Download or read book Shamans Mystics and Doctors written by Sudhir Kakar and published by Knopf. This book was released on 2013-04-03 with total page 393 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Shamans, Mystics and Doctors is a detailed and thoroughly fascinating account of the many ways in which the ancient healing traditions of India—embodied in the rituals of shamans, the teachings of gurus and the precepts of the school of medicine known as Ayurveda—diagnose and treat emotional disorder. Drawing on three years of intensive fieldwork and his own psychoanalytic training and experience, Sudhir Kakar takes us into a world of Islamic mosques and Hindu temples, of assembled multitudes, and dingy, out-of-the-way consultation rooms… a world where patients and healers blame evil spirits for emotional disturbances… where dreams and symptoms that would be familiar to Freud are interpreted in terms of a myriad of deities and legends… where trance-like “dissociation states” are induced to bring out and resolve the conflicts of repressed anger, lust and envy… where proper grooming, diet, exercise and conduct are (and have been for centuries) seen as essential to the preservation of a healthy mind and body. As he witnesses the practitioners and their patients, as he elucidates the therapeutic systems on which their encounters are based, as he contrasts his own Western training and biases with evidence of his eyes (and the sympathies of his heart), Kakar reveals the universal concerns of these individuals and their admittedly foreign cultures—people we can recognize and feel for, people (like their Western counterparts) trying to find some balance between the pressures and rewards of the external world and the fantasies and desires of the internal. This is a major work of cultural interpretation, a book that challenges (and should enhance) our understanding of therapy, mental health and individual freedom.
Download or read book Ethnomedicine and Tribal Healing Practices in India written by Sunita Reddy and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2023-02-19 with total page 371 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book examines various aspects of ethnomedicine and tribal healing practices, including its importance for inclusion and integration from a health systems perspective. Tribal healing practices is an under-studied component in healthcare system, health policy and health systems research. The book consists of original research papers based on empirical studies done by anthropologists, sociologists, public health practitioners and research scientists in various parts of India. It discusses issues of non-codified folk healing, with a focus on the therapeutic ideas and practices of tribal communities, located in anthropological theory and methods. It has a balance of empirical papers, review and theoretical papers, not only explaining ‘what is inside the healing practices’ but also touching upon the question of ‘why’ and delving into ‘what should be’ looking into the possibility to apply it for a larger good i.e., health care for all. This book discusses several important issues related to legitimacy, evidence and efficacy, recognition, certification and integration, protection and preservation, bio-piracy and bioprospecting, benefit sharing and intellectual property rights, sustainable use of medicinal herbs and conservation of nature and natural resources, biodiversity and possibilities of mainstreaming tribal healing. It is of interest to students and researchers from medical anthropology, medical sociology, cultural geography, liberal studies, tribal studies, ecology, sustainability and development and public health.
Download or read book Shamans Mystics and Doctors written by Sudhir Kakar and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 1991 with total page 317 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sudhir Kakar, a psychoanalyst and scholar, brilliantly illuminates the ancient healing traditions of India embodied in the rituals of shamans, the teachings of gurus, and the precepts of the school of medicine known as Ayurveda. "With extraordinary sympathy, open-mindedness, and insight Sudhir Kakar has drawn from both his Eastern and Western backgrounds to show how the gulf that divides native healer from Western psychiatrist can be spanned."—Rosemary Dinnage, New York Review of Books "Each chapter describes the geographical and cultural context within which the healers work, their unique approach to healing mental illness, and . . . the philosophical and religious underpinnings of their theories compared with psychoanalytical theory."—Choice
Download or read book Healing Traditions of India written by and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Asceticism and Healing in Ancient India written by Kenneth G. Zysk and published by Motilal Banarsidass Publishe. This book was released on 1998 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The rich Indian medical tradition is usually traced back to Sanskrit sources, the earliest of which cannot much antedate the common era. In this book Kenneth Zysk shows that Buddhist scriptures some centuries older than this contain abundant information about medical practice, and are our earliest evidence for a rational approach to medicine in India. He argues that Buddhism and the medical tradition were mutually supportive: that Buddhist monks and people associated with them contributed to the development of medicine, while their skills as physical as well as spiritual healers enhanced their reputation and popular support. Drawing on a wide range of textual, archaeological, and secondary sources, Zysk first presents an overview of the history of Indian Medicine in its religious context. He then examines primary literature from the Pali Buddhist Canon and from the Sanskrit treatises of Bhela, Caraka, and susruta. By close comparison of these two bodies of literature Zysk convincingly shows how the theories delineated in the medical classics actually became practice.
Download or read book The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies written by Vasant Lad, M.A.Sc. and published by Harmony. This book was released on 2012-02-22 with total page 338 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Based on the ancient healing tradition from India that dates back thousands of years, The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies offers natural alternatives to conventional medicines and treatments with practical advice and easy-to-follow instructions. Dr. Vasant Lad, a leading authority in this field, has created an invaluable guide to treating common ailments and chronic problems with strategies tailored to your personal needs based on your dosha. Dr. Lad first explains the principles behind the science of Ayurveda, exploring the physical and psychological characteristics of each of the three doshas, or mind-body types--vata, pitta, and kapha. Once you have determined which type or combination of types you are, Dr. Lad helps you to begin your journey to the ultimate "state of balance" and well-being. Dr. Lad explains why certain imbalances often result in illness and shows you how to restore your body to natural order. You'll learn which traditional Ayurvedic remedies--herbal teas and formulas, essential oils, meditation, yoga--offer relief from a variety of conditions, such as cold and flu symptoms, headaches, toothaches, sore throats, high cholesterol, vision problems, anxiety, and depression. Dr. Lad also shows you how to use diet and specific Ayurvedic techniques to prevent future illness and to promote body consciousness and healthy living. The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies enables us all to experience the benefits of Ayurveda's healing properties that have been refined over thousands of years. All of the herbs, foods, and oils Dr. Lad recommends can be found in local health food stores or through mail-order catalogs. Complete with an extensive glossary and resource list, this is the definitive guide to natural, safe, and effective remedies, everyday keys to a lifetime of vitality and well-being.
Download or read book Martial and Healing Traditions of India written by Michael DeMarco and published by Via Media Publishing. This book was released on 2020-10-15 with total page 221 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During the more than two decades publishing the Journal of Asian Martial Arts, we were fortunate to have Dr. Phillip Zarrilli on our Editorial Board. Internationally known for training actors through an infusion of Asian martial arts and yoga elements, he was a devoted teacher and theatre director/ performer. When he went to India at age 29 to study Kathakali dance, he was sidetracked after becoming captivated by kalaripayattu — the Indian martial art he studied in Kerala State. He eventually became the leading Western scholar who focused on martial arts and healing practice in south India. Just as we are finishing the preparation of this special anthology for publication, we learn that Dr. Zarrilli passed away on March 9, 2020. This work contains four of Dr. Zarrilli’s articles previously published in our journal. These are highly significant for anyone interested in Indian martial traditions and are of great value for comparative studies with other Asian martial arts. Dr. Zarrilli’s material here focuses on the combat arts of kalaripayattu and varma ati, and associated healing arts that encompass massage and herbal modalities. Those familiar with Far Eastern martial arts will find Dr. Zarrilli’s thorough presentation of vital spots and energy channels congruent with the theory and practices of acupuncture and the knowledge of energy meridians. Dr. Sara Schneider shares her experience studying kalaripayattu in Kerala as an American single female in a foreign culture. Her observations as a scholar are insightful. Although not recorded in her writing, it would be equally insightful to obtain the views of how the native guru, his family and students perceived her presence as a foreign academic researcher and martial art practitioner. Two more chapters broaden the coverage. Khilton Nongmaithem and Dainis Jirgensons present the martial art of Thang-Ta (“sword-spear”) as practiced in the northeastern state of Manipur. Their work also hints at the great depth and breadth of Indian martial traditions. Music and dance are natural companions with martial traditions. By looking at these art forms, Dr. Bandana Mukhopadhyay’s chapter brings out some essential elements that accompany the culture of warfare in India. We hope you will enjoy reading this special anthology — dedicated to Dr. Phillip Zarrilli.
Download or read book Healing Traditions of the Northwestern Himalayas written by Pankaj Gupta and published by Springer. This book was released on 2014-06-30 with total page 157 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book discusses the perception of disease, healing concepts and the evolution of traditional systems of healing in the Himalayas of Himachal Pradesh, India. The chapters cover a diverse range issues: people and knowledge systems, healing in ancient scriptures, concept of sacredness and faith healing, food as medicament, presumptions about disease, ethno-botanical aspects of medicinal plants, collection and processing of herbs, traditional therapeutic procedures, indigenous Materia medica, etc. The book also discusses the diverse therapeutic procedures followed by Himalayan healers and their significance in the socio-cultural life of Himalayan societies. The World Health Organization defines traditional medicine as wisdom, skills, and practices based on theories, beliefs, and experiences indigenous to different cultures, used in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical and mental illness and maintenance of health. In some Asian and African countries, 80% of the population depends on traditional medicine for primary health care. However, the knowledge of these conventional healing techniques and traditions associated with conveying this knowledge are slowly disappearing. The authors highlight the importance of safeguarding this indigenous knowledge in the cultural milieu of the Himachal Himalayas. This book will be an important resource for researchers in medical anthropology, biology, ethno-biology, ecology, community health, health behavior, psychotherapy, and Himalayan studies.
Download or read book Health and Medicine in the Hindu Tradition written by Prakash N. Desai and published by Crossroad Publishing. This book was released on 1989 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Desai (born in India) is a professor of clinical psychiatry at the U. of Illinois, Chicago and chief of psychiatric service at the VA West Side Medical Center (Chicago). He analyzes the religious and philosophical underpinings of the traditions of medicine and the health ideals of Hindus, taking account of their historical and developmental moorings. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
Download or read book Recipes for Immortality written by Richard S Weiss and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2009-02-19 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Despite the global spread of Western medical practice, traditional doctors still thrive in the modern world. In Recipes for Immortality, Richard Weiss illuminates their continued success by examining the ways in which siddha medical practitioners in Tamil South India win the trust and patronage of patients. While biomedicine might alleviate a patient's physical distress, siddha doctors offer their clientele much more: affiliation to a timeless and pure community, the fantasy of a Tamil utopia, and even the prospect of immortality. They speak of a golden age of Tamil civilization and of traditional medicine, drawing on broader revivalist formulations of a pure and ancient Tamil community. Weiss analyzes the success of siddha doctors, focusing on how they have successfully garnered authority and credibility. While shedding light on their lives, vocations, and aspirations, Weiss also documents the challenges that siddha doctors face in the modern world, both from a biomedical system that claims universal efficacy, and also from the rival traditional medicine, ayurveda, which is promoted as the national medicine of an autonomous Indian state. Drawing on ethnographic data; premodern Tamil texts on medicine, alchemy, and yoga; government archival resources; college textbooks; and popular literature on siddha medicine and on the siddhar yogis, he presents an in-depth study of this traditional system of knowledge, which serves the medical needs of millions of Indians. Weiss concludes with a look at traditional medicine at large, and demonstrates that siddha doctors, despite resent trends toward globalization and biomedicine, reflect the wider political and religious dimensions of medical discourse in our modern world. Recipes for Immortality proves that medical authority is based not only on physical effectiveness, but also on imaginative processes that relate to personal and social identities, conceptions of history, secrecy, loss, and utopian promise.
Download or read book Ayurveda written by Sally Morningstar and published by . This book was released on 2005-02-01 with total page 64 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Explains Ayurveda, the traditional healing system of India, which has influenced many other healing systems around the world. Thousands of years old, Ayurvedic medicine is founded on the belief that all diseases stem from the digestive system, & are caused either by poor digestion of food or by following an improper diet for your dosha (nature). This book describes the 3 main doshas -- vata (ether & wind), pitta (fire & water), & kapha (water & earth -- & offers basic advice about suitable diets for the different doshas, as well as info. about supportive treatments, incl. massage, exercise, color, crystals, herbs & spices. There is also a tonic drink for each doshic type, & a list of common ailments that can be treated very effectively. Color photos.
Download or read book Ayurveda written by Scott Gerson and published by . This book was released on 1997 with total page 115 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Indian Medicinal Plants written by Kanhoba Ranchoddas Kirtikar and published by . This book was released on 1918 with total page 676 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Eastern Healing written by Jacqueline Young and published by Duncan Baird Publishers. This book was released on 2001 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Ayurvedic Herbs written by M.S. Premila and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2012-10-12 with total page 389 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A single-source reference on the most important and best-investigated Ayurvedic herbs This book examines the clinical information available on more than 60 Ayurvedic herbs to determine how their use in traditional Indian medicine is supported by modern scientific study. Plants are grouped according to body systems and each entry includes a description, information on the source plant, distribution and traditional use, active chemical constituents, relevant pharmacology, and details of clinical studies and safety findings. This unique book also includes a brief history of Ayurveda, examines the history of drug development and evaluation in ancient India, and identifies current trends resulting from scientific investigation. Worldwide interest in Ayurveda is growing quickly, especially in the United States, Europe, and Japan. But until now, information on Western-style clinical trials on Ayurveda herbs has been scattered and no single source for descriptions, comments, and references has existed. Ayurvedic Herbs presents the first critical validation of Ayurvedic medicine, extensively referenced for physicians and clinicians interested in alternative and adjunctive therapies. This unique book is essential for making informed choices on herb use, offering clinical trial data, results of pharmacological studies, and safety information. Ayurvedic Herbs examines: gastrointestinal agents hepatoprotective agents respiratory tract agents cardiovascular drugs urinary tract drugs antirheumatic agents skin and trauma care agents gynecological agents antidiabetic agents CNS agents rasayana drugs dental and ophthamological agents and much more Ayurvedic Herbs includes cross-references to chapters when a particular plant has more than one indication and watercolor illustrations of twelve major herbs.
Download or read book Asian Medical Systems written by Charles Leslie and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2023-11-10 with total page 436 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1976.
Download or read book Medicinal Plants for Holistic Health and Well Being written by Namrita Lall and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2017-09-27 with total page 330 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Medicinal Plants for Holistic Health and Well-Being discusses, in depth, the use of South African plants to treat a variety of ailments, including tuberculosis, cancer, periodontal diseases, acne, postmacular hypomelanosis, and more. Plants were selected on the basis of their traditional use, and the book details the scientific evidence that supports their pharmacological and therapeutic potential to safely and effectively treat each disease. Thus, this book is a valuable resource for all researchers, students and professors involved in advancing global medicinal plant research. Many plants found in South Africa are also found in other parts of the world. Each chapter highlights plants from other worldwide locations so that scientists can study which plants belong to the same family, and how similar qualities can be used to treat a specific disease. The book details the scientific evidence that supports their pharmacological and therapeutic potential to safely and effectively treat each disease Each chapter highlights plants from worldwide locations so that scientists can study plants belonging to the same family, and how similar species can be used to treat a specific disease Use of traditional medicine as an efficient means to identify and further investigate South African, similar plants and plant-derived compounds in modern drug discovery Includes a number of chapters dedicated to using medicinal plants to treat various skin disorders, which is often not covered in other books on medicinal plants Organized by specific diseases, with vital evidence-based data related to the bioactivity, pharmacological potential, chemical structure and safety information