SVA Customer Service, Author at Shaka Vansiya Ayurveda

FAQs about the Pulse and Marma E-Course

June 27, 2014 by SVA Customer Service 3 Comments

We have been receiving several questions about Vaidya’s upcoming course, here are some helpful answers.

Question: what material does the course exactly entail? – upon registration, each course participant will receive the following:

printed material, this is the unpublished textbook of SVA Pulse and Marma put together by Vaidya for the purpose of this course. It will introduce you to the key concepts and terminology that you need to familiarize yourself with as part of your learning process. You are responsible for this material.
A 1 hour footage of Vaidya lecturing on the subject of the first chapter or first installment of the pulse course – this will be an electronic link that you will have access to watch on-line anytime for as long as you are registered for the course.
A private forum open for all course participants to discuss the ongoing material with each other, as well as ask questions to Vaidya
A 1 hour/month live audio and skype conference with Vaidya covering the material of that month.
You will be expected to put in approximately a total of at least 10 hours a month towards acquiring the material of the month under discussion.

Question: How many hours will I have completed at the end of the course?

900 hours (10 hours/month) plus 16 hours (weekend practicum in person attendance) for a total of 916 hours of SVA Pulse and Marma.

Question: When does the course start and when will I receive the course material(s)?

The course will be inaugurated on Friday July 18, 2014 at 6:14am (PST).
You will receive the first installment of the course notes, along with access to the first hour of video right after registration is closed on July 17. Most material will be sent via email. Snail-mail may be used for exceptions.
Thereafter, you will receive the material for each month’s course on the 1st of the month
Vaidya will be holding an audio/skype live conference call on the last Saturday of each month – with the exception of December, the conference will be held on December 20, 2014, to allow course participants holiday travel time.

Question: When and where is the practicum going to be held?

The practicum will be held on the last weekend of April 2015, the weekend of 24-26. Arrive by 1:30pm for registration. The Friday session will include registration and a brief gathering. The actual practicum will take place on Saturday and Sunday from 10am-6pm.
The practicum will be held in Chatsworth California, at Vaidya Mishra’s Prana Center.

Please note that SVA practitioners Dr. Marianne Teitelbaum and Dr. Douglas Beech will also be part of the course, and they will be sharing their experience and stories and feedback with the group.

Filed Under: 2014, Archives, Company News, Courses and Workshops, Knowledge, Q & A Tagged With: ayurveda, class, course, e-course, learn, marma, practicum, pulse, pulse and marma, teacher, workshop

Ashwagandha: An adaptogenic Rasayini

June 18, 2014 by SVA Customer Service Leave a Comment

In Ayurveda, Ashwagandha is a “rasayini,” a rejuvenating plant that restores the body to its optimal health and balance through its “prabhava” – ultimate property – of “balya,” – (strength). “Bala” can address mental, emotional, spiritual, or physical strength. The word “ashwagandha” is made up of “ashwa” – Sanskrit for “horse” and “gandha” for “smell.” Vaidya Mishra explains that the word “gandha” can also mean “essence of” or “character.” Ashwagandha is thus named because it is said to bestow the essential character of a horse, in terms of its stamina and ability to easily cope with ever increasing workload. Recent scientific findings confirm the statements of the ancients verses, demonstrating that Ashwagandha can be a wonderful mental, emotional and physical rejuvenator, particularly enhancing one’s ability to handle mental stress.

Scientists call Ashwgandha an “adaptogenic” herb – this means it helps the body adapt to and cope with daily stress, helping us maintain normal levels of cortisol. Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced and released in our bodies by the adrenal glands in response to stress. Prolonged cortisol secretion due to repeated daily stress can result in unwanted physiological imbalances such as:
increase in blood sugar levels,
suppression of the immune system,
decrease in bone formation that may result in osteoporosis,
reduction in the absorption of calcium in the intestine,
loss of collagen which is necessary for connective tissue to support the structure of the body and the muscle tissue,
inhibition of protein synthesis,
stimulation of gastric acid secretion,
inhibition of sodium loss,
inhibition of memory functions,
increase in blood pressure,
impairment of the hormonal and reproductive systema,
inhibition of overall metabolism resulting in unduly weight gain
and many more imbalances.
This is why, even though the release of cortisol in our body is a natural way to help us cope with stress, unchecked levels of cortisol can result in serious chronic dis-ease or imbalance. What’s the solution?
Life itself, let alone stressful situations in life, cannot be controlled! The key then, lies in our response to stress. But this cannot just be a mind-over-matter thing. Stress awakens primordial mechanisms of chemical response in our brains and our bodies, so telling yourself you are going to “stay calm and carry on”(!) will not suffice to re-establish chemical balance.
This is when Ayurveda can help the most. This is when the specific properties of specific plants can come in to reset our chemical brain and body balance to help us cope. This is when the use of ashwagandha, or better yet, Ashwagandha along with a few other plants, happily combined in a balanced herbal synergy, can help you stay on top of things, so you can see yourself through a stressful situation and come out on the other end of the tunnel having accomplished what you set out to do.

Vaidya Mishra’s newest formulation is an oral mist or spray that works literally within seconds, as it delivers the intelligence of the herbal synergy through transmucosal delivery, supporting the mind to cope with day-to-day stress. The oral mist contains the “intelligence” of the herbs in homeopathic doses, making the formula even easier to be accepted by the stressed physiology.

What it contains:
Ashwagandha: the famous adaptogenic plant to help the mind and nervous system settle down and not overreact in response to high stress
Gotu Kola, also called “mandook parni” in ayurveda, is a kind of “brahmi” (Bacopa monnieri). It shares in the “medhya” properties of “brahmi.” “Medhya” means a plant that supports the mind’s activity in all its aspects, by increasing the coordination amongst the 3 aspects of the mind: dhi, dritti, and smritti.
dhi: increases the power of acquiring knowledge;
dritti: is the power of retaining or storing knowledge;
smritti: is the power of recalling knowledge. When dhi-dritti-smritti are functioning optimally, the mind is able to cope with stress optimally as well. And the opposite is also true.
Bacopa Monnieri in Ayurveda is called “aindri.” It is another kind of brahmi that is very cooling and has a relaxing effect on the mind. It is also known for supporting the functioning of dhi-dritti-smritti, like Gotu Kola.
Jatamansi (Nardostachys) is a famous ayurvedic herb, similar to Indian Valerian, known for being a great antidote for mental stress.

This unique combination of 4 reputed herbs, along with an easy-to-use fast delivery system will help you relax, as well as give you a more alert and sharp mind, so you can handle the stress that’s coming your way, as Vaidya likes to say, like an expert surfer looks for and rides the big waves, instead of dreading them!

Filed Under: Knowledge Tagged With: ashwagandha, day-to-day, sharp mind, stress

Vaidya responds to your questions: Moringa leaves or sticks? Moringa for infants? Raw fruits and juices? And more….

June 16, 2014 by SVA Customer Service 4 Comments

Regarding Tribulus capsules:

“Namaste,

Regarding the Tribulus Terrestris capsules:

Could you please point me to the (youtube?) video or any other reference material on Shring

Bhasma. I located the video on Yasad Bhasma but not the one on Shring Bhasm.

Can this capsule be taken (i) along with warm milk? (ii) as a hot water decoction (i.e. upon emptying the powder contents)? What mode would be most effective?

Thank you,

Sincerely,

Gaurav N.”

“Dear Gaurav:
Swallowing your Tribulus capsule with warm milk is the most effective option, as the milk will provide an excellent nourishing medium for delivering the intelligence of the herbs. I do not recommend emptying the powder contents and making a hot water decoction because the bitter taste of the herbs contained in the capsule may be nauseating.”

Moringa for Infants?

“Dear Sir,
Can we give Moringa/ Moringa leaves to a 16-month-old baby? Will it cause any ill effect?
Thanks,
Pavithra S.”

Vaidya responds:
“Dear Pavitra: even though Moringa is fully packed with nutrients and ingredients, it is at the same time highly detoxifying. For that reason, it is best not to give to babies. Infancy is primarily a time for nurturing, in SVA we believe babies should only be fed “somagenic” nurturing food such as squashes, oatmeal, rice, etc. We recommend to start introducing a normal adult diet at the age of 5 years and above.”

Moringa leaves or drumsticks?

“Dear Vaidya,
Is eating drumstick vegetable equal in benefit to the leaf?
Thank you,
Martin G.”

“Dear Martin, yes, in some ways, it is.
However, the Moringa leaf is more detoxifying than the stick. The stick carries more nutritional value. But both the stick and the leaves are nourishing and detoxifying in nature. The leaf has some added detoxifying power to it though. So depending on what protocol you are following, you may choose one or the other.”

Food Combining

“Thank you for the post on food combining. It is wonderful and very helpful. It is an area I know very little about but would love to learn more. Are there any other resources I could use to find out more?
Sidney P.”

“Dear Sidney: This is a vast and central topic in Ayurveda, discussed at length in the classical sourcebook, the Charak Samitha. There are, however, in that chapter, many food items that may not be of interest for our contemporary cultural needs, except for the discussion on mutually contradictory food combinations that include mixing milk and dairy products with other ingredients. However, very soon, I will be writing a detailed article listing mutually contradictory ingredients for this day and age for all those who want to follow SVA guidelines. Stay tuned through our weekly newsletter!”

Raw Fruits and Vegetables

“Dear Vaidya Mishraji,
First of all, thank you so much for the wealth of knowledge that you share with us. I am a lifelong student of Ayurveda and you are my Guru. I have purchased several of your DVDs. I hope one day I am able to meet you in person.
My question is regarding juicing. There is a craze for drinking smoothies and vegetable juices. What it the Ayurvedic point of view for drinking freshly squeezed vegetable and fruit juices?
Thank you.
Purnima C.”

“Dear Purnima: it is true that raw fruits and vegetables are very high in nutrient content, but there are some specific issues which modern nutritional science fails to address. For one, nutritionally dense raw food has to go through the digestive system, and not everybody’s body is able to digest raw food 100%. When it is not, Ayurveda tells us that semi-digested remains in the body create “ama” or toxins. Ama, in its turn, is the raw material for “amavisha,” a highly virulent toxic build-up which is the root cause of all kinds of inflammatory diseases in the body. Certain raw foods, such as: cucumber, celery, lettuce, are easy to digest and they are ok to have with meals or juiced. However, heavy duty greens such as: Swiss chard , collard, kale, broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, even arugula – these should always be cooked. They carry sulfur-containing chemicals called “thiocyanates” that can be harmful and imbalancing to normal thyroid activity when consumed raw. However, when they are steamed, and preferably cooked, then they lose that toxic property. The thing is this: for people who have had a not so balanced diet for years, eating preserved foods with bad fat, switching to juicing or raw foods is heaven sent because they find that their bodies get pranically recharged for the first time in a long time. But for people who have had a relatively balanced diet, with good protein, good fat and greens, eating raw is neither a necessity nor desirable. In the big picture, it is all about being able to digest (break-down) and absorb whatever you put in your mouth. Whatever you do not cook on top of the stove, you need to cook inside your body to fully break down and avoid making toxins or ama. But is your metabolism up to it? Do you have a good balance between physical activity and rest? Are all your transformative tissue metabolic fires in good shape? Our digestion and absorption is by and large compromised in this day and age due to the lifestyle we have to lead in urban context. So it is best to avoid raw foods, or eat them in minimal quantities. Same goes for fruit juices. Any liquid, whether water or a fruit juice, will dilute your digestive fire, unless you have added a good amount of, for example, fresh ginger, or some other such spicy ingredient. It is great to have some fruit juices as a refreshing snack, specially in hot weather, in between meals, if they are balanced in the recipe, but best to avoid them with meals. For example, starting your day with orange juice for breakfast, is one of the worst things you could do to your digestive fire! If you are in the mood for some fruit juice it is always nice to squeeze some limes, add a pinch of salt, sugar to taste, and a few sprigs of fresh mint. This is a great rehydrating and refreshing drink. I will be sharing a fruit and vegetables juice recipe in our next issue of the newsletter. Stay tuned!”

Prebiotics from Coconut

“Namaste Vaidya Mishraji,
Your coconut water probiotic recipe has helped me immensely over the last year+. My tongue coating (Ama) had reduced to near-zero at one point. However, this year unfortunately, we are not getting good coconuts in the store. To keep my probiotics up, I’m relying on home made curd/buttermilk. However, I feel that it is missing the prebiotic environment that coconut water provides. So I am wondering if I can put a few drops of your Prebiotic Herbal Memory Nectar in buttermilk to help the “Yoginis” survive better. Or any other suggestions? Am I just imagining this problem?
Thank you,
Sincerely,
Gaurav N.”

“Dear Gaurav,
No you are not imagining it, this is a real problem for some people. While you wait for better quality coconuts to be available in the store you can do the following:
1. Make thin buttermilk – add 10% yogurt to 90% water, and add 5 drops of the SVA prebiotic nectar to it. It is best to drink this with your meal for example take one sip of buttermilk and then have a spoon of your meal. This should help you. Let us know!”

Helping heal skin scars

“Dear Vaidya-ji,
Thank you so very much for the fabulous knowledge you share with us so
Generously and for the extraordinary products you formulate!
Would you be so kind as to tell us which Chandika products and SVA
Procedures would be best in helping treating recent scars. A friend of
mine had a horrific-looking puncture wound apparently from a black widow
spider. He had a long surgery to remove the necrosis that was as big as
his fist on the back of his lower leg, and the surgeon took a graph
under the thigh and put it on the wound, with success. Now my friend is
looking for the best products to help rejuvenate the skin at the point
where the graph was taken, and to help heal the main site at the lower
leg.
Thank you in advance for any help you can provide!
Wishing you Dear Vaidya-ji,
Joy and Success in Abundance,
Joe T.”

“Dear Joe: here is what your friend can try. On the weekend, apply Lalita’s Pre-biotic CreamClay, and then wash it off. Then apply the Probiotic body cream and leave it on. On weekdays, apply the regular Lalita’s CreamClay, and then use the Aloe and Sandalwood lotion and leave on. Try this, and see if it helps. This objective is to detox the skin locally with the CreamClays and reawaken the skin’s intelligence, in addition to nourishing and replenishing the friendly bacteria of the skin. Let us know if it helps. “

Filed Under: 2014, Archives, Knowledge, Q & A Tagged With: babies, coconut, infants, juices, juicing, moringa, probiotic, scars

Recipe for daily detox with Moringa leaves

June 5, 2014 by SVA Customer Service 8 Comments

Spring and summer are the season for fresh Moringa leaves. Asian grocery stores carry them on a regular basis, as these are also part of the asian diet. They sell them in big bunches wrapped in plastic. One bunch will contain many branches with plenty of leaves that can easily last you 2-3 weeks.

Take away the amount of leaves that you need to consume for the next few days, and leave the rest on the branches, wrap again in the plastic wrapper and tightly seal to maintain optimal freshness. You can cook your leaves as a stand-alone green vegetable, this will go very well with a side of quinoa or some rotis (indian flat-breads).

Here is a tasty SVA recipe:

Rinse your moringa leaves nicely with cool water and set aside

warm your pan

add 1 tsp Mum’s Ghee, or Organic Grapeseed oil (if you are trying to detox your fat tissue and want a lighter lipid base). Grapeseed oil is a very healthy substitute with a high smoke point and a very aromatic flavor.

add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

add fresh ginger or chilies – if you are not high pitta, these are very good to add to your Moringa as they will help open the channel to support Moringa in reaching deep- tissue residing toxins.

Next add your moringa leaves, stir so as to coat nicely with the oil and the turmeric.

Lower your flame to a minimum, then add some water to your cooking moringa and let it cook nice and slow to a dark green color. It is important to cook your leaves properly and not consume them raw so you get full benefit of the nutrients and do not make ama or toxins from half cooked Moringa.

Let your Moringa cook for 8-10 minutes.

DO NOT ADD SALT. You may find that Moringa is salty enough on its own due to its high nutrients’ content. You can decide after the cooking if you would like to add a pinch for your tastebuds. Remember: it is always best to minimize or completely remove salt, even Soma Salt, from your meals when you are trying to detox.

If you do not have access to fresh Moringa leaves, then you can use any of Vaidya Mishra’s formulations with Moringa. SVA Moringa powder mixtures are organic, and originate from India. The Moringa Soup Mix in addition contains spices that are balancing for all doshas, and a delicious mix to your lentils or vegetables.
The Moringa powder can be added to be cooked with your vegetables at the initial stage when you are warming up the turmeric and the masalas in the oil before adding your protein and your vegetables.
Alternative, you can also use the Moringa tea during the day. It is easy to make and carry and sip on throughout the day.

Filed Under: 2014, Archives, Knowledge, Main Meals, Recipes Tagged With: detox, moringa, superfood

Moringa Leaves for detox and Nourishment

June 5, 2014 by SVA Customer Service 17 Comments

Moringa leaves come to us with a big profile!
7 times more Vit C than an orange
3 times more potassium than a banana
3 times the amount of iron found in almonds
25 times more iron than in spinach
4 times more calcium than what is in milk
2 times more protein than what is in milk
47 different antioxidants

Moringa has been dubbed the plant or tree that redefines superfood!

Superfoods are substances (fruits, berries, plants) packed with high doses of nutrition – vitamins and nutrients. Current research on Moringa is being conducted to see how it can help with: anemia, asthma, arthritis, constipation, cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, diarrhea, stomach ulcers, gastritis, intestinal ulcers, heart conditions, headaches, high blood pressure, inflammation, kidney stones, thyroid disorders, infections, sex drive, athlete’s foot, warts, dandruff, snake bites and gingivitis. Even for helping stimulate immunity and breast milk production.
But Vaidya Mishra reminds us that Moringa has been used in Indian culture for thousands of years! It is one of the healthiest vegetables because in addition to its nutritional content, it carries 2 essential properties: detoxification and nurturing.
In Sanskrit, moringa is known as shigru – arrow. This is because it has the intelligence to penetrate deep into the tissues and reach the bone tissue, traveling in and deep like an arrow, to mobilizing and pulling out toxins from the bone, and releasing them from the body. It thrives there where other plants and ingredients fail.
Although the plant’s many parts are used – leaves, flowers, seeds, fruit and even bark – in the Vedic tradition, the leaves are particularly favored in cooking, for daily nourishment and detoxification, alone or with some lentils (mung or masoor preferably).
SVA recommends using it daily for nourishment and detoxification because it is very effective in ridding the bone tissue of accumulated toxic waste. Since it targets the bone tissue, it is then also good for the blood and fat tissue – toxins travel through the blood, the muscle and then the fat before reaching the bone as one is built on the other. As a side-benefit, moringa also supports the detoxification of the liver.
There are also some additional benefits of consuming Moringa on a regular basis:
It is great for eyes, skin – it detoxifies the skin and nourishes the eyes
It can help lower cholesterol since it supports the liver and purifies the fat tissue
It can help with joint pain resulting from the local accumulation of toxins because its primary action is to detoxify tissues, particularly the fat tissue
Long-term use supports our immune system.
It is tridoshic – balancing for vata, pitta, and kappa – however, if you are a high pitta body type, make sure to always cook it with a pitta pacifying masala. Alternately, you can use the SVA Moringa Soup Mix which has been formulated to be balancing for all three doshas.

CONTRAINDICATION: do not consume any moringa items or products during pregnancy as it may cause a miscarriage. If you are breastfeeding, you should also avoid Moringa, because of its detoxifying nature. In addition, it will make your milk very bitter and unpalatable for your infant.

Filed Under: 2014, Archives, Knowledge Tagged With: detox, moringa, superfood

SVA Guidelines for pets

June 5, 2014 by SVA Customer Service 1 Comment

“Dear Vaidya Mishra,
It is endlessly wonderful to read your knowledge and apply the SVA lifestyle! I am so grateful! I have a question on your vision of SVA Pets. I have purchased the SVA drops for dogs and make home-cooked food for my dog. Do you offer guidance for diet for pets? Would I be following the same SVA guidelines? Also – I find great comfort and experience incomparable love from my dog. Would you say that hugging our pets provide us with healing Soma as does hugging a tree? I would love to know your thoughts!

With love and gratitude, Maria J.”

Vaidya replies:
“Dear Maria:
Vegetarian and non-vegetarian pets should be always fed homemade food. It is best not to feed them canned or pre-packaged food. However, if you do want to keep your pet on the SVA diet, make note that ghee is not good for dogs. It is too heavy for their digestive tract to handle. But you can instead cook their meals with some little olive oil or grape-seed oil. I recommend that your pet’s food be mainly boiled or steamed, not fried or sautéed with spices, etc.
For example: a well cooked meal of rice with lentils; or for breakfast organic milk with some overcooked oatmeal. Remember to always cook fresh food for them, particularly with non-vegetarian pets, because any processed proteins will, in the long run, result in the production of auto-immune toxins. Processed protein is a source of “amavisha” – highly acidic toxins.

My Kookie, a mixed Pomeranian dog, used to love squashes, and paneer, with rice. She refused to eat anything pre-packaged and canned. She refused to eat dog food even when it was offered to her. Your pets will develop good habits, just like humans do, with time.
In addition to diet, you can give your pets some Transdermal TLC! For example, you can apply Ashoka on their paws. This helps keep their emotions in balance.
I had formulated the multi-mineral Herbal-Memory drop for my Kookie, and used to add a drop in her drinking water to support her overall health. This nectar drop contains “shilajeet” (Asphaltum punjabianum), a very good mineral for pets. To support bone health, I have formulated the pet’s Healthy Bones formula that enhances the absorption of calcium from their food. It supports their joints. In addition to the drops and Transdermal creams, when it comes to bathing your dog or other furry pet, you can use Kookie’s Shampoo and Conditioner – safe and free from chemicals and synthetic additives, and with nourishing ayurvedic herbs.
You ask about hugging and petting our beloved furry companions as a source of Soma. I can tell you hugging your pet is the best thing you can do for healing vibrations – pets are god’s gift of unconditional love – always giving.

Filed Under: 2014, Archives, Knowledge, Q & A Tagged With: animals, cats, dogs, furry friends, pets

Global SVA Pulse and Marma E-Course with Concluding Practicum

June 5, 2014 by SVA Customer Service 11 Comments

Vaidya Mishra is Launching a 9-Month, In-Depth On-Line E-Course on SVA Pulse Assessment and Marma Techniques with a concluding in-person workshop

“Pulse assessment is the very soul of Ayurveda.” ~ Vaidya Mishra

After much reflection, Vaidya Mishra has chosen to present an in-depth 9-month, on-line Pulse and Marma Course for those with dedication, faith and the deep desire to learn this ancient, sacred knowledge directly from his Shaka Vansiya Ayurvedic (SVA) lineage. With Vaidya’s experience of teaching Ayurveda in the west for the past several decades, he has put together a system of combining the ancient marma point techniques with nadi pariksha, the pulse assessment from his 5,000 year old SVA lineage, in order to help students understand the pulse and read it accurately and effectively. One of the unique benefits of teaching these two techniques together within one course, is that students can learn through experiencing the perceptible changes in the pulse that occur after applying different SVA marma treatment protocols. It is Vaidya’s great desire – as well as his intention – that students will be proficient at naturally picking up the major, common pulse imbalances by the end of this course.
This year’s course will present all of the theories and techniques of SVA pulse assessment and marma, divided into monthly, 1-hour modules over a 9-month period, culminating with a 3-day in-depth weekend practicum at Vaidya’s Prana Center in Chatsworth, California. The course format will be as follows:

•    All students will receive a 5-DVD set containing 9 hours of video footage from the previous SVA Pulse and Marma Course with Vaidya. In this way, students can watch and listen to the lectures multiple times, and gain an understanding of the basics of SVA pulse assessment and marma techniques at their own pace.
•    Students will also receive an in-depth, illustrated (i.e., detailed pictures of the marma points, etc.) SVA Pulse and Marma Course Manual, based upon the previous course. It will be very useful for review, as well as for future reference. Students will receive one lesson each month to focus on during this 9-month course. Please see the attached table of contents for the manual.
•    A special website which is accessible only to students will be provided for posting comments and questions. Questions will be answered in a timely fashion, and posted for all course participants to see and benefit from.
•    A monthly 1-hour Saturday lecture with Vaidya will be provided via a conference call, for all students to attend; each lecture will focus on the subject matter presented for that month.
•    Students will read the monthly lesson and watch the videos to grasp the theoretical knowledge presented each month, ask questions, receive answers, hear Vaidya’s monthly lecture on the subject, and then start practicing the pulse assessment and marma techniques with friends and family members, one aspect at a time. It is Vaidya’s conviction that this repetition and self-practice brings deeper understanding.
•    At the culmination of the course, students will attend a 3-day weekend practicum with Vaidya at his Prana Center in Chatsworth, California. The format of this course will enable students to come prepared with the necessary foundation of knowledge and experience, enabling them to focus and absorb more from this precious time with Vaidya. In this way, each student will have the opportunity to receive a more refined and profound understanding of this ancient and subtle technique of pulse assessment.

The course will be launched via a conference call with Vaidya Mishra on Friday, July 18th at 6:00 a.m., on the muhurta, the designated auspicious time for initiating this course. On this call, Vaidya will begin the course with Vedic chanting as part of the opening ceremony for the students to be initiated into receiving this sacred, ancient knowledge from his Shaka Vansiya Ayurvedic (SVA) lineage.
Total cost of the course (including the 9-hour video and in-depth course manual) is $200/month. A discount of 15% will be given to those wishing to pay for the entire 9-month course at one time by July 1, 2014. The course DVD’s and the first month’s course manual will be shipped upon registration.
For those who have already taken at least one pulse with Vaidya and wish to review and deepen their knowledge and skills, you are entitled to a special discount, kindly contact Vaidya’s Prana Center at 1.818.709.1005 or email us at: info@prana-center.com to find out more.

Filed Under: 2014, Archives, Courses and Workshops, Knowledge Tagged With: pulse and marma course

Kookie- a gift of joy and love

June 4, 2014 by SVA Customer Service 1 Comment

Dear Melina,

Vaidya Mishra’s little Kookie passed on at about 1am Monday morning April 20, 2009 in

Los Angeles, California.

Kookie was a very special dog and we will all miss her very much. She has inspired Vaidya

Mishra in innumerable ways over the years.

Please take a moment to remember her and say a blessing

in her name on the 13th day of her passing which will be this coming Sunday May 2, 2009.

An Indian Vegetarian Sweetheart!

Kookie was born in India to a Brahmin vegetarian family on August 11, 1995. Neelima, Vaidya’s daughter, was key in bringing her into the Mishra household. After seeing Kookie, a little white fur

ball only 3 months’ old, Neelima falls in love with her.

She pleads with her father, Vaidya Mishra, to see the little one, and Vaidya immediately loses his heart to her. Back home, when the idea of adopting her is discussed, Mrs. Mishra is hesitant to add another family member knowing well she would be the one who would have to take care of her despite the childrens’ promises! All four children and Vaidya Mishra decide to go on a hunger strike unless Kookie is brought home, Sumanji relents and Vaidya and the children head out in a rickshaw to bring her home. While Vaidya is away bringing Kookie home, an affluent client comes looking for him. Sumanji tells the client of Vaidya’s whereabouts. Being a dog lover himself he rushes to the given address to give everybody a ride back home in his Mercedes Benz! Vaidya lovingly remembers how they all left in a little rickshaw to pick Kookie up and they were all driven back home in an imported car! It makes Vaidya wonder about this little dog…

Across continents…

After this little incident, Vaidya decides to have her jyotish chart read. He consults with a local astrologer and gives her birth data. The jyotishi is not told that the individual in question is a dog lest he be offended, so the jyotishi explains that Kookie is a lovely little girl, an enlightened soul who completed numerous yagyas

in a previous life, but who has some karma left to burn. So

even though she will have a satwic comfortable life, there will be some obstacles particularly pertaining to her marriage and family life – she might not be able to have either! However, the jyotishi explains that she will bring great fortune to her father, is very good for the father, and that she will be travelling far and wide in the world. Vaidya wonders about that since travel plans were not part of the immediate horizon for the MIshra family at that time.

Bathing in the Ganga

And in fact, shortly after Kookie has joined them, the family embarks upon visits

to many “tirtha”-s or holy pilgrimage sites. Little Kookie is allowed into the holiest of the holy, carried in the

arms or in a little bag. At her first stop is Haridwar, just before Rishikesh, she behaves properly in all the temples, naturally. In Rishikesh, she is so excited to bathe in the Ganga, jumping around at the Ghat, that she arouses a bather’s attention and ire. He comes up to Vaidya angrily, asking him to take her away, as she is a dog and being impure should not be allowed to taint the holy waters of the Ganga. Just as an argument is developing, a sadhu approches them, and quiets the angry bather saying: “fool! can you not see she is no ordinary soul? She deserves to be bathing in the Ganga, ever more than you!!!” and he gives her many blessings. After Rishikesh, Kookie is headed to Vaishnodevi and receives Durga Mata’s blessings, Finally, through her great

fortune, she is called by Kali to Calcutta, the city of the fierce yet most auspicious goddess, the only one capable of removing the darkness of one’s karmic debts.

And this is just the beginning of many more trips to come, even across the oceans, for new opportunities present themselves, and Vaidya soon leaves his established clinic and practice, his weekly columns to many local papers, and travels first to Europe at Maharishi’s bid, and then to the United States to bring healing knowledge of Ayurveda.

Jetsetting

Shortly thereafter, arrangements are made for the whole family to join him in the United States, and Kookie now flies to the US on Lufthansa air, where service and accomodations for pets are best renowned.

In the US, Colorado Springs – Colorado, becomes the new home of the Mishras. However, the travelling continues, and Kookie gets to travel far and wide again to Florida, Las Vegas, San Francisco, before moving in to sunny California with Vaidya Mishra.

Some of her favorite things…

Kookie, Vaidya’s little vegetarian dog, maintains her brahmin satwic habits throughout her life. She consistenly goes to bed at 8pm to wake up at 4am with jolly barks. Playful and loving, she enjoys being around Vaidya Mishra’s grand-children, Akshae and Anika, who hand-feed her home-made organic meals. Kookie’s favorites were organic oatmeal made with raw milk, fresh paneer,

zuchhini squash cooked with some ghee and a dash of salt, sukhi or dry dahl cooked with Mum’s Masala, sweet yams baked to a crunch in the oven. She also loved to snack on carrots, red apples – peeled and sliced! On a couple of

occasions she was mistakenly offered dog snacks that contained meat which she obstinately refused to eat. Her all time-favorite, however, was Mrs. Shama Gandhi’s

loki and paneer dish – the last meal she has before passing on…

Kookie had the interesting habit of standing before her food for a few minutes before starting to ingest it, Vaidya would joke saying she was giving her thanks to Annapurna Devi before eating her meal.

Kookie was very fond of Vaidya’s puja room. In the beginning she would scratch at the door whenever Vaidya would start his prayers in order to be let in. However, with time, she knew better and she would just lie down in front of the door whenever Vaidya was inside, she would listen in soaking up all the divine

vibrations emanating from the room.

Kookie lived a long healthy life, she was never sick, never developed any health problems. She had to be hospitalized twice due to injuries; once she injured her paw by stepping over broken glass; another time she got bit by a roaming coyote which she thought she could ward off with her barks but the hungry coyote bit her hind leg. Miraculously Kookie was able to escape its jaw and rushed back to Vaidya. She received some stitches and never messed with roaming coyotes again!

Kookie will always be in Vaidya’s heart, and she will always be remembered by those she touched with her sweetness. She was a gift of joy and love.

We will always love you

Filed Under: 2009, Archives Tagged With: dog, furry friend, kookie, pet

A question about turmeric and osteo-arthritis

May 22, 2014 by SVA Customer Service Leave a Comment

Here is an e-mail addressed to Vaidya Mishra in regards of turmeric and its wonderful effects

Len P.

Firstly, thank you for this excellent, informative video.

I have some osteo-arthritis in the base of my left thumb. I started to drink golden milk approximately one week ago and noticed some excellent pain relief after a few days.

To prepare the golden milk I first made a paste combining 1/4 cup turmeric and 1/2 cup water in a pot, heated it for 7-9 minutes and then kept it in a jar in the refrigerator.

Whenever I wanted some golden milk I would take a cup of milk, add a teaspoon of the paste, some freshly ground black pepper, fresh ginger, honey, UDO’s Oil and ground cardamom.

After drinking the golden milk for a few days I noticed that the pain at the base of my thumb was gone; I was elated. However, after a week or so the pain has returned. The only thing that has changed is that I no longer make the milk using paste, I just added ground turmeric directly to the milk as I was making it.

Is the effect of the turmeric enhanced by creating the paste?

Vaidya Mishra replies:

Taking turmeric as a paste has better molecular infusion. Continue doing the paste because it looks like you’re having great results due to turmeric’s anti-inflammatory properties. Make sure that you also keep a good diet along with this paste. Turmeric releases toxins from our cellular system. Do not consume clogging or acidic foods, add coriander seed powder when cooking (coriander helps by releasing toxins through our urinary system), drink plenty of water. You can also make asparagus and white daikon raddish soup (helps eliminate toxins through urinary system as well), make sure bowel movements are good. Moringa soup mix is good to release toxins from our bones. All these things will further support turmeric and its good effects on your body.

Filed Under: 2014, Archives, Knowledge Tagged With: osteo arthritis, turmeric

Mouth Sores

May 22, 2014 by SVA Customer Service 1 Comment

Testimonial about Mouth Sores

This testimonial is a perfect example of why it is best to treat the underlying cause of the symptom. One thing is important to keep in mind: the root cause of the symptom is rarely where the symptom is. There is a tendency to want to address the site of the symptom which will only give temporary (or no) relief.

So, for example, in this case, doctors kept giving anti-viral medicines, anti-thrush medicines to treat the sores. What we did was to fix the underlying cause of the mouth sores, which was residing in the liver. The digestive organs have to burn up the food, and thus create some heat in the body as they transform the food — much like a burner on a cook-top. We want to burn up the food correctly, but the flame needs to be just right — neither too low or too high.

The stomach has one digestive fire, but the liver has 5 flames (in order to
extract the space, air, fire, water and earth elements out of the food). So the liver has a great tendency to overheat, especially if it is holding onto a lot of hot reactive toxins (ama visha and gar visha). Once the liver overheats, it can trigger all kinds of reactions such as sores in the mouth.

So I put her on two wonderful herbs for cooling the liver. These herbs aren’t for cleaning the liver, but rather for cooling it. Later on, when her liver cools sufficiently, we will start the gentle cleansing of not only the liver, but the bowel, kidneys, 7 tissues, including cellular detox as well.

One other thing I can mention in this case: this woman was lucky that she did not initiate any cleansing on her own, such as fasting, maple syrup-cayenne pepper cleanse, milk thistle, dandelion or colonics and other popular cleanses that are in vogue today. These cleanses would have heated the liver more, which would have made her problem much worse. We see the victims of these cleanses all the time in our practice. Luckily, Vaidya Mishra has trained his doctors how to carefully and effectively treat problems such as these, where cleansing is indicated, but without the detox crises that can so often occur.

Dr. Marianne Teitelbaum

Cinnaminson, New Jersey

856-786-3330

Filed Under: 2014, Archives, Knowledge Tagged With: dr. teitelbaum, mouth sores