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On 18th August 2024 I pledged to live with my soul rather than body. It was my role model’s birthday and like her I wanted my motive to live to be greater than myself.
Twenty-four years back a vicious cycle started. My body collapsed. Allopathic treatment saved me but it also gave me a serious ailment. To treat that third set of allopathic medicines were started that gave me my next life threatening ailment and the vicious cycle continued till finally my care givers and I decided enough was enough.
Two months back we supplemented allopathic medicines with homeopathy, naturopathy, vipassana , yoga, massage and altered diet.
While the homeopathy has made the ongoing cruel allopathic treatment tolerable the rest are helping me stay out of the danger zone.
The secret of success are qualified specialists, a Dhamma server for Vipassana meditation, a qualified yoga teacher, a genuine massage therapist and an experienced foods and nutrition expert.
Vipassana is calming and my mind is getting back its ability to think and feel in a productive way as taught by Gotam Buddha more than 2500 years as a universal remedy for universal ills. My Vipassana teacher is the present day Dhamma server in an unbroken chain of teachers since time immemorial. It started with fixing my attention on the flow of breath as it enters and leaves the nostrils and recently I experienced the flow of energy throughout my body rejuvenating me.
A qualified Yoga teacher selected slow and easy Yogic Kriyas and simple yoga postures for strength, balance and flexibility.
- Taarasan is improving balance and flexibility. I sit straight on a chair with my feet at hip width , extend my spine, stretch legs , flex toes, stretch arms and flex fingers.
- Supine spinal twist is strengthening my spine. I lie on my back, bend knees, turn them on one side, twist the upper body on the other side.
- Butterfly posture is strengthening lower back. I Sit on the bed, bend my knees and bring the soles of my feet together, put my hands on my knees and flap the bent legs .
- Bridge posture is improving my posture. I lie on my back, bent knees, place hands at my sides and lift hips and lower back toward the ceiling.
- Foetal Posture is strengthening my mind. I turn to one side, bending the knees , extend arms ,rest the head and close eyes and breathe deeply.
I chant “OM” at the end of the session for tranquillity, increased mindfulness and spiritual growth.
For centuries massage has been in practice for healing and detoxifying body, mind, and spirit and Abhyanga is an ancient Indian Aruvedic oil massage therapy. Individually prepared herbal-oil the massage was designed to deeply penetrate my skin, relax the mind and body, break up impurities, and stimulate both arterial and lymphatic circulation. Half an hour massage enhances the ability of nutrients to reach starved cells and allow removal of stagnant waste.
Most difficult however has been altering the diet. Traditional Indian regular foods are functional foods because they function in weight management, balancing blood sugar and supporting the immune system. They have body-healing chemicals, antioxidants, dietary fibres and probiotics.
But for my inflamed internal organs my body needed to be detoxified and diet altered. I gave up wheat , rice, oils, white sugar or its products. I only consume lentils, seeds , nuts, vegetables, paneer, curds and supplements of vitamins and minerals.
The results have started to manifest. Swelling of my feet and ankles is gone, hair, eyebrows and eyelashes are regaining their fullness and lustre, heels and soles are becoming soft and nails healthy. My tests are improving.
On my 50 th birthday, I had signed a pledge in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, donating body organs after completing my journey on planet earth. Presumptuous me had added a note that organ donation should be carried out without spoiling my looks. I feel terrible that I thought that way. Let me confess I was very conscious of my looks.
That fixation to look beautiful and glamorous has changed to look pleasant, graceful and simple with positive emotions like compassion, kindness and gratitude. First time in life I have I have stopped using any cosmetics including creams and moisturizers. I am reminded of my father saying that beauty comes from within. I like myself better this way.
With my fragile body and poor short term memory I cannot do field work or participate in seminars and conferences. I spend time writing for The Print on topics I have worked on all my life.
I never had time to indulge in writing fiction but now that I have time, I let my imagination go wild, enjoy being in my imaginary world and pen fables for Wattpad.
These pieces are being published as they have been received – they have not been edited/fact-checked by ThePrint.