Restoring Prana How Stimulating Marma Points Can Foster Good Health BY BONITA CAROLOver the past few years I have had the opportunity to studywith a doctor of Ayurvedic medicine, Vaidya Rama Kant Mishra. Ayurveda is a5,000-year-old Indian system of health care, a comprehensive body of knowledgefor the prevention and cure of disease. Vaidya Mishra, whose family lineageincludes authors of some of the ancient ayurvedic textbooks that are stillused today, is called a Prana Vaidya. Of the four categories of physicians,Prana Vaidya is considered the most knowledgeable and perceptive. What is Prana?Prana is found everywhere but can’t be seen—it is the lifeforce or breath in all living things. Prana enters the body through thetop of the head as well as through food, water, air, and breath. Two ofits primary components are soma and agni. Soma is cooling, lubricating,and nurturing; it provides the body with stability. Agni is hot, fiery,and transformational. Our physical environment exposes us to many elements that increase agniand deplete soma in the body. As Vaidya Mishra explains, by constant exposureto electrical and electromagnetic machinery such as cell phones, TV, computers,air conditioning, and microwave ovens, we are burning soma—the sustainingand soothing aspect of prana—right out of our bodies and our physicalenvironment, too. In addition to this, we are eating food that no longer has much pranain it (i.e., fast food and processed food laden with chemicals). Sincewe take in the vital life force through food, water, air, and our physicalenvironment, it is no wonder that people suffer from headaches, emotionalstress, chronic fatigue, inflammation, skin problems, fibromyalgia, anddigestive disorders, all of which stem from too much heat, or agni, inthe body and lack of soma. Prana and pHIn ayurvedic terms, low pH will indicate high agni, and high pH willindicate more soma. Both cases are imbalances that need to be corrected.In ancient times, dried leaves were used to test saliva, urine, and bloodto measure pH. One leaf would be very acidic by nature and one would bevery alkaline. In preliminary research done by Vaidya Mishra on 30 patients, specialone-hour treatments were able to raise pH levels from 5.5 to 7.5, indicatingincreased prana. These treatments worked by stimulating marma points onthe body. “Marma” in Sanskrit means “hidden or secret.” Amarma point is a juncture where tissues, muscles, ligaments, bones, orjoints meet. It’s a point where spirit meets matter. Marmas can’tbe seen but they can be touched and felt. How Marma Points Boost PranaThe body is crisscrossed with meridians like irrigation channels, closedinterconnecting systems through which prana flows in the body. Marmapoints are like switches where the prana is boosted or decreased. Thesemarma points or subtle switches may become damaged, blocked, or tooopen. When there is some physical or mental problem, it may take a simplestimulation of the proper marma point to open the blocked prana. Marma points are very powerful. I recommend getting guidance from a knowledgetechnician to stimulate these points. Stimulating the marma point to balance prana and the pH in a preciseway can help with stress, pain, headaches, sleep, and digestive disorders.Some physicians are even having success with more serious problems suchas autism and fibromyalgia. Marma massage is also used in spas to provide a natural facelift. Bystimulating certain marma points on the face, which connects prana tothe whole body, the face begins to look more radiant, and after time,wrinkles start to diminish. How to Increase PranaIn addition to massaging the marma points to stimulate prana, here area few suggestions to further increase soma.
• Get plenty of rest at night. • Walk in the moonlight before sleep. • Eat somagenic foods such as sweet pears, fruits, summer squashes,whole organic warm milk. If you’re vegetarian, make sure you getenough vitamin B6 in your diet (paneer, a fresh cheese made from cow’smilk is a good source of B6). • Avoid spending more than one hour getting lost in cyberspace.Surfing the web in excess is disconnecting and soma burning. • Go out into a natural environment every day. Soma predominatesin lakes, forests, and in the fresh clean air. • Enjoy activities that support the heart marma, the seat of theemotions, by surrounding yourself with positive and uplifting people. • Allow your senses to take in entertainment that opens the heart.Avoid watching movies or reading books that create fear and disturbance. • Exercise each day, but don’t overdo it. Overexercising burns soma. For more information on marma therapy, contact Bonita Carol at (641)472-2804 or email
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