VAAJEEKARANA, THE AYURVEDIC SEXUAL MEDICINE

Next to the need for food, water an sleep, the sexual urge is the most powerful biological drive. This dominant sex instinct, so essential to the survival of the species, is one of the main springs of human motivation, and its fulfilment or frustration is closely bound up with human happiness or misery. The importance of this aspect of human life is duly recognised by Charaka, the ancient ayurvedic scholar by assigning a complete section of the Charaka Samhita to vaajeekarana or virilification. According to Charaka, “it is a therapy which enables one to approach women in an unrestricted manner, endowing him with great strength and robustness, like that of a stallion, makes one greatly endearing to women, increases one’s proportions and strength, causes the seminal secretion even in the aging to remain undiminshed and fertile, and enables a man to have excellent offsprings.”

OBJECTIVE OF APHRODISIAC THERAPHY

The primary objective of ayurvedic sexual medicine is procreation. Recreation is always secondary to it. In this perspective, Charaka Samhita says, “Aperson of self-restraint should always seek aphrodisiac measures because righteousness (dharma), wealth (arhta), affection (preethi) and fame (yasas) are dependent on the maintenance of healthy manhood. A person gets these benefits through his progeny and the aphrodisiac therapy enables him to procreate children.”

BALANCE IS THE KEY

The three major biological components of the living body (metabolic principles) called tridosha, which govern all the physical and mental functions of the body, are responsible for different aspects of sexual expression. The equilibrium of these tridosha is essential for sexual fulfilment.

Vaata controls movement, and in the context of sexuality, vaata is responsible for the sex act and secual retention. If vaata is aggravted, both the sexual act and retention are affect adversely. One feels fatigued and breathless rather quickly, and the power of retention is considerably diminshed.

Pitta dosha controls celluar metabolism, subtle level, energy at gross level and is responsible for sexual vigour. An imbalance of pitta leads to a lack of initiative for sexual activity. It gives rise to all those problems that make one sexually less desirable. It may give rise to body odours, sweating and thickening of the skin, rashes, acne, herpes etc.

Kapha which controls structure, is responsible for sexual portency. Vitiation of this dosha leads to diminished or abnormal sexual excretions. This may give rise to abnormal progeny or sterility.

For a healthy secual life, one needs to balance of all these tridoshas.

THE WORLD’S BEST APHRODISIAC

“A sexually excited partner is the aphrodisiac par excellence,” says Charaka Samhita. “When the desired sense objects yield great pleasure even if singly experienced by the senses, then what need be said of women in whom the delectable objects of all the senses, viz., shabda (sound), (touch), roopa (visual form), rasa (taste) and gandha (smell) are found established together? Such a combination of the enjoyable objects of all the sense is found only in woman and nowhere else. The woman who is good looking, the fine arts, acts as the best aphrodisiac.”

Charaka Samhita further describes the excellence of women, “People in the world have different types of likings. If by fortune or effort a person gets a woman of his liking, then his appearance and other qualities improve. Similarly, for a woman, the feminine qualities are enhanced on finding a suitable man. The woman who is excellent in terms of age, beauty, voice and affectionate movements enters the heart quickly and is like celebration. A woman who has a mind and psyche similar to her male partner is submissive (vasya), pleased with what he likes (kamma, the god of sex) and is like noose for all the senses due to her excellent qualities. Separated from this woman, the man feels restless and does not finding her he is no more subdued with grief, agitation, restlessness or fear ; finding her he feels solace and seeing her, he is exhilarated and meets her sexually ever fresh due to his strong sexual urges, and even when he has frequent intercourse he does not get contented.

DIVERISITY IN SECUALITY

While sexual capacities are instinctive, human being must learn to engage in sexual acts and to experience sexual feelings in certain personal and socially acceptable ways. The natural expression of the sexual impulse is greatly modified before and during marriage by social, economic, religious and cultural forces, acting in different ways in different societies. It is not proper to assume a uniform pattern of sexual behaviour common to all human beings; in fact the range and diversity of human sexuality is its most significant feature. Charaka fully appreciated this fact, as is evident from the following citations from Charaka Samhita:

“There are men who are great in size and strength but feeble in sexual capacity. Some are small in size and strength but powerful sexually. There are some who mate with female many times like sparrows, while others, though not mating many times, are given to copious seminal discharge like an elephant.”

If sexual behaviour and its physiology and pathology are to be discussed In a realistic way, account must be taken of the modifying forces by which sexual urge is controlled, diverted or distorted. This is evident from the following passages of Charaka Samhita: “Some men get invigorated by the season, some get steadied by constant practice, some maintain their virility by means of aphrodisiac preparations and some are virile by nature. The sexual stamina and quantity of semen get diminshed by anxiety, old age, disease, strain of physical work, starvation and excessive sexual indulgence. By fear, suspicion, grief, seeing deformities of a woman, lack of response in the woman, abstention from sex, and just after full sexual enjoyment, a man is rendered incapable of mating with a woman.”

A CALM MIND CURES ULCERS

Diabetes suffers with foot ulcers healed better when they were relaxed and had a positive mental outlook, a study found. Researchers whose findings are published in Diabetogia say psychological treatments could be an important weapon against illness and injury.

The five-year study of 93 diabetics showed their ulcers a common complication of the condition caused by blood flow problems had different rates of healing according to how they coped mentally. Those who showed a “confrontational” way of dealing with it characterized by a desire to take control of the ulcers and its treatment were less likely to be cured after 24 weeks. But those who were more relaxed and put the problem out of their mind demonstrated a faster rate of healing.

A secondary analysis of each patient which examined the relationship of psycho social factors with the change in the size of the ulcer showed depression was a significant predictor in how the size of the ulcer changed over time. Patients with clinical depression showing smaller changes in ulcer size over time in other words there was less improvement for healing.

University and colleagues are now developing psychological treatments to reduce depression in suffers and help them cope more effectively with the debilitating and potentially life-threatening condition. Foot ulcers are sores which form when a minor skin injury fails to heal because of micro vascular and metabolic dysfunction caused by diabetes. Up to 15 percent of people with diabetes develop them with many suffering depression and poorer quality of life as a result.

The five-year amputation and death rates among patients are 19 percent and 44 percent respectively. Ulcers account for around four out of five half of diabetes-related hospital admissions.

During the study in which patients with diabetic foot ulcers were recruited from specialist clinics across the UK. Psychological distress, coping style and levels of stress hormone cortisol in saliva were assessed and recorded at the start of the monitoring period. The size of each patient’s ulcer was measured and then at six. 12 and 24 weeks the extent of healing or otherwise was recorded.

DISEASES OF THE DISGESTIVE SYSTEM

HYPER-ACIDITY

Everyone knows that excessive secretion of acid leads to hyper-acidity. Inside the stomach, nutrients are broken into small units for the purpose of assimilation. The stomach can digest things similar to its own structure and composition – like a piece of meat. But, than how come the stomach does not digest it? The process of digestion takes place because of many different gastric secretions, which are highly acidic. What prevent the stomach from digesting itself are the cells, which form its inner lining? These cells have a special permeability barrier, which does not let anything or certain chemical drugs, especially some pain-relieving and anti-arthritic drugs, and then this will be weakened or damaged.

As a result, the highly acidic medium, which prevails in the stomach, traverses the stomach wall, thus causing pain and discomfort. If the same thing is repeated again and again, it may give rise to acidity and gastritis thereby inflaming the lining of the stomach. Ayurveda calls this condition as ‘amla pitta’.

To understand the disease amla pitta, one has to understand the concept of ‘agni’ Ayurveda has described this as fire of life. It has been given a pivotal place in the delicate balance between health and disease. In other words, ‘agni’ is the fire that cooks or digests the food.

A normal ‘agni’’ means a healthy person and conversely, an abnormal agni is a sure pointer to disease.

At times, ‘agni’ may be impaired due to intellectual blasphemy (prajnaaparaadha), unwholesome conjunction of sense organs with their objects (asaatmayedriyaarthasamyoga) and vagaries of weather and time (kaala or parinaama). This impaired ‘agni’ shows effect on ‘pitta’, the fiery energy of the body responsible for transformation. ‘Amla pitta’ is the by-product of this defective process.

It is difficult to produce fire either without fire logs or with too many fire logs occupying the whole furnace. The same is the case with digestive fire. This will be hampered either with low amounts (mandaagni) or with high amounts (teekshnaagni). Amla pitta is the resultant of teekshnaagni, says Ayurveda.

AYURVEDIC REMEDIES

As we know that acidity is due to improper regimen, it can be easily tackled by following simple methods.

• It is clear that pitta is mainly due to aggravation of pitta. Factors responsible for aggravation of this pitta dosha are excessive intake of pungent and sour food items, alcoholic preparations, salt, hot and sharp stuff which cause burning sensations. Anger, fear, excessive exposure to sun and fire, intake of dry vegetables and alkalis, irregularity in taking food, etc. should be avoided as far as possible.

• As a rule, all persons with acidity can take a mild diet excellently although some, at first have trouble in absorbing milk. This is because the large amount of acid in the stomach forms hard curds combined with the proteins of the milk. Often these are vomited, Yet milk is excellent in the condition, especially when preceded by a fast, adjusted to your general condition.

• The milk diet should be adhered to several weeks if possible. Along with this, drink warm water freely. Ayurveda insists on this because, according to it, “hot destroys hot”. Moreover, it has been found by physiological experiments that cold water increases the amount of acid secreted in the stomach. When the stomach seems to be in better condition, the milk may be taken with an evening meal consisting of easily digestible and non-irritation foods.

• For a time, it is better to use foods requiring only moderate mastication, since mastication naturally increases the flow of gastric juice with its acid. Yet insufficient mastication of the food chosen will aggravate acidity problems by causing gastric irritation. So mastication should always be moderate in this particular condition.

• It is important not to overeat, but to take small meals, three times a day. Avoid artificial stimulants, all of which raise pitta. Alcohol, in any form, is like throwing fuel on the pitta fire. The drawback of the caffeine in coffee and tea is that it increases acid production in stomach if consumed excessively.

• Even an excess intake of sweets can cause acidity as the sugar causes fermentation and produces acid in the stomach, particularly if wrongly combined with other food types.

HOW TO COMBAT THE WINTER COLD

This is the time when a lazy wind starts blowing during the day and the winter responds by showing a reluctance to leave while the summer tries desperately to rush in. An ideal time to fly kites, no doubt, but the body too has to weather the change. Our body is programmed to take care of the changes, but occasionally you may have to aid the process of adjustment through food and suitable alterations in lifestyle!

When a cold, dry wind begins to blow, the vaata (the air in the body system according to Ayurveda) responds, because it too is cold, dry and moving. It senses that something akin to itself has begun to dominate the scene. ‘Like speaks to like’ Vaata starts accumulating.

Traditionally, Ayurveda advises everyone to follow a seasonal routine to preserve balance as the seasons change. This routine does not involve major alterations in your lifestyle, only a shift of emphasis.

During winter, agni (digestive fire) becomes stronger and it can effectively digest heavy and large quantities of food. If you do not eat the right food, agni may even absorb the dhaatus (tissues). To arrest this, take plenty of food. Consume milk, ghee, fat, oils and new rice as dietary staples. Include sour and salted soup or meat of aquatic and marshy animals in the diet if you are not vegetarian.

Try wine, vinegar and honey in the diet. Regularly massage the body with oil. Apply oil on the head. Use room heaters or spend time in heated chambers. Expose the body to the sun’s rays. Avoid light and cold foods. Also avoid bitter, pungent and astringent tastes. To prevent drying up of the skin, take 100ml milk, add 5 drops of olive oil and 8 drops of rose water to it. Apply on the skin gently and smoothly. Then expose yourself to the mild sun for ten minutes before a warm bath. To keep the face glowing, wash it at least two times a day with lukewarm water. Make a paste of pure flour of Bengal gram by adding raw milk. Apply on the face; neck etc., both in the morning and evening. Alternatively, you can apply the expressed juice of cucumber with 5 drops of mustard oil and rose water to it.

Massaging the skin with mustard oil is good for the skin during winter. Sunrays will enhance the good effect of this procedure. Eat plenty of greens and seasonal fruits. They contain the micro and macro elements, which are required for the smooth functioning of the body.

Soyabeans and other pulses are good for cracked lips. Take two teaspoonfuls of castor oil. Add a pinch of Tankana bhasma (borax) to it. Apply it on the cracked lips.

Cream of milk is also good for cracked lips, if used as an application. Honey is a good and valuable natural healer. Apply it over cracked lips after diluting it with double the quantity of water.

MIND

Mind can be defined as an ability of a person to be aware or conscious of things and to think and reason; a person’s attention, remembrance, intention, or opinion and sanity.

In modern times Sigmund Freud, 1856-1939, the Austrian founder of psychoanalysis, advanced our knowledge tremendously with his research into mind processes and with his psychoanalytic concepts. He believed that the mind as a whole consists of three main divisions-the Ego, the Superego and the Id. Our awareness, the part with which we think and reason, he called Ego. The ego is the more conscious of the world and of itself (that is, it is mostly self-conscious) and is the part of the psyche which tests reality. The ego develops when the child becomes aware of the difference between “self” and things, which are not self”. Another part, best thought of as partly conscious, he termed the Superego. The superego is the “conscience” made up of the internalized taboos, prohibitions and moral restraints imposed by parents and society. These parental and societal inhibitions are instilled in childhood and remain largely unconscious. Below consciousness is a part, which he called the Id, this being the seat of our memory and basic instincts. The id is the sum total of our primitive drives and urges of one’s nature. The id is completely unconscious its energy is called “libido” and is governed by the “pleasure principle”. These three concepts, ego, superego and id, form the structure of the psyche according to Freud. To simplify and summarize: the id says. “Do it now!” the Ego says, “Not now. This is not the appropriate time and place to do it”, and the Superego says, “Don’t do it at all – ever! It’s evil and wrong to do it under any circumstances”.

Later Freud theorized as to a fourth part lying between the id and the ego, just below the level of consciousness, calling it the Preconscious. Experiences, which once were conscious but now are imperfectly consciousness and unconsciousness known as the preconscious. A memory is preconscious when we say, “I know it but I can’t recall it to my memory”.

The superego is not just partly conscious and conscience but is the most spiritual part of the mind. He termed it the super conscious mind.

ENHANCE SENSUOUS POWER TO ENHANCE SEXUAL POWER

Sexuality begins with sensuality. During the sexual process, one transcends the senses. In other words, all the five senses are used, and it is their coordination that accounts for the intensity of sexual pleasure. For enhancing sexual power, the prime most things is to augment the power of individual senses in the following ways.

1. Touch: The tactile sensation of the body. The sense of touch plays a significant role in sexuality. For enhancing tactile sensation, it is important to have a regular oil massage. Through Ayurvedic massage the body and mind are nurtured. The skin is seen as a receptacle of a variety of energies. Some forms of massage are aggressive while others are soothing. What type aids an individual’s healing process depends upon the constitution and the nature of the imbalance. Through the knowledge of Ayurveda, different base oils such as sesame oil, almond oil, coconut oil or mustard oil are selected. These oils are chosen because of their unique properties. Some are warming while others are cooling. Some nourish the body through the skin while others are invigorative. In addition, specific hand motions are utilized to balance the subtle energies defined by Aurveda. Besides the care of the skin, a regular body massage makes you aware and sensitive to your body. This is essential for complete sexual expression.

2. Sight: Sharpening the sense of sight is to develop keen observation and act in an appropriate way. Through our eyes we take in thousands of impressions each day. These impressions are actual energies with different vibratory rates. Each colour is a different energy or vibrates at a different rate. Some colour are harmonious for us and some agitate us in subtle ways. We interact with colour all the time through the clothes we wear and our home environment. Conscious use of colour can help create a healthy and revitalizing environment. Ayurveda teaches us that each person is an individual and hence, every colour has a healing capacity if prescribed for the right person. Not only is colour important but also how colours interrelate. Clashing colours in general create greater agitation while those that blend harmoniously impression received by the eye. Violent images as seen in real life or in the movies create agitation and disharmony. Viewing nature and flowers creates a feeling of calmness and clarity and thus benefits our journey toward health and sexuality. An enhanced sense of observation is essential at every step of sexual relation. You should be able to notice and appreciate each and every change in your partner. If you are to learn to enhance your sexual energy, begin by seeing.

3. Smell: Sense of smell is important for many reasons. If your body smells bad, people do not want to be near you. Bad body odour can be an aphrodisiac (opposite to aphrodisiac). Your body odour depends upon your dosha arrangement, and it is possible to change it and make pleasant and sexually exciting by keeping the doshas balanced. Aromatherapy is an important part of Ayurveda, as smell has long been known to evoke emotion. From the perfumes and scents long used in mating rituals to the relaxing feelings evoked by a walk through a rose garden, aromas have always played a large role in our lives. Rose, jasmine, water lily, sandalwood, smell of the soil, the flavours from products… all are exhilarating smells. While most people use aromas (perfumes and aftershaves) unconsciously, Ayurveda teaches us that some aromas create harmony while others contribute to disharmony and ultimately to diseases. From this understanding we can see that aromas are also medicine in the context that they can be intelligently used to balance the subtle energy of our bodies. In Ayurveda specific aromas are prescribed to aid specific conditions.

4. Taste: To enhance the sense of taste, begin to recognize a variety of exotic spices or fruits from their flavor and taste. Through the sense of taste, we interact with the foods and their therapeutic benefits. Each of the six tastes affects the body and mind differently. Each taste has its benefits and negative consequences if we overindulge in them. Sweet taste as an example is very nourishing and builds tissue and strength, but overindulgence, as we all know, leads to excessive weight gain, diabetes and other complications. In Ayurveda we do not count calories. Grams of fat or the cholesterol content of food. From an Ayurvedic Perspective, if we learn what balance of taste are right for us, then we will eat in harmony with our body’s constitution an the body will respond with great health. Some benefit from meat while others thrive as vegetarians.

5. Sound : Our ears take in the vibratory energy of sound. Some sounds are calming and others agitating. Of course, which sounds balance our energy depends again on our constitution. We may think that only quiet, calming sound is healing. Again we must remember the tenet of Ayurveda that teaches us what heals each person is different. For instance, agitating music can also be motivating. In Ayurveda, special sound energies called mantra are sometimes prescribed to induce specific reactions in the body. As far as human sexuality is concerned, fine sounds are associated with women and reveal presence and actions, their gestures and movements. A man’s imagery of a woman is associated with subtle sounds of bangles, anklets, earrings, and other jewellery worn by her. In addition to the sounds of jewellery, there are sounds of birds, music, tidal waves, and blowing wind that enhance the sexual energy in both men and women.