Life can be full of surprises, and sometimes those surprises are tough, like a cancer diagnosis. It’s a huge challenge, and not just about the physical part. It can bring on a rush of difficult emotions – fear, sadness, worry.
People dealing with cancer, whether they’ve just been diagnosed or are going through treatment, often struggle with their emotions. Regular medicine doesn’t always address this very well. Emotional distress, anxiety, depression, and trauma are common problems.
Ayurveda has a different approach. It gets how connected your mind and body are and offers practical ways to handle the emotions. It sees cancer care as more than just treating the physical disease. It understands that your emotional and mental well-being are essential for healing. Things like talking to a therapist, learning to relax, and using herbs are all important for your emotional and mental health. This mind-body connection is central to a unique practice called Daivavyapashraya Chikitsa. It’s a type of spiritual therapy that’s gaining recognition because it might be really helpful for serious and chronic illnesses, including cancer.
This protocol is based on the idea that your past actions and faith can influence your health. It uses practices like Mantra, Homa, Japa, and Upavasa (fasting). These practices work in mysterious ways to promote healing. While not yet mainstream, Daivavyapashraya Chikitsa, combined with other Ayurvedic approaches, could improve well-being and treatment outcomes for cancer patients.
So, What Ayurveda has in its scripture that can be helpful for cancer patients to fight back emotional well-being with spirit!
Ayurveda has a lot of helpful advice on how to build mental resilience – you know, that inner strength that helps you get through tough times. It’s like a guidebook for preventing mental health issues. It talks about:
- Sadvritta: Living a good, honest life.
- Achara Rasayana: Having strong ethics.
- Dinacharya: A healthy daily routine (sleep, diet, etc.).
- Na Vega Dharana: Managing your impulses.
Now, Ayurveda recognizes that your mind plays a big role in your overall health. It offers a lot of tools for dealing with stress, which can affect you in so many ways. Ayurveda sees the mind and body as completely connected – what affects one affects the other. So, it gives you ways to keep your mind healthy to prevent problems and treat them if they come up. It understands that sometimes illnesses are just physical – like a broken bone – but sometimes they’re purely mental, like emotional stress, anxiety or depression. And sometimes, they’re a combination of both – that’s what Saareera-maanasika-vyaadhi means – where your physical and mental health are interlinked.
Understanding Daivavyapashraya Chikitsa: Beyond Misconceptions
Daivavyapashraya Chikitsa is often misinterpreted as just magical healing, but it’s much more than that. It holds a really important place in Ayurveda. Acharya Charaka considered it the most important of the three main types of treatment because it can quickly relieve suffering. That shows you how valuable it is for overall healing.
The Sanskrit definition helps explain it a bit more:
दैवमदृश्टं तद्व्यपाश्रयं, तच्च यददृश्टजननेन व्याधिप्रत्यनीकं मन्त्रादि…
It means relying on unseen forces to counteract disease through things like mantras. It relies on Adrushta, which you could think of as unseen forces or fate, and Vyapashraya, which means relying on something in a special way.
The goal is to ease your suffering and improve your quality of life. It works in a way that’s hard to explain. Ayurveda calls this Achintya Prabhava, which is unexplainably effective. It’s thought to restore balance (Dhatusamyata) in your body
Now, it’s important to understand that Daivavyapashraya Chikitsa isn’t a cure-all. Ayurveda is based on the idea of cause and effect – Karya Karana Siddhanta – and this therapy is specifically designed for certain illnesses with particular causes, not just anything.
तद्ध्यनुतिश्ठन् युगपत् सम्पादयत्यर्थद्वयमारोग्यमिन्द्रियविजयं चेति; तत् सद्वृत्तमखिलेनोपदेक्ष्यामोऽग्निवेष! तद्यथा- देवगोब्राह्मणगुरुवृद्धसिद्धाचार्यानर्चयेत्,
ओशधीः प्रषस्ता धारयेत्,…. होता, यश्टा, दाता, चतुश्पथानां नमस्कर्ता,
बलीनामुपहर्ता, अतिथीनां पूजकः, पितृभ्यः पिण्डदः,…
The classic texts say that by following Sadvritta, you achieve two things: good health and strong senses. It’s a comprehensive guide to living well. On a daily basis or in the day-to-day routine, everyone may, whether be healthy or ill, should follow some practices like Respecting elders, teachers, and spiritual guides; wearing protective herbs like Vacha and Brahmi; performing fire rituals when needed; giving to those in need; acknowledging sacred crossroads; making offerings; honoring guests; and remembering ancestors. These are all considered part of how a person should behave ethically and socially. It’s about living a life that’s in harmony with yourself and the world around you.
Practical uses of Daivavyapashraya Chikitsa in improving the emotional well-being in cancer patients
So, a lot of the practices we just talked about, like those from Daivavyapashraya Chikitsa, are actually included in something called Sadvritta, which means “right conduct.” Out of the above components, we use a few to improve the emotional well-being of people with cancer.
तत्रदैवव्यपाश्रयंमन्त्रौशधिमणिमङ्गलबल्युपहारहोमनियमप्रायष्चित्तोपवासस्वस्त्ययनप्रणिपातगमनादि (Char. Samh. 8.87)
It’s always best to work with a trained Ayurvedic practitioner to figure out how to use these practices in a way that’s right for you. But here are a few examples:
- Mantra Recitation: Regularly chanting mantras, like the Vishnusahasranama, is believed to bring a lot of benefits – reducing fear, increasing energy and vitality, improving health, and even helping with healing. Regular meditation and mantra chanting can also quiet a busy mind. There’s even research being done on the effects of sound and chanting on different health conditions.
Research:
- Research in Chennai is exploring the potential of Indian Ragas to benefit various conditions like insomnia, blood pressure irregularities, and schizophrenia.
- Separate studies using fMRI scans have indicated that chanting Om may be an effective treatment for depression.
- Mani Dharana (Gemstone therapy): This involves wearing specific gemstones, like a pearl (Mukta-mani), during the summer months to balance energies.
- Homa (Fire Rituals): These rituals are done to purify the environment and invoke healing. The Mahamrityunjaya Homa is one example. Some studies have even shown that the ash from these rituals can have antibacterial properties.
Research:
- Studies suggest Agnihotri Homa may reduce airborne bacteria. Research on Agnihotri ash indicates it can decrease bacterial virulence.
- Niyama (Observances): These are guidelines for healthy living, like managing anger, respecting teachers, maintaining cleanliness, eating light meals, and staying mindful.
- Prayaschitta (Repentance): This is about making amends and committing to positive change. It can bring a sense of peace that improves sleep and energy levels
- Upavasa (Fasting): Fasting is a physical, mental, and spiritual practice that involves more than just dietary restriction. It cultivates self-control and releases negativity. Fasting, along with expressing gratitude and doing kind things, can really help you stay strong through challenges.
Integrating Daivavyapashraya Chikitsa into your daily routine
Daivavyapashraya Chikitsa works really well alongside other Ayurvedic treatments, like counselling, stress management, changes to your diet and lifestyle, and herbal remedies. The goal is to bring everything back into balance – physically, mentally, and spiritually. It helps boost positive qualities and create a sense of calm in your mind. It supports your healing by looking at the whole of you, not just your physical body.
By using these practices, people dealing with cancer can find their inner strength, build resilience, and go through this tough journey with more peace and power. It’s really important to talk to a trained Ayurvedic practitioner to figure out the best way to use these practices – what works for one person might not work for another. They can create a plan that’s just right for you.
