Unforgettable
On an almost cool morning, the four women taking the Ayurvedic class and Eleanor (the advantages of being a child) set out across the Kerelan countryside to visit Sarath and his family. All the women are special in their own way, each bringing an intelligence and way of being that has added both to the class and the dynamics of personalities within the class. The car meandered through the lush, tropical Kerelan countryside. Coconut palm and banana trees swayed and glistened in the early morning sun as families went about their early morning chores. As we passed through the small towns, most of the shops were closed, though a few fruit shops were, thankfully, opened. We purchased fruits and sweets as gifts for the family – which made the shopkeeper very, very happy. Here, the first sale of the day is extremely auspicious. It is very fortunate if the first sale is in the morning, and even more auspicious if it is a good sale. Sometimes, special deals can be made as the afternoon hour approaches, in the hopes of making that morning sale. All was quiet, the special inward hush at the start of a new day. And my heart was filled with a quiet anticipation.
An hour of driving, a little island of time between our life at the Cultural Center and this new world, making this day somehow not quite of this world – set apart. The driver calls Sarath for specific directions and moments later, as we drive through a small town, we see a familiar figure on a motorcycle in the center of the road. Our knightly escort in modern mode! Quite unexpected, we laugh in delight. We turn between two shops onto a small dirt road and, minutes later, spill out of the car to be warmly greeted by Sarath and his mother and father.
The family home is a large, two story home constructed of a white, stucco like material and tile roof. A garden with some lovely ornamental flowers is between the house and a nearby building used for the preparations of medicines. All is tended with obvious love and tenderness. Plants are also in beds along the front of the house, between the house and the wall that separates the property from the road. We only saw part of the bottom story of the house, most of which was dedicated for seeing and treating patients. The front hall was screened off for consultations, and in the back there was a waiting room and an amply supplied pharmacy. Rows and rows of lovely medicinals, their shining bottles lining glass cases. I was home!
But this we saw later. When we first entered, we went upstairs to the living room. Comfortable chairs and couches line the room with lovely brass tables and other brass boxes and decorations on top. There is a large cabinet with family memorabilia, the testament of family love and joy. Tea is served and Sarath and his father remain to entertain us and make us feel welcomed. Within moments, family photo albums come out and we are treated to those memories that are most precious and meaningful: Sarath’s sister’s engagement and wedding celebrations, stunningly adorable pictures of the first grandchild (now 2), and the treasured family photos of the family and the children as they grew up. The sun was streaming in the large window and conversations were struck in both parts of the room, Eleanor and I listening to and enjoying photographs with Sarath’s father while the other three women poured over albums with Sarath. Albums are exchanged, and somehow, in those few moments of sharing, a bond is formed. We are treated like family, taken into the loving bosom of generosity and grace, sharing that which is most dear. And so it goes.
Sarath’s father is an animated and engaging man who proudly and delightfully shares details about the family and about the medicines he prepares. Pride and gratitude and love for his children and for the way of life given to him pour from his being. But one sees it especially well in those unguarded moments, when, in thinking no one is looking, his gaze falls on his son. There is happiness. Sarath’s mother, also a doctor of great repute, is quiet and self-contained, the expression of her love and devotion in her eyes and in the joy of preparing food for her son’s students. Quiet, self-contained, and yet, there is an intensity and depth about her – aware, immensely and deeply aware, intelligent, generous and humble. Her life is for others; the fullness of her being is a gift, every day.
Tantalizing smells begin to waft their way – after all, it is still morning. Our hearts melt into stunned silence as we round the corner of the room and see a table lain with a gorgeous breakfast feast. We sit and are served by the family. Eggs, toast, rice, several vegetarian dishes, coffee, respect, graciousness, light conversation, and good will all heaped high.
Afterwards, we visit the small building where medicines are made. Here, my little survivalist heart beats wildly. Mortars and pestles of various sizes, some very old and made of a special kind of rock are placed in various locations. There are cutting boards and a large gas stove under a nearby window (one concession to modernity) that is designed to hold large brass or copper vessels of medicinal oil preparations. And then there were lovely, lovely earthenware pots of various sizes where the herbs ferment, bringing out all the medicinal goodness for our use. The earthenware pots are lined with ghee (clarified butter) before the herbs and oils are put inside. The ghee acts as part of the medicine and also lines the inside of the pot to keep the medicines from seeping through the container and to keep the air out. The top is sealed with a thick cap of mud. These earthen pots are very large. The bottom of the pot is V-shaped and buried about 1-2 feet into the earth. This reduces the horizontal contact with the soil, thus reducing the problem of water collecting and seeping into the container. Stunningly simple and intelligent construction. Splendid! And we were treated to various fermented medicinal samplings – some of which were, unlike my remedies, rather tasty!
It was after seeing this building that we went into the downstairs part of the house where the consultation area, waiting area, and pharmacy are. I already mentioned the rows and rows of gleaming medicines, but we were also shown some of the medicinal treasures: palm leaf manuscripts, two inches wide, a foot long, several inches thick with a simple wooden cover containing the slokas and Vedic wisdom passed down through the ages and a book, never published and never will be, of arcane medical knowledge to be safeguarded by the family. As we went outside to the porch, a package had arrived for Sarath. Obviously, it was something special – what a gift to be present at such a moment. For inside, was the official certificate for his completion of his medical program. Though he had finished the program nearly two years ago, it was on this very day that the certificate arrived. How touchingly beautiful it was to see Sarath open this up to show to his parents. And even more beautiful were the looks on their faces that he never saw. How immensely, immensely proud they are. There was a glistening in his father’s eyes and a quiet, complete joy in his mother’s. For a few moments, we all seemed to disappear, and they stood in total togetherness. A rare love, given and reciprocated.
It was all so joyful and so simple. I was just thinking it was time to leave when we learned that we would be able to see the original home and property. And this joy came with the added bonus of being able to meet Sarath’s grandmother who was now living in another home with her other daughter. I was in one car, heading for the homestead while Sarath left in his, stopping to get his grandmother on the way, both properties being a modest distance further down the dirt road. I first met the grandmother when she got out of the car, a small woman whose energy and love filled the air. I have never, ever been as warmly and genuinely embraced and taken to heart on a first meeting as with this generous woman. And this was her greeting to one and all. Nothing was held back. Her love was pure, it was good. There was so little of her and so much of heaven in her. We all held her in a kind of awe, partly through the strength of her own warmth and goodness and partly through the stories Sarath had shared about her and her husband, stories told with such warmth and respect and reverence.
Her presence told part of the story, but the home that she shared with her family told the rest. This, this was a home. It absolutely radiated happiness, even though it has not been lived in for a little while. It is a simple home of one story with an exquisite tile roof made in that lovely style unique to Kerela that seems to have a Chinese or Thai influence. There is lovely stonework gracing the outline of the roof where it meets the porch and large windows on all sides. Outside the house is a shed for cows, the wooden half-wall carved with a simple, homey pattern – one of the many little details that showed the delight the family had in this abode. Beside the cow shed is a deep well, still high with sparkling water. The house is surrounded by many trees and plants bearing fruit and medicines: mango, cashew, neem, so many others – none familiar to me, and thus, all the more intriguing. The construction of the inside of the house is also very fascinating. It is basically four large rooms (kitchen, living room, two bedrooms) surrounding a very large granary! Because the granary is under the ridge of the house, it is quite tall, starting at 5 feet from the ground and going up to the rooftop. It is made of a beautiful dark wood and was once filled with grains. I wonder why it was in the middle of the house and if this was typical of earlier times. Under the granary, occupying the lower area was another space for storage. Two little things captured my imagination as I went into this home. The first was the kitchen which seemed to be the center of the happiness that this home contained. Sometimes, one can enter a room where people are sitting and, despite it being very quiet and everyone is doing their individual things, you know that there had been an argument or some sort of disagreeableness. Other times, you are taken into a room and you are undeservedly and irresistibly swept up into the good will and joy of the people present. This was such a room. There must have been many years of love to build up such a presence in a house. The other little joy of this home was in a cupboard in the first bedroom. Grandmother took a key and unlocked the cupboard. The cupboard was empty except for an old photograph of her mother. Two things struck me. First was the unbelievable strength of character that came from the face of this woman in the photograph. It was a strength of character that one no longer sees, though we are in great need of it. The second was the care she took in locking the cabinet though it was now empty. What had it held, that it still evoked such loving carefulness? We walked around the property – complete, self-sufficient, and waiting … waiting for that next one to come. May that be soon. It was all too much, this perfect little place, and I found Eleanor’s arms around me in her understanding way of hers, as the tears formed in the corners of my eyes.
We took Grandmother back to her home, another jewel in the sun. It was here that the sword of Sarnath’s forefathers is kept. It is a beautiful piece, double edged and fine with a pommel that can be added for use in single handed or double handed battle. But the greatest pleasure was not in seeing the sword, but in seeing Sarath’s face and being while he held it. Here was the symbol of his family, of noble courage, of upright nature, of goodness, of self-sacrifice, of making a difference. It is his legacy and his hope. It is the past, but more importantly, it is the future, his future. We took our leave of Grandmother, and even as I write this, I can still feel her arms around me and the look in her eyes, wishing me well with her heart and her mind. An angel has blessed me, and I will always be the better for it.
Can more goodness be put into this cup? We returned to Sarath’s home where we gathered around the computer to view various items of interest and photos that were on his desktop. A touch of the mischievous side of our noble doctor comes out. There are several medical procedures on his computer with some fascinating surgical procedures, but definitely not everyone’s cup of tea! With a smile and laugh that is particularly Sarath, we are treated to view these various procedures (after all this is a class on medicine), despite the fact that most of us were hiding behind books or only taking occasional and surreptitious looks. The serious and the humorous, all at once, with a big dash of human as well. It was the flip side of the day and brought my feet and my head back to earth. It was, the proper medicine.
But there was a reason for this delay by the computer. Unknown to us, the family had decided at 1:00 that we would also have lunch. So, while we were “watching”, Sarath’s mother and the servant were preparing lunch. A “small” meal that was, to me, a feast of “joyful deliciousness”. This small meal was rice with at least 4 different vegetarian dishes and salads as well as fruit and juice. If the meal had been planned, we were told, it would have been much bigger! This time, Sarath’s father joined us and the taxi driver was included in our splendid repast. (Later, when I commented about this to the taxi driver, I saw how immensely honored and delighted he was by this act of kindness, thoughtfulness, and generosity. For him, this day, too, was one to remember.) Sarath and his mother served us, and after we had eaten all we could, Sarath and his mother ate while we continued our light conversation, a conversation that was made all the more happy and joyful by the presence of one particular student who has an irrepressible sense of humor and way of bringing people together and making people feel genuinely at ease. Every ship abandoned on a desert island should have one like her!
My cup runneth over.
How can one reciprocate such love and such generosity, given completely, given humbly? We are visitors in a distant land, far from any means of returning the joy given, of invitation into our lives and being. But none is expected. It is a total gift. As we drive home, I find the tears are once again welling in the corners of my eyes, and I realize … it is going to be very, very hard to leave India. After two months here, she has come not only into my brain, but into my heart. Her soil, her scent, her gracious people with their soft hearts and brilliant minds – they are rooted in my being I miss my home with its forests and fields, the babbling brooks and the deer. I miss my cherished family and my beloved friends. But when I return, India, too, will be calling.
And as we passed the shop where we bought fruit earlier in the day, I saw that all the produce and sweets were gone. The shopkeeper sat behind his counter in quiet contentment.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Sunday, March 8, 2009
A Consultation with Dr.l Saranthcahdran
A Consultation with Doctor Saranthchadran
Having access to both our Ayruvedic teacher, Saranth (pronounced Sharant), and two excellent Ayurvedic hospitals nearby precipitated visits to the hospital for both Eleanor and me regarding certain chronic medical conditions: Eleanor with her asthma and me with an inability to adequately digest certain kinds of food. We have both been treated by various methods over many years with some success, though we had never tried Ayurvedic medicine, as there are no true Ayurvedic doctors in our area.
We arrived at the hospital at 4:00, leaving our shoes outside the front door, as is customary in most places in India. The hospital was in a home that had been converted into a clinic with some rooms available for long term patient care. At this particular hospital, a new and beautiful wing was under construction for the use of long term patient care. This wing is projected to be completed in 2010 and has two parts. One first walks into a foyer which opens onto a courtyard. The courtyard is surrounded by rooms on all four sides. This is the working part of the new wing where there will be consultation rooms, a pharmacy, a room for yoga (as exercise and meditation are essential parts of wellness), a kitchen area, and other rooms for common use. Then, off to the side is a long veranda with a large open space in front. Rooms for patients are off the veranda. Each room not only has a window facing the front veranda and open area, but has a porch overlooking and accessible to a back garden with a beautiful, breezy view of the river below. It is wonderfully calm and serene, with trees draping over the river and sunlight making dazzling diamond patterns on the ripples.
Eleanor and I, however, went into the original house, now clinic. Inside was a room with a counter for some common medicines as well as a welcoming pharmacist/receptionist. Our doctor teacher was also there to greet us. We sat in chairs to start the process of filling out paper work. (Previously, I asked what kind of identification would be required. Will we need to bring our passports? Sharant looked at me with a smile, one might even say a slightly mischievous grin, and said, “You know who you are? Don’t you? You don’t need to bring anything.” This was my first hint that this was not to be like most other doctor visits!) Paperwork: The paperwork was: our name, country, and age. That’s all. Nothing else necessary.
Next, we went into the consultation room. Here there was a desk, 3 chairs, and a bed off to the side with a few medical instruments like a sphygmomanometer, etc. Sarnath was at the side of the desk while an older, woman doctor was behind the desk. In India, women are treated by women, or at least in the presence of a woman doctor, and men are usually treated by men. In our case, we wanted to consult with Sarnath because of our previous relationship. Having the two physicians was doubly required. First, it was necessary for us to have a woman doctor. Second, Sarnath had finished his studies within the past year or so. Part of the medical training here is a long period of consultation with an expert doctor – this is after residency training. There are often two doctors consulting on a case. So, both doctors listened, asked questions, and examined where needed. It was a dynamic interchange between patient and doctors, with both doctors consulting each others, asking further questions, consulting more, more questions, and then that knowing smile. 20 or 30 minutes later, a note was sent to the pharmacist outside and Eleanor was in the room for a similar experience. Afterwards, the pharmacist comes with our medicines, instructions are given for taking them, dietary and exercise regimens are discussed, and a decision is made for Eleanor to have a medical massage for an old knee injury. While our medical needs were being addressed in a thorough fashion, tea was served. We had to ask a couple of times to find out what dosa we were diagnosed with (kapha, vata, pitha). Others who have consulted with the doctor since then had a similar experience, so this must be something they don’t necessarily tell people. I think most people here (and everywhere) aren’t particularly interested in the details of their type and condition – they just want to be treated. I wonder if there is a philosophical reason for not mentioning it as well. And so ended Day 1. Tomorrow, and for three more days, we would return for Eleanor’s massage. Medicines in hand, we go to pay for our visit.
Cost of the medicines for both of us in US dollars: roughly $6.00 (and this has no profit). Cost of the consultation: free. And this was NOT because we were visitors and part of the Center. All consultations are totally free! It is based on a completely different philosophy of medicine and funding. I asked about this in class the next day. How is it possible to pay for the doctors, pharmacist, clinicians, facility, new facility, and people who prepare the medicines? First, came a recitation of slokas, or ancient Sanskrit texts, that dictated the doctor’s relationship with his patients and his practice. The foremost of these was that a doctor should never go after the money. They should respond to what is before them and not worry about the money – the money will come to them. I have now heard this from three doctors, though I know there are also other clinics in India which operate under a different philosophy. For long term visits, there is a charge for room and board. I am not sure what this charge is, however. (There is a website, though I don’t have the address as yet. The name of the hospital is Kathika Nair Memorial N.S.S. Ayurveda Hospital, Vallamkulam. 689541 Phone: 2609054. I think the last word is the name of the town in which it is located.) This clinic is completely traditional in its philosophy, though it uses many, many modern technological methods when necessary as well.
The history of this clinic is as follows. 8 generations back, there was a king with a young son. The king died (it may have not been natural – but I’m not sure about this) and there was an insurgency by various parties for power. The young prince, whose life was in danger, was whisked away and protected by a family. When the prince came of age and gained his rightful inheritance, he rewarded the family with a large tract of land. It is upon this land that the family lives, and the proceeds of the agricultural products of the land supports the family. (He wears a necklace with tiger’s teeth on it that is discreetly tucked under his shirt, a family heirloom from long ago. His sister also has one. There is also a rare double edged sword of noble lineage that remains in the family. The only other one like it is in a museum.) They have no financial need, then or now, and their time and intelligence goes to the medical vocation which they have safeguarded and upon which they have expanded since that early time. So, the physicians do not need and do not ask for money. It is against their principles to have more than what they need. And because they cultivate many of the herbs and make many of their herbal preparations by hand and by the timeless methods of old, they prefer to keep their practice small … and perfect. The house and land was donated by another family to be used as a hospital. The new clinic is being funded by a corporation. And so it is. A stream of patients quietly comes through the door, care and intense concentration is given to each one, medicines are given, a few rupees are exchanged (sometimes), and the day proceeds. It is all so … human, so personal and warm. There was a woman from London at the clinic. She had been there for several months and I happened to be there when she was leaving to go back home. It was truly like leaving a family. Everyone came out to see her off, from the servant to the doctors, in a quiet and loving way. All were wishing her well. It was clear that she did not want to leave, and I was moved to see how her health had been nurtured not only physically, but socially and emotionally as well. And so, when she returns to her home and has to face the daily duties and needs once again, she will, in times of difficulty, close her eyes and think of all those caring people and be given a fresh strength in the core of her being. This is a gift beyond mere physical health. It was … beautiful.
The next day, Eleanor and I returned to the clinic for her medical massage. She was escorted to the massage room which has a large wooden massage table. The table is made of a specific kind of wood that has medicinal properties – so the oils, the massage, and the table itself are all helping the patient in different ways. It is lovely, large, dark wood table with little channels on the sides to catch any extraneous oil, keeping everything clean and tidy. In many kinds of Ayurvedic massage, large amounts of oil are used. In Eleanor’s case, she was receiving the kind of massage known as a Powder Massage (using Western words). She sat on the table (mostly because she wanted to watch) with her pants leg rolled up. First, oil is gently placed on the affected air and rubbed in, rather gently. Then, hot towels are fanned on and around the area. This is to prepare the skin for receiving the heated oil. They want maximum absorption as well as protection of the skin from too much of a shock from the heat. Then, hot oil is rubbed into the affected area. The masseuse is medically expert – more like a physical therapist. She manipulates the area, re-aligning and strengthening the muscles and ligaments through various manipulations. Next, a poultice of chopped herbs, especially prepared for Eleanor’s condition, is placed in a cloth. This forms a hard ball which is then firmly pounded into the affected area. More massage, more firm pounding, and 30-40 minutes later, off she goes.
Our doctor friend was a little less tired today. The busy part of his day is in the morning, beginning at 8:00, when most patients choose to come. Then, he comes from 1:30-4:00 to teach our class, and returns to the hospital to consult with patients until 6:00 or 7:00. Monday through Saturday, every week. Sundays, he returns to his family home to be with his parents and grandmother, with occasional visits to his sister in Kochi. I was most fortunate in that it was at the end of the day and no patients had come at that time. We spoke for the entire time Eleanor was getting treated, and, once Eleanor returned, we talked for another hour or more afterwards. The topics of conversation ranged from medical philosophy and preparation of medicines, to the cosmological cycles of time, to education, to family history, to the various gunas (sattva, raja, tamas), to what yoga was and was not, to japa yoga and invocatory methods, to the duty of the child to expand upon the knowledge given by the parents, to the choice of colleges. (That was interesting, too. It seems that, after several years of private school education, his father had him go to government school! He told him two things. First of all, that he must understand all kinds of people in order to get along in life. Second, that he was to remain true to himself, no matter where, no matter what. This was in response to Eleanor’s choice of education closer to home – which he appreciated - and his unsaid message to her was the realization that no matter where you are, you can get what you need from it, but it is your responsibility to do so. He also told her that many of his high school colleagues are now heads of corporations and/or hold political office. There are no limitations.) And so the conversation went. Back to medicine, philosophy, family, and round again. It was riveting. It was stimulating. It was challenging. It was … wonderful. Back and forth, back and forth, the ebb and flow of ideas, questions, knowledge. The sun was getting low, and it slowly dawned on me that, for Indian etiquette, it was up to me to leave. There would be no gentle suggestions or way of knowing when we were finished. I was rather embarrassed when I finally realized this, thinking the poor man was sitting there hoping desperately that I would leave. But again, that western thinking was not at all the case. We were here. It was all meant to be. The time was valued by all. And, the joy of the end, was finding out that our class would be able to meet his family on the weekend in their family home!
The next day, the entire class went to the hospital for a tour. I had already seen the office and the new wing and massage area, but we were also given a tour of the room where medicines were made. I was, of course, in seventh heaven. There were all these lovely, lovely roots and tins filled with herbs and saps. And that special aroma that I love so much - the aroma of medicinal herbs cooking in oil. I realize that not many may share this sentiment, but for me, it was like coming home. There was the fire (a gas fire, not wood) and a huge copper vessel, brimming with herbs, some pasty substance (looked yeasty, but I’m not sure at all), and bubbly oil. A woman was there, watching a stirring, making sure it was boiling “just so” and for just the right amount of time. We also had an hour tour of all the medicinal plants growing wild in the overgrown yard and by the river. Again, my memories of my internship with medicinal herbs brought back the sweet nostalgia of home. But here, nothing was familiar. The properties were the same. The taste of the herbs or roots that went with certain treatments were the same, but none of the plants were the same. I was in completely new territory. I didn’t take notes, knowing that the plants that grew here may not be hearty in Indiana , but I loved hearing and touching the plants, of listening to all the properties, when to harvest, which part, what care had to be taken to de-toxify certain roots before using them as medicine, and so forth. After an hour, we went to the neighbor’s house. Upon entering, this spry man in a doti bounced forward to eagerly greet us. He was absolutely full of energy and enthusiasm. We were given a little tour of the front part of the garden, and, in a little while, were invited inside for some freshly squeezed lime and water – limes right off the tree. His wife, a school teacher, came in around that time and the conversation buzzed around – light, homely, loving. This man had been the manager of a bank. Upon retirement from a position of great responsibility, he began cultivating his garden. And it is stunning. After lime juice, we got a further tour of his garden – this time the side and back. It is filled with medicinals (inspired by proximity to the hospital) and fruits and vegetables. Everything is beautifully tended, organically, and his side yard is terraced down to the river. He was so animated and gracious, so purely happy and simple. AND, besides being an avid gardener, he was a master fisherman. AH!! We explained. Eleanor rubs her hands in glee – weapons to be seen! SO a demonstration of the various methods of fishing that he has perfected: trident, spear, a fabulous looking crossbow whose arrow (no feathers) has a string attached to the bow for retrieval, fascinating tips for catching different kinds of fish, nets, etc. etc. etc. Again, the sun begins to set. Again, it is up to us to leave. Oh, so reluctantly. Somewhere in the leaving process, Eleanor is whisked away for her massage. The others left, I spoke a bit more with Sarnath, and then, back home for dinner – and anticipation of going out to Sarnath’s home tomorrow.
Having access to both our Ayruvedic teacher, Saranth (pronounced Sharant), and two excellent Ayurvedic hospitals nearby precipitated visits to the hospital for both Eleanor and me regarding certain chronic medical conditions: Eleanor with her asthma and me with an inability to adequately digest certain kinds of food. We have both been treated by various methods over many years with some success, though we had never tried Ayurvedic medicine, as there are no true Ayurvedic doctors in our area.
We arrived at the hospital at 4:00, leaving our shoes outside the front door, as is customary in most places in India. The hospital was in a home that had been converted into a clinic with some rooms available for long term patient care. At this particular hospital, a new and beautiful wing was under construction for the use of long term patient care. This wing is projected to be completed in 2010 and has two parts. One first walks into a foyer which opens onto a courtyard. The courtyard is surrounded by rooms on all four sides. This is the working part of the new wing where there will be consultation rooms, a pharmacy, a room for yoga (as exercise and meditation are essential parts of wellness), a kitchen area, and other rooms for common use. Then, off to the side is a long veranda with a large open space in front. Rooms for patients are off the veranda. Each room not only has a window facing the front veranda and open area, but has a porch overlooking and accessible to a back garden with a beautiful, breezy view of the river below. It is wonderfully calm and serene, with trees draping over the river and sunlight making dazzling diamond patterns on the ripples.
Eleanor and I, however, went into the original house, now clinic. Inside was a room with a counter for some common medicines as well as a welcoming pharmacist/receptionist. Our doctor teacher was also there to greet us. We sat in chairs to start the process of filling out paper work. (Previously, I asked what kind of identification would be required. Will we need to bring our passports? Sharant looked at me with a smile, one might even say a slightly mischievous grin, and said, “You know who you are? Don’t you? You don’t need to bring anything.” This was my first hint that this was not to be like most other doctor visits!) Paperwork: The paperwork was: our name, country, and age. That’s all. Nothing else necessary.
Next, we went into the consultation room. Here there was a desk, 3 chairs, and a bed off to the side with a few medical instruments like a sphygmomanometer, etc. Sarnath was at the side of the desk while an older, woman doctor was behind the desk. In India, women are treated by women, or at least in the presence of a woman doctor, and men are usually treated by men. In our case, we wanted to consult with Sarnath because of our previous relationship. Having the two physicians was doubly required. First, it was necessary for us to have a woman doctor. Second, Sarnath had finished his studies within the past year or so. Part of the medical training here is a long period of consultation with an expert doctor – this is after residency training. There are often two doctors consulting on a case. So, both doctors listened, asked questions, and examined where needed. It was a dynamic interchange between patient and doctors, with both doctors consulting each others, asking further questions, consulting more, more questions, and then that knowing smile. 20 or 30 minutes later, a note was sent to the pharmacist outside and Eleanor was in the room for a similar experience. Afterwards, the pharmacist comes with our medicines, instructions are given for taking them, dietary and exercise regimens are discussed, and a decision is made for Eleanor to have a medical massage for an old knee injury. While our medical needs were being addressed in a thorough fashion, tea was served. We had to ask a couple of times to find out what dosa we were diagnosed with (kapha, vata, pitha). Others who have consulted with the doctor since then had a similar experience, so this must be something they don’t necessarily tell people. I think most people here (and everywhere) aren’t particularly interested in the details of their type and condition – they just want to be treated. I wonder if there is a philosophical reason for not mentioning it as well. And so ended Day 1. Tomorrow, and for three more days, we would return for Eleanor’s massage. Medicines in hand, we go to pay for our visit.
Cost of the medicines for both of us in US dollars: roughly $6.00 (and this has no profit). Cost of the consultation: free. And this was NOT because we were visitors and part of the Center. All consultations are totally free! It is based on a completely different philosophy of medicine and funding. I asked about this in class the next day. How is it possible to pay for the doctors, pharmacist, clinicians, facility, new facility, and people who prepare the medicines? First, came a recitation of slokas, or ancient Sanskrit texts, that dictated the doctor’s relationship with his patients and his practice. The foremost of these was that a doctor should never go after the money. They should respond to what is before them and not worry about the money – the money will come to them. I have now heard this from three doctors, though I know there are also other clinics in India which operate under a different philosophy. For long term visits, there is a charge for room and board. I am not sure what this charge is, however. (There is a website, though I don’t have the address as yet. The name of the hospital is Kathika Nair Memorial N.S.S. Ayurveda Hospital, Vallamkulam. 689541 Phone: 2609054. I think the last word is the name of the town in which it is located.) This clinic is completely traditional in its philosophy, though it uses many, many modern technological methods when necessary as well.
The history of this clinic is as follows. 8 generations back, there was a king with a young son. The king died (it may have not been natural – but I’m not sure about this) and there was an insurgency by various parties for power. The young prince, whose life was in danger, was whisked away and protected by a family. When the prince came of age and gained his rightful inheritance, he rewarded the family with a large tract of land. It is upon this land that the family lives, and the proceeds of the agricultural products of the land supports the family. (He wears a necklace with tiger’s teeth on it that is discreetly tucked under his shirt, a family heirloom from long ago. His sister also has one. There is also a rare double edged sword of noble lineage that remains in the family. The only other one like it is in a museum.) They have no financial need, then or now, and their time and intelligence goes to the medical vocation which they have safeguarded and upon which they have expanded since that early time. So, the physicians do not need and do not ask for money. It is against their principles to have more than what they need. And because they cultivate many of the herbs and make many of their herbal preparations by hand and by the timeless methods of old, they prefer to keep their practice small … and perfect. The house and land was donated by another family to be used as a hospital. The new clinic is being funded by a corporation. And so it is. A stream of patients quietly comes through the door, care and intense concentration is given to each one, medicines are given, a few rupees are exchanged (sometimes), and the day proceeds. It is all so … human, so personal and warm. There was a woman from London at the clinic. She had been there for several months and I happened to be there when she was leaving to go back home. It was truly like leaving a family. Everyone came out to see her off, from the servant to the doctors, in a quiet and loving way. All were wishing her well. It was clear that she did not want to leave, and I was moved to see how her health had been nurtured not only physically, but socially and emotionally as well. And so, when she returns to her home and has to face the daily duties and needs once again, she will, in times of difficulty, close her eyes and think of all those caring people and be given a fresh strength in the core of her being. This is a gift beyond mere physical health. It was … beautiful.
The next day, Eleanor and I returned to the clinic for her medical massage. She was escorted to the massage room which has a large wooden massage table. The table is made of a specific kind of wood that has medicinal properties – so the oils, the massage, and the table itself are all helping the patient in different ways. It is lovely, large, dark wood table with little channels on the sides to catch any extraneous oil, keeping everything clean and tidy. In many kinds of Ayurvedic massage, large amounts of oil are used. In Eleanor’s case, she was receiving the kind of massage known as a Powder Massage (using Western words). She sat on the table (mostly because she wanted to watch) with her pants leg rolled up. First, oil is gently placed on the affected air and rubbed in, rather gently. Then, hot towels are fanned on and around the area. This is to prepare the skin for receiving the heated oil. They want maximum absorption as well as protection of the skin from too much of a shock from the heat. Then, hot oil is rubbed into the affected area. The masseuse is medically expert – more like a physical therapist. She manipulates the area, re-aligning and strengthening the muscles and ligaments through various manipulations. Next, a poultice of chopped herbs, especially prepared for Eleanor’s condition, is placed in a cloth. This forms a hard ball which is then firmly pounded into the affected area. More massage, more firm pounding, and 30-40 minutes later, off she goes.
Our doctor friend was a little less tired today. The busy part of his day is in the morning, beginning at 8:00, when most patients choose to come. Then, he comes from 1:30-4:00 to teach our class, and returns to the hospital to consult with patients until 6:00 or 7:00. Monday through Saturday, every week. Sundays, he returns to his family home to be with his parents and grandmother, with occasional visits to his sister in Kochi. I was most fortunate in that it was at the end of the day and no patients had come at that time. We spoke for the entire time Eleanor was getting treated, and, once Eleanor returned, we talked for another hour or more afterwards. The topics of conversation ranged from medical philosophy and preparation of medicines, to the cosmological cycles of time, to education, to family history, to the various gunas (sattva, raja, tamas), to what yoga was and was not, to japa yoga and invocatory methods, to the duty of the child to expand upon the knowledge given by the parents, to the choice of colleges. (That was interesting, too. It seems that, after several years of private school education, his father had him go to government school! He told him two things. First of all, that he must understand all kinds of people in order to get along in life. Second, that he was to remain true to himself, no matter where, no matter what. This was in response to Eleanor’s choice of education closer to home – which he appreciated - and his unsaid message to her was the realization that no matter where you are, you can get what you need from it, but it is your responsibility to do so. He also told her that many of his high school colleagues are now heads of corporations and/or hold political office. There are no limitations.) And so the conversation went. Back to medicine, philosophy, family, and round again. It was riveting. It was stimulating. It was challenging. It was … wonderful. Back and forth, back and forth, the ebb and flow of ideas, questions, knowledge. The sun was getting low, and it slowly dawned on me that, for Indian etiquette, it was up to me to leave. There would be no gentle suggestions or way of knowing when we were finished. I was rather embarrassed when I finally realized this, thinking the poor man was sitting there hoping desperately that I would leave. But again, that western thinking was not at all the case. We were here. It was all meant to be. The time was valued by all. And, the joy of the end, was finding out that our class would be able to meet his family on the weekend in their family home!
The next day, the entire class went to the hospital for a tour. I had already seen the office and the new wing and massage area, but we were also given a tour of the room where medicines were made. I was, of course, in seventh heaven. There were all these lovely, lovely roots and tins filled with herbs and saps. And that special aroma that I love so much - the aroma of medicinal herbs cooking in oil. I realize that not many may share this sentiment, but for me, it was like coming home. There was the fire (a gas fire, not wood) and a huge copper vessel, brimming with herbs, some pasty substance (looked yeasty, but I’m not sure at all), and bubbly oil. A woman was there, watching a stirring, making sure it was boiling “just so” and for just the right amount of time. We also had an hour tour of all the medicinal plants growing wild in the overgrown yard and by the river. Again, my memories of my internship with medicinal herbs brought back the sweet nostalgia of home. But here, nothing was familiar. The properties were the same. The taste of the herbs or roots that went with certain treatments were the same, but none of the plants were the same. I was in completely new territory. I didn’t take notes, knowing that the plants that grew here may not be hearty in Indiana , but I loved hearing and touching the plants, of listening to all the properties, when to harvest, which part, what care had to be taken to de-toxify certain roots before using them as medicine, and so forth. After an hour, we went to the neighbor’s house. Upon entering, this spry man in a doti bounced forward to eagerly greet us. He was absolutely full of energy and enthusiasm. We were given a little tour of the front part of the garden, and, in a little while, were invited inside for some freshly squeezed lime and water – limes right off the tree. His wife, a school teacher, came in around that time and the conversation buzzed around – light, homely, loving. This man had been the manager of a bank. Upon retirement from a position of great responsibility, he began cultivating his garden. And it is stunning. After lime juice, we got a further tour of his garden – this time the side and back. It is filled with medicinals (inspired by proximity to the hospital) and fruits and vegetables. Everything is beautifully tended, organically, and his side yard is terraced down to the river. He was so animated and gracious, so purely happy and simple. AND, besides being an avid gardener, he was a master fisherman. AH!! We explained. Eleanor rubs her hands in glee – weapons to be seen! SO a demonstration of the various methods of fishing that he has perfected: trident, spear, a fabulous looking crossbow whose arrow (no feathers) has a string attached to the bow for retrieval, fascinating tips for catching different kinds of fish, nets, etc. etc. etc. Again, the sun begins to set. Again, it is up to us to leave. Oh, so reluctantly. Somewhere in the leaving process, Eleanor is whisked away for her massage. The others left, I spoke a bit more with Sarnath, and then, back home for dinner – and anticipation of going out to Sarnath’s home tomorrow.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Daily Hygiene Regime for the Healthy Person
Ayurvedic Lesson 4
Personal Daily Hygiene Regime for the Healthy Person
Maintains Perfect Health and Completely Activated Immune System
This is done, in this order, every morning, upon rising
Get up 1 ½ hours before sunrise every day after the optimal number of hours of sleep for your nature:
Sattva – 4-6 hours of sleep
Raja – 6-8
Tama 8-12
Go to the bathroom and take care of any natural needs. Proper elimination of wastes is critical according to Ayurvedic medicine. One should have a normal bowel movement at least once and not more than twice a day. (Less than once a day = constipation. More than twice a day = irritable bowel)Normal bowel movement: It should float, be light. If it doesn’t float, there is too much food present and one is not digesting properly. One should not have a strong smell of food on the breath after eating – especially after an hour or so. If you do, food is remaining in stomach and is not digesting properly. The urge to have a bowel movement should be natural. One should not need to push at all. Do not suppress any natural urges such as bowel movements, sneezing, urinating, crying…! Straining will create fissures, fistulas, and hemorrhoids. One should properly cleanse the anal area after a bowel movement. Using toilet paper is not enough. One should rinse with lukewarm water. Cleansing with water not only complete cleans anal area but also cleanses hair follicles which, if not clean, can also become inflamed and cause other issues. All bathrooms here come with a spigot next to the toilet for proper cleansing. One should feel hunger and thirst at the proper times. One should not bloat or have gas in between meals. Morning and lunch can be heavier meals. Dinner should be less. Eat less meat in summer; meat in winter is all right. At a meal, eat as much food/water so that ½ of the stomach is food, ¼ water, ¼ air. The air allows the space for gastric processes to take place. The size of your stomach is directly proportional to the size of your hand! Slightly cup your hand and then imagine this space as 3 dimensional. This is the size of your stomach and lets you know proper amounts of food intake. IF YOU DIGEST FOOD PROPERLY, YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM WILL BE PROPER AND YOU WILL NOT GET DISEASES OR ILLNESSES. (One natural way to stimulate the bowels is to place hot water in a copper bowl overnight and drink it when you wake up. For 2-3 weeks, it will help evacuate bowels. After 2-3 weeks, it will strengthen the muscle fibers in the large intestine so you will get a normal gastro-colon reflex. Copper also has an antiseptic effect. If one is chronically constipated, this will only help a little bit; one needs other remedies, like the outer husk of the hairtaki or terminalia chebula as well) Constipation can be caused by traveling or too little water. Castor oil and cassia fistula fruit can also help. Physical exercise helps! Constipation comes from too little vata energy, and physical exercise increases vata.
Do some form of meditation or yoga.
Cleanse the feet, hands, face, limbs, mouth, and teeth. One should cleanse the feet, hands, face, and limbs whenever one comes inside. One should rinse the mouth after every meal. One should keep the mouth very, very clean! Any smell in the mouth indicates and alkaline condition which will lead to cavities and gum disease. The teeth and salivation are the first steps to digestion and are critical to health. Unchecked dental/gum disease can lead to a systemic septic condition which can cause many, many illnesses.
Cleansing the teeth. Traditionally, people here used a 12 angula x 1 angula sized twig from the neem tree (about the size of a toothbrush). First, the end is chewed to give it a brushlike character. The twig is naturally bitter, astringent, and pungent. It is also more hygienic than re-using the same toothbrush every day. Most people (including our doctor) have adopted the convenience of the modern toothbrush. Ayurvedic toothpaste is available with herbs (not sweet!) that help the teeth, since a toothbrush does not have the properties of neem. NOTE: Research shows that the rural people of India have excellent teeth. Urban people here do not have healthy teeth,)
Massage the gums using a gum powder made from pepper, long pepper, and ginger. It is spicy and re-establishes an acidic condition in the gums. One can also use dried gooseberry, haritaki, and vibhitaki which help rejuvenate. These herbs also help the eyes and help with bowel evacuation and digestion. In rural areas, people used some local products and also a special kind of salt. Colgate now has a new product with “active salt” which came from this idea.
Scrape the tongue. (The tongue indicates the health status of the intestines.) The tongue has a natural, thin, white coating. Too much coating is not healthy. In rural areas, people used the green part of a coconut leaf which are hygenic. Copper and steel scraping tools are available, which are more convenient. Scrape from root to tip – may cause some gagging until one is use to it. The scraper should be 10 angula and curved (slightly smaller than a toothbrush).
Gargle. There are two types of gargling:
1. Fill the cheeks with a special solution of salts (gandusha). The cheeks should be fully expanded and filled with the solution. Hold until your eyes and nose water. This penetrates and cleanses the oral mucosa and promotes good, general health.
2. Gargle with water to remove and waste and food products (often).
Care of the Eyes: Arjana is applied to the inner lining of the eye. It helps the eyelashes and eyesight. With consistent application, one will not need sunglasses for eye protection. It also rejuvenates the eyes so the whites are white, the color is more vibrant, and the pupil is darker. Attractive, clear, luminous eyes.
Nasya – Cleansing of the nose. This is a nasal drop – 2 drops in each nostril. The nose connects all parts of the head. This procedure helps protect the ear, sinus, nose, and palette from infection. Medicine can be given in the form of nasal sprays for quick assimilation. One inhales the drops and spits it out! That way, it penetrates the spongy areas of the sinuses. This will help any tenderness, heavy head, post-nasal drip, etc. Another way medicine is administered through the nose is by inhaling smoke: one can burn a small amount of the herb and inhale the smoke or, more commonly, but a medicated thread and put is it medicated ghee (clarified butter). Light the thread and inhale the smoke.
Chew a betyl leaf which has a large amount of calcium carbonate. I think betly is related to lime. Chew it and spit out. This will give a pleasing sound to the voice and pleasant breath. It is often used with clove and cinnamon.
Massage your body, using Ayurvedic oils. NOTE: Oils are heating and massage is best in winter. In summer, oil massage will make you tired and irritable. There are different kinds of massages for different types of people and different purposes. Oil massage is most common. Different oils are used for different seasons and for different medical conditions as well has human types (vata, kapha, pittha, etc.) There are a variety of preparations and the doctor decides which one is best for a patient’s medical condition, as well as the style of massage. An Ayurvedic massage without doctor’s instructions will use a general massage oil and overall massage technique. Powder massage is used for people who are overweight. It is a rigorous, powder massage of fine powder rubbed in the opposite direction of the muscles. L This reduces kapha, or the anabolic action that creates weight and will decrease adipose. It makes the body more solid and will increase the color and quality of the complexion. There are also massages that use the legs and standing on a patient instead of hands and arms. This is only for athletes and martial artists with excellent muscle development. Other massages are also good. Sometimes saunas (usually dry) are used – a hut with a hollow pillar made of porous stone filled with wood which, when set on fire, produces heat.
Exercise for the body and mind. According to Ayurveda, the proper amount of exercise for the maintenance of general health is to exercise until the sweat starts on the forehead and armpits. It should only use half your energy. One should be careful when exercising in summer or in rainy season/rain – even if one is in a controlled (air conditioned) environment
Bathe or shower in lukewarm water, only after gradually cooling after exercise. Wash the hair in cool water. This will stimulate appetite.
Then, go to work.
Walk when possible
Rest well. Afternoon rests are all right in the summer, not in the winter.l
The three energies (vata, pitha, kapha) required for daily living are most affected by:
Sleep, food, celibacy. These three things greatly influence the energies.
Celibacy is defined as no intercourse before marriage and a monogamous relationship after marriage. Ideally, intimate relationships begin after 25 years of age. Prior to that the tissues are not fully developed and sexual relations will damage them like “squeezing an unripe mango”. The hormonal imbalances experience in adolescence that create infatuations should be controlled. Sexual relationship should be meaningful. Women should be treated with the utmost care and respect. (Since celibacy is critical for the proper balance of energies, it is treated in great detail in Ayurveda – which is commonly misinterpreted and taken out of context in the west.) One kind of celibacy after marriage is having sexual interactions only at night. This is an area of importance and comes under the domain of the physician in general health care. If one is celibate, as in one’s youth, avoid meat and eggs. This will decrease the hormonal imbalances and increase the mental and intellectual processes that will support control of the sexual impulses. One must control one’s desires in order to control the mind.
Personal Daily Hygiene Regime for the Healthy Person
Maintains Perfect Health and Completely Activated Immune System
This is done, in this order, every morning, upon rising
Get up 1 ½ hours before sunrise every day after the optimal number of hours of sleep for your nature:
Sattva – 4-6 hours of sleep
Raja – 6-8
Tama 8-12
Go to the bathroom and take care of any natural needs. Proper elimination of wastes is critical according to Ayurvedic medicine. One should have a normal bowel movement at least once and not more than twice a day. (Less than once a day = constipation. More than twice a day = irritable bowel)Normal bowel movement: It should float, be light. If it doesn’t float, there is too much food present and one is not digesting properly. One should not have a strong smell of food on the breath after eating – especially after an hour or so. If you do, food is remaining in stomach and is not digesting properly. The urge to have a bowel movement should be natural. One should not need to push at all. Do not suppress any natural urges such as bowel movements, sneezing, urinating, crying…! Straining will create fissures, fistulas, and hemorrhoids. One should properly cleanse the anal area after a bowel movement. Using toilet paper is not enough. One should rinse with lukewarm water. Cleansing with water not only complete cleans anal area but also cleanses hair follicles which, if not clean, can also become inflamed and cause other issues. All bathrooms here come with a spigot next to the toilet for proper cleansing. One should feel hunger and thirst at the proper times. One should not bloat or have gas in between meals. Morning and lunch can be heavier meals. Dinner should be less. Eat less meat in summer; meat in winter is all right. At a meal, eat as much food/water so that ½ of the stomach is food, ¼ water, ¼ air. The air allows the space for gastric processes to take place. The size of your stomach is directly proportional to the size of your hand! Slightly cup your hand and then imagine this space as 3 dimensional. This is the size of your stomach and lets you know proper amounts of food intake. IF YOU DIGEST FOOD PROPERLY, YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM WILL BE PROPER AND YOU WILL NOT GET DISEASES OR ILLNESSES. (One natural way to stimulate the bowels is to place hot water in a copper bowl overnight and drink it when you wake up. For 2-3 weeks, it will help evacuate bowels. After 2-3 weeks, it will strengthen the muscle fibers in the large intestine so you will get a normal gastro-colon reflex. Copper also has an antiseptic effect. If one is chronically constipated, this will only help a little bit; one needs other remedies, like the outer husk of the hairtaki or terminalia chebula as well) Constipation can be caused by traveling or too little water. Castor oil and cassia fistula fruit can also help. Physical exercise helps! Constipation comes from too little vata energy, and physical exercise increases vata.
Do some form of meditation or yoga.
Cleanse the feet, hands, face, limbs, mouth, and teeth. One should cleanse the feet, hands, face, and limbs whenever one comes inside. One should rinse the mouth after every meal. One should keep the mouth very, very clean! Any smell in the mouth indicates and alkaline condition which will lead to cavities and gum disease. The teeth and salivation are the first steps to digestion and are critical to health. Unchecked dental/gum disease can lead to a systemic septic condition which can cause many, many illnesses.
Cleansing the teeth. Traditionally, people here used a 12 angula x 1 angula sized twig from the neem tree (about the size of a toothbrush). First, the end is chewed to give it a brushlike character. The twig is naturally bitter, astringent, and pungent. It is also more hygienic than re-using the same toothbrush every day. Most people (including our doctor) have adopted the convenience of the modern toothbrush. Ayurvedic toothpaste is available with herbs (not sweet!) that help the teeth, since a toothbrush does not have the properties of neem. NOTE: Research shows that the rural people of India have excellent teeth. Urban people here do not have healthy teeth,)
Massage the gums using a gum powder made from pepper, long pepper, and ginger. It is spicy and re-establishes an acidic condition in the gums. One can also use dried gooseberry, haritaki, and vibhitaki which help rejuvenate. These herbs also help the eyes and help with bowel evacuation and digestion. In rural areas, people used some local products and also a special kind of salt. Colgate now has a new product with “active salt” which came from this idea.
Scrape the tongue. (The tongue indicates the health status of the intestines.) The tongue has a natural, thin, white coating. Too much coating is not healthy. In rural areas, people used the green part of a coconut leaf which are hygenic. Copper and steel scraping tools are available, which are more convenient. Scrape from root to tip – may cause some gagging until one is use to it. The scraper should be 10 angula and curved (slightly smaller than a toothbrush).
Gargle. There are two types of gargling:
1. Fill the cheeks with a special solution of salts (gandusha). The cheeks should be fully expanded and filled with the solution. Hold until your eyes and nose water. This penetrates and cleanses the oral mucosa and promotes good, general health.
2. Gargle with water to remove and waste and food products (often).
Care of the Eyes: Arjana is applied to the inner lining of the eye. It helps the eyelashes and eyesight. With consistent application, one will not need sunglasses for eye protection. It also rejuvenates the eyes so the whites are white, the color is more vibrant, and the pupil is darker. Attractive, clear, luminous eyes.
Nasya – Cleansing of the nose. This is a nasal drop – 2 drops in each nostril. The nose connects all parts of the head. This procedure helps protect the ear, sinus, nose, and palette from infection. Medicine can be given in the form of nasal sprays for quick assimilation. One inhales the drops and spits it out! That way, it penetrates the spongy areas of the sinuses. This will help any tenderness, heavy head, post-nasal drip, etc. Another way medicine is administered through the nose is by inhaling smoke: one can burn a small amount of the herb and inhale the smoke or, more commonly, but a medicated thread and put is it medicated ghee (clarified butter). Light the thread and inhale the smoke.
Chew a betyl leaf which has a large amount of calcium carbonate. I think betly is related to lime. Chew it and spit out. This will give a pleasing sound to the voice and pleasant breath. It is often used with clove and cinnamon.
Massage your body, using Ayurvedic oils. NOTE: Oils are heating and massage is best in winter. In summer, oil massage will make you tired and irritable. There are different kinds of massages for different types of people and different purposes. Oil massage is most common. Different oils are used for different seasons and for different medical conditions as well has human types (vata, kapha, pittha, etc.) There are a variety of preparations and the doctor decides which one is best for a patient’s medical condition, as well as the style of massage. An Ayurvedic massage without doctor’s instructions will use a general massage oil and overall massage technique. Powder massage is used for people who are overweight. It is a rigorous, powder massage of fine powder rubbed in the opposite direction of the muscles. L This reduces kapha, or the anabolic action that creates weight and will decrease adipose. It makes the body more solid and will increase the color and quality of the complexion. There are also massages that use the legs and standing on a patient instead of hands and arms. This is only for athletes and martial artists with excellent muscle development. Other massages are also good. Sometimes saunas (usually dry) are used – a hut with a hollow pillar made of porous stone filled with wood which, when set on fire, produces heat.
Exercise for the body and mind. According to Ayurveda, the proper amount of exercise for the maintenance of general health is to exercise until the sweat starts on the forehead and armpits. It should only use half your energy. One should be careful when exercising in summer or in rainy season/rain – even if one is in a controlled (air conditioned) environment
Bathe or shower in lukewarm water, only after gradually cooling after exercise. Wash the hair in cool water. This will stimulate appetite.
Then, go to work.
Walk when possible
Rest well. Afternoon rests are all right in the summer, not in the winter.l
The three energies (vata, pitha, kapha) required for daily living are most affected by:
Sleep, food, celibacy. These three things greatly influence the energies.
Celibacy is defined as no intercourse before marriage and a monogamous relationship after marriage. Ideally, intimate relationships begin after 25 years of age. Prior to that the tissues are not fully developed and sexual relations will damage them like “squeezing an unripe mango”. The hormonal imbalances experience in adolescence that create infatuations should be controlled. Sexual relationship should be meaningful. Women should be treated with the utmost care and respect. (Since celibacy is critical for the proper balance of energies, it is treated in great detail in Ayurveda – which is commonly misinterpreted and taken out of context in the west.) One kind of celibacy after marriage is having sexual interactions only at night. This is an area of importance and comes under the domain of the physician in general health care. If one is celibate, as in one’s youth, avoid meat and eggs. This will decrease the hormonal imbalances and increase the mental and intellectual processes that will support control of the sexual impulses. One must control one’s desires in order to control the mind.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Singing Lessons
Having had a year of voice training when I was young, I can honestly say that anyone who is seriously interested in studying voice should spend some time in India studying classical Indian music with a private teacher. The exercises alone are worth learning. The exercises, strictly practiced in a particular raga (scale) give the voice incredible flexibility and exactness with regard to intervals - and very unusual intervals as well. In a given lesson, we start with exercises to warm the voice - excercises that combine the enunciation of syllables for each tone that do NOT all end in the same vowel sound, thus requiring greater flexibility of tongue - and concentration, with the exact pure, tonal quality of the note, with a complex (for me) 8 beat rhytmic pattern with the hands. Each excercise is practiced in whole tone, quarter tone, half note, and 16th note time, with the goal begin perfect ennunciation, rhythm, and pitch. That's to warm up. Then, there is a time of open improvisation by following the improvisation of the teacdher. The teacher will guide the student around the raga, using expression, and will also extend the range into the highest levels and lowest levels the voice can reach. Always, always the teacher follows the aptitude of the student. It is intense and fascinating and the growth is exponetial. Then, the student tries to improvise, always staying within the raga. Other lessons ensue, with practice exercises to study afterwards. Tonight, I was given a book of poetry and am to compose a raga using the words from one of the poems. The book he gave me is called Birdsong and the poems are by Rumi:
Some examples:
Let your throat-song
be clear and strong enough
to make an emperor fall full-length
suppliant, at the door.
***
Would you like to have revealed to you
the truth of the Friend?
Leave the rind,
and descdent into the pith.
Fold within fold, the Beloved
drowns in this own being. This world
is drenched with that drowing.
***
Rain fell on one man,
he ran into the house.
But the swan spread its winds and said,
"Pour more on me of that power
I was fashioned from."
***
Someone who does not run
toward teh allure of love
walks a road where nothin
lives. But this dove here
senses the love-hawk floating
avove, and waits, and will not
be driven or scared to safety.
***
I want to be where
your bare foot walks,
Because maybe before you step,
you'll look at the ground.
I want that blessing.
***
This is how I would die
into the love I have for you.
as pieces of cloud
dissolve in sunlight.
And so the lessons continue - lessons of the heart and of the voice. One does learn pieces, and there are some famous ones, but unlike western pedagogy, it is not about learning a piece, it is about making music.
Some examples:
Let your throat-song
be clear and strong enough
to make an emperor fall full-length
suppliant, at the door.
***
Would you like to have revealed to you
the truth of the Friend?
Leave the rind,
and descdent into the pith.
Fold within fold, the Beloved
drowns in this own being. This world
is drenched with that drowing.
***
Rain fell on one man,
he ran into the house.
But the swan spread its winds and said,
"Pour more on me of that power
I was fashioned from."
***
Someone who does not run
toward teh allure of love
walks a road where nothin
lives. But this dove here
senses the love-hawk floating
avove, and waits, and will not
be driven or scared to safety.
***
I want to be where
your bare foot walks,
Because maybe before you step,
you'll look at the ground.
I want that blessing.
***
This is how I would die
into the love I have for you.
as pieces of cloud
dissolve in sunlight.
And so the lessons continue - lessons of the heart and of the voice. One does learn pieces, and there are some famous ones, but unlike western pedagogy, it is not about learning a piece, it is about making music.
Ayurvedic Medicine: Brief overview and first lesson
Ayurvedic Medicine
Lesson 1
Ayurvedic medicine is the traditional medicine that has been practiced in India for over 1000 years. It is not just “herbal folk medicine”. It is a highly developed, systemized, and researched approach to medicine that has been patronized by kings, studied, and documented over many, many generations.
The knowledge gained through the research of Ayurveda was originally passed down from teacher to student through the memorization of information as well as practical experience. Our teacher here comes from a family of Ayurvedic doctors and his family home includes a garden that grows some of the remedies and herbs required for Ayurvedic treatment. As an traditional Ayurvedic doctor, one is involved not only in the diagnosis and treatment of patients, but also in growing, gathering, and preparing medicines so that the medicines have their optimal medicinal value. Each plant must be harvested at the optimal time and prepared in specific ways using specific parts of the plant (or mineral). Sometimes, different methods are used to extract the medicinal properties, as different extraction methods will bring out different medicinal properties in the plant and can be more effective in treating different illnesses. As you can see, the science of Ayurveda is very exact … and vast. Besides herbal treatment, Ayurveda also has surgical procedures. The texts on surgical treatments also go back for 1000 years and include surgical instruments and procedures for many, many procedures. In teaching students in ancient times, the texts (of which there are 3 main texts from which they draw and several minor ones) were passed on orally and were written in verse, rhyming and rhythmic verses (slokas) that made it easier to remember the large amount of critical information. Mastery meant perfection of understanding. It was, and is – if properly taught – a demanding subject.
Ayur means life. Veda means knowledge. So Ayurveda means “the knowledge of life (physical and philosophical) from birth to death. The first objective of Ayurveda is Preventive, or Protecting from Disease. Thus, a doctor is on hand to guide a patient in healthy living practices which, if followed exactly, will lead to perfect health and the accomplishment of a person’s Aim in life. The second objective of Ayurveda is to the treatment of a patient who is getting a disease. The ideal, as in all medical practice, is to start treatment in the early stages of disease and before the disease is well established.
Ayurvedic medicine is a wholistic kind of medicine that treats the whole person. It understands the connection between the body, the environment, the mind, the intellect, and the spirit and works to create a balance. Also, Ayurvedic medicine has intensely studied how different kinds of people react to medicines differently, and have documented the correlation between specific human types and optimum medicines for their type. They have also studied, in detail, how certain human types tend to have similar medical conditions or weaknesses. Thus, determining the characteristics of a patient will help lead to more effective treatment. I was speaking with a research doctor in Indianapolis last year, and this is the cutting edge research of present day western medicine (allopathy). They are only now researching the correlation between human types and how medicines effect them, with statistically significant results. The research in Indianapolis focuses on racial differences. Ayuveda focus more on temperaments and general physical types.
For our ease and understanding, the doctor compared the point of view of Ayurveda’s approach to health to a car. He explained that a car:
1. is made of specific elements, such as steel, rubber, plastic, leather
2. has specific parts
3. requires fuel
4. is designed for a specific use/need
5. requires routine service (oil change …) to keep it functioning optimally
6. occasionally requires repair
The correlation to medicine is as follows:
1. All things are made of 5 elements (panchmaha bhoota): earth, fire, water, air,
vacuum. These 5 elements combine to create 3 basic energies or
tendencies in all things. These basic tendencies or energies are
classified, for Ayurvedic purposes as vata, pitha, or kapha (to be
explained later).
2. The main parts of the human are 4: the body (sharida),the sense organs
(indriya), the mind (subtwa), and the soul which drives everything else
(atma). (Ayurveda does not separate these into different and autonomous
fields such as anatomy, psychology, and spirituality.)
3. The fuel is food, water, and oxygen – all three must be considered for well
being.
4. The use of the body is its ultimate aim and purpose in life. For this, the daily
and seasonal routines change and are determined by the person’s individual aims and tendencies.
5. Requires certain routine procedures for safety and comfort (cleansing,
movement…)
6. May need some treatments or surgery if it is out of balance (diseased).
Tied to Ayurveda is a strong belief in the soul’s eternity, and that the choices and habits of this life will directly affect what will happen in the next one. Thus, well being is not only for this life.
We then began a superficial study of the qualities of the 5 elements individually. Understanding the qualities of the elements will help one to understand what effect they will have on the body; different herbs and minerals have different elemental qualities. For example, cayenne is warming (very). So is ginger. Mint is stimulating. Cranesbill root is drying (very). (These are medicines from my herbal knowledge.)
Earth: heavy, rough, hard, slow acting, stable, has a definite shape, large.
The sense organ associated with earth is smell – earthy things have a distinct
(sometimes unpleasant) smell.
Water: liquid/flowing, oily, cold, slow acting, smooth, sticky, turbid (cloudy), heavy
The sense organ associated with water is taste.
Fire: Hot, stimulating effect (which is why Indian food is spicy, as hot things stimulate
the appetite), minute (small), not oily/dry, rough
The sense organ associated with fire is the eye/vision
Air: Light (not heavy), cold (usually), dry, rough, very minute (small), invisible
The sense asscociated with air is touch. One knows of the presence of air by
feeling its movement.
Vacuum: smooth, light (not heavy), minute (small), stimulant – and acts very rapidly. As
a medicine, it will begin to act in the mouth and does not require digestion to be
effective, clear/transparent, unknown taste (like water, tasteless).
The sense organ here is the ear, hearing. One could not hear with out the vacuum,
Then, there was the discussion of the three main energies:
Vata = air + water
Pitha = fire + water
Kapha = earth + water
Ideally, a person should be have a balance of all three energies, thus of all the elements. If something is out of balance, there is too much/too little of a certain energy or element.
The first task of an Ayurvedic doctor is to determine what elements/energies predominate in a patient, then to use daily routine, nutrition, exercise, habits, and, if necessary, treatment to restore perfect balance. Many people are a combination of two of these energies, with a low amount of a third. Some people are predominantly one energy – these are ones that are most out of balance and have the most illnesses and weaknesses.
We only went into the explanations of the 3 energies very generally so far.
Vata: the energy necessary for movement and the rhythms of the body,
both voluntary and involuntary, mental balance, neurology, the senses.
A person who is too strongly vata will be tall, thing, rough complexion,
doesn’t make good, consequential decisions, can be unstable, worries, has
concerns, nervous. Often, there is not a normal weight to length
proportion, are undernourished, veins show, have darker complexions, less
body hair, and sunken eyes. (action of air and vacuum). It is the energy
most associated with old age., though athletes are often strongly vata.
Vata types tend to understand things quickly, but also tend to forget them
quickly.
Pitha: the energy necessary for a lustrous complexion and color, for digestions,
And for a normal body temperature (fire and water). A person who is too
strongly pitha is always angry and volatile. They have excellent digestion and color, but tend to be violent in character. It is the energy most associated with youth (optimal conditions).
Kahpa: the energy necessary for anabolism and constructive work in the body.
A person who is too strongly kapha tends to be lethargic, choosing and
Extremely sedentary lifestyle. They tend to have good dexterity and
above average bodily strength/health. It is the energy most associated with babies (growing). Kapha types tend to take a long time learning something, but once they know it, they will always remember it.
The last point covered was Body Concepts in Ayurveda, which is a spiritual AND physical structure. Ayurveda considers the human to have 5 layers or sheaths, each becoming more subtle and one inside the other, like a series of concentric circles.
1. External structure – all that is visible. It is strongly associated with food. Food
builds these structures. It is built from what we take in and will disintegrate when
we die.
2. Vital air sheath – the air that gets inside and permeates the entire body
instantly. Without air, gangrene sets in.
3. Mental sheath – this is more the mental part that has doubts, likes, affinities
4. Intellectual sheath – decision making/objectivity
5. the Blissful sheath, described as a deep sleep state of consciousness. He also
compared it to hypnosis where one’s mind, in leaving the present moment, can remember minute things from one’s past. One is asleep, and yet, even more, awake. (I am black, but beautiful.)
ALSO ( and interestingly), the times of the days when vata is most present is between 2-6 AM and PM. In other words, if one is in a balanced state, this is the optimum time for mental activity, prayer, yoga ESPECIALLY the morning time.
The time when pitha is most strongly present is from 12-2 AM and PM, and for kapha is 6-10 AM and PM.
Which then brought up a conversation about sleep, especially if one rises at 3:00 AM.
If one is of a positive, light mind/temperament (sattva), the optimal amount of sleep each night is 4 hours (assuming you are a healthy/balanced person).
If one has a fiery temperament (rajas), one requires 6 hours sleep. If you have less, there will be a tendency to become less stable and hyperactive.
If one has a passive, possibly unstable temperament (tamas), one require 8 hours of sleep to maintain optimal health.
SO… one has a temperament with which one must live, but within that temperament, one can achieve a balance and achieve one’s Aim.
A student asked the teacher if he, personally, could adhere to the daily requirements that would allow a perfect balance, and his honest response was, “No”, because of his occupation. He said there is a sloka (verse) that tells Ayurvedic doctors to avoid treating public servants (in the days of kings) and priests. That is because their occupation requires them to be active at specific times, which may/will conflict with optimal health practices. Thus, the remedies will be less effective and the princes/priests will say it doesn’t work and give the doctor a bad reputation. He said this with a touch of humor … but in all seriousness.
Which makes me think how often people disregard the efficacy of some practices, medicines, and treatments when, in fact, they did not properly and completely follow the recommendations. This must be a frustration for all doctors (the patient who doesn’t take their medicine, etc.).
The conclusion I made from this lesson is that Ayurveda is a vast and detailed science and to truly be an Ayurvedic doctor requires much more that a study of herbs and body parts. If one is looking for an Ayurvedic doctor in America, one must truly consider the person’s background and experience. Otherwise, you will only be partially (and probably not very effectively) treated. However, because this science is so exact, detailing medicines to individual body types and natures, I can imagine that it would be extremely, even “miraculously” effective. This is something I have seen, both in this medical world as in Chinese and American Indian healing. Chinese medicine is also very, very thorough and exact, a science researched and documented under several dynasties. There was also recorded collaboration between Indian, Chinese, and ancient Greek doctors – much of which hasn’t been translated! (Wouldn’t that be a fun doctoral thesis!) American Indian wisdom was passed down orally and much has been lost, though the efficacy of the treatments I have seen have been astonishing, seemingly “impossible”.
At this point, our days will be much the same. I will be taking detailed notes on Ayurvedic medicine. I have just finished the second lecture and am increasingly impressed by the vastness and detail of our teacher’s knowledge. For those of you interested in Ayurveda, I will be happy to give you a copy of my notes – which are copious. If you would like the lectures “hot off the press”, send me a note through email and I can send you my copy of the lectures as they become available.
Eleanor and I are both enjoying the mix of study and the extremely engaging, interesting, varied, and intelligent students that are here. Already, the level of conversation and meeting of minds is stimulating, collaborative, and supportive. I’ll post again if there is an interesting topic to relate. We are also available through email!!
Linda: Back to School, Feb. 22
Back to School!
So … after many, many years, I am back in school. Yes, I have taken many courses over the past 30 years (at least 25), but they were all related to my profession, to my area of strength and expertise. Here, it’s new territory.
Now, however, there is the wonderful freedom of age. I have nothing to “prove”, nothing to become. I am here for the sheer joy of learning, for the insights it will bring, for the horizons it will expand, for the joy of learning with someone who loves what they are doing.
The Center here in Kerela is unusual for India. It is the outcome of the love for the India and her culture by a French woman, Laaba, who has made India her home and her heart. The center has been organizing courses for over 32 years. Typically, courses in art, music, dance, theater, etc. are given from master to student over many years with students live with other students in the company of the teacher/teachers. This was not a possibility for us. The Vjnana Kala Vedi Cultural Center (www.vjnanakalavedi.org) is organized so that one can study a given subject, individually, with an expert Indian teacher for as long as one likes. There are at least 16 different classes offered – a difficult choice to make, I might add.
The Center is geared toward accommodating Western students WITHOUT BEING WESTERN. Everyone here is gracious and helpful … the traditional Indian food, served on a banana leaf, is absolutely delicious. The accommodations are comfortable and spacious and clean. Students are encouraged to wear traditional Indian clothing (tunic and trousers) and, absolutely, have to be covered and respectful in their dress. The tone is serious and open: no drinking, no relationships, care taken with interactions with the local population, propriety in manner, attitude, and dress. One is here to learn; all else waits, all is in the learning. It is as it would be in any ashram, whether religious or educational. The attitude between student and teacher is serious and total: a bond.
Presently, my schedule is a combination of music, physical activity, and intellectual pursuits:
Group yoga lesson from 7:30 -8:30
Breakfast – 7:30-8:00.
Private lessons in Karnatic singing from 10:00-11:00.
Lunch from 1:00-2:00,
Lectures and preparing medicines on Ayurvedic medicine from 1:45-3:45.
Tea from 4:00-5:00.
From 5:30-6:30, it’s back to martial arts training with the rigorous martial arts
peculiar to Kerela (and described earlier when we journeyed to Kumily and the
Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary).
Dinner from 7:30-8:00.
Studying, typing, collating notes, collaboration with students in all of the in
-between times.
Wonderful, is it not??
Today, I will meet my teachers. Tradition requires that the student give the teacher a gift, a small gesture indicating their desire for learning what the teacher knows. In this case, an auspicious gift is a betyl leaf and nut with 1 rupee (about ½ cent). I might add that with the gift to the teacher comes the gift of the heart from the student, a promise that they will listen and do their very best, conforming to the teacher’s expertise and advice in the quest for knowledge and perfection. When the teacher accepts the gift, they accept the student. It is with the promise that they will depart all their knowledge, holding nothing back. They will guide the student in a subject. And because the courses are traditional and steeped in scripture, symbolism, and history, they can impart much, much more than facts and skills. It is an education: of the mind, of the body, of the spirit, of the soul. It is total and without bounds, perfectly individual and absolutely tailored to the gifts and limitations of the student. It is … absolutely challenging, and wonderful – and I write this after having had my first lesson.
My morning lesson is a private lesson on singing Karnatic (South Indian) music, a music that is “highly audible and acceptable to the ear”. Though I enjoy singing and had some lessons in western singing when I was 18, I have enough understanding of Indian music to know that I was entering an entirely different – and very precise and demanding – world. I was a little nervous, but was mostly extremely excited. I won’t be “good” at this, but I will learn so much. One hour of private tutelage, every day, for a month. My teacher, Santhosh, is extremely gifted and has performed all over India. His English is exceptional and he is able to convey the music, the theory, the history, the mythology, and the symbolism of the teachings with feeling and exactness – and, in the right amount and at the right time. This, is a true teacher, for this is an extremely difficult thing to do.
Our lesson started with an introduction to the Indian “notes”, similar to our do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do. In this case it is sa, ri, ga, ma, pa ,da, ni, sa. Now, where we have a major scale and a few variations of a minor scale, Karnatic music has 72 different “complete” scales, or ragas. A raga is a constellation of notes upon which the artist can improvise. A complete raga is one in which the ascending and descending scale is the same. By inference, I am assuming that there are countless varieties where the ascending and descending raga (scale) could be different – but nonetheless exact.
In Indian music, the raga (scale) is central. There are no accidentals. There is precision in improvisation. In addition to the scale, there is the rhythm (talam). In practicing a raga, one also practices using a specific rhythm. My first exercises were in an 8 beat rhythm (aritalam), using the hands in a specific way to count the 8 beats. In this case, the hand counted: palm down, finger, finger, finger, palm down, palm up, palm down, palm up. The palm down tones are the stable tones, similar to the tonic and fifth in western music. In my lesson, we practiced the raga, up and down, using the basic rhythm but repeating it at a half note, quarter note, eighth note, and 16th note pace (I found the last quite difficult). Then, I repeated some of his improvisations, the “followed” his improvisations simultaneously. He also introduced using an “ah” and “ee” vocalization, which, at first, I thought was like western exercises. It is not. The ah and ee sounds are quite precise, almost like tonguing on a clarinet or trumpet. No vibrato – absolute pure, perfect, on pitch tones. This … is a challenge! Though not ideal, vibrato can cover a multitude of pitch inaccuracies. There is a tremolo in Indian music, but this is NOT a vibrato. A tremolo goes very specifically between two tones (half tones or even quarter tones).
Besides the lessons in theory and practice, our time was interspersed with stories and attitudes. On the wall was a small picture of Sarasvati, the goddess of music and consort of Brahma. Sarasvati is always depicted with a veena (large, stringed instrument – very beautiful and a very old instrument). Sarasvati, it is said, is very big. She sits, however, on a white lotus. How, my teacher asks, is it possible for her to sit on the lotus without bending its stem? It is because she has no weight. Weight is symbolic for arrogance. Sarasvati has no arrogance and is humble to everyone. And so is the artist. There can be no arrogance in any art form.
I was also told the definition of guru: gu means darkness and ru means one who disperses the darkness. So the guru is responsible for guiding the student to the way of light. 5000 years ago, when the students lived with the teacher, the sciences were taught through verse. The verses were an aid for remembering the details of the instruction, much in the way that it is easier to learn a rhyme than a sentence. The oldest verse was on one tone with a variety of rhythm. Later verses added the tones just above and below the first, and then the others were added over the years. Santhosh also related the theory that some (many, all) of the ragas came from nature. He told a story of when, once, he sat in nature on the banks of the river in his native Kerela. It was after the harvest and there were many birds migrating. As he sat, he heard two birds, both unfamiliar. One sang a short 3 note melody; the other answered in a two note, slower one. Back and forth, back and forth. It was the raga we were studying. For him, it was a revelation, and one could see him reliving that moment as he told the story.
And so, the hour fled, and I am left to ponder … and to practice.
So … after many, many years, I am back in school. Yes, I have taken many courses over the past 30 years (at least 25), but they were all related to my profession, to my area of strength and expertise. Here, it’s new territory.
Now, however, there is the wonderful freedom of age. I have nothing to “prove”, nothing to become. I am here for the sheer joy of learning, for the insights it will bring, for the horizons it will expand, for the joy of learning with someone who loves what they are doing.
The Center here in Kerela is unusual for India. It is the outcome of the love for the India and her culture by a French woman, Laaba, who has made India her home and her heart. The center has been organizing courses for over 32 years. Typically, courses in art, music, dance, theater, etc. are given from master to student over many years with students live with other students in the company of the teacher/teachers. This was not a possibility for us. The Vjnana Kala Vedi Cultural Center (www.vjnanakalavedi.org) is organized so that one can study a given subject, individually, with an expert Indian teacher for as long as one likes. There are at least 16 different classes offered – a difficult choice to make, I might add.
The Center is geared toward accommodating Western students WITHOUT BEING WESTERN. Everyone here is gracious and helpful … the traditional Indian food, served on a banana leaf, is absolutely delicious. The accommodations are comfortable and spacious and clean. Students are encouraged to wear traditional Indian clothing (tunic and trousers) and, absolutely, have to be covered and respectful in their dress. The tone is serious and open: no drinking, no relationships, care taken with interactions with the local population, propriety in manner, attitude, and dress. One is here to learn; all else waits, all is in the learning. It is as it would be in any ashram, whether religious or educational. The attitude between student and teacher is serious and total: a bond.
Presently, my schedule is a combination of music, physical activity, and intellectual pursuits:
Group yoga lesson from 7:30 -8:30
Breakfast – 7:30-8:00.
Private lessons in Karnatic singing from 10:00-11:00.
Lunch from 1:00-2:00,
Lectures and preparing medicines on Ayurvedic medicine from 1:45-3:45.
Tea from 4:00-5:00.
From 5:30-6:30, it’s back to martial arts training with the rigorous martial arts
peculiar to Kerela (and described earlier when we journeyed to Kumily and the
Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary).
Dinner from 7:30-8:00.
Studying, typing, collating notes, collaboration with students in all of the in
-between times.
Wonderful, is it not??
Today, I will meet my teachers. Tradition requires that the student give the teacher a gift, a small gesture indicating their desire for learning what the teacher knows. In this case, an auspicious gift is a betyl leaf and nut with 1 rupee (about ½ cent). I might add that with the gift to the teacher comes the gift of the heart from the student, a promise that they will listen and do their very best, conforming to the teacher’s expertise and advice in the quest for knowledge and perfection. When the teacher accepts the gift, they accept the student. It is with the promise that they will depart all their knowledge, holding nothing back. They will guide the student in a subject. And because the courses are traditional and steeped in scripture, symbolism, and history, they can impart much, much more than facts and skills. It is an education: of the mind, of the body, of the spirit, of the soul. It is total and without bounds, perfectly individual and absolutely tailored to the gifts and limitations of the student. It is … absolutely challenging, and wonderful – and I write this after having had my first lesson.
My morning lesson is a private lesson on singing Karnatic (South Indian) music, a music that is “highly audible and acceptable to the ear”. Though I enjoy singing and had some lessons in western singing when I was 18, I have enough understanding of Indian music to know that I was entering an entirely different – and very precise and demanding – world. I was a little nervous, but was mostly extremely excited. I won’t be “good” at this, but I will learn so much. One hour of private tutelage, every day, for a month. My teacher, Santhosh, is extremely gifted and has performed all over India. His English is exceptional and he is able to convey the music, the theory, the history, the mythology, and the symbolism of the teachings with feeling and exactness – and, in the right amount and at the right time. This, is a true teacher, for this is an extremely difficult thing to do.
Our lesson started with an introduction to the Indian “notes”, similar to our do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do. In this case it is sa, ri, ga, ma, pa ,da, ni, sa. Now, where we have a major scale and a few variations of a minor scale, Karnatic music has 72 different “complete” scales, or ragas. A raga is a constellation of notes upon which the artist can improvise. A complete raga is one in which the ascending and descending scale is the same. By inference, I am assuming that there are countless varieties where the ascending and descending raga (scale) could be different – but nonetheless exact.
In Indian music, the raga (scale) is central. There are no accidentals. There is precision in improvisation. In addition to the scale, there is the rhythm (talam). In practicing a raga, one also practices using a specific rhythm. My first exercises were in an 8 beat rhythm (aritalam), using the hands in a specific way to count the 8 beats. In this case, the hand counted: palm down, finger, finger, finger, palm down, palm up, palm down, palm up. The palm down tones are the stable tones, similar to the tonic and fifth in western music. In my lesson, we practiced the raga, up and down, using the basic rhythm but repeating it at a half note, quarter note, eighth note, and 16th note pace (I found the last quite difficult). Then, I repeated some of his improvisations, the “followed” his improvisations simultaneously. He also introduced using an “ah” and “ee” vocalization, which, at first, I thought was like western exercises. It is not. The ah and ee sounds are quite precise, almost like tonguing on a clarinet or trumpet. No vibrato – absolute pure, perfect, on pitch tones. This … is a challenge! Though not ideal, vibrato can cover a multitude of pitch inaccuracies. There is a tremolo in Indian music, but this is NOT a vibrato. A tremolo goes very specifically between two tones (half tones or even quarter tones).
Besides the lessons in theory and practice, our time was interspersed with stories and attitudes. On the wall was a small picture of Sarasvati, the goddess of music and consort of Brahma. Sarasvati is always depicted with a veena (large, stringed instrument – very beautiful and a very old instrument). Sarasvati, it is said, is very big. She sits, however, on a white lotus. How, my teacher asks, is it possible for her to sit on the lotus without bending its stem? It is because she has no weight. Weight is symbolic for arrogance. Sarasvati has no arrogance and is humble to everyone. And so is the artist. There can be no arrogance in any art form.
I was also told the definition of guru: gu means darkness and ru means one who disperses the darkness. So the guru is responsible for guiding the student to the way of light. 5000 years ago, when the students lived with the teacher, the sciences were taught through verse. The verses were an aid for remembering the details of the instruction, much in the way that it is easier to learn a rhyme than a sentence. The oldest verse was on one tone with a variety of rhythm. Later verses added the tones just above and below the first, and then the others were added over the years. Santhosh also related the theory that some (many, all) of the ragas came from nature. He told a story of when, once, he sat in nature on the banks of the river in his native Kerela. It was after the harvest and there were many birds migrating. As he sat, he heard two birds, both unfamiliar. One sang a short 3 note melody; the other answered in a two note, slower one. Back and forth, back and forth. It was the raga we were studying. For him, it was a revelation, and one could see him reliving that moment as he told the story.
And so, the hour fled, and I am left to ponder … and to practice.
Linda: An Indian Moment,Feb. 20
Linda: An Indian Moment Feb. 20
We left Hampi with great reluctance. There are some times in life when one is truly and completely at peace and happy, where the constellation of the inner and outer life is in balance for the particular type of person you are. These few days in Hampi, as in the days backpacking in the high mountains and prairies of the West, were such idyllic days. I can’t quite think of the adjectives for this place. Not quite glorious, although the remnants of glory are there. Peaceful. Pure. Mysterious. Hidden. Magical. Appeasing. Healing. The wonder and beauty of absolute contentment. It is in the land. It is in the people. Everyone we met was met with the heart. Leaving the family where we stayed was like leaving my family, and even the rickshaw driver who had taken care of us for our time there left us with a heavy heart. Quiet people. Undemanding people. Generous people. Sincere people. For me, it was a Shangri La, whose surface we had just begun to explore. As far as “sites”, we did not even have enough “time” to see some of the ruins and natural features (waterfalls/cascades/the Monkey Temple) within a stone’s throw of our house. Though the town was small, we kept discovering little, hidden alleys with shops and restaurants with their people and their stories.
It was in the wee hours of the night that we stole away from this magical place. It was somehow fitting that we arrived and left here in darkness, as though this little jewel of existence was somewhere else, not quite in this world. Its world of light was separated from the everyday by the inward mystery of night and remains a world apart.
And so our journey continues. We slept on the train for little more than two hours that night, between 3:00-5:30 in the morning. Then, waiting, waiting at the train station for our next connection – our first dip into relative train “luxury” as we managed to finally get a ticket for the air conditioned compartment on the train. Same number of people in that small space, but … as it was getting warmer, air conditioning seemed a luxury. Alas, there was the proverbial “fly in the ointment”, as our tickets were waitlisted and not actual reservations for seats. Now, here in India, unlike the States, when one is waitlisted you still get on the train – especially when you are numbers 2 and 3 on the waitlist. It seems that people “always” don’t show and a place is guaranteed. This, of course, made me rather nervous, but, we were in India so I was going to proceed ala India. We got on the compartment on the train, confused as to how to proceed. Which seats are free? They seemed full to me – MORE than full! There seemed to be more than the requisite number of people, in fact, in the compartments we passed.
What to do? We were told to just sit anywhere and the conductor would take care of us. For someone on two hours of sleep, these were not very supportive instructions. So, I just looked at the group of people in the compartment, said we were waitlisted and had no idea what to do. India sprang into action.
We managed to book ourselves on a train compartment filled with young graduate students in mechanical engineering (20 men, 3 women) who were going for a week long seminar at a cutting edge nuclear power plant at the far end of the train line – significantly farther than we were going … which meant that every berth was taken and there had been no cancellations! But these were gentlemen. Without question or hesitation and before we really knew what was happening, our bags were stored and care was taken for our comfort. Two men gave up their berths so that we could sleep – the others had to cram uncomfortably on a lower berth while Eleanor slept above for hours, not only without complaint, but happily and joyously. Chivalry is not dead, and it was with great pleasure and humility that they could care for us in an unobtrusive and protective way.
For the next 24 hours, we had many, many interesting conversations with these young students – intelligent, engaging students from every corner of India. Conversation wove its way around popular music and film, to sports, life in their families and villages. Conversation quickly went into social issues, religion, the need for a guru, leading a simple life, remembering that “if you can choose the meal you get to eat and when, then you are rich.” A group of young men, struggling to keep what is Indian and yet still make it in this world. Family and marriage was also discussed, and they were extremely grateful and happy to see Eleanor and me traveling together. It was there first real example of an American family. There are so many misconceptions about American families and relationships due to the media and due to the tourists they see here. They don’t really see Western families here. They see older couples and young people (often acting like couples, but unmarried). It was a beautiful thing to share our family with them and to talk about the many, many real families that still fill our land, though one has to admit that our divorce rate is appalling. We spoke of arranged marriages and love marriages. (97% arranged marriages – which has its problems but usually works well. The premise is on mutual respect and generosity and duty, from whence love will come. It is about thinking of what you can give and not feelings, unless it is a genuine feeling.) These young men, filled with that irrepressible glow of the all-possible future, enjoying their youth and their education, but also very serious about their future responsibilities and their capacity to live up to an ideal. They represented the best of young people everywhere: serious, thinking, engaged, playful, eager, hopeful, idealistic, preparing.
Then, one student talked Eleanor into getting out her violin. And on we rumbled, clackety clack, the train rumbled through the countryside while Eleanor played. It was … quite a moment. The music comes, as it sometimes does, the seats and aisles filled, rumors floated down the cars, and others from adjoining cars came by, in and out, giving space to others, a respite during a long journey - into music. And with that, the violin gets passed and a student starts to play Indian music, violin pointed downward with the scroll resting on his foot that is crossed over the other knee. Eyes closed, silence, nodding heads, sighs of appreciation, applause. And so it continued – singing in various modalities, stories, cards, rest, sharing of food – that special magic of the train where lives are locked together in close quarters for a length of time. Where, sometimes, more is given and received than can sometimes happen in months of daily life. The magic of Hampi must have lingered on. I will never see any of these young men again, but their faces and their kindness, their joyful generosity and idealism, their ability to question their pre-conceived ideas and information, gladly shaping it to what they experienced, their willingness to ask piercing and penetrating questions in the quest to understand will remain fixed in my memory. They were … alive.
As with young people everywhere, the comraderie continued until the wee hours. At first, I tried to sleep and was wondering, when, oh when would everyone else decide to sleep. Eleanor told me later that a few men in the berth next to where I was would occasionally say, “Shhh! Auntie’s trying to sleep.” Irrepressible youth at its finest. Finally, I thought I must, like all that is positive, embrace it all. I stopped trying to think about “needing to sleep” and enjoyed the happiness that was flowing between all these young people.
Our stop was a tiny, tiny station and we were scheduled to arrive at 6:30 in the morning when it is still dark. Getting off at the right stop is a little tricky. The station’s signs are mainly in Hindi and the local script with some signs in English. Some stations are better than others with their signage, but one has to be alert and ready to go. Often, and especially at the small stations, the train only stops for a few minutes. It is best to be at the door with your bags before the train has come to a complete stop. If not, you could get stuck by the people getting on … and miss getting off the train altogether. Not that there are necessarily many people trying to get on (although there can be), but it is narrow spaces … and we have large suitcases – especially by Indian standards. Reading the signs at the train stations can be complicated by the fact that there may be another train between ours and the main platform where the signage is best. OR, the curtains or screen on the neighboring berth might be closed and you cannot see out one side. Or … the outside condensation on your window makes reading the signs whisking by difficult to impossible.
Not to worry, because Everyone else was concerned, too. The conductor (we actually DID get berths of our very own) and the steward kept us abreast as to which stops were coming up and how many more we could expect and the men who shared the berths on both sides all got up (even though they only went to sleep 3 hours earlier) to share the morning, watch for the stops, and carry our bags off the train. A heartful adieu in the early morning. A day I will never forget.
We left Hampi with great reluctance. There are some times in life when one is truly and completely at peace and happy, where the constellation of the inner and outer life is in balance for the particular type of person you are. These few days in Hampi, as in the days backpacking in the high mountains and prairies of the West, were such idyllic days. I can’t quite think of the adjectives for this place. Not quite glorious, although the remnants of glory are there. Peaceful. Pure. Mysterious. Hidden. Magical. Appeasing. Healing. The wonder and beauty of absolute contentment. It is in the land. It is in the people. Everyone we met was met with the heart. Leaving the family where we stayed was like leaving my family, and even the rickshaw driver who had taken care of us for our time there left us with a heavy heart. Quiet people. Undemanding people. Generous people. Sincere people. For me, it was a Shangri La, whose surface we had just begun to explore. As far as “sites”, we did not even have enough “time” to see some of the ruins and natural features (waterfalls/cascades/the Monkey Temple) within a stone’s throw of our house. Though the town was small, we kept discovering little, hidden alleys with shops and restaurants with their people and their stories.
It was in the wee hours of the night that we stole away from this magical place. It was somehow fitting that we arrived and left here in darkness, as though this little jewel of existence was somewhere else, not quite in this world. Its world of light was separated from the everyday by the inward mystery of night and remains a world apart.
And so our journey continues. We slept on the train for little more than two hours that night, between 3:00-5:30 in the morning. Then, waiting, waiting at the train station for our next connection – our first dip into relative train “luxury” as we managed to finally get a ticket for the air conditioned compartment on the train. Same number of people in that small space, but … as it was getting warmer, air conditioning seemed a luxury. Alas, there was the proverbial “fly in the ointment”, as our tickets were waitlisted and not actual reservations for seats. Now, here in India, unlike the States, when one is waitlisted you still get on the train – especially when you are numbers 2 and 3 on the waitlist. It seems that people “always” don’t show and a place is guaranteed. This, of course, made me rather nervous, but, we were in India so I was going to proceed ala India. We got on the compartment on the train, confused as to how to proceed. Which seats are free? They seemed full to me – MORE than full! There seemed to be more than the requisite number of people, in fact, in the compartments we passed.
What to do? We were told to just sit anywhere and the conductor would take care of us. For someone on two hours of sleep, these were not very supportive instructions. So, I just looked at the group of people in the compartment, said we were waitlisted and had no idea what to do. India sprang into action.
We managed to book ourselves on a train compartment filled with young graduate students in mechanical engineering (20 men, 3 women) who were going for a week long seminar at a cutting edge nuclear power plant at the far end of the train line – significantly farther than we were going … which meant that every berth was taken and there had been no cancellations! But these were gentlemen. Without question or hesitation and before we really knew what was happening, our bags were stored and care was taken for our comfort. Two men gave up their berths so that we could sleep – the others had to cram uncomfortably on a lower berth while Eleanor slept above for hours, not only without complaint, but happily and joyously. Chivalry is not dead, and it was with great pleasure and humility that they could care for us in an unobtrusive and protective way.
For the next 24 hours, we had many, many interesting conversations with these young students – intelligent, engaging students from every corner of India. Conversation wove its way around popular music and film, to sports, life in their families and villages. Conversation quickly went into social issues, religion, the need for a guru, leading a simple life, remembering that “if you can choose the meal you get to eat and when, then you are rich.” A group of young men, struggling to keep what is Indian and yet still make it in this world. Family and marriage was also discussed, and they were extremely grateful and happy to see Eleanor and me traveling together. It was there first real example of an American family. There are so many misconceptions about American families and relationships due to the media and due to the tourists they see here. They don’t really see Western families here. They see older couples and young people (often acting like couples, but unmarried). It was a beautiful thing to share our family with them and to talk about the many, many real families that still fill our land, though one has to admit that our divorce rate is appalling. We spoke of arranged marriages and love marriages. (97% arranged marriages – which has its problems but usually works well. The premise is on mutual respect and generosity and duty, from whence love will come. It is about thinking of what you can give and not feelings, unless it is a genuine feeling.) These young men, filled with that irrepressible glow of the all-possible future, enjoying their youth and their education, but also very serious about their future responsibilities and their capacity to live up to an ideal. They represented the best of young people everywhere: serious, thinking, engaged, playful, eager, hopeful, idealistic, preparing.
Then, one student talked Eleanor into getting out her violin. And on we rumbled, clackety clack, the train rumbled through the countryside while Eleanor played. It was … quite a moment. The music comes, as it sometimes does, the seats and aisles filled, rumors floated down the cars, and others from adjoining cars came by, in and out, giving space to others, a respite during a long journey - into music. And with that, the violin gets passed and a student starts to play Indian music, violin pointed downward with the scroll resting on his foot that is crossed over the other knee. Eyes closed, silence, nodding heads, sighs of appreciation, applause. And so it continued – singing in various modalities, stories, cards, rest, sharing of food – that special magic of the train where lives are locked together in close quarters for a length of time. Where, sometimes, more is given and received than can sometimes happen in months of daily life. The magic of Hampi must have lingered on. I will never see any of these young men again, but their faces and their kindness, their joyful generosity and idealism, their ability to question their pre-conceived ideas and information, gladly shaping it to what they experienced, their willingness to ask piercing and penetrating questions in the quest to understand will remain fixed in my memory. They were … alive.
As with young people everywhere, the comraderie continued until the wee hours. At first, I tried to sleep and was wondering, when, oh when would everyone else decide to sleep. Eleanor told me later that a few men in the berth next to where I was would occasionally say, “Shhh! Auntie’s trying to sleep.” Irrepressible youth at its finest. Finally, I thought I must, like all that is positive, embrace it all. I stopped trying to think about “needing to sleep” and enjoyed the happiness that was flowing between all these young people.
Our stop was a tiny, tiny station and we were scheduled to arrive at 6:30 in the morning when it is still dark. Getting off at the right stop is a little tricky. The station’s signs are mainly in Hindi and the local script with some signs in English. Some stations are better than others with their signage, but one has to be alert and ready to go. Often, and especially at the small stations, the train only stops for a few minutes. It is best to be at the door with your bags before the train has come to a complete stop. If not, you could get stuck by the people getting on … and miss getting off the train altogether. Not that there are necessarily many people trying to get on (although there can be), but it is narrow spaces … and we have large suitcases – especially by Indian standards. Reading the signs at the train stations can be complicated by the fact that there may be another train between ours and the main platform where the signage is best. OR, the curtains or screen on the neighboring berth might be closed and you cannot see out one side. Or … the outside condensation on your window makes reading the signs whisking by difficult to impossible.
Not to worry, because Everyone else was concerned, too. The conductor (we actually DID get berths of our very own) and the steward kept us abreast as to which stops were coming up and how many more we could expect and the men who shared the berths on both sides all got up (even though they only went to sleep 3 hours earlier) to share the morning, watch for the stops, and carry our bags off the train. A heartful adieu in the early morning. A day I will never forget.
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