Holistic treatments address all parts of the individual, not just the physical aspect of a person where illness are most apparent. It is an ongoing journey of living better and healthier and striving for wholeness.
Physical illnesses are the symptoms of a greater imbalance that may or may not have a root cause in the physical body. Holistic treatment goes beyond the mind-body connection of finding and maintaining wellness. All parts of a person's life are considered such as physical healing, mental health and wellness, emotional well being and spiritual beliefs and values.
Treatment will include :-
- proper food
- proper exercise
- proper breathing
- proper relaxation of mind and body
- positive thinking (need for cognitive change) and meditation.
The Mind:-The mind is an elusive animal to tame. So many theories exist as to how it works, yet the human mental process remains intangible. Why does one so often find himself caught in the same frustrations, the same problems? It is each person's own desires and emotions that bind him. One may truly want to be free of bad habits, but lacks the necessary control of his own mind.
Everyone wants to do his best, yet despite repeated resolutions, every person finds himself so many times being less than what he would like to be .The cause of this predicament is the ego. Sri Sankara, stated in the Vivekachudamani" Calamity is due to being subject to ego, bad agonies are due to ego, desire is due to subjection to ego, there is no greater enemy than ego". This ego is the cause of all bondage and is the chief barrier to the experience of inner Reality. It separates the individual from unity with others and within himself, it is the greatest obstacle to tranquility, for it is that which occupies the mind with whether we are better or worse, possess more or less, and have greater or lesser power than others. It is attended by desire, pride, anger, delusion, greed, jealousy, lust and hatred. The ego is the most difficult aspect of the mind to control.
Through meditation, the play of the mind is witnessed. In the early stages nothing more can be done than to gain understanding as the ego is observed constantly asserting itself. But in time its games become familiar, and one begins to prefer the peace and contentment. When the ego is subdued, energies can then be utilized constructively for personal growth and the service of others. There is a power, an energy, which each person can tap in to if he knows it is available. This force inspires, encourages, reinforces, and gives strength to those who seek to grow in a positive direction. This source of wisdom is the Self. The Self is not the individual body or mind, but that aspect deep inside each person that knows the Truth. It exists in each being, and yet it exists independently also. Some call it God; others call it Jehovah, Allah, Brahman, Cosmic Consciousness, Atman, Holy Spirit, or the Universal Mind. The names and paths are many, but there is one Essence which pervades all beings. For gaining mastery over his own mind, he has to know what the mind is, how it works, how it deceives him at every turn and by which methods it can be subdued. As long as the mind restlessly wanders about amidst objects, ever fluctuating, excited, agitated, and uncontrolled, the true joy of Self cannot be realized and enjoyed.
To control the restless mind and bring all thoughts and cravings to a stillness and sublimation is the greatest problem of man. If he has subjugated the mind, he may be said to be ,in his subjective freedom and power, the Emperor of emperors.
The above writing is taken from the book "meditation and mantras" by Swami Vishnu-devananda.
Mastering the Mind
The mind is an elusive animal to tame.So many theories exist as to how it works,yet the human mental process remains intangible.Why does one so often find himself caught in the same frustrations,the same problems ? It is each person's own desires and emotions that bind him.One may truly want to be free of bad habits,but lacks the necessary control of his own mind.
Everyone wants to do his best,yet despite repeated reesolutions,every person finds himself so many times being less than what he would like to be .The cause of this predicament is the ego.Sri Sankara,stated in the Vivekachudamani"Calamity is due to being subject to ego, bad agonies are due to ego,desire is due to subjection to ego,there is no greater enemy than ego".This ego is the cause of all bondage and is the chief barrier to the experience of inner Reality.It separates the individual from unity with others and within himself,it is the greatest obstacle to tranquility,for it is attended by desire,pride,anger,delusion,greed,jealousy,lust and hatred.For gaining mastery over the mind, one has to know what the mind is,how it works.As long as the mind restlessly wanders about amidst objects,ever fluctuating,excited,agitated,and uncontrolled,the true joy of Self cannot be realized and enjoyed.
Sri Krishna told Arjuna, "No doubt, o mighty-armed, the agitated mind is very difficult to control. But, o son of Kunti, by practice and objectivity, it is mastered.(Bhagavadgita ch.6,vse.35).By addressing Arjuna, the son of Kunti, Krishna was indicating that there was a child still within Arjuna. Everyone carries an inner child,which is where the mind has its own roots. There is always a child who was disappointed in his or her expectation: "my mother does not like me,my father hates me".These were the child's feelings and, because of the people involved, they have some validity. This is why the child remains inside the person. There is always a crying child, a weeping child, buried inside, which is why the mind suddenly takes off-especially when you are over thirty five. This is the time that all the disappointments of the child come out one by one. You have to take care of this child within, otherwise, you will become seventy-five years old and still remain a child. Through the practice of yoga a certain distance can be gained between the mind and yourself. This distance enables you to look at yourself positively,to see yourself exactly as you are, to see what the nature of "I" is. In this way, you come to understand that every thought is you, but that you are free from the thought. Seeing this particular situation again and again- the thought being I, I being not the thought- is what is ment by practice. And doing the same thing repeatedly is the practice Sri Krishna said would enable one to gain mastery over the mind.
The second means Sri Krishna gave for making the mind abide in itself is objectivity (vairagya). Why does the mind go here and there in the first place ? The mind goes wherever there is some kick, wherever there is something more intersting or something that draws its attention. Without any effort on your part, the mind goes towards an object of love or towards an object of pain. In an object of love there is certain joy,certain satisfaction,to which the mind naturally goes. And towards any object that hurts or has hurt you, the mind also goes quite naturally because that pain requires attention. Objectivity (vairagya) means to be free of the longing for objects. Sri Sankara defined objectivity as the capacity to see the limitations in the objects. For example, money can buy a house, but it cannot make a home.Seeing these limitations of objects and situations,over and over again,is very important if one is to master the mind.Repetion is necessary because it is not a mistake that you have made by taking something to be more valuable than it is.It is by your being what you are--a psychological being,very firmly rooted in terms of your concepts of success,happiness,and self worth. Objectivity (vairagya) can be defined as one's emotional maturity and growth. Growth in terms of repeatedly seeing the limitations of all objects.Then the world or objects does not have a hold over you.
By Practice (abhyasa) and Objectivity (vairagya) the mind that is so difficult to master can be mastered.
The body
The human body can be divided into several systems according to their functions,each system is influenced by eveery other system.
The skeletal system:- is the framework of the body,protects the internal organs,produces blood cells and stores minerals.
Muscular system:- does the work of moving the body.
Respiratory system:- carries air into the lungs,where oxygen is exchanged for gaseous wastes.
Urogenital system:- eliminates soluble wastes,helps maintain the body's chemical balance,and enables each individual to reproduce.
Digestive system:- digests and absorbs nutrients from food and eliminates waste.
Cardiovascular system:- brings oxygen and nutrients to all the cells and removes waste.
Lymphatic system:- picks up the waste left in the cells and brings to the circulatory system.
Nervous system:- works with the endocrine glands to monitor and maintain the other systems of the body.
hormanal system:- help to regulate the internal environment,prime the body to respond to stress,regulate growth and development.
immune system:- provides severl lines of defence against threats to the body.
All these systems work day in and day out for you.Your only duty is to assist its functions with:
1. Proper food:- right kind of nutrients,a well balanced (acidity alkaline balanced) diet, according to the seasons, and what agrees with your body composition, (vata,pita,kapha),eaten in proper proportion,under peaceful circumstances,with a positive attitude.
2. Proper breathing:- Normal breathing gives you 500 ml of air, deep breathing (pranayama) will give you 5000 ml of air.more air,more oxygen to the cells.
3. Proper exercise:- Yoga Asanas are very good,because when you experience an imbalance in the physical level,the organs,muscles and nerves no longer function in harmony,rather they act in opposition to each other. For instance, the endocrine system might become irregular and the efficiency of the nervous system decrease to such an extent that a disease will manifest.Yoga aims at bringing the different bodily functions into perfect coordination, for the good of the whole body.
4. Proper relaxation:- Constant postural abnormalities put excess strain on the muscles of the body,specially the back.Shavasana,yoga nindra are good for the whole body.Certain relaxation practices done in prone position are very relaxing to the spine and spinal problems. These include advasana, jyestikasana, makarasana, matsya kridasana.
5. Positive thinking and meditation:- When the surface of a lake is still, one can see the bottom very clearly. This is impossible when the surface is agitated by waves. In the same way,when the mind is clouded by kama(lust) krodha(anger) lobha(avarice) moha(delution) mada(arrogance) matsarya(envy) one cannot see clearly, the "Self" within. Positive thinking will help, to emerge out of this illusion called maya. The purpose of meditation is to discover that infinite well of wisdom which lies within.Meditation is a royal road to the attainment of freedom. It is a mysterious ladder which reaches from earth to heaven,from error to truth,from darkness to light,from pain to bliss,from restlessness to abiding peace.
