Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S
Grasp Charaka has given 5 finest rules for prevention and efficient administration of psychological problems. They’re additionally the perfect treatments to heal the thoughts and to carry the doshas of thoughts i.e. rajas and tamas to a state of stability. They’re – Jnana, Vijnana, Dhairya, Smriti and Samadhi.
Context and reference
वायुः पित्तं कफश्चोक्तः शारीरो दोषसङ्ग्रहः|
मानसः पुनरुद्दिष्टो रजश्च तम एव च||५७||
There are three sorts of sharira doshas i.e. bodily doshas – they’re, vata, pitta and kapha. The manasika doshas i.e. psychological doshas are two in quantity – they’re, raja and tama. (Charaka Sutra Sthana, Chapter 1, Verse 57)
Within the very subsequent verse, Grasp Charaka offers treatments / remedy for each units of doshas and therefore the ailments attributable to them.
प्रशाम्यत्यौषधैः पूर्वो दैवयुक्तिव्यपाश्रयैः|
मानसो ज्ञानविज्ञानधैर्यस्मृतिसमाधिभिः||५८||
The disturbances and imbalances occurring within the bodily doshas are pacified by daiva vyapashraya i.e. divine therapies and yukti vyapashraya chikitsa i.e. rational therapies. However, the psychological doshas are handled with the assistance of –
– Jnana – information of self
– Vijnana – scientific information
– Dhairya – temperance or restraint, braveness
– Smriti – reminiscence and
– Samadhi – focus and focus / focus (Charaka Samhita Sutra Sthana, Chapter 1, verse 58)
Right here, it’s attention-grabbing to see that Grasp Charaka has not talked about Sattvavajaya Chikitsa – psychotherapy, the third most important kind of remedy which Ayurveda has accepted. Later, in Sutra Sthana Chapter 11, verse 54, whereas mentioning three sorts of remedy modalities i.e. daivavyapashraya, yuktivyapashraya and sattvavajaya chikitsa.
त्रिविधमौषधमिति- दैवव्यपाश्रयं, युक्तिव्यपाश्रयं, सत्त्वावजयश्च| तत्र दैवव्यपाश्रयं- मन्त्रौषधिमणिमङ्गलबल्युपहारहोमनियमप्रायश्चित्तोपवासस्वस्त्ययनप्रणिपातगमनादि,युक्तिव्यपाश्रयं- पुनराहारौषधद्रव्याणां योजना, सत्त्वावजयः- पुनरहितेभ्योऽर्थेभ्यो मनोनिग्रहः||५४||
On this context Charaka provides examples of Daivavyapashraya and Yuktivyapashraya Chikitsa and ends the verse by defining Sattvavajaya Chikitsa as ‘a remedy or strategy wherein the thoughts is withdrawn from dangerous and unwholesome objects’.
Taking all these contexts in dialogue, we are able to mathematically conclude that the Jnana, Vijnana and many others talked about earlier in chapter 1 are the measures included underneath Sattvavajaya. He has given examples or measures firstly in chapter 1 and outlined Sattvavajaya in chapter 11. He has additionally talked about the phrase Sattvavajaya within the reference given from chapter 11, which he had missed out in chapter 1.
So, the 5 measures – Jnana, Vijnana, Dhairya, Smriti and Samadi can collectively be thought-about as parts of Sattvavajaya Chikitsa, totally different measures which can be utilized to deal with the thoughts and convey it right into a state of stability.
So, Jnana and many others could be thought-about as particular person therapies contributing in the direction of Sattvavajaya Chikitsa and collectively contributing in the direction of complete thoughts therapeutic and treatment of psychological problems.
So, we are going to talk about these 5 parts / remedy measures of Sattvavajaya Chikitsa in short.
5 parts of Sattvavajaya Chikitsa
1. Jnana – Non secular Information / Non secular Understanding – Perception oriented remedy strategy
Jnana is outlined as ‘Adyatma Jnanam’ which suggests non secular information or understanding about self. Whereas bringing Jnana as a remedy into play in psychological problems, the individual is skilled to introspect and look inwards. It’s undoubtedly a recreation changer in how an individual begins himself and the world round himself. It is vitally necessary to introduce the individual to himself or herself and the life ingredient or atman in them and the relation of atman with the larger life power i.e. paramatma. Jnana, similar to its different counterparts, is therapeutic in addition to preventive remedy. Jnana additionally means consciousness, conscience, information, knowledge, thought course of or intelligence.
Jnana, as a remedy, goals at enhancing these entities associated to thoughts.
On this remedy, the doctor guides the affected person or wholesome individual looking for psychotherapy to develop and enhance the perception about themselves. This may be achieved by self-monitoring and evaluating frequently which can in flip assist them to adapt to worrying conditions.
The information which helps an individual to grasp and understand that Brahma or absolute atma is the one reality and nothing else is called Adyatma Jnana, which is a vital a part of Jnana remedy. The software for attaining this Adyatma Jnana in response to Grasp Charaka is ‘Satya Buddhi’ i.e. true information. This true information will assist in eliminating one’s egoism which in flip destroys upadha i.e. untoward wishes – which is the foundation reason behind every kind of miseries. By doing so, the individual will eliminate all psychological ailments and also will obtain rajas-tamas stability.
Associated Studying – ‘Jnana – non secular information, position in Sattvavajaya Chikitsa’
2. Vijnana – Scriptural / Particular Information – Educative strategy
Vijnana is outlined as ‘Shastra Jnanam’ which suggests scriptural or textual information. Vijnana can be scientific information. In Ayurveda, the scriptures and texts are thought-about as essential testimonials. They symbolize ‘true and unadulterated information’.
Vijnana is a information in the direction of attaining this true information. From a thoughts ‘s perspective, it helps in understanding the nuances and subtleties of the thoughts, the imbalances occurring therein, the stress parts – their causes and triggers. It additionally trains one and improves functionality to manage up with stress, unfavourable feelings and thoughts imbalances.
One will get to study the paths of indulgence, attachment or engagement or renunciation with respect to worldly pleasures and in addition to discriminate between good and unhealthy and in addition imbibe them into their life from Vijnana. The identical information will practice the individuals in regards to the appropriate methods of responding and behaving to varied stimuli.
Vijnana helps in balancing rajas and tamas doshas of the thoughts. It’s going to additionally improve the sattva high quality and in addition assist in eliminating psychological problems. Vijnana is a remedy falling within the class of sattvavajaya and seeing its advantages it may be correlated with Cognitive Behavioural Remedy.
Totally different meanings of Vijnana are – comprehension, notion, judgment, profane understanding, discernment or consciousness. And Vijnana goals at enhancing these virtues.
Associated Studying – ‘Vijnana – Scriptural, Scientific or Worldly Information – Educative strategy and its position in Sattvavajaya Chikitsa’
3. Dhairya – braveness, endurance, controlling energy, endurance – Supportive strategy
Dhairya is outlined as ‘Dhairyan anunati chestasaha’. It means ‘a state whereby one has capability to take care of a state of psychological stability despite the fact that she or he is underneath an immense worrying state of affairs’.
We will see that individuals with alpa / hina sattva i.e. weak minds lack braveness and are timid by nature. They have a tendency to blow easy issues out of proportions. They can’t tolerate any sorts of bodily or psychological ailments or hardships of life. They want fixed encouragement, by medical doctors, household or buddies as a result of their braveness and tolerance energy is simply too low.
The affected person is reassured and counselled frequently as part of dhairya remedy. The doctor ought to put all attainable efforts to exchange the unfavourable ideas of the affected person with optimistic ones. He additionally ought to attempt to channelize the thought means of the sufferers in a optimistic course. Even in fashionable medication we are able to see that counselling is a vital and obligatory a part of psychotherapy. This may be equated with the dhairya part or strategy of sattvavajaya chikitsa.
The principle goal of dhairya remedy can be to relax the hyper-excitation and disturbances of the thoughts and in addition to carry energy, stability and firmness to the thoughts.
The endurance and braveness of the affected person could be elevated with the assistance of counselling and meditation that are included in dhairya remedy. With the assistance of this braveness, the individual would collect braveness to tolerate ache, grief and different hardships and challenges that she or he would encounter of their lives.
The sound remedy which is part of thoughts therapeutic classes these days, can assist in creating optimistic vibrations to relax the thoughts. This can create a pathway in the direction of regeneration of braveness and hope within the affected person. From the doctor or therapist’s perspective, dhairya remedy offers most encouragement, empathy and a focus to the affected person. This remedy creates a belief worth and in addition a matured stage of consciousness and judgment. It additionally improves a major quantity of endurance and consciousness of self-worth.
Associated Studying – ‘Dhairya / Aashvasana Chikitsa – reassurance and braveness remedy, Function in Sattvavajaya Chikitsa’
4. Smriti – reminiscence, recall – Cognitive Method
Smriti is outlined as – ‘Smritih Anubhuthartha Smaranam’ which suggests remembering or recalling the item of previous expertise. Right here, the doctor adopts totally different measures to appropriate the reminiscence means of the affected person and in addition to reinforce and restore the reminiscence.
Reminiscences are recordsdata in our unconscious layers. They floor when wanted. Some could also be good, many could also be unhealthy and unwholesome. The doctor must also assist the affected person to eliminate unhealthy and undesirable reminiscences and change them with new and good reminiscences. They need to even be guided how to not create and save reminiscences of unhealthy experiences, to disregard, forgive, overlook and transfer on.
Herein, as part of remedy, in smriti, the affected person is helped to withdraw and extract the unhealthy reminiscences and hidden conflicts from deep inside, which can be mighty dangerous in the long term and expel them completely. By continually doing this with will or being guided, the individual will study to manage up together with his or her issues and can attempt to stay away from the unhealthy and unfavourable feelings, stimuli or triggers and develop a way of positivity inside.
Provided that the individual remembers the actual nature of issues, he can eliminate his reminiscences. There are eight causes for enchancment of Smriti in a optimistic course. This may be readily practiced as a therapeutic measure if the individual has low reminiscence and if she or he requires reminiscence to eliminate their ailments. Smriti can be wanted to comply with the directions given by the doctor in the direction of frequently taking medicines, life-style adjustments, behavioural adjustments, what to do and what to not, which is the bottom for whole restoration from any ailment. To alter right here
5. Samadhi – focus, restraining the thoughts, meditation – Psycho-philosophical strategy
Samadhi is outlined as ‘Vishayebhyo Nivruthya Atmani Manaso Niyamanam’ which suggests ‘restraining the thoughts and detaching it from its affiliation with worldly objects and diverting it in the direction of the atma in order to have it underneath non secular management and in addition meditating on the non secular dimension of 1’s character’.
The principle intention and purpose of samadhi is to get indifferent from varied temptations of trivial nature, unwholesome points of interest, attachment with undesired issues and varied sorts of stressors, to make the individual to comprehend the significance of self and self-worth and diverting the thoughts inwards in the direction of the internal self and making an affiliation with the internal self.
Samadhi is taken into account as the last word stage in Yogic practices. It’s a state of reaching and being in a state of unwavering focus.
As a remedy, Samadhi could be included in treating the ailments. The purpose can be to attenuate the psychological fluctuations and cut back the wavering of thoughts. This can finally result in enhancement of focus and institution of a tranquilized thoughts. The stage of Samadhi could be achieved by diverting the senses i.e. indriyas in the direction of and into the thoughts i.e. manas in order to attain a stage of nonetheless and balanced thoughts. This finally results in full destruction or cessation of every kind of vikaras – ailments and dukhas – grief.
To sum up
The 5 remedy measures detailed above are extremely efficient in remedy of psychological problems and type integral parts of Sattvavajaya Chikitsa – the Ayurveda model of Psychotherapy. They not solely heal the thoughts however may even instill braveness, endurance, calmness, confidence and stability within the thoughts and can hold the rajas and tamas elements in a state of stability. They may even improve the sattva attribute of the thoughts.
Due to this fact, sattvavajaya chikitsa with these 5 remedy measures included underneath its umbrella is extremely useful in prevention and treatment of psychological problems and balancing the psychological attributes. It additionally strengthens the thoughts and adjustments the attitude of considering, making selections and coping with not solely psychological but additionally psychosomatic problems. It’s of the best ordeal and strategy in coping with weak minded folks.
Amongst these 5 entities the successive ones are mentioned to be extremely useful than the earlier in that order. So, Vijnana is best than Jnana, Dhairya is best than Vijgnana, Smriti is best than Dhairya and Samadhi is best than Smriti. With this, we are able to perceive that Samadhi is the last word software in dealing with psychological problems by Sattvavaja Chikitsa and it encompasses the qualities of all the opposite Jnana and many others strategies. However, Jnana is taken into account as having lesser advantages and privileges compared to the opposite 4 measures.
So, the perfect method of planning Sattvavajaya Chikitsa and implementing it’s making ultimate and customised combos of two or extra of those approaches or taking all 5 in consideration in order to supply complete and full profit in coping with the thoughts imbalances as and when wanted. As particular person approaches, they type ultimate therapies however when successfully mixed, the outcomes can be unparalleled and extra steady.
So, all these 5 steps of Sattvavajaya Chikitsa assist in balancing the psychological signs and normalize the physiological capabilities. That is achieved by the stability of doshas, hormones or neurotransmitters that’s caused by their implementation. These 5 facets of Sattvavajaya Chikitsa as specified by Grasp Charaka comprise in all of them the opposite therapies suggested for treating the imbalanced thoughts and the ailments attributable to them. We will additionally inform that the fundamentals and fundamentals of the complete fashionable psychiatry could be included into these 5 therapies which represent the Sattvavajaya Chikitsa.
Sattvavajaya Chikitsa and these 5 measures ought to be thought-about and carried out in complete remedy of psychological problems primarily, but additionally ought to be included within the remedy of bodily and psychosomatic problems. It’s because physique and thoughts are the 2 sides of the identical coin. When one is disturbed, it disturbs the opposite one. Equally, when the thoughts is healed, the physique too will get healed and the vice versa can be true. Ayurveda scientific apply shouldn’t be full with out contemplating ‘the thoughts stability’ and for this to attain, Sattvavajaya Chikitsa is an important and obligatory software.
