SOCH111 – History of Healing
www.endeavour.edu.au
Session 8
Ayurvedic and Tibetan
Medicine
Department of Social
Sciences
© Endeavour College of Natural Health www.endeavour.edu.au 2
Session Aims
o To explore two of the earliest
documented whole medical systems,
which are still in practice today
o To discuss the concept of “constitution”
and continue discussion of the elements
of nature in medical thought
o To define the key concepts and
philosophies in Ayurvedic and Tibetan
medical systems
© Endeavour College of Natural Health www.endeavour.edu.au 3
Ayurveda
o Sanskrit roots: Ayu = longevity,
ved = knowledge
o Science of life/daily living
o Covers topics from horticulture
and alchemy to sociology and
ethics, as well as medicine
o Blend of science and
philosophy
o Balance of the physical,
mental, emotional and spiritual
components of holistic health
CC-BY-SA
http://herb.wikia.com/wiki/
File:Ayurveda_leaf.jpg
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o Origins in ancient
Indian literature as far
back as 6000 BCE
o Beginnings of Hinduism
in India and Ayurveda
strongly linked
o Practice since 1500
BCE in India
documented in the
vedas, specifically the
Atharvaveda
History of Ayurvedic Medicine
By HPNadig - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.
php?curid=12401996
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o ~700 BCE: surgical and
medical aspects of the
system began developing
separately
o Texts documenting these
two facets of the system
may be as old as the 10th
century BCE
o By ~200 BCE, Ayurvedic
hospitals existed with
surgical, obstetric, and
mental wards
History of Ayurvedic Medicine
By Aotearoa from w:pl, CC BY-SA 3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/inde
x.php?curid=1010611
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History of Ayurvedic Medicine
o Basis of Ayurveda is
contained in two great
medical compendia:
o Susruta Samhita:
surgical principles
o Charak Samhita:
medical principles
o Medical aspects
developed and
documented further in
1st – 2nd centuries CEBy William Dwight Whitney, Charles Rockwell Lanman
- Atharva-Veda Saṁhitā second half, Public Domain,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31
497066
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Specialties of medicine recognised early in Ayurvedic
history:
o Internal medicine (Kayachikitsa)
o General surgery and anatomy (Shalya Tantra)
o Ear, nose, throat and eye health (Shalakya)
o Paediatrics, Obstetrics/Gynaecology (Kaumarabhrtya)
o Psychiatry (Bhutavidya)
o Toxicology (Agada Tantra)
o Nutrition, detoxification and rejuvenation (Rasayana
Tantra)
o Fertility and virility (Vajikarana)
Ayurvedic Medicine
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o One of the oldest and most
influential civilisations in the
world
o Comprised of large number of
distinct cultures, cuisines and
languages
o People range from urban/
modern to rural/traditional to
tribal
o Influenced historically by
Muslim and British occupations
Indian Culture and History
By Bala from Seattle, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.ph
p?curid=5854598
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o Social customs, art greatly
influenced by religious
observance
o Major religions are
Hinduism, Islam,
Buddhism and Christianity
o Cohesive extended
families, cultural customs
and caste system highly
influential in marriages
and community
Indian Culture and History
By (Rajasthan, Kishangarh) - Public Domain,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?c
urid=17104902
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o May be the world’s oldest
living religion
o Roots trace to the Indus
Valley civilisation, 2nd-3rd
millennium BCE
o Currently 80% of India’s
population adhere to it
o Broad array of perspectives,
non-dogmatic, ideology of
tolerance
o Way of life vs religion?
Hinduism/Vedic Religion
By Anonymous (Indian artist) - Walters Art Museum: Public Domain,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18779760
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o Intertwined with Hinduism
o Universal cosmic energy
exists in all things, living
and non-living
o Source of all existence is
cosmic consciousness,
having male and female
aspects
o Separation from the
Divine is seen as a cause
of disease
Ayurvedic Cosmology
By Calvinkrishy~commonswiki assumed (based on
copyright claims). - CC BY-SA 3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=
175679
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Unifying Principle of Life
o Prana, the Sanskrit
term for “breath”,
though its meaning is
much broader
o Subtle energy binding
fields of mind, spirit and
body into a functioning
unit
o One of three
transformative energies By Photography by Wikipedia
User:MrX, CC BY-SA 3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/
w/index.php?curid=38632806
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o Treatment of individual as a whole
o Psychosomatic concept of disease
o Prevention is primary goal, lifestyle is as
important as therapeutic methods
o Ultimate aim is to promote wellness and
creative growth
o By re-establishing balance of all energies in
the body, the process of physical
deterioration (aging) and disease can be
greatly reduced
Philosophy of Health
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Revision Questions
o What are the spiritual and philosophical ideas
associated with Ayurvedic Medicine?
o What is prana?
Other food for thought:o What could be some reasons why a medical
system originating around 1500 BCE or earlier is
still widely practiced today?
© Endeavour College of Natural Health www.endeavour.edu.au 15
Constitution
Of or proceeding from the basic structure
or nature of a person or thing; inherent.
American Heritage Medical Dictionary, 2007
Constitutional medicine is an approach to
administering therapeutic agents based
on the recognition of patterns of
imbalance.
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Five Elements
o Three principles uphold the cycle of life: creation, maintenance and dissolution
o Creative principle gives rise to the five essential elements:
• Water
• Earth
• Fire
• Air
• Space/EtherBy Krishnavedala - Own work, CC0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25123034
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Ayurvedic Constitutional Types
o The five elements combine to create three doshas:
• Vata
• Pitta
• Kapha
o Constitution is determined based upon which dosha(s) is/are dominant
By Krishnavedala - Own work, CC0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25123034
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The Doshas
o Vata governs motion, communication, mental
function, nervous system, physical activity, thinking
• Qualities: dry, cold, light, quick, rough, unstable, subtle
o Pitta governs digestion, absorption, assimilation,
metabolism, heat, sweating, enzyme activity
• Qualities: hot, moist, light, fluid, sour, sharp, and
penetrating
o Kapha governs growth, lubrication, gross structures
of body, form, joints, bones, ligaments
• Qualities: heavy, cold, wet, slow, steady, soft, oily,
sweet
SKIN HAIR EYES NAILS BODY FRAME
EMOTIONAL TEMPERAME
NT
UNDER STRESS
Dry Brown Gray Grayish Very short or very tall
Raw nervous system
Loses weight
Cold Black Brown Brittle Thin Low tolerance to pain, noise, bright lights
Insomnia
Rough Dry Unusual color
Dry Narrow frame
Indecisive Easily addicted to substances
Leathery Thin Dull Ridged Big jointed Fidgety Paranoia
Tans easily
Tightly curled
Narrow Tendency to bite nails
Flat-chested Fearful/frigid Restless
Rarely burns
Frizzy Small Sharp or bent nose
Introspective Blurred mind
Dark Body hair: very fine or very coarse
Dry/itchy Gain weight in midriff
Perceptive Constipated
Sallow Disciplined Excess gas
Premature wrinkling
Spiritual/
austere
Vata
SKIN HAIR EYES NAILS BODY FRAME
EMOTIONAL TEMPERAME
NT
UNDER STRESS
Moderately oily
Strawberry blond
Light brown
Clear/
pink
Medium build
Hot/arrogant Violent dreams
Soft Auburn Hazel Reddish /yellowish
Well-shaped
Irritable Excess sweat /body odor
Warm Red Green Well-formed
Athletic Self-centered Promiscuous
Freckled Straight Almond-shaped
Pliable Toned Alert/acidic High stomach acid/ulcers
Moles Silver Piercing Moderate weight
Adaptable Gluttony/ weight loss
Yellowish/ reddish
Prematurely gray
Easily bloodshot
Aquiline nose
Intelligent Insomnia
Rashes Prematurely bald
Yellow sclera
Gains weight easily
Bright Addiction to intoxicants, hot spices
Pimples Successful Diarrhea
Tans moderately
Pitta
SKIN HAIR EYES NAILS BODY FRAME
EMOTIONAL TEMPERAMENT
UNDER STRESS
Cool Blonde Black Clear Heavy Stable/attached Oversleeps
Soft Jet black Blue Pale Strong Narrow-minded Overeats or loss of appetite
Dense Dark brown
Clear Strong Overweight Stubborn Inertia
Oily Oily Big/
bright
Square Compact Neglectful Anorexia
Smooth Abundant Sensual Even Wide, square frame
Forgiving
Clear Wavy White sclera
Well-lubricated joints
Calm/complacent Water retentive
Pale Shiny Thick lashes
Gain weight in midriff
Contemplative Greedy
Fair with gleam Gains weight (buttocks, thighs, chest, arms)
Nurturing Lazy
Burns when over-exposed
Maternal
Kapha
© Endeavour College of Natural Health www.endeavour.edu.au 22
o Together the doshas
govern all metabolic
activities:
• Kapha - Anabolism
• Vata - Catabolism
• Pitta - Metabolism
o Balance of the
doshas is the natural
order, creates health
Balance of the Doshas
Pitta
KaphaVata
© Endeavour College of Natural Health www.endeavour.edu.au 23
o Seven constitutional types
formed from combinations of
the doshas and how they
relate in an individual
o Individual constitution
determines specific
susceptibilities to illness,
appropriate treatments and
prognosis for recovery
o Constitution established at
birth and remains constant
o State of health exists when the
three doshas are in equilibrium
Constitutions
By Siddhasana.jpg: CC BY-SA 2.5,
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x.php?curid=10565212
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o Agni, digestive fire—key to good health, covers all
functions of digestive system, including detoxification
and immune functions
o Inadequate digestive strength leads to build-up of toxins,
called ama, in the system, which leads to disease
o Agni also responsible for digestion and assimilation of
ideas and emotions
o Three waste products—sweat, faeces and urine,
appropriate elimination vitally important
o Apana, downward moving energy, said to facilitate
elimination
Digestion and Elimination
© Endeavour College of Natural Health www.endeavour.edu.au 25
o Body, mind, emotions,
spirit in state of order
o Doshas in equilibrium
o Agni functioning in a
balanced way
o Waste products being
produced and eliminated
properly
o Harmony of mind, senses
and consciousness
toward higher existence
Health According to Ayurveda
Public Domain,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w
/index.php?curid=3529490
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o Improper diet, personal
habits, lifestyle
o Incompatible food
combinations
o Seasonal changes
o Repressed emotions and
stress
o Push the doshas out of
balance so that one or more
is aggravated or deranged
o Negatively affects agni and
produces ama (toxins)
Causes of Imbalance & Disease
By William Richard Gowers (1845–1915) D-US,
https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31434429
© Endeavour College of Natural Health www.endeavour.edu.au 27
o Ama enters the blood stream, clogging the channels
o Retention of toxins in the blood results in toxemia
o Accumulated toxicity slowly affects:
• prana (vital life energy)
• ojas (immunity)
• tejas (cellular metabolic energy)
o Symptoms are nature's effort to eliminate toxicity
from the body
o If toxins not eliminated, disease occurs
Causes of Imbalance & Disease
© Endeavour College of Natural Health www.endeavour.edu.au 28
o Determine constitution of
the patient and which
dosha(s) is/are out of
balance
o Identify cause of the
imbalance in the doshas
o Apply individualised
therapies, diet and
lifestyle changes to return
doshas to balance
General Healing Approach
Pitta
KaphaVata
© Endeavour College of Natural Health www.endeavour.edu.au 29
Revision Questions
o List the three doshas and a few physical, mental
and emotional qualities of each.
o What is the main physiological function that
determines the balance of doshas and
development of disease?
Other food for thought:o Based on what you know about naturopathy and
nutritional medicine, how might Ayurvedic Medicine
have influenced these disciplines?
© Endeavour College of Natural Health www.endeavour.edu.au 30
o Pulse
o Tongue
o Eyes
o Nails
o Face
o Lips
o Urine
Ayurvedic Diagnosis
By Entertheninja - Own work, CC0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=103
69602
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o Taken on the radial artery
o Overall pulse quality is noted
o vata pulse is fast and
slippery
o pitta pulse is jumpy
o kapha pulse is slow and
steady
o Pulse qualities at different
positions give more
information about each
dosha
Pulse Diagnosis
Public Domain under CC-BY-SA,
http://phaeselis.wikia.com/wiki/File:Ayur
vedic_pulse-diagnosis-art.jpg
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General appearance, colour
and coating of the tongue is
noted
• Vata tongues are dry,
rough and cracked
• Pitta tongues are red
with an oily, yellow
coating
• Kapha tongues are
swollen and moist with
a greasy, white coating
Tongue Diagnosis
Public domain:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tongue.agr
.jpg
© Endeavour College of Natural Health www.endeavour.edu.au 33
o Philosophy of preventative and healing
therapies is the same:
• Purification
• Rejuvenation
o General principles to achieve this are:
• Proper diet
• Appropriate lifestyle, healthy habits
• Exercise
• Administering a proper cleansing program
Ayurvedic Healing Principles
© Endeavour College of Natural Health www.endeavour.edu.au 34
o Diet
o Herbal medicines
o Yoga and meditation
o Lifestyle/behaviour
o Medicated enemas
o Massage with
medicated oils
o Aromatherapy
o Colour, gemstone
and sound therapies
Healing Practices
By Vaikoovery - Own work, CC BY 3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index
.php?curid=15964545
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o Yoga means to “yoke” (to
unite) with the source of
our being
o Ancient Indian philosophy
and way of life to achieve
complete harmony
between body and mind
o Special exercise
(asanas), breathing
(pranayama), meditation
Yoga and Meditation
By Thamizhpparithi Maari - Own
work, CC BY-SA 3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/in
dex.php?curid=17809683
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o Wide variety of styles and
methods of massage, as
well as other methods
solely aimed at applying
medicated oils
o Therapeutic use of
marma points, 107 points
on the body that have
different therapeutic
indications for massage
and application of oils
Massage/Application of Oils
Image source:
http://wikiwel.com/wikihealing//index
.php?title=File:Shirodhara2.jpg
© Endeavour College of Natural Health www.endeavour.edu.au 37
o Goal of harmony of body, mind, emotions, spirit,
family, community; coherence of consciousness
o Daily and seasonal routines to bring life in tune with
natures rhythms
o Practice of human values on an individual level with
effects on society
o Routines and habits might include prayer/worship/
devotion, application of the intellect, selfless service
to community, personal hygiene, general practice of
restraint in behaviour
Lifestyle and Behaviour
© Endeavour College of Natural Health www.endeavour.edu.au 38
o Means “five actions”
o Intensive cleansing and
rejuvenating program
o Cleanses the body's deep
tissues of toxins
o Opens the subtle channels
o Increases life-enhancing
energy/vitality
o Increases inner peace,
confidence and wellbeing
Panchakarma
By Prof tpms - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php
?curid=46962390
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o Spread to Tibet, much of Asia; part of daily life in
India, Nepal, Laddak and countries close to the
borders of India and China
o Early foundation/texts were destroyed by Muslim
invaders in 10th-11th centuries CE, with major bodies of
knowledge lost through sacking and burning of
university libraries
o Continued as folk medicine until 1835, when it was
declared by occupying Britain to be an unsanctioned
system of medicine
o Also later challenged as a system by growing
allopathic and homeopathic influences
Later History of Ayurveda
© Endeavour College of Natural Health www.endeavour.edu.au 40
o Non-allopathic forms of medicine are mainstream in
India, with 70% of the population utilising one or more
system
o Ayurveda officially recognised by Indian government as
a sanctioned medical system
o Ayurveda is found in most Western countries now,
though practitioners are often practicing under a
different regulated credential, such as medical doctors,
naturopaths, or herbalists
o Mercury, lead and arsenic contamination/inclusion in
Ayurvedic formulas—toxicity, consumers should be
aware when purchasing remedies
Present Day
© Endeavour College of Natural Health www.endeavour.edu.au 41
Tibetan Medicine
o Ayurveda began to sift into Tibet
around 6th century CE, related to
the growth of Buddhist philosophy/
practice
o Early 7th century, Tibetan medicine
became more formalised as an
amalgamation of Ayurveda,
Chinese Medicine and Arabic
Medicine
o Also included its own local,
traditional healing philosophies and
methods, pre-Buddhist shamanism Public Domain,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w
/index.php?curid=1177478
© Endeavour College of Natural Health www.endeavour.edu.au 42
Tibetan Medicine vs Ayurveda
o Both incorporate the concept of prana
o Cause of disease in Tibetan Medicine is
imbalanced mental state
o Five elements are essentially the same
o Three humours (doshas) are similar in
concept, but in name are more similar to
Greco-Arabic medicine: Air, Bile and Phlegm
o Tastes of foods influence balance of the
humours
© Endeavour College of Natural Health www.endeavour.edu.au 43
Tibetan vs Chinese Medicine
o Many therapeutics from
Chinese Medicine:
• Acupuncture
• Moxibustion
• Pulse and tongue
diagnosis
• Cupping and bloodletting
• System of medicinal
postures and
movements similar to Qi
GongBy Sangye Gyamtso - Gyurme Dorje, Public Domain,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5964195
© Endeavour College of Natural Health www.endeavour.edu.au 44
Traditional Tibetan Shamanism
o Pre-Buddhist shamanic
methods of divination,
healing and spiritual
practices
o Prescription of sacred
mantras, movements and
internal visualisation of
colours to a patient as
determined by meditation
of the healerBy ©Christopher J. Fynn / Wikimedia
Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/ind
ex.php?curid=36723419
© Endeavour College of Natural Health www.endeavour.edu.au 45
Revision Questions
o What is the common goal of all Ayurvedic
therapies?
o List three similarities and/or differences between
Ayurveda and Tibetan Medicine.
Other food for thought:o What is an aspect of Ayurvedic and Tibetan healing
philosophies that has been lost from modern
conventional medicine?
© Endeavour College of Natural Health www.endeavour.edu.au 46
References
o Cuellar, N 2007, Conversations in complementary and alternative medicine: insights and perspectives from leading practitioners, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, London.
o Encyclopedia Britannica Online, Hinduism, viewed 18 June 2016 <http://www.britannica.com/topic/Hinduism>.
o Encyclopedia Britannica Online, India, viewed 18 June 2016 <http://www.britannica.com/place/India/Clothing>.
o Grossinger, R 1995, Planet medicine, North Atlantic Books, Berkeley.
o Kayne, SB 2010, Traditional medicine: a global perspective, Pharmaceutical Press, London.