MUNG FASTING - A SIMPLE BODY CLEANING |
Whilst studying at Ayushakti with it's amazing array of doctors, I attended many talks on diet and it's deep significance in restoring health. Green mung beans, when correctly prepared, are one of the most purifying and at the same time life-giving foods one can eat and a 10 day program has been created centered around eating just green mung for the most, as a powerful method to to clear the body of toxins and thus restore energy and power of digestion.
Having done the 10 day program and also put a number of people on it, I've seen enough personally to say that it's one of the best gifts you could ever give to yourself. It's not too difficult to follow, it just needs correct preparation but on doing it one begins to experience the difference between a body loaded with toxins and one free from them.
I strongly suggest people try the 10 day program and send me reports to talk2us[at]vedicsociety[dot]org. Anyone interested can click here for more details on the detox fast and its associated recipes. Green Mung Bean Soup Recipe : Soak some green mung beans overnight in pure water
Wash and drain then add pure water and cook on low heat for 30-45 minutes
Add bay leaf, a pinch of turmeric, a pinch of saffron and one black cardamom while simmering
Once the beans are soft (test by taking a bean between finger and thumb) :
Sautee in pure cow ghee : some cumin sees
some coriander seeds
another pinch of saffron
a little crushed black pepper
five green cardamom pods
a little ajwan (wild celery seeds)
a pinch of hing (asafetida)
a little home made garam masala powder
a few sticks of cinnamon and a bay leaf
some freshly crushed garlic, ginger and onion
Sautee until spices get a golden look and garlic and onion is well toasted
Pour into mung soup
Add some black salt, a little ghee and some fresh coriander leafs (cilantro)
Home remedies are simple and effective ways to treat most diseases based on what you can find in your kitchen. The spices used in Indian food each warrant a medical treatise for their various medicinal effects, in fact various books have been written in India on cures based on what is in your pantry. Dr. Pankaj Naram and his wife have a vast knowledge of home remedies, and I have since 1999 had a deep interest in learning more about effective and simple home remedies. The beauty is that once you understand the basic principals of Ayurveda, anything can become a remedy of note.
Two of my favourite are roasted fennel and cumin seeds with a pinch of ajwan (wild celery) seeds eaten as a digestive when digestion is overtaxed. The other favourite of mine is gargling with hot water when there is nasal or sinus congestion. If you do this for 5 minutes or so you will see that the congestion that was, will be quickly cleared.
Home remedies are simple and effective and I'm constantly learning various new ones from doctors, some more effective than others.
This knowledge is very powerful and very universal and could save many unnecessary doctors visits if it was once again back in the home where it used to be in times bygone. It is our deep wish to research and revive global knowledge of home remedies for the health of all on earth.
We have an exciting online project to bring home remedies, back to the home planned in this regard for the next year and we will keep you posted on it's progress.
STHAPATYA VEDA - DESIGN THAT HEALS |
"When we create a form on earth we are giving birth to a living space. Just as our bodies are living spaces for our consciousness, so a house, a town a temple all are embodiments of living space."
Vaastu Shastra is one of the missing links for creating harmonious life on earth as we know it today. It is the ancient Vedic science of space and form and how to create consciously a space that creates harmony within and without. When we look around at modern cities and houses, we see that although the constructions are practical and functional, they are lacking a fundamental spiritual understanding of creating harmonious space. In recent years a new awareness has sprung up of Feng Shui and of Vaastu Shastra as people are remembering the significance of a balanced and harmoniously created space for themselves and their lives. In my own path I spent many years researching and studying Feng Shui and then later Vaastu Shastra. Like most ancient sciences I felt what had for the most part been published and was being presented was fragmented and without much cohesion. I had a deep wish in my heart to find the source of this knowledge, little did I know that I would discover a spring of knowledge that had run continuously from generation to generation for more than 13,000 years from it's founder and forefather, a man known as Brahmarishi Mayan.
My search for the heart of Vaastu Science took me to Chennai, India where I was blessed to meet with Dr. V. Ganapathi Sthapathi, the modern father of what is more correctly called Sthaptya Veda. Sthapatya means to build or form matter in space-time and Veda means this knowledge is realized and also has the sole purpose of bringing people to self-harmony and subsequently self-realization. All Vedic knowledge has this central theme, from music to medicine, the application of these sciences is a direct watering of the roots of our inner selves as the fruits that result are a life of peace, harmony, service and vitality on earth.
The underlying scientific principals of Sthaptya Veda are profound and deal with a subtle physics of nature that is of a level not yet seen in today's modern laboratories. I set upon an adventure of learning these sciences and discovered that the deeper I went into this knowledge, the deeper I was journeying within my own heart. I was very blessed to spend some time in Dr. Sthapathi's house which had been built in accordance with Sthapatya Veda and directly experienced the amazing calm and clarity that came from being in such a space. Vast attention is paid to the exact layout of the building on a specific grid matrix (either 9 x 9 units or 8 x 8 units) and then within this grid creating a space of specific symmetrical proportions and dimensions that would sing a certain resonance that would subsequently resonate with the inhabitants in the space. In the Sthapatya Veda texts this is called Aayaadi and it is a profound subtle tuning of any building in a way that the building in itself becomes a song of subtle energetic sweet music that quells any stress within.
Dr. Sthapthi is strict and forthright in his application of the science, insisting that one must get it right from the beginning and thus alterations and rectifications are simply not acceptable. One must design and then create a space that has maximum harmony from the beginning. The benefits of dwelling or working in a Sthapatya Veda space are quite simply without measure and it was my realization and feeling that this science is a golden key for bringing harmony rapidly to many spheres of life on earth. With public or governmental buildings built for maximum harmony and coherence, one would see vast shifts in all levels of the society in no time.
STHAPATYA VEDA MODEL PRISON PROJECT |
Recently while living in the Nepali Himalayas I conceived a project to produce a model prison in the USA using Sthpatya Veda design principals and then observing and documenting the effects on the rehabilitation of the prisoners. The concept was such that we should take the most extreme situations of social unrest and put them in a space where we are using the most extreme science of spatial harmony creation. Presently a friend of mine in LA, Juliann Jannus and I have started the preliminary planning and fundraising phases of such a project and when I meet with Dr. Sthapathi in the near future I will begin with the practical side of the project too.
Perhaps in a time bygone, prisons were not needed, like I had read in the reports of the ancient kingdom of Mithilal some centuries fore, but in the highly stressed world of today they are a reality and thus there is a vast window of opportunity to revive these ancient sciences and use them in a way that they can rapidly transform the society.
There are many other applications which came to mind which when the right infrastructure, team and resources are in place, can rapidly unfold. One such was to apply the principals of Sthapatya Veda to the low cost housing projects presently on the go in South Africa and other parts of the world. Generally it has been observed that low cost housing projects become rife with crime, alcoholism and social unrest. With just a slight alteration to the design of the project and no or little additional cost we could witness the effects of this science on a section of the society much in need of aid in every way. Sthapatya Veda principals work their magic from the macro (city or town) down to the micro (house or hut).
Our vision is to be part of creating models using Shtpatya Veda and use this as a powerful way to solving the perpetuating world troubles.
Anyone interested on supporting or being involved with our Sthapatya Veda model projects can contact us further below. Contacts: Dr. V. Ganapathi Sthapathi and Associates
Web: http://www.vastuved.com E-mail: vastuved(at)md3.vsnl.net(dot)in
Once of the least explored aspects of Vedic science are indeed Yagyas, from the outside they are ancient, systematic and scientifically performed rituals which combine fire, offering of fragrant and otherwise auspicious substances, sound (mantram) and also the use of auspicious astrological moments for their performances. Yagyas in their pure form have largely been lost though here and there one can find priests and pundits who are performing them correctly. Their effects on a subtle level are vast and very dramatic and in ancient times they would be used regularly by the rulers of a state to prevent calamities and obstacles and improve upon difficult situations when they arose. Combined with astrology it's a very powerful tool to subtly transform ones life and awareness and become more attuned with our inner nature.
When correctly performed a yagya can have dramatic effects on the direction and outcome of our individual expressions. The subject of yagyas has been a subject of great interest on my behalf and on my research through India and Nepal I have proceeded to learn more about them and also find out places where they can be authentically and powerfully performed. In this newsletter I will lay particular focus on Somayagyas, which are a rare, very mystical and ancient form of Yagya performed only by a handful of priests who still retain the tradition. Their effects are vast and dramatic and I feel they are one of the keys to transforming the world we are living in deeply and rapidly for the better.
SOMAYAGYA - THE MOTHER OF ALL |
A year back I attended a rare Somayagya in Hyderabad which was being performed on the auspicious occasion of the 50th birthday of Sri Kantji Maharaj, the son of Param Satguru Gajanan Sri Maharaj, the man behind reviving Agnihotra and authentic Somayagyas in this day and age. Some weeks before the Somayagya I had visited Hyderabad and found the city exceptionally stressed and chaotic and I was initially reluctant to return there.
The ambience of the Yagya zone and it's surroundings during the yagya were noticeably more peaceful and I recall how there was quite a different feeling in the air after the yagya.
The Somayagya continued for some 10 days and during the process it was reported that there was a dramatic effect on the pollution. This has also been confirmed by an institute in Haridwar, India who did much research on the effects of Yagya on removing pollution and harmful radiation. Small yagyas effect a zone of a few kilometers around the area so the Somayagya with it's various large sized fire pits must have been having a dramatic effect.
Something very profound and wonderful happens within ones self during the Somayagya and as the ritual and procedure journeys through it's various layers, one feels a purification in various parts of ones mind and awareness. Friends I met there who had attended many Somayagyas reported the same.
I feel this is an area for much research as this technology could be used in a great way for planetary transformation. It needs to be supported, preserved and also applied throughout the world. Contact: To find out about any future Somayagyas check the Vedic Society web site or contact Ashu at info(at)agnihotraindia(dot)com
At the end of 2004 I got to be involved with a very beautiful project called 'The Saints Speak Out' which is the brainchild of my dear friend Janet Attwood from Fairfield, Iowa. Janet's vision is to interview and gain reflections from the hearts of saints throughout the world and to use mainstream media such as television or internet to project this message for all. I immediately saw the wonderful potential of this project and realized that the nectar of wisdom that is buried in the east could be transmitted globally through this.
In Nepal we journeyed to meet a number of modern day saints and Janet interviewed them. Presently she is back in the USA and this project will be further unfolding later this year. Anyone interested in Janet's amazing project can contact her directly on janet(at)stayinginlove(dot)com
VEDIC SOCIETY 2005 PROJECTS |
In 2005 we will be devoting time to furthering research into a few areas. I will shortly be traveling to India and be meeting with certain key people to further my research and document key discoveries so that they may be taken further.
Below is a list of a few of the main points we will cover in the near future. CANCER AND AYURVEDA
Having spent much time working with cancer patients with Dr. Udo Ehrenfeld in Germany, I am deeply inspired to find people working successfully with Ayurvedic treatments for cancer, I feel deeply that humanity need not look any further than Ayurveda for unraveling the cancer mystery. My main intention is to meet with and spend some time interviewing Swami Brahmanand Swamigal in Coimbatore who is a traditional Vaidya from an ancient lineage who has been working much and with much success in the field of cancer. The focus of his treatments are mainly of the Siddha tradition which makes extensive use of mineral and gem medicines. I am planning to meet with him in the unfolding months and I will post an article on this on the forthcoming Vedic Society web site.
AYURVEDIC DENTISTRY - A CONTINUATION OF RESEARCH
I am intending to travel to the remote reigns near to Raipur to meet with some traditional healers and discover more about an oil which is reportedly being used to arrest and reverse tooth decay. I mentioned earlier in this article that such a substance has been referred to in many times but only
in Raipur have I read reports and records of it having been in use in modern times.
THE WORLD PANCHAKARMA GUIDE
Later in the year I will begin working with a team of web programmers and volunteers on the World Panchakarma guide. It will initially be an online interactive resource profiling all available Panchakarma facilities worldwide and in service to those in need of treatments and specialized treatment. People will be able to gain an idea of prospective cost and times of treatments from the guide online. Later it will be made into a printed book and eBook.
HOMEREMEDIES.ORG
Homeremedies.org will be a multi-lingual global web portal which aims to inform people of the simplest and most powerful home remedies that can be used to keep them healthy. We will be compiling an online guide to home remedies that can be easily accessed and applied anywhere and anytime. This is a seva projects in the interests of true world health. The site will be developed by a team of web developers and volunteers and also involve collaborating with many prominent Vaidyas specialising in Home Remedies. AYURVEDA AND EYE DISEASES
After meeting Dr. Prasad in the Sita Ram Ayurvedic hospital in Trichur, Kerala, I was inspired to learn more about specialized Ayurvedic treatments for eye diseases. Like the other areas I've chosen to focus time and energy upon, I feel there is a large gap open here for the enlightened knowledge of Ayurveda to fill. I will be meeting with further experts in this field in the course of my research and publishing the discoveries on the Vedic Society web site forthcoming.
TREATMENT OF SNAKE BITES WITH AYURVEDA
Growing up in South Africa, one has a constant awareness whilst walking in nature, of the existence of deadly snakes which cause many deaths each year on the African continent and in other parts of the world. Modern methods involve life support and such and can be useful in critical conditions but I had known from my early days with Ayurveda that there was a wealth of wisdom here untapped and it's an area I wish to focus some time and research onto in the near future.
Just recently I have received an invitation attend seminars and studies with a traditional Vaidya from Kerala in South India who has successfully treated over 600 snake bite victims.
I will reflect more in detail on this subject on the up and coming Vedic Society web site.
INDUS VALLEY RESEARCH
After being initiated into Sthapatya Veda studies, I have had a deep wish to visit the original Indus valley (in present day Pakistan) to make a detailed study of the use of Vaastu Shastra in the plans of Harrepa and Mohenjodaro. I feel this could unfold many keys into understanding these lost civilizations. I know that slowly as we discover more and more is excavated that the true greatness of these ancient cultures can be known. I have heard that alchemically solidified mercury had been found there too which shows an advanced knowledge of metallurgy and alchemy. My teacher Dr. Sthapathi has already commented that Vaastu principals were very much in plan in the design of these ancient towns and it is my wish to observe this and report upon it further.
CONCLUSION
This is just a taste of forthcoming work in 2005 and beyond. Besides this I am also devoting much of my time to the launch of a Vedic Books and Madanapalas, two online projects which will bring some of the best things from India to the world at large. I will send more news about this a little later this year.
Another area of our work is to recognize micro-projects we feel are doing something for the betterment of the world and to give them our support and access to our network and resources. Throughout the year there have been a number of projects that have caught our eye, some we have personally helped to start and others have already been established and we have tried to support them in any way we can. I will mention a few of note here. TOIT - BHAKTAPUR NEPAL
Toit was founded by a single man named Indra Prasad, a citizen of Bhaktapur, in Nepal, not far from Kathmandu. Indra had the blessing of being sponsored by a friend from France to complete his education when the family he was born in was struggling much to meet costs. This deeply inspired Indra to do the same for his fellow countrymen and TOIT was born some years back starting with just a handful of educational scholarships and growing steadily to it's present total of 115 students. TOIT is working on a grassroots level at a fundamental need in Nepal which is education. The government is presently not in a position to provide optimal education and the society has many legacies where for example education for girls is emphasized less and also in remote or village areas. I've seen TOIT's miracle and grace in action and a large amount if it is due to the sincerity, purity and dedication of Indra and his team. Anyone wishing to learn more about a NGO and it's unfolding should come spend a few months volunteering and working with TOIT. They are always open to receiving help and Indra is very much steering the TOIT ship in a way that any suggestions and assistance will be made use of. Presently TOIT is planning to build it's own model school and the have raised a sum of EUR 6000 in start for this work. They are still seeking a further EUR 4000 and anyone out there who wishes to assist or has ideas for some overseas fundraising or 'Friends of TOIT' operations around the world, please get in touch directly with Indra.
Contact: Indra Prassad, E-mail: toit_org(at)ntc.net(dot)np
THE BHAKTAPUR AYURVEDIC SWEET WORKS - BHAKTAPUR NEPAL
Combining Ayurveda, social development and health awareness we have conceived and begun the first steps of a project named 'The Bhaktapur Ayurvedic Sweet Works'. The project is inspired by Ayurveda and also by helping the local society here in Nepal, particularly it's woman. As such we are producing handmade, completely natural and healthy sweets using local ingredients and traditional handed down recipes. Our first production was of sesame ladoos was made with pure sesame seeds, lightly roasted then cooked in jaggery (raw sugar) and ghee with a secret masala. The aim is to produce a broad range of healthy Ayurvedic sweets that are available throughout Kathmandu and Nepal and even some products like small clay gift preparations of natural sweets will be available for export. The project is entirely manned by Nepali women from financially strained backgrounds, our first Ayurvedic cook is a single mother caring for two children.
All future profits from the project will go to TOIT and also other charity projects in Nepal.
For more information on the Bhaktapur Sweet Works contact TOIT: info(at)bhaktisweets(dot)org
THE HIMALAYAN COW RESCUE PROJECT - BHAKTAPUR NEPAL
Driving back from Kathmandu one night with some guests in a taxi I was shocked to discover a cow in the midst of the road that had been hit by a passing motorcyclist. We stopped to move her out of the road and then I proceeded to phone local police and hospitals to see if there was any facility to deal with such an emergency. It turned out that there was nothing and this became the seed to establish The Himalayan Rescue Cow Project. The project is still in conception phase but the persons who will be involved and managing the project have been identified. Shortly after having the wish to do a cow rescue project for animals wounded either on the roads or otherwise, I met a very special vet named Kishore Shresta and his wife. Besides been devoted animal lovers, Kishore has a deep knowledge of Ayurveda (being the son of a renowned local Vaidya) and also has had the same deep wish to do something for cows that are injured on the roads. In the past months we've been looking for suitable land for establishing the project, my favour is to find a large enough land with sufficient grazing space to make the food requirements self sufficient. There will also be scope for research into Ayurvedic treatments for cows, especially in the field of broken bones and injuries. It is our wish to send someone to Kerala for specialized training in the management of breaks and fractures so this knowledge can be applied here. Mostly such cases result in limb amputations which are largely avoidable if proper herbal medicated treatments and facilities are available.
Our idea is that funds from the Bhaktapur Ayurvedic Sweet Works would be used for the initial impetus for the Himalayan Cow Rescue Project. If there are any animal lovers traveling to Nepal wishing to volunteer time on this exciting and unique project then please be in touch.
Should you feel inspired by our work there are a variety of ways you can assist us. If you wish to volunteer on any of our projects and feel you would be able to carry them further with your time and skills then please be in touch. We are also very happy to receive any financial support or donations of equipment and you can contact donations(at)vedicsociety(dot)org for information about donating in support of our work or any of the micro-projects. Our wish is to serve the world we are living in and make it a better place, with your support we can do this more. Please share our work with all your feel might benefit and if you have any questions please contact us below. "When you are inspired by some great purpose,
some extraordinary project,
all your thoughts break their bonds.
Your mind transcends limitations,
your consciousness expands in every direction,
and you find yourself in a new, great and wonderful world.
Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive,
and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far
than you ever dreamed yourself to be."
--- Patanjali
<<< Back to Part I of our January 2005 Newsletter <<<
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