Handbook of Psychology

Eastern Systems of Healing 595

determine the effectiveness of chiropractic manipulations in
these populations.

EASTERN SYSTEMS OF HEALING

Ayurveda

Ayurveda, a Sanskrit word meaning •the science of life and
longevity,Ž is a major health system developed in India more
than 5,000 years ago that emphasizes a preventive approach
to health by focusing on an inner state of harmony and
spiritual realization for self-healing. It focuses on the whole
organism and its relation to the external world because human
beings are viewed as minute representations of the universe
and contain within them everything that makes up the sur-
rounding world. The cosmos is believed to be composed of
“ve basic elements (earth, air, “re, water, and space), which
occur as the three doshas (vata, pitta,andkapha), or the basic
bodily and mental human energy forces (Micozzi, 1996).
Most people possess a combination of doshas, in which one
dosha predominates. When the three doshas are in equilib-
rium, health is said to be maintained. When an imbalance
occurs among them, body dysfunctions that lead to the mani-
festation of disease exist. The cause of the imbalance may
originate in the body, outside the body, or from spiritual
sources.
In addition to the doshas, Ayurveda principles indicate that
an individual is in”uenced by three mental states based on the
qualities of balance, energy, and inertia (Micozzi, 1996). The
mind is said to be in equilibrium when it is in the state of bal-
ance. The mind is excessively active when it is in a state of
energy and is inactive when it is in a state of inertia, with both
states causing weakness in equilibrium. Hence, the body and
the mind can interact to create a healthy and functional, or
unhealthy and nonfunctional, condition. During the assess-
ment phase, the Ayurvedic physician determines both the
mental and physical conditions of the patient before proceed-
ing with any form of diagnosis and treatment. Treatment aims
to restore the balance of the doshas or to maintain the proper
balance of energy ”ow (prana;C. M. Nezu et al., 2000). This
can be achieved through a variety of methods such as medi-
tation, exercise, diet, herbs, aromatherapy, oil massages,
yoga, and medicated enemas (Spencer & Jacobs, 1999), with
a main focus on lifestyle changes.
Although a centuries-old healing phenomena, Ayurveda
was revived in recent decades by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
This speci“c reformulation of Ayurveda is known as
Maharishi Ayurveda (MAV). •MAV promotes the idea of

consciousness as a primary importance in maintaining opti-

mal health, and emphasizes meditation techniques as a way

to develop integrated holistic functioning,Ž according to

Micozzi (1996, p. 243). The fundamental principles of MAV

are similar to those of traditional Ayurveda. However, the

ultimate basis of disease in MAV is associated with losing a

person•s sense of spiritual being. Prevention and cure is

focused primarily on restoring the conscious connection to

the person•s spiritual core, enabling the full expression of

the body•s •inner intelligence.Ž

Therapeutic Approaches

The two general courses of treatment in Ayurveda are pro-

phylaxis and therapy (Micozzi, 1996). Prophylaxis is used to

help a healthy person maintain health and prevent disease.

Therapy is used to help an ill person restore health. When a

person is diagnosed with an imbalance of the doshas, puri“-

cation therapy, alleviation therapy, or a combination of these

is prescribed. In puri“cation therapy, a patient might be given

a purgative, such as an enema, to eliminate the dosha that is

thought to be causing the disease. Alleviation therapy uses

the condiments honey, butter or ghee, and sesame or caster

oil for the same purpose. Once the individual returns to

health, continuous prophylaxis is recommended based on a

variety of methods such as diet, meditation, herbal regimens,

and regular therapeutic puri“cation procedures.

In MAV, the most important technique in achieving over-

all well-being is transcendental meditation (TM), where •the

mind transcends even the subtlest impulses of thought and

settles down to the simplest state of awarenessŽ (Micozzi,

1996, p. 246), a state known as transcendental consciousness.

Although MAV views unfolding consciousness as the single

most important strategy of both disease prevention and cure,

lifestyle, behavioral, and emotional factors can also have a

great impact. For example, traditional virtues such as re-

specting others, familial harmony, practicing nonviolence,

pardoning others, and maintaining a positive emotional tone

are understood to promote health for the individual•s mind

and body, as well as for the community and society.

Clinical Applications

Herbal remedy is an important component of Ayurvedic med-

icine. Laboratory and animal studies have found cytotoxicity

in some traditional and MAV remedies (Sharma et al., 1991;

Smit et al., 1995), suggesting potential effectiveness in can-

cer treatments. However, no randomized studies in humans

have been conducted (Spencer & Jacobs, 1999). Some