Experiential Learning

I have left my routine, traditional lifestyle with the Vinayaks; taken the pilgrimage to the Golden Temple for a beloved friend in Bellingham; and for the past few days have made a new sort-of home in the beautiful mountains of tourist-filled Mcloud Gang/Dharamsala.

I finally admitted to myself that something was/is seriously wrong with my digestion.  It is not possible that nearly every food item wreaks havoc on my intestines (or that my body's receptivity to different foods is steadily decreasing).  Before arriving here, I had contacted a group called "The Ayurveda House" to see if there was any possibility of my meeting with the doctors on staff or volunteering around the place.  As the response was positive, I felt good about seeking it out, but now for my OWN treatment.

A kind Indian photographer fellow from Delhi accompanied me on my treck across the short mountain pass, sharing with me first that my pronunciation of Ayurveda was incorrect (and really, it is AyurveD in Hindi anyway...) and a success story of his brother's using Ayurvedic and Homeopathic medicine when allopathy was not able to help.  He also read my palm, telling me, among other things, that I had a very strong study and wealth line and would most likely get married at the age of 24.

Both of my meetings with the doctor were short and simple.  He took my pulse, examined my tongue, checked my blood pressure with a manual but modern machine, asked me to report my symptoms and sent me down to the lab in Dharamsala to take a stool test.  Which, fittingly, came back positive for girardia.

Back the next day with the doctor, he asked me if I wanted Ayurvedic or Allopathic medicines.  The allopathic would take an estimated 5-8 days while the Ayurvedic Herbal would take an estimated 13-15.  As anyone who has suffered extreme/chronic pain or discomfort knows, the tempting nature of such an offer is intense. "Oh, ok. THIS time I'll take what I KNOW is going to work, and will work FAST.  I just can't take it anymore...in the future I'll be more careful...I'll try something natural NEXT time."  I'm not about to state that this mind-talk never warrants any merrit because it does; but in more instances, it does not.  So, I struggled for a few moments with my own mind-talk, ultimately deciding that taking the Ayurvedic medicine was a vital part of my experiential learning process (in addition to the countless other reasons to select natural over allopathic medicine). 

I received two fairly big bottle of a liquid formula (a decoction that more than likely sat in one of those large vats for months like the ones I saw at my Indian family's factory) and a package of brown pills.  In addition, the doctor gave me a brief explanation about how the parasite was effecting my 'pitta' (digestive fire) and that in order to support its elimination, increasing my body's capacity to have superior digestion by not eating the wrong foods was crucial to the process. Also, that because this parasite is effecting the quality of my digestion, 'ama' (toxins) were subsequently building up in my tissues which will increase risk of disease later on.  Therefore, propper rejuvination treatment will be crucI am to report back when my medicine is complete to receive one more bottle.

This visit was not particularly impressive. Not that I'm any kind of expert, but most of what he told me (besides what actual medicine I should take) I already intuited/knew. Unlike the other doctors I have spoken with so far, this man truly represented the 'modern' Ayurvedic physician: one who is thoroughly trained in the medical sciences of allopathy and ayurved, but seems to lack the heart or intuitive instinct an ayurvedic healer.  The dietary advice he offered me was good, but hardly thorough in my opinion.  I was able to find out more through my own food trial and error experiements and from the advice that a woman/friend of mine offered who had experienced the same problem.

 

So for everyone's edification, in case you happen to acquire girardia in india...

 

1.) Girardia is a single-celled parasite that infects the small intestine.  It can live inactively as a 'cyst.'  Because of this, the infection can exist for years in the body without even being noticed (grapefruit seed extract is one of the only items known to kill not the parasite, but the lingering CYSTS)

 

2.) Ayurvedic medication DOES work; I have been on mine now for only two days and already feel totally different, in a good way

 

3.) Drink lots of water, with lemmon and salt is even better

 

4.) Do NOT eat/drink: Milk, nuts, meat, cafinated beverage, eggs, junk/fried/heavy foods.

 

5.) Especially GOOD to eat: Fresh garlic, ginger (all sorts of spices, but not items that are too 'spicy'), papaya (all fruit), carrots (all vegetables) butter, y llow and red dal, rice, herbal teas.

 

honey and chipati are fine.

 

~

 

Such an abundance of stimulating curiosities in this place.  Besides the other Ayurvedic doctors I want to seek out, Tibetan medicine is perhaps even more prevalent.  When I innitiallly went to the near by tibetan clinic and breifly reported my symptoms, they told me to go to the Ayurvedic doctor.  What a concept! For different healing modalities to understand their strengths, but to also recfognize where another modality might have better treatment measures in place.  I feel ridiculously exited to witness such a frame of mind, most likely because  of the void of such thinking in  the majority of allopathy.

 

But all of this exploration will have to wait, for 10 days at least.  I will be starting a 10-day vipassana (silent meditation retreat) in a few hours.   From the interactions I have had thus far with Ayurvedic healers who's very presence has moved me, I've taken from them how vital the elemet of spiritual practice/meditation is not only in one's capacity to be healed, but to indeed perform the healing. 

Both are aspects beneficial for all people to nourish within themselves throughout this life. In the spirit of my adventure's search to become closer to the hearler, and in my current state as the healee, this seems like a very appropriate time for me to begin such an undertaking as prolonged meditation.