Chapter 8 and 9: Alternative Medical Systems: Ayurveda and its practices Flashcards
four main principles identified in Ayurveda
1.Principle of inner balance
2.principle of universal cosmos (five elements)
3.Principle of body energies (Doshas)
4.Principle of disease causation
Principle of inner balance
-maintain inner balance by placing major emphasis on maintaining health by preventing disease and illness
-diet, exercise, positive lifestyle and balancing ones life are encouraged
-each person is unique and has different pattern of energy that compromises or makes up that persons constitution
-both external and internal factors responsible
Principle of Universal Cosmos: Five Elements
-every human being is a creation of the cosmos and universal consciousness
-universe consists of five elements (or tattwa) that form the sum and substance of the physical universe as well as serve as the building blocks of nature, and they originate from and are composed of an energy called prana
5 elements
- Earth (Prithvi)
- Water (Apa)
3.Fire (Tejas) - Air (Vayu)
5.ether or space (Akash)
-all five elements are thought to be present cells in all cells of the body
True or false: all five elements are thought to be present in all cells of the body. Every substance in our world is made up of a combination of the tattwa, and all substances can be classified according to their predominant element.
true
The tattwa combine to make the
seven tissues (dhatu) that gice the body its structure-plasma, blood, muscle, lipid, bone and nervous and reproductive systems
True or False: Tattwa also make up the different tastes of sweet, salty, sour pungent, bitter and astringent
true
What is the prime moving force between the body and the universe
Prana
What do the two parts of the word Prana mean
pra means foreword or before and ana means breath.
5 pranic forces that govern the body movement and function
prana, udana, samana, apana, and vyana.
Ether
represents the space or field in which everything happens. At the same time, it is the source of all matter and represents the distance among matter. Sound and nonresistance is a chief characteristic of ether.
Air
is matter in a gaseous form. It is moving and dynamic. All energy transfer reactions require oxygen within the body. Air is also required for fire to burn. Air has no form.
Fire
is powerful because it can change solids into liquids and gases and back again. Energy (fire) within our bodies binds atoms together and changes food that we eat into fat (stored energy) and muscle. Fire also is responsible for our nervous reactions, our feelings, and even our thought processes. Fire has a form but no substance.
Water
is the liquid state and represents change. No living thing can survive without water. The human body is largely composed of water. Bodies contain blood, lymph, and other fluids that circulate throughout the body and in between cells of the body. Those fluids help to carry away waste, regulate body temperature, and carry hormonal information throughout the body. The blood contains our disease protection properties (immune system). Water is seen as a substance but has no stability.
Earth
represents the solid state of matter. Earth is represented in our bodies as the bones, teeth, cells, and tissues. Earth is considered a stable substance. It manifests stability, permanence, and rigidity.
Principle of Body energies (Dosha)
-Ayurveda holds that the five elements make up the body’s constitution, which is identified as dosha.
-There are three mental doshas and three body doshas
Three body Dosha
vata (movement), pitta (transformation), and kapha (structure).
- Each individual is composed of a combination of the three, although different people have different ratios of the three doshas.
-Each person’s combination of doshas (or body constitution) is established at birth.
In males what is energy called
Purusha, choiceless passive awareness.
In females what is energy called
Prakruti, choiceful active consciousness
True or False: Most sources do not distinguish the gender energies and use the term Prakruti for both genderies
true
In indian terminology, what is the imbalance called that causes disease to occur
Vikruti
True or False: Vata, pitta, and kapha can exist in varying combinations, but usually one of the three is predominant.
true
according to Ayurveda how many body types are there
7
what are they
mono (vata, pitta, or kapha predominant), dual (vata-pitta, pitta-kapha, or kapha-vata), and equal (vata, pitta, and kapha in equal proportions)