Colours have particular properties:- Red is stimulating and warming (kapha).
- Orange is also warming; it gives energy and strength and is stimulating
(kapha). - Yellow relieves excess vataand kapha.
- Gold is a warming colour beneficial to vataand kapha.
- Silver is cooling and soothes pitta.
Treatment with precious and semiprecious stones
Gems are thought to have healing properties that can be harnessed by
wearing them as jewellery or by placing them in a suitable liquid overnight
and drinking the solution. It is believed that gems absorb the vitality of their
owners, e.g.:
- Diamond strengthens immunity.
- Pearls have a cooling effect on wakening.
- Ruby strengthens concentration.
- Sapphire (blue) calms vataand kaphaand stimulates pitta.
Treatment with meditation
Meditation, the art of bringing harmony to body, mind and consciousness, is
used to soothe the body and reduce stress. Meditation is not concentration,
quite the opposite. There should be no conscious effort – the mind should be
allowed to relax completely (‘float’) as one listens to every sound.
Treatment with yoga
This is believed to calm the nervous system and balance the body, mind and
spirit, as well as provide exercise. It is thought by its practitioners to prevent
specific diseases and maladies by keeping the energy meridians open and
maintaining life energy
Treatment with surgery
The father of Indian surgery is said to be Sushruta.^11 Controversy exists
about the time when Sushruta lived, with estimates ranging from 1000 BCto
the tenth century AD. Sushruta compiled his knowledge as the Sushruta
Samhita(Sushruta’s compendium). The book provides minute details of
preoperative and postoperative care as well as other aspects of ayurvedic
practice. Sushruta described surgery under eight headings:
- Incision (bhedana)
- Excision (chedana)
- Scarification (lekhana)
- Puncturing (vedhya)
208 | Traditional medicine