All the basic forces in the Universe - visible and invisible - are but
different manifestations of that Unitary Power which the Vedists
call Prana. Using this Vital Energy to heal is called Pranic Therapy.
This article is a continuation of the earlier article Pranic Therapy Part
III.


The Ayurvedic Model

The system of Indian Holisitc medicine, Ayurveda postulates a different
view of the human personality. Based on the Sankhya school of Indian
philosophy, Ayurveda conceives life as the interplay of three Life-
principles called humours ( which correspond to the three attributes
of Nature - Sattwa, Rajas and thamas ).These are Vata ( wind), Pitta
( bile) & kapha ( phlegm). In the healthy person these three doshas
are in a state of perfect equilibrium. Illness arises when this balance
is lost. Ayurveda holds that every person has in him a tendency to have
one of the three humours dominate his psychophysical system & this
predominance of one humour makes Ayurveda classify the body under
three types: Vata type, Pitta type & Kapha type. ( This is parallel to the
Vedantic model which classifies individual minds as Sattwa dominant,
Tamas dominant and Rajas dominant ). Taking this predominance of
one of the humours into consideration & identifying the body type,
Ayurvedic doctors prescribe medicine & diet.

Attributes of Nature are these!
Know then that Being and Nature both
Hath no beginning; that all qualities
Are Nature-born!

2. Regulation of Food, Sleep and Exercise

" Food is medicine; Medicine is food " said Hippocrates. "Food is
Brahman. Food was verily born before all creatures: therefore it is
called the medicine for all" declares the Upanishads. By stating that
food is the root cause of all ills & illnesses Vedanta have formulated
one of the foundational principles of holistic health. At least half the
ailments of man can be traced directly or indirectly to the problems
of food.

Regulation of food is not easy, because it is an addiction like alcohol.
Problems like obesity, higher cholesterol level & irritable bowel syndrome
crop up if food is not controlled. By controlling food, the whole body
comes under control. "When taste is conquered everything is conquered "
averrs Vedanta. What really matters is not how much we eat but how
much of what we eat is transformed into bioenergy & the building
materials of life. Sir William Osler pointed out many years ago " Only
a small percentage of what we eat nourishes us; the balance goes to
waste and loss of energy".

In holistic health, food should be revered & a proper attitude towards
food should be developed. " Be thankful for all food, for food is
Brahman " said Vivekananda.

Six hours have been prescribed for all even though requirement of
sleep varies from person to person

Research studies have indicated that even moderate levels of exercise
bolster the immune system.

No amount of sleep is sufficient for unwinding the mind for it is always
tense state under the stressful conditions of modern life. Antidotes to
stress include yogic techniques like Meditation, prayer, cultivation
of the Witness attitude & practice of absolute self-surrender to the Divine,
which enable us to avoid a lot of unnecessary stress.

Acid-Alkaline Balance - Key Indicator of Health

Foods either leave an acid ash or an alkaline ash. Maximum health is in
an alkaline body. The average 20th century diet, stress, pace,
lifestyle & environment produce far more acid than is healthy. The human
body is alkaline by design & acidic by function, which means that your
body's health is dependent upon it being alkaline.