om living
T
he mind is considered to be one of the three pillars,
alongside body and spirit, upon which life ultimately
depends. In many traditional medical systems such as
ayurveda, the body, mind and spirit are seen as one
whole continuum. In Western medical and spiritual
traditions they have largely become separated. This difference in
‘world view’ has had profound effects on how we see the world and
our place in it.
In ayurvedic physiology, whilst the seat of intellect is your brain,
the heart is the seat of consciousness, from where it then moves
throughout the body. It’s uncanny how we so often touch our chest
when we are telling someone how we feel. As our blood circulates
through the heart, it picks up ‘impressions’ of our heart’s feelings
and then takes this ‘bitter-sweet, anger-joy, love-fear’ feeling around
the body causing ‘pain’ wherever it rests. It’s why ayurveda pays so
much attention to how we are developing our consciousness.Ayurvedic mind
The ayurvedic mind has four functions, which are: control of
the senses, self-control, speculation and wisdom. Awareness,
consciousness and experience all contribute towards how the mind
learns, processes and reacts to different situations. In ayurveda, an
individual’s sense of consciousness is known as ‘buddhi’ and it is this
that helps us to determine and discriminate, ultimately manifesting
in our actions and state of awareness. It’s likened to a mirror that
can ‘reflect’ the truth and enable it to control the unpredictable body
and wild senses as it helps guide us to our true ‘Buddha’ nature.
Here is a quotation from the earliest ayurvedic text called the
‘Charaka Samhita Sutrasthana’ showing the high regard the heart is
held in:“The heart is indispensable for normal mental and physical
activities as the entire waking consciousness rests there.”Body-mind techniques
Traditional medicine recognises there is an integral connection
between the body-mind and the causes-cures of disease. Just as
physical conditions require a physical level of treatment such as
supplementation, so emotional and mind based conditions require
interventions at the level of the mind such as visualisations and
affirmations. This is why so much attention is paid to developing
awareness of the nature of the mind through body-mind techniques
such as yoga and meditation.
Our brain contains over 100 billion nerve cells known as neurons
that receive signals into the body’s cells and transmit information.
Stress actually causes laziness of the neurons because they become
so over-excited. As we have seen, the heart is revered as the seat of
all emotions in ayurveda. High levels of stress releasing adrenaline and
cortisol can raise the blood pressure and heart rate impacting upon the
rhythm of the heart and our feelings of ‘restlessness’ and anxiety.Balance & harmony
Every system within our body needs to work effectively so that it
can function as one whole and achieve optimum wellbeing. If our
body does not function as one complete unit, then we might start to
notice that our digestion is a little out of sync, or our concentration
a bit wayward. If our body is in tip top condition then we should be
experiencing:n Healthy appetite and digestion
n Consistent energy and staminan Deep and restful sleep
n Freedom from enduring pain
n Being open to your emotions
If you feel that perhaps some of these areas are a little lacking,
then it is likely that your body might need a bit of a boost. The
challenge comes when individuals do not counteract these periods
with effective relaxation or rejuvenation techniques, causing the
body to become completely exhausted and unable to effectively
expend energy and undertake basic bodily functions. This can then
develop into chronic conditions such as fatigue, ME and/or adrenal
exhaustion.Herbal remedies
In the herbal world, adaptogens are the key herbs to consider
when it comes to dealing with the effects of stress and pressure
on our emotional health. In ayurveda, these herbs are also known
as ‘rasayanas’. They encourage positive health, stimulate the mind,
enhance intellect and promote longevity and delay the symptoms
of old age. It can be literally translated as the ‘path of juiciness’
and is more colloquially understood to mean ‘making you young
again’. Rejuvenation can be described as what makes us whole
when we have been broken and involves building and nourishing
the body’s core strength and vitality through the use of rejuvenative
tonics and adaptogenic herbs, not forgetting the importance of
eating a nourished diet, health-bringing exercise and mind calming
meditation.Here are some of ayurveda’s top herbs for supporting
balanced emotions and reduced stress:n Ashwagandha strengthens an exhausted nervous system
by helping it relax whilst also energising body and mind through
nourishing the adrenal glands. Ashwagandha contains Withanolides
which display adaptogenic and anxiety reducing activity, as well as
regulating the endocrine, or hormone, systems within the body. Try
Pukka Wholistic Ashwagandha.
n Holy Basil, also known as Tulsi, supports emotional wellbeing
and eliminates the ‘blues’. It brings mental clarity whilst also relaxing
the nervous system and clearing mental fog and calming a racing
mind. Holy Basil restores the adrenal glands which have become
exhausted by trauma, depression or anxiety through modulating
the stress response. Traditionally, this herb was used in meditation
practices as it was believed to open the mind and bring one closer
to the awareness of enlightenment. Try Pukka Wholistic Holy Basil.
n Shatavari is primarily known as a female specific adaptogen. It
has the ability to balance hormone production in women, supporting
them through potentially tumultuous times such as the menopause,
whilst also supporting a healthy, PMT free menstrual cycle. Shatavari
contains natural precursors to female sex hormones which help to
balance hormonal irregularity whilst also stimulating the production
of prolactin to enhance the libido. Try Pukka Wholistic Shatavari.Sebastian Pole is the
co-founder of Pukka Herbs
(pukkaherbs.com)