Health Healing Publications, 1994). The formula
for the flush consists of ascorbate vitamin C or
Ester powder with bioflavonoids, one-half tea-
spoon taken every 20 minutes to bowel tolerance
(diarrhea results). Then reduce the amount taken
to just below bowel tolerance until the stool is
loose, but not diarrhea (which, medically, is con-
sidered to be watery). Continue for two days.
See also COLONICS.
ashtanga A school of yoga.
See also YOGA.
Association for Integrative Medicine (AIM) See
Appendix I.
asthi Bone, one of the seven dhatus(basic vital
tissues of the body) in Ayurvedic medicine.
See also AYURVEDA.
Aston-Patterning A type of bodywork, move-
ment training, and massage geared to relieving
muscle tension, pain, and stress and promoting
healing from injuries. Developed by the dancer
Judith Aston, who recovered from injuries sus-
tained in two automobile accidents, Aston-Pattern-
ing is an extension of the deep massage therapy
known as Rolfing. Specific techniques include “arc-
ing,” or the flexion and extension of the entire
body, and “spiraling,” which is geared toward
relaxation of painful muscles and joints, as well as
other movements and exercise drills. Aston-Pat-
terning practitioners may also suggest that an indi-
vidual make ergonomic changes in the home and
workplace in order to increase comfort and relieve
unconscious stress.
Although the goals of Aston-Patterning are to
reduce stress, speed recovery from injury, and
improve muscle tone, lightness of movement, and
resiliency of the joints, it may not be recommended
for those with osteoporosis, carpal tunnel syndrome,
any disorder characterized by brittle bones, a bleed-
ing disorder, or cardiac, circulatory, or respiratory
problems. Nor is it recommended for those on long-
term steroid or anticoagulant therapy. Some other-
wise healthy people may experience fatigue and
pain from the intense sessions or be emotionally
resistant to the training. A competent practitioner
can adjust the massage and exercises according to
the age and physical status of each client.
The Aston Training Center may be contacted at
P.O. Box 3568, Inclined Village, NV 89450, or at
702-831-8228.
See also ROLFING.Aston Training Center See Appendix I; ASTON-
PATTERNING.astringent A drying agent that reduces secretion
of discharges from bodily tissues. Some of the
major astringents are metal salts, such as ferric
chloride, ferrous sulfate, and zinc oxide; alum; per-
manganates; and tannic acid. Stypsisis the Greek
word meaning to “use an astringent,” particularly
to stop bleeding. In Ayurvedic medicine, astrin-
gency corresponds to one of the taste sensations;
adding an astringent to a food creates a contraction
that can have an effect upon hemorrhaging blood
vessels or help dispel diarrhea.
See also AYURVEDA.athma In Ayurvedic medicine, the soul or unique
spirit that exists in the body and, after death, goes
to another physical body.
See also AYURVEDA.attunement An aspect of Reiki training, often
called Reiki initiation, in which students are cere-
monially brought into harmony, awareness, and
responsiveness with the principles and techniques
of Reiki practice.
See also REIKI.aura From the Latin word meaning “breeze of
puff of air,” and perhaps derived from the Greek aer
(air), a feeling one may get from a scent or any sen-
sory stimulus, a feeling of a particular ambiance or
atmosphere in a place, or a sensation that warns of
or signals the exacerbation of a physical problem,
such as a migraine or an epileptic seizure. Sensory
hallucinations may accompany an aura in paroxys-
mal attacks; for example, the Dutch artist Vincent
van Gogh was said to suffer from epilepsy or some
sort of seizure disorder (which could have been
linked to substance addiction and other problems),
and he remembered after an attack was over thataura 11