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recognized unless I will it. They are vibration centers which are developed in the course of yoga
practice. This alone proves how elusive they are to the surgeon's knife.
But we have not yet come to these strange things. First now to the "gymnastics" of hatha yoga. Even
here we should deny ourselves any profound speculations. Certainly one could--and even with a fair
measure of success--draw psychosomatic conclusions from asana such-and-such. But again, logic
deserts us after a certain point and what remains cannot be investigated by science, however fine its
intentions. And this would mean: beyond the borderline of logic there "really" is nothing. But
actually a great deal is there; not only is it there now, but it has been there since the very beginning.
The logician does not have to Mother about all this, of course, since he has a wealth of concrete,
factual material at his disposal.2
In any event, whether or not certain pranayamas (breathing exercises) regulate the oxygen content of
our blood is none of our concern. What is important for us is that forces (currents) arebeing activated
that no Western scientist is able fully to evaluate, but which are the very foundation of the whole
yoga structure.
Therefore, Western science, despite its undisputed merits, will be neglected in the following
chapters, in favor of that ancient science which is the foundation of yoga therapy. This, I think, is
much more vital for the understanding of "Eastern exotics." We should try to think Indian while
studying this book--Indian not
2. "At the borderline of logic science stops, but not nature, which blossoms there where no theory
has as yet penetrated" (C. G. Jung, The Psychology of Transference).
only in relation to yoga, but also in relation to the presuppositions of yoga.
The art of healing, like all else truly Indian, is based on the Vedas, the oldest book of humanity.
Everything that concerns medical theory in the Rig-Veda, the Sama-Veda, the Atharva-Veda, and
the Yajur-Veda, was later systematized into Ayurvedic medicine.
Although it is not possible to summarize this gigantic work, which is still in practical use in India
today, much less give a survey of the wealth of its principles, we can at least consider the three main
concepts of human physiology upon which this system is based. This is important because prejudiced
Westerners who cast a superficial eye upon the standard work of Ayurvedic medicine, the Charaka
Samhita, have misinterpreted thoroughly these three concepts.
The teaching states that there are three dominant forces in man. and accordingly three main sources
of illness: vata, pitta, and kapha. The usual translations as wind, gall, and phlegm are misleading,
incomplete, senseless, and simply wrong--as wrong as the false analogies discussed earlier. All
three terms are infinitely more complex and become meaningful only in their completeness. To
understand the terms vata, pitta, and kapha we need the help of the classical definitions.
Comprehension of these terms is all the more important because hatha yoga is closely bound to
ayurvedic principles, as we soon shall see.
YOGA AND THE ART OF HEALING 22
Yoga Swami Svatmarama. Hatha yoga pradipika
The three terms encompass all physiological functions of the human body, and their imbalance
causes not only illness but also susceptibility to contagious diseases.
Vata
It is true that this word means "wind" literally. But more important is the root va, movement. To
quote the Charaka Samhita: "Vata is the source of both structure and function [of the body]. It is that
which is represented by the five forms [of the bodily currents]: prana, udana, samana, vyana, and
apana. It is the initiator of the upward and downward flow [of all internal processes such as
circulation, metabolism, etc.]; the controller and guiding force of consciousness; the stimulant of the
senses; the companion of sensations; the organizer of the elements of the body; the principle of
synthesis; the storage battery of speech; the cause of feelings and perception; the origin of
excitement and stimulation; it fans the gastric fire, dries out harmful phlegm; expels excrements; is
purifier of the coarse and the fine channels of the body; the creator of the fetal form; the principle of
life preservation. All these are the normal functions of vata in our body" (Char. Sam. 1. 12:8).
Disturbance of any one of these functions leads to illness and susceptibility to infection.
Some of the illnesses due to the influence of vata are: rheumatism, dislocations, lameness, cramps, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]