Some great links with more reading
Some great links with more reading
Below are some short introductions. Click on the blue hyperlinked word to get more related articles.
Healthy Happy - An instructional group founded by the Indian Sikh Dharma Yogi Bhajan in Los Angeles, California, in 1968 to promote holistic well-being through kundalini yoga.
Flourishing during the period of most intense international interest in Asian meditation techniques, the 3HO taught a simplified or neo-Hindu practice for awakening the psychic energy believed to lay dormant within the human body. (See 3HO)
Holistic Health - natural, integrative approach to health and well-being utilizing diet, exercise, meditation, chiropractic, acupuncture, macrobiotics or other non invasive therapies. (NAD)
Holistic Health - Holistic health sees the body as an inter-related organism. Its goal is to treat the whole person (body, mind, and spirit) as opposed to merely treating a particular sickness.
Ayurveda - (Sanskrit) "Science of life." A holistic system of medicine and health native to ancient India. This sacred Vedic science is an Upaveda of the Atharva Veda. Three early giants in this field who left voluminous texts are Charaka, Sushruta and Vagbhata.
Ayurveda covers many areas, including:
chikitsa, general medicine,
shalya, surgery,
dehavritti, physiology,
nidana, diagnosis,
dravyavidya, medicine and pharmacology,
agada tantra, antidote method,
stritantra, gynecology,
pashu vidya, veterinary science,
kaumara bhritya, pediatrics, 1
urdhvanga, diseases of the organs of the head,
bhuta vidya, demonology, 1
rasayana, tonics, rejuvenating,
vajikarana, sexual rejuvenation.
Among the first known surgeons was Sushruta (ca 600 bce), whose Sushruta Samhita is studied to this day. (Hippocrates, Greek father of medicine, lived two centuries later.) The aims of ayurveda are ayus, "long life," and arogya, "diseaselessness," which facilitate progress toward ultimate spiritual goals. Health is achieved by balancing energies (especially the doshas, bodily humors) at all levels of being, subtle and gross, through innumerable methods, selected according to the individual's constitution, lifestyle and nature. Similar holistic medical systems are prevalent among many communities, including the Chinese, American Indians, Africans and South Americans.
See: doshas.
Vegetarian - Shakahara. Of a diet which excludes meat, fish, fowl and eggs. Vegetarianism is a principle of health and environmental ethics that has been a keystone of Indian life for thousands of years.
Vegetarian foods include grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes and dairy products. Natural, fresh foods, locally grown, without insecticides or chemical fertilizers, are preferred. The following foods are minimized: frozen and canned foods, highly processed foods, such as white rice, white sugar and white flour; and "junk" foods and beverages (those with abundant chemical additives, such as artificial sweeteners, colorings, flavorings and preservatives). A person following a vegetarian diet is called a shakahari.
See: guna, mansahari, yama-niyama, vegetarianism.
Applied Kinesiology - A diagnostic technique sometimes called “muscle testing. ” Often patients hold health care products (vitamins, herbs, etc) in their hand while the practitioner pulls or “tests” the reciprocal strength in the finger, arm, etc. to determine the effectiveness or dosage of the remedy.
Meditation - Meditation
Ideal for disciplining the mind and removing stress & strain, it is best done after a quick bath to cleanse yourself. Critical in satisfying the mind's hunger, when done well it is so nourishing that even the body can survive on less. Control of desire, or mental hunger, is the key to longevity and immortality. Anything can be meditation so long it is sincere and heartfelt. The simplest and healthiest involves the sun and its golden colour is deemed the most nourishing and productive.
While this routine acts as a critical shield of defence against the destabilising influences of an external environment, by using selective choice in some of the other factors mentioned below you can easily improve upon the condition of your total health.
Vedas - An ancient sanskrit text. The entire body of ancient, sacred revelations of truth. Chief amongst which are the Rigveda, Saamaveda, Yajurveda and the Athharvanaveda. The basis for the Hindu religion, as well as ayurvedic medicine, health etc...
Pranayama - Pranayama (Sanskrit) [from prana breath + ayama restraining, stopping]
The fourth of the eight states of yoga, consisting of various methods of regulating the breath. The three forms of pranayama are puraka (the inhaling); kumbhaka (the retaining); and rechaka (the exhaling).
Any practice of pranayama can be fraught with serious danger, not merely to physical health, but in extreme cases to mental balance or stability. Pranayama, when actually practiced according to the exoteric rules, is a very different thing from the excellent and common sense advice given by doctors to breathe deeply, and to fill the lungs with fresh air. Pranayama should never be practiced by anyone unless under the guidance of initiated teachers, and these never proclaim themselves as teachers of pranayama, for the adepts use it only in rarest cases for certain pupils who for karmic reasons can be helped in this unusual and extraordinary way.
Palmistry - The divination practice of psychically reading an individual's past, present and future, as well as health and character, by studying the lines, shape and texture of the individual's hands, fingers and wrists.
The technique was very popular in the Middle Ages, practitioners believing that the lines in the hand were stamped by occult forces and would reveal character and destiny. The lines, digits and bumps on the hands all have supposedly astrological correspondences, which indicate such factors as longevity, general health, intellect, love, money, and so on. In the fifteenth century the church banned the practice, and after the Enlightenment palmistry became little more than a parlor trick.
Modern palmistry differs from ancient methods in concentrating on Chirognomy at the expense of Chiromancy. The later was much interested in prediction, attempting to determine future events in the life of the individual concerned, and the former is generally interested in determining the general character, the psychological type and the inclinations of the person.
(See also Chiromancy, Palmomancy, Chirognomy, Chirology, Hand Reading, and Hand Analysis)
Parvati - (Sanskrit) "Mountain's daughter."
One of many names for the Universal Mother. Prayers are offered to Her for strength, health and eradication of impurities. Mythologically, Parvati is wedded to Siva.
See: Goddess, Shakti.
Sexuality - Hinduism has a healthy, unrepressed outlook on human sexuality, and sexual pleasure is part of kama, one of the four goals of life.
On matters such as birth control, sterilization, masturbation, homosexuality, bisexuality, petting and polygamy, Hindu scripture is tolerantly silent, neither calling them sins nor encouraging their practice, neither condemning nor condoning.
The two important exceptions to this understanding view of sexual experience are adultery and abortion, both of which are considered to carry heavy karmic implications for this and future births.
See: abortion, bisexuality, homosexuality.
Humors - qualities or primal nutritive forces that circulate in the body and whose balance produce health or sickness.
Birth Stone - Particular stones are associated with particular birthdates and are believed to bring these people particularly good luck, health and prosperity,
Every system does not attribute the same birthstones to each sign. We have combined all systems below (the first stone is the one most accepted
ARIES - RUBY, Bloodstone, Red Jasper, Diamond
TAURUS -- EMERALD, Golden Topaz, Coral, Sapphire
GEMINI -- CRYSTAL, Carbuncle, Aquamarine
CANCER -- MOONSTONE, Emerald, Agate, Pearl
LEO -- AMBER, Ruby, Sardonyx, Carnelian
VIRGO -- SARDONYX, Pink Jasper, Turquoise, Zircon
LIBRA -- OPAL, Diamond, Sapphire, Chrysolite
SCORPIO -- GARNET, Agate, Topaz. Opal
SAGITTARIUS -- TOPAZ, Amethyst
CAPRICORN -- BLACK ONYX, Beryl, Jet, Malachite, Turquoise
AQUARIUS -- BLUE SAPPHIRE, Garnet, Amethyst
Laughter Therapy - LAUGHTER THERAPY:
Laughter is said to be addictive. Given its several health benefits, that is desirable. Firstly it gives a sense of well being because of release of endorphins and neuropeptides. By ensuring the inhalation of more oxygen, the lifeline of the system, it makes people feel better. It decreases stress leading to lowered stiffness of muscles - muscle relaxation easing headaches, body aches and other muscular problems.
As blood vessels get dilated, blood pressure falls by 10-20 mm mercury after 10 minutes of laughter - very useful for patients of hypertension. With levels of antibodies and natural killer cells going up with laughter, it also improves the immunity - evident from thousands of laughter club members have decreased incidences of cough and cold.
Laughter has innumerable other benefits. It proves a potent anti-stress factor, decreases asthmatic attacks, increases stamina, relives arthritic pain, ensures good sleep and elevates mood. Since the serotonin levels go up after laughter, it is an effective antidote for depression too.
Haasya Yoga is a method of group laughter that is based on yogic techniques. The exercises are designed based entirely on yoga stretching, breathing and variety of stimulated laughs, starting with deep breathing. As simulation helps stimulation, exercise induced laughter - that compliments but is not a substitute for natural laughter - increases the capacity for the latter.
Helping individuals increase their capacity to laugh more, be more self-confident and self-expressive. Positive qualities are cultivated, thereby removing negative emotions as jealousy, fear, guilt and anger. The laughter club is in effect a behavioral training institute that spontaneously raises spirits at no cost. The concept of a laughter bank, where people come up with creative ideas for different types of laughter, for instance is to bring in play fullness into the atmosphere. The fun, frolic and childish attitude generated not only reduces inhibitions, but also curtails tensions.
Under certain conditions though laughter therapy is not recommended. Patients with hernia, advanced piles, eye complications, Angolan pain and those who have just undergone major surgery should not venture into this therapy without the explicit advice of a doctor. Pregnant woman should also preferably avoid laughter sessions till some conclusive data regarding the safety is available. Patients suffering from tuberculosis, chronic bronchitis and other respiratory infections where phlegm is produced must take precaution against spread of infection. Finally, even a normal person experiencing discomfort while laughing, must discontinue immediately and seek expert medical help.
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