PANCHAKARMA – THE FIVE DIMENSIONAL BIO-PURIFICATION
“Please kindly tell us about Panchakarma.”
“Panchakarma is a 5 pronged process of cleaning designed to eliminate toxins of undigested food stuck in the gastro intestinal tracts and lodged in the bodily tissues called dhatus. Before we do it we have to do a set of preparatory techniques called purvakarma.”
“Why is preparatory required?”
Your castor oil and castophenes remove only pitta related trash accumulated in the G-I tract. Once this sticky and heavy stuff is lodged in the deeper structures of body tissues even palliative therapy is incapable to clean it fully. What to speak of anything else. In order for Panchakarma to succeed, preparation is a must.”
“Ok, please tell us, what are the set of preparatory methods?”
PURVAKARMA – PANCHAKARMA PREPARATORY METHODS
“The two most important methods are suitable and sufficient oleation (snchan and therapeutic heating (swedan).”
“Kindly tell us how to go about them?”
“Just like a piece of drug and crooked wood can be made soft, straight, and flexible, by oiling and steaming, so also this aging human body can.
First herbal and medicated sesame oil or ghee or other oils matching the need of the patient should be gained and be managed vigorously but with understanding.
Secondly internal oleation should be done with the ghee of an Indian holy cow. Ghee is nutritive and medicinal. It does not elevate cholesterol levels. It increases the strength of the digestive fire. At the same time it reduces acidity in digestive tracts and tissues. It stops gastric aggravations, softens, and lubricates the joints and tissues. It prevents physiological wear and tear, jamminas, and burning out of tissues. Extra heat and inflammation are naturally eliminated and secretions continue in a healthy way.
Animal fat and bone marrow can be used only for leukaemia, cancer, and myopathy. So avoid them. By eating medicated ghee and drinking warm water three times a day very shortly the bodily tissues give up their accumulated toxins. Enhanced secretion induces the doshas (which are functional intelligence within our body responsible for all physiological and psychological processes) to transport the toxic residue of undigested food, the source of all diseases and harmful natural metabolic by products, into the gastrointestinal tract for elimination.
By doing so the toxins sticky grip on tissues called dhatus are dissolved and they are flushed out. All the coldness of behaviour, passive, boring, and zombie attitudes, are also flushed down the toilet.
“Sir, what do we accomplish from Purvakarma?”
“In order to know the extent of benefits you must be competent in the knowledge of the functioning of life force, vital air, and oxygen in the body.
Life force, called Prana, moves from the head to mouth, to nostril, to navel, controlling sensory functioning.
Udana life force moves from the navel to the mouth, to nostril, to head, eliminating carbon dioxide, extra mucus, and saliva from their zones. It creates the sound of speech. It originates in the gut and is the source of our strength.
Samana life force circulates clockwise around navel area empowering the digestive fire and metabolic process in the small intestine exactly as the air strokes a fire.
Vyana life force moves from the heart to periphery back and forth in circadian rhythm. It supports the circulation of blood and lymph.
Apana life-force travels from the navel to anus and urethra. Its main function is to flush out urine, faeces, menstrual discharge, and also babies during birth
“Well Sir, now tell us how to do the massage?”
“First start from the umbilicus to the head, back to the umbilicus, down to the feet, and then back to the umbilicus on both sides of the body.
‘Marmas’ (connecting points between the physical substance of the body and the underlying intelligence) stimulation enhances the harmonious co-ordination among the 5 vital airs or life forces. It then orchestrates every neuropsychological mechanism in the body. So there should be pressure and strokes during massage varying to the marma points. It must be geared to push generous amounts of warm, herbal sesame oil into the pores of the skin, which it ingests happily.
“What oil do we apply?”
“To pacify fire use sandal wood oil, to pacify water use Maha Narayan oil, and for air sesame oil is the best.
“Now please tell us about the internal oleation?”
“You must take prescribed amounts of warm herbal holy cow ghee early in the morning and late afternoon on an empty stomach. According to the strength of your digestive fire dosages are increased. You should not eat anything until the ghee is digested and the appetite returns.”
“Sir, how long should we do this?”
“Just seven days.”
“What are the stop signals?”
“Your body is well lubricated. Skin is soft, shining, and smells a little unctuous. Elimination is healthy. Faecal matter looks yellowish, shiny, oily, and softer, smelling like ghee. Strength, enthusiasm, energy and clarity of mind are better. Then you stop.”
“Now please tell us about therapeutic perspiring, heating, or sweating?”
“Produce steam from herbal water decoction in a clay pot or nylon reinforced plastic hose connected pressure cooker. It should be in a way that eases the steam application to the surface of your body through the tube. The steam drives the heat and oil deep into tissues through the pores of skin.
“What areas of the body should be treated by the steam?”
“The whole body. Focus on the thick, complex structure of the joints to improve mobility.”
“How long shall we do it for?”
“Just for 7 minutes. You can use this tube heating to reduce pain, muscle spasm, rigidity, backache, and hips, knees, spine, or muscle inflammation. After this you should take a steam bath.”
“Now please tell us about the steam bath.”
“Drink a glass of water and enter the sweat box. Sit or lie down with the whole body, except the head exposed to the medicated steam. Put a cool compressor on the forehead to maintain normal temperature.”
“How long shall we stay in the box?”
“Until perspiration beads down all over your face. That should take at least 7 to 10 minutes.”
“What are the effects?”
“Sweating liquefies toxins and its heaviness, but it is not for heart patients, hyper tensed, anaemia, and leukaemia patients. For them tube steaming is good. With the help of these purvakarma methods you must gain oleation penetration to deep tissues, liquefy toxins, dilate body channels, mobilize vital airs, and facilitate toxin extracting.”
“Sir, now we have done the course of purvakarma. Please guide us into panchakarma?”
“Before you begin, the adjunctive procedures of panchakarma are required. So do these first.”
“Well, what are those?”
“It is called Sirodhara. It means dripping a steady stream of warm oil onto your forehead, right on the 3rd eye centre.”
“Sir, how to we do it?”
“Fill a copper pot with medicated warm oil. Hang it 6 or 8 inches above your forehead. Lie down straight comfortably and let a thin stream of herbal oil flow on your forehead particularly on the brow area between both eyes.”
“For how long?”
“For 20 minutes, 4 times during a week long treatment. It releases strain, improves mental clarity and comprehension, and opens the sources of Prana in the head.”
“Is panchakarma still too far away sir?”
“Don’t scream. You are attaining and improving. So the next procedure is to take a bolus of rice. Wrap it in a cloth. Then pour more oil onto your spinal cord, and then massage it vigorously with bolus. It is pleasing and invigorating. It is called pishinchhali. It stimulates marma points and harmonizes all the 5 life forces in the body.”
“Sir, how long should it be done and how often?”
“Just 30 minutes for several times of course.”
“Then what’s next?”
“Cook rice with special gas pacifying herbs, soaked in an herbal milk decoction of nutritive herbs. This hot bolus should be rubbed vigorously all over the body, focusing on muscle tissue and joints. It is called pinda swedan (bolus heating) and done after the massage for ten to twenty minutes.”
For muscle toning, facial paralysis, hemiplegia, sclerosis, muscular atrophy, and other degenerative diseases, bolus heating can be done independently.”
“Sir, how many kinds of therapeutic heatings are possible?”
“There are sauna and hot sand fomentation to release inflammation and congestion in the joints.”
For gout and arthritis you should make poultices of black gram (udad dal) flour cooked with herbs, water or oil, and applied in varying degrees of wetness. It is called herbal decoctions in hot water. All you need is just take shower with it.
Ushma swedan is the steam bath best for circulatory system to do lifestyle adjustments during the panchakarma to maximize the success.”
“Why should we make lifestyle adjustments Sir? Why not just continue as we as been living before?”
“You have been messing up your life all along. Now you have come here to mess up with my panchakarma technique. There are already people who are messing up with it, answering to you to get done with it in 10 days. So get out of here or follow the lifestyle.”
“Ok holy sire, we agree to follow.”
“No, you must promise. Take a vow.”
“Ok Sire, we vow to follow the new adjustments from preparatory to the post treatment procedures.”
“First of all you must understand that it is a shortened form of kayakalpa. Therefore don’t live as drugged as you did before. Devote yourself to rest. Cut off all contacts which obsess you with work, emotion, lust, rage, and jealousy. Read only positive news in the newspapers, watch only spiritual programs on the TV, do only spiritual work on the computer, leading to mental and physical rest. The best is thing is listening to my 120 hour discourse series.”
Cold impairs metabolism and agni’s effectiveness, and shrinks the body channels so toxins are stuck in the body. So be in a warm, pleasant surrounding, bath warm, eat fresh and warm, and stay warm.”
“Sir, what is the best food we should take during the panchakarma?”
Well, it is the “Shakambhari Dish” you should eat it daily. It does not tax the digestive fire, and helps liquefy toxins. It is highly nourishing, digests easily, and calms the mind balancing the three types of nature.”
“How do we make it?”
“Ok, wash soaked whole wheat pieces (Porridge) with yellow split mung beans and vegetables until the water runs clear. Pour 8 cups of water and cook it until they are all soft.
Boil holy cow ghee in a separate pot. Put in mustard seeds, cumin seeds, coriander, hing, turmeric, and garlic. Stir it until they turn reddish.
Then pour it fast on the first pot and put the lid on. Then add some back salt, cilantro, and pieces of onion. After 20 minutes wash your hands and feet and get ready to eat.”
“Sir, what are strictly prohibited?”
“Fried, fermented, (yogurt, cheese, toffee, Soya sauce etc), yeast, ice creams, tea, sodas, alcohol, caffeine mixed stuff, sour items (pickles, vinegar, citrus etc), salty, dairy products, pungent foods, meat, and sweets are not allowed.
PANCHAKARMA – THE FIVE DIMENSIONAL BIO-PURIFICATION
There are 3 outlets in the body to trash out waste products and toxins - the mouth, the pores of skin, and the privates. The natural movements of air, water, and fire do the flushing out job. Panchakarma’s curative and rejuvenating power strengthens the movements of vatta, pitta, and kapha in flushing things out.
Therapeutic vomiting (vamana) part of panchakarma discharges mucus related toxins.
Dripping medicated oil into the nose (Nasya) assists it in dislodging toxins and mucus from the throat, nose, and sinuses in the region of head and neck.
Basti cleanses the large intestine and toxins related with pitta and vata, flushing the stuff into the rectum.
Before therapeutic vomiting the oleation and heating have to be administered for 7 days, after which, there must be signs of complete internal and external oleation exhibited by soft, shiny, oily quality of skin, and faeces with oily smell.
The night before the therapeutic vomiting you must eat mucus stimulating food items, such as black lentil soup, yogurt, bananas, milk, and other oily food stuff. Beware! It must not be more than 3 hours stale or junk food at all.
3/4th of a gram of the herb called vacha is given before sleep. It thins toxins in the stomach. After taking vacha (Achromous Calamus) do not eat or drink anything until the emesis (vamana) is administered.
Next day in the early morning when the water element dominates the external atmosphere and kapha in the physical environment, kafic toxins are available for elimination and vamana has to be performed.
Eat 300 millilitres or one and half cups of thin porridge. Then lick 1 and ½ teaspoons of the paste of dried meadow fruit powder. Then drink warm liquorice tea or (Glycyrrhiza Glabbra) or yashti madhu or sugarcane juice or saline solution. This is an excellent medium to flush out all sticky, heavy, oily impurities from the tissues. Please keep vomiting until there is bitter, sour, or burning taste in the mouth. It ends in 40 minutes.
Do not eat or drink for 4-5 hours except for some thin rice water. Monitor the heart rate and blood pressure. They are expected to rise.
If you drink 3 litres (Quarts) vomit out 4 litres. Check the colour, consistency, and odour of the vomit for effectiveness of the treatment.
Therapeutic cleansing of the head region with medicated oil/powder removes toxins from the larynx, pharynx, mouth, ears, eyes, and para-nasal sinuses. It opens up the channels of the head and improves oxygenation – flow of Prana which has highly beneficial influence on brain functioning. There are 3 kinds of nasya-
To promote secretions to flush out toxins
To create soothing effects
To provide nourishment to the tissues.
Put 8 drops in each nostril, and gradually Increase to 15 drops. Get panchendriya vardhan oil made of asvagandha (witharia somniferra), pippali (Piper longum), naga bala (Sida cardifolia), and 7 other rejuvenative herbs.
For insomnia, headache, and anxiety do avapidan nasya by squeezing fresh herbal drops into the nasal passage. For dizziness, fainting, severe headache, and disorientation, do pradhaman nasya by blowing powdered herbs through a tube into the nose.
To clean, lubricate and strengthen the mucous membranes perform marsh and prati marsha nasya, by dripping 4 drops every 2 hours or dip the little finger into oil and gently massage inside the nasal passages.
First warm herbalized oil is vigorously massaged into the face, especially the sinus area. Then fermentation of a hot water bottle wrapped in a hot, moist towel is to be applied to the face and neck.
After this oleation and perspiration, tilt your head back and receive drops. Inhale deeply to pull it into the sinus passage.
Pinch the nostril 5 to 10 times with each strong inhale.
After a while dislodged toxins and mucus begin to flow back into mouth, throat, and nose. Blow these out.
If there is burning sensation due to excess pitta, drop 2 drops of ghee in each nostril, and put a cool towel over the face.
No exposure to stress, strain or anger. Just rest. It should be done for 7-14-21 days and heals migraine, epilepsy, allergies, and nose bleeding.
For pitta disorders perform at midnight or midday.
For vata disorders perform in the late afternoon.
During panchakarma it should be given daily after oleation and sweating.
You will feel lighter, less congested, mind clear, senses acute, body comfortable and happy. Then your Prana can be directed to the brain and filter out allergens floating in the air.
Therapeutic Purging (virechan) cleanses the small intestine and pitta, dominant organs in the mid zone of the body, and of course the blood. It induces loose bowel movements but not like diarrhoea, which is caused by infecting, food poisoning, or drug toxicity. Diarrhoea needs to be controlled and stopped until dehydration occurs depleting the body of its vital resources.
Virechan is a herb induced purging process, which collects toxins from all the pitta locations into the small intestine and then discharges it. It ceases of its own as soon as toxins are gone. You feel much stronger and vital after it is done.
There are 315 herbal preparations for purgation. Pitta people need mild laxatives like Ipomoea Turpethum. Kapha people need amaltas (Cassia Fistula). Vat people need hardest to purge as castor oil.
After outer oleation do internal oleation by drinking tikta ghrit (decoction of 53 herbs). Hot, spicy, and sour food items have a pitta enhancing quality.
Eat a pitta abundant meal around 10:30 am. Take a purgative 2 and half hours later at 1:00 pm. Go to toilet for 4 to 10 times or 6 to 8. If cramp or burning happens it is no cause to panic just lick up some tikta ghrit.
To prevent dehydration you may drink pure water with jaggery and black salt.
Upon the successful purging you feel clean, light and strong. Abdominal bloating and heaviness is gone. The mind clears and intellect sharpens. It enhances the benefits of medicines rejuvenating dhatus.
Vamana, nasya, and virechan together contribute 50% of benefits of panchakarma, and basti by itself provides the remaining 50%.
Basti differs completely from enemas or colonics in its intents, administration, and effect. Enemas clean faeces collected in the rectum and rigmoid colon (the last 8 to 10 inches of the colon). Colonics clean the entire colon through repeated flushing with water. It may weaken the mucous membranes, dry the colon, and disrupt normal eliminative works of vata. Both do not help the nutritive capacity of the colon. Basti purifies toxins from all over the body treating from the ileaocecal valve to the anus and eliminates not only faecal matter but also toxins from the colon and dhatus as well. It nurtures and rebuilds the bone tissue and organs. It heals chronic constipation, low back pain, sciatica, gout, arthritis, Alzheimer, Parkinson, mental retardation, sensory dysfunction, and all acute vata imbalance.
BASTI CLASSIFIED BY SITE OF ADMINISTRATION
Pankwashayagat basti- medicated liquids sent through the anus and rectum into the colon. Uterus basti - medicated oil sent through the vagina and cervix to cleanse and nourish the uterus. Mutrashayagat basti - Introduces through the penis and urethra to treat the genital and urinary organs. Branagat basti- To irrigate and heal absesses and wounds. Palliative basti- Retaining medicated substances in the lower back, eyes, and chest areas of the body Netra Basti (Netra - tarpana) - Make a dam of dough of black gram flour around eye sockets. Fill it with medicated ghee. Removes eyestrain and improves vision. Katti Basti - Build a dam around lumbar sacral area. Heals muscle spasm, rigid lower spine, and strengthens bone tissues. Uro Basti - Heals sternum pain and strengthens the heart. Shiro Basti - Improves functioning of prana vayu and heals Schizophrenia, memory loss, compulsive disorders, disorientation, glaucoma, and sinus headaches. Wear a hat to contain the oil.
BASTI CLASSIFIED BY FUNCTION
Shodhana Basti – Detoxifies - penetrating deeper up to 7 dhatus. Utclation Basti - Promotes secretion, liquification of toxins and mala in the colon, and expels them. Shaman Basti - Palliative, restoring doshic performance. Lekhan Basti - Useful for kapha and meduim disorders. Bruhan Basti – Strengthens the dhatus and their metabolism. Snehan Basti - For cracking joints and dry skin etc. Rasayan Basti - With ashwagahan, shatavati Vajikaran Basti - Increases virility, fertility, vigour, and vitality. Matra Basti - To pacify aggravation from travel, exercises and work stress. 10 and ½ ounce.
BASTI CLASSIFIED BY FREQUENCY AND DURATION
Karma Basti - Month long treatment for vata related disorders. It begins with anuvasan basti and alternates with nirooh basti for 25 consecutive days. Ends with 5 days of anuvasan basti. Kala Basti - Heals vata related disorders for pitta dominant constitutions. It starts with anuvasan alternating with nirooh for 10 to 12 days. Ends with 3 or 5 days of anuvasan basti. Yoga Basti - Heals kapha patients with vata disorders.
TWO MAJOR TYPES OF PAKVASAY GAT BASTI
400ml. (1-3/4 cups) purifying herb decoctioned water has to be retained in the colon for 48 minutes. Let the ingredients get absorbed and their influence move throughout the body.
The first day cleanses ama and mala from colon. The second day balances and nourishes vata and increases calm and clarity. The third day pulls out ama and toxins from pitta zones. 4th and 5th day toxins are pulled out of kapha zones - muscles and adipose tissues. 6th and 7th day reaches bones and bone marrow.
Good for vata disorders. It lubricates and nourishes all dhatus. 3 to 6 hours or overnight is ideal retention. The very name means that which is to remain in the body for a while to have an intended effect.
After oleantion and sudation (heating) lie down on your left side and extend your left leg. Bend your right knee towards the chest. Support the head on a pillow. You should be warm and relaxed. The temperature of Basti must be at body temperature. Draw the herbal water in your rectum through a catheter with the end and anal opening both lubricated. Insert 6 inches into the rectum while you inhale deeply. After this basti is complete.
Lie down on your back and rest for 20 minutes. Observe your bowel movement. Note the frequency, colour, consistency, odour, and signs of whether toxins are present, and what type of toxin is being eliminated.
Just lie down on the table. Blood is taken in a sterile syringe. It should be examined for colour, smell, consistency, viscosity and clotting characteristics. It provides a rapid dramatic reduction in acute disorders. It is done towards the end of summer and during autumn, when pitta tends to aggravate due to fire dominating the environment. It takes on hour. It hauls in obesity, infertility, menstrual irregularity, arthritis, Parkinson, and degenerative diseases. Also helps in chronic fatigue syndrome, insomnia, depressing, chronic pain, bronchia asthma, and irritable bowel syndrome.
POST – TREATMENT PROCEDURE OF PANCHAKARMA OR PASCHATKARMA
If this is not done then digestion will not normalize. Weak digestion generates new toxins and the nervous system does not re-establish its natural immune system and functioning. You will fall ill again. There are two steps of Post-treatment:
GRADUATED DIET
Liquid is the first meal four hours after vamana and virechan as soon as the appetite returns. This liquid has to be water in which basmati rice was boiled. Drink lukewarm with a little ghee and a pinch salt.
Your next meal has to be rice soup. 3rd and 4th meals have to be slightly thicker and softer soup, 4 parts water and one part grain with a little black salt or jaggery. You may also put a little fresh ginger, turmeric, cumin, coriander, fennel, and ghee.
Your 5th meal should be eaten on the 2nd day of your panchakarma and your meal has to be shakambhari dish. See the process in former pages. It is easily digested. Suitable for all types of people balancing all the types of doshas and strengthening all dhatus while assisting the detoxification process.
The recovery depends on the strength of your digestive capacity. Just about from 3 - 4 to 7-10 meals. Eat only when you are extremely hungry.
Your hunger is the signal that digestion, assimilation and elimination are working well. In order to restore your appetite drink freshly grated ginger root tea morning and afternoon.
General Guidelines to Flare up your Digestive Fire
Eat only when hungry. Do not eat when full. Save ¼ empty, ¼ water, ½ food. No cold drinks with meals. No ice-cream after meals. Eat lunch at 12 pm and light dinner at 7 pm. Eat in a calm atmosphere. Sit down when you eat. No snacks between meals, no eating before sleep. Fast for a day every 2 weeks. Cancel the food items deep fried or heavy.
RASAYAN - HERBAL AND MINERAL REJUVENATION THERAPY
Ama and Mala stored in the dhatus block the ability to assimilate. After panchakarma your digestive capacity must grow to the required strength to metabolize them because rasayanas are very refined and concentrated herbal and mineral formulas.
Asvagandha pacifies and balances vata Bramhi and manjistha pacify pitta Ginger, black pepper, and pippali improve the digestive capacity of all dhatus agnis and pacifies kapha. Amalaki increases Sattva, improves clarity, stillness, and positivity of mind. It pacifies pitta and vata.
PANCHAKARMA REGIMENS
- 7 days cycle of snehan and swedan.
Nasya 8th
vamana
3 days of samarjan karma
snehan-swedan nasya and basti 1 to 7 days
vamana - 8th
samarjan karma & aram - 9 and 10 days
snehan, swedan nasya, basti 11-15
virechan 16th
samarjan rest 17, 18
snehan, swedan nasya, basti, braham anushasan 19-26
samarjan aaraam 27-28
This one or 2-week program is highly recommended once or twice a year for preventative purpose. It is more beneficial to do it around seasonal changes since that’s the time when doshas - (functional intelligence within the body responsible for physiological and psychological processes) become imbalanced in their functioning.
Note: You are requested to send your questions about Panchakarma to Swami Shyamendra
Sluggish digestion, feeling sleepy and heavy after eating excessive mucous secretion, sneezing, and allergies, then know for sure your kapha is excessive.
Acidity, gas, bloating, sour burps, and great thirst after eating, then pitta is aggravated.
Sluggish elimination, hard toilet, frequent constipation, feeling very dry or cold, suffer from insomnia, anxiety, or depression, then vata is excessive or obstructed.
With doshic imbalances your energy levels are low and depleted.
How to fix yourself
With kapha imbalance take only fresh vegetables. Take asparagus, beet greens, bitter melons, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, kale, and leafy greens.
In severe sinus headache fresh ginger root juice, 2 drops + 1 drop fresh lime juice, half a pinch jaggery. Mix well with warm water. Put one drop in each nostril twice a day. Before doing this gently massage your face and sinus area with warm sesame oil and apply a hot towel or hot water bottle to the sinus area.
Lie on your back with your head hanging off the end of the bed. Place the drops in each nostril with dropper. Then repeatedly pinch the nostrils while sniffing slowly and deeply. This makes the mix reach the sinus area.
Burning in nose can be healed by putting a little ghee in the nostrils. Sinuses are gateway to your brain.
Therefore keep them free from mucus and let the vital air flow undisrupted.
For sore throat take one and a half teaspoon full turmeric powder and honey paste 3 times a day.
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