom of a scientific oriented systemanalysis, makes use of certain methodical analytical systems for the benefits of therapeutic results; and having the unusual assignment of dealing with diagonistic dates occupied with biocybernetic and systemanalytical methods.
Meanwhile 80 different specialised medical systems are disciplinary well advanced but nonetheless deficient; in that the cognitive integration and synthesis of specialists are not optimally well coordinated.
The Asian holistic medical systems could help us to overcome this gap or shortcoming. In a very special way Ayurveda can be applied to erase this deficit. Since there are ample historical source material on Ayurveda available one can turn to this for information. To understand Ayurveda one must delve in the fundamental philosophical structures of this system .
The approach to disease, seen from the perspective of Ayurveda is to grasp the reason for disbalance which crops from false notions resulting in wrong course of actions. This disorder is prompted by restless anxiety oriented disturbances causing disharmony within the body, mind and soul resulting in illness of various nature. The active fashioning of one’s life style, which today one can term as wellness, in conjunction with different influences and mental perception is the key figure towards a healthy condition or well being.
The wisdom of Ayurvedic knowledge initiates the path for the maintenance of a balanced harmonious life: for those who are healthy in that certain behaviourial regulations of well being and health are meticulously followed; for those who are ill that the disease is pacified with accuracy, precision and gentle care.
Thus behaviourial pattern and accurate understanding of an individual being viewed as a whole, as a complete entity incorporating body, mind soul is the basic foothold of Ayurvedic healing method. Not to see the disease as a separate block but to understand the nature of the illness; the nature of the person and the relation of nature/surrounding as a larger extension of the human being. Human existence as a harmonious balance in tune with the universe.
An integral part of the elements air, earth, fire, water and ether, a microcosm in the macrocosm.
Translated by Paramita Lahiri
Source: Raimund Mueller
