Sattvavajaya Chikitsa – Learning from the Soul!

2008

Sattvavajaya Chikitsa – Learning from

the Soul!
Sattvavajaya chikitsa focuses on raising individual awareness about subjective
levels of experience that underlie our objective experience in regard to the
immediate world outside. It assists in creating transparency amongst subjective
and objective realities, and so supports the synchronization between the Self or
Jivatman and the world.

Our karma indriyas or senses (eyes, ears, and etcetera) have a range of
sensitivity that limits us in perceiving only a limited spectrum of stimulation from
our environment. We see (rupa) and hear (sabd) things in the environment and
this stimulation through our retina or eardrums then reaches the dosha
(dynamic), bhuta (elemental), dhatu (biochemical), pranic (bioenergetics),
kama-manas (emotional), buddhi-manas (psychological) and atmic (spiritual)
levels of experience. What we see and hear is then interpreted from a known
frame of reference which we then respond to physically, rationally and
emotionally.

When we close our eyes and close off the pathway to our indriyas or senses by
disregarding what we see and hear from the environment we can still see and
hear things coming from inside our mind-body system and we can feel
psychophysical responses that we may not be able to interpret or have control
over. Systematic consciousness research calls these responses ‘consciousness-
related anomalous physical phenomena’; while in Psychology the same are called
‘bio-behavioral responses’ that are connected to ‘coping strategies’. In Ayurvedic
Science (Caraka Sa. I 102 – 108) this is called Pragyaparadha or intellectual
error and all connected physic-psycho-emotional actions or responses.

At mentioned subjective levels of experience, from behind a veil of avidya

(ignorance) lies the sub-conscious wherein the Jivatma or Self (Jung) is mostly
disconnected from the immediate world outside due to the very coping strategies
that try to protect us from experiencing pain. Pragyaparadha or ‘pain-body’, as
it’s also called, is a filter between the reality of the Jivatma (Self) and objective
reality of the World. It contains both the traumatic pain and the patterns of
coping strategies which produce Rajas and Tamas. Hence we think that our pain
is caused by the ‘triggerer’ (the world outside) while in reality our pain is kept
hidden by mentioned filtering, through coping stratagems like fear, aversion and
self-rejection; ready to be triggered by the outside world. This is how
Pragyaparadha aggravates pitta through sadness, aggravates vata through fear
and aggravates kapha through dissociation. Pragyaparadha creates a veil or
division that we cannot go beyond without atmavidya or deeper awareness.

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Thus we feel lost and experience discomfort, agitation and dynamically changing
symptoms in the first three dynamic stages of shatkriyakala (six stage process
of development of disease) and static symptoms and clinical images in the latter
three stages. This is how Pragyaparadha vitiates all the doshas and initiates and
feeds the shatkriyakala. As we interact with the objective world outside the
effects of Pragyaparadha, which acts from subjective levels, is externalized in
our behavior, communication and actions. The following are just a few examples
of the possible effects of mentioned Pragyaparadha.

For instance some people are diagnosed with different clinical images because
they've fixated or blocked the dynamics of the doshas for prolonged periods of
time through the coping strategies (fear, etcetera) resulting from
Pragyaparadha, thus causing the sthanasamsraya (localization), vyakti
(manifestation) and bheda (clinical image) stages of the pathogenesis; for the
same reason some people are diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
(PTSD) or other psychiatric labels because they experience pain, fear or other
inexplicable consciousness related physical phenomena that disrupt their normal
behavior and daily living; some children are diagnosed with ADHD because they
cannot ‘master’ the disruptive actions that come from within; some persons are
experienced as being peaceful, wise or enlightened because they experience
peace, wisdom and/or bliss from within the same subjective realm. The main
difference between the former and the latter states would be a person's inborn
constitution and inclinations, and that person’s atmavidya, awareness of the
subjective or self-knowledge.

It has been our general observation that by raising the integrated awareness of
individuals about what goes on at mentioned subjective levels of experience a
transformational process (Catharsis - Rechana) is elicited that creates new
states of awareness which in turn assist our mind-body system in a continuous
process of self-organization (dhatusaamya), self-healing and self-creation that
feeds the very process of spiritual growth and healing.
The twelve stages of the transformational process are: Ashvasana (assurance –
gives comfort), Nidanam (diagnosis - observation of the process on subjective
levels), Samsuchana (suggestion – direct feedback about the process and
evolving patterns), Pratyayana (persuasion – on how to proceed through the
process), Nirdesana (guidance – direction on what to do or not in regard to
responses and evolving patterns there from), Prashikshana (education -
understanding about the meaning of responses and evolving patterns),
Parimarjana (modification – the course of action on subjective levels is
changed), Sammohana (hypnosis – the power of illusion is weakened),
Visavedana (desensitization – the responses lose their influence), Rechana
(catharsis – transformational cleansing), Samtripti (satisfying – peaceful flow of
life force) and Brahman (growth - expansion of awareness).
This transformational process that leads to self-organization, catharsis and
expansion reverses the shatkriyakala, no matter what stage. Its healing actions

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actually constitute in restoring the dynamism and dynamic capacity (prana, tejas
and ojas) connected with the doshas.

Sattvavajaya Chikitsa offers theoretical models based on Ayurvedic principles to

interpret what goes on in mentioned subjective realm; it defines the bhasha
(experience based language) of the Jivatman (Self) versus the so-called ‘Inner
Response Dialogue’ which defines the pathogenic mechanisms and patterns
within Pragyaparadha; it offers a process oriented approach to Nidanam and
Samsuchana or diagnostic and feedback practice to investigate and reveal the
same; and it offers to integrate contemplative practices (dhyana) to make the
raising of vidya (awareness) about the subjective essentially continuous.

Sattvavajaya Chikitsa strengthens traditional Ayurvedic views and even

traditional science with its holistic perspective from the "subjective". Based on
this holistic paradigm it facilitates the learning from the Soul or Atman.
Through its complementary approach to diagnosis of the Pulse or Nadi pariksha
and Samsuchana or feedback, learners are assisted in going beyond the limited
range of sensitivity of the indriyas (physiological sensors) to become increasingly
aware of the complete spectrum of stimulation at subjective levels that include
the dosha (quantum), dhatu (biochemical), pranic (bioenergetics), kama-manas
(emotional), buddhi-manas (psychological) and atmic (spiritual) levels.
Mentioned feedback offers a continuous stream of insight into the very nature of
subjective experience including Pragyaparadha (filtering) and a broad range of
anomalous phenomena (bio-behavioral responses), including anomalous
cognition (clairvoyance, telepathy, etcetera).

Through its deep learning approach Sattvavajaya Chikitsa stimulates the

creation of new states of integrated awareness about the integration of the
subjective and objective to (re)synchronize the Jivatman (Self) with the
immediate world. This reactivates a person's inborn capacity to continuously
seek a dynamic balance (dhatusaamya), connectedness, unity, clarity,
transparency and inner purpose; spontaneously, effortlessly and exactly. It
assists in changing our perception of ourselves, the world, problems, experience,
life, communication, organizing, being and spirituality. It offers us a new way of
cognizing reality, which leads to expansion of our awareness.

While this article describes Sattvavajaya Chikitsa as a complete system of

practice that relates to the synchronization between the subjective and the
objective which results in self-organization and the expansion of awareness, we
would like to give the reader a glimpse of the reality that this approach relates
to by offering the following awareness raising exercise.

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Exercise:
I would now like to give you a glimpse of the reality that the above article
relates to by offering the following exercise.

Please sit up straight in your chair with your legs at a ninety degree angle; your
feet touching the floor; your arms resting on your upper legs with the backs of
your hands resting on your knees. Now relax the extremities of your body; relax
your arms, hands, fingers, back, stomach, legs and feet by briefly making slight
movements while relaxing those parts; listen to your breathing in and out
without using any control. (short reflection)

What you may discover and feel inside yourself next, through this exercise, is
the reality that you may never have been aware of or have always taken for
granted. The reality is that the ‘subjective’ is where you can experience your Self
as the basis of experience.

Now, feel the two sides of your body; … these sides can feel quite distinct from
one another; … feel in what way they differ. (short reflection)
The left side of the body corresponds to the emotional (right brain) and the right
side to the rational (left brain).

In order to further enhance your awareness of your own subjective reality we’re
going to review some questions; we’ll also define the sensations that you may
feel inside your body.
Remember that your thoughts, emotions and reflections make use of the whole
space within your body; remember that while going through this experience
we’re not going to try to achieve anything; just relax; open up yourself; don’t
judge what you feel; allow yourself to feel anything that surfaces, be it
comfortable or uncomfortable; sad or joyous; and as you open up yourself more
and more you’ll be able to observe, feel and discriminate in more and more
detail what you feel; please close your eyes while going through the following
exercises.

• Please open up yourself to feel which side of your body on the frontal side
feels bigger (short reflection);
• On what side (left or right), in what area on the frontal side of your body
do you feel as if someone’s pushing against your body? This feeling
represents a strategy and pattern of self-rejection (short reflection);
• Feel on what side and in what area you feel tension pulling towards the
lateral side of your body. Any kind of tension (cramp, contraction) stands
for the emotion of fear. Through fear we try to have control over our
emotional pain (short reflection);
• Feel on what side and where you feel a burning sensation or feverish heat
if any. This represents sadness (short reflection);

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• Any painful tension/contraction represents a feeling of helplessness (short
reflection);
• Open up to feel which side on the lateral side of the body feels bigger, the
left emotional side or the right rational side? Where do you feel tensions;
left or right of the spinal column; scan your body starting from the crown
of your head down to the coccyx region. Again these tensions represent
fear; burning means sadness and a painful contraction stands for
helplessness (short reflection);
• Now take your time to observe and to feel your body and mind as a
whole; without focusing on one or other part in particular; without
judgment; don’t react; observe; recognize; acknowledge and allow
yourself to feel whatever surfaces in the moment (short reflection).

Don’t interfere by looking for solutions for what you feel, don’t look for reasons,
don’t react, just open up and let go of what you feel, go through the experience,
don’t be afraid of what you feel. The story of what you feel is contained within
what you feel. Now let go and allow the story to be told from within you …

(longer reflection)

This exercise is intended as a glimpse of the subjective reality within you and
there is much, much more to become aware off about what you may have felt or
seen. Through Sattvavajaya you can learn to develop a degree of sensitivity that
will help you gain this deeper awareness and understanding of the subjective
and through this knowing you can set yourself free.

Carlo Monsanto is director of the Caribbean Integral Institute and has since
eighteen years done research and specialized in the theory and practice of
Sattvavajaya as an Ayurvedic approach that serves to annihilate Pragyaparadha
by (re)synchronizing the Self (Jivatman) and the World or objective reality;
develop a capacity for self-organization and expand our awareness.

Carlo Monsanto
Caribbean Integral Institute (CII)
Didoweg 8, Santa Rosa
Curacao, Netherlands Antilles
E-mail: carlo.monsanto@ciiedu.org
Website: www.ciiedu.org

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