As a society we should think if we really understand ourselves

We live in a time when the health of all human beings is at stake. In the attempt to solve seemingly grave problems, institutions have gone to the extent of creating the human genome project, with the hope to alter the fundamentals of health. As a society we should ask the question, ‘Do we really understand the human being and how we work?’ It is a subject that deserves deep discussion. 

Let us begin this discussion with a prayer to Aum, the Universal Harmonizer, then to the Universal Master, and to Shree Dhanvantari, the embodiment, or the DNA, of Ayurveda.

Aum Swarupaya Namaha
Aum Shree Sadgurave Namaha
Aum Shree Dhavantareya Namaha

Ayurveda has become increasingly popular. Unfortunately, due to competition and under the excuse of Ayurveda not conforming to limited modern clinical methods, many developed economies have resistance to Ayurveda. But eventually, resisting is like asking people not to breathe. If vested interests ask us to stop taking in oxygen, are we going to comply? Ayurveda is natural, and even without lobbying or promotion, people all over the world have begun to adopt its principles.

A modern definition of health is the absence of disease, or at least the absence of symptoms of disease. The definition of health in Ayurveda is much deeper. It speaks of ever-increasing health —strong body and sound mind— to enjoy life and see beauty everywhere in our world. Ayurveda defines health as ‘santulan’ or balance. Balance between what? Between the individual’s inner experience and the outside world, between body, mind and spirit, between man and society. It is described in the following verse…

Sama-doshaha sama-agnischa sama-dhatuhu mala-kriyaha
Prasanna-atmendriya-manaha svastha ityabhidhiyate…
Shushrut Samhita

Health is the balance of variations or doshas. The first is Vata or ‘movement’. The next is ‘Agni’ or the fire of transformation. The third is ‘Kapha’ i.e. solidity or gravity. 

There are seven basic body constituents called ‘dhatu’ in Ayurveda —chyme (rasa), blood (rakta), flesh (maunsa), fat (meda), bones (asthi), bone marrow (majja) and life-energy fluid (veerya). As part of good health, it is expected that the individual should always remain aware with full control over actions, which should be in sync with the outer environment. This is the only way to create happiness. Thus, the atman, mind and all the seven dhatus need to be in a balanced state. 

Agni is like the main digestive fire and hormonal system, with many small manifestations. It acts at every level of dhatu, transforming one to the next. Dhatus should remain full of vitality and in proper proportion to each other. Agni also includes hormonal systems that transform material into non-matrial or connect material to mind and finally transfer experience to the soul or the atman — the individual within.

The verse mentions balanced excretory functions (mala) i.e. efficient and regular. Next, the five senses and the five organs of action should all work well. The controller of the senses, the mind, should be in a state of contentment for this to occur. This leads to satisfaction at all three levels — physical, mental and spiritual. 

This high goal is ‘good health’ according to Ayurveda. Often, when a sickness is defined only by symptoms the efforts of cure only remove the symptoms. If the fundamental disease remains, then merely being symptom-free does not allow a person to enjoy this world fully.

We need to attain joy, satisfaction and fearlessness. These are concepts rather than measurable material. They are programs. When they come into association with material they express in various ways — in our personalities and the way the human being works. Our DNA is our program expressed. Human DNA is compacted chromosome material in a spiral form. It resembles the shape or vibration of Aum, a double helix. Chromosomes have strands which are reflexive of atmospheric waves, mainly light. The dot or bindu provided additionally in Aum is the program through sound waves. DNA is programmable. The human body is hardware for this program. Ayurveda is based on improving our hardware systems as well as its programming.

The analogy of computers is easy to understand. All hardware needs programs and software to function. Every hardware will ‘behave’ accordingly and ‘express’ each software slightly differently, depending on its speed and other capabilities. Even our DNA is like that. It is composed of sugars and phosphates etc. but it also has a program that is conceptual and expresses in material as different shapes, qualities and lifestyle needs. Ayurveda includes these concepts right at diagnosis — leading to individually customised solutions.

If modern science wants to help human beings solve fundamental problems, it must soon widen its boundaries and recognise the conceptual and spiritual aspects of life. One can no longer treat the human being without taking the individual and the collective programs into consideration.  In this column, DNA has chosen to give importance to this subject and be a flag-bearer of progressive thinking, shunning useless prejudices. Week on week, we will attempt to understand ourselves fundamentally. We aim to touch upon deep questions, help readers voice their dilemmas and raise positive curiosities regarding the human condition or ‘program’, and we invite you to join us on this journey called ‘the DNA of Ayurveda’.

The author is an authority on Ayurveda and spiritual science and is founder of Atmasantulana Village, a world-renowned holistic healing centre. If you have any query then email it to us.