Recent & Past SVA Newsletters

Here is a Q&A with Vaidya Mishra from our SVA blog from many years ago.

It’s old but still so pertinent.

“I Have Dark Circles Around My Eyes Despite Yoga and SVA Diet…?”

“Hello – I know I’m working too much on computer, I am a female, I am quite stressed out at work and nowadays I’m seeing I’m developing dark circles around my eyes although I am on the SVA Diet and I do yoga regularly. Please let me know what to do for dark circles under my eyes?”

~ Cary T.

Vaidya Mishra replies:

If you have already checked things out with your medical doctor and there are no specific identifiable medical reasons for the dark circles under your eyes, then you can follow the following Ayurvedic steps and tips to help you.

Using the computer for long periods of time drains out the soma or cooling energy of the eyes, which the eyes need more of, because the eyes are a predominantly fiery organ – agneya organ – run by alochak pitta. So when you stare at the computer screen, or any other electronic device (TV, cell-phone, tablet, etc) for long periods of time, you are using up and burning the lunar energy, or soma, of your eyes, your eyes are now left depleted, and the agni of your eyes, further aggravated not only by soma depletion but by overexposure to electronic synthetic agni, gets further aggravated, creating the dark circles around your eyes.

Another point related to this is the EMF charge of these electronic devices disrupts the flow of pranic energy of your eyes. Due to the lack of restorative pranic circulation, dark circles also may emerge.

What can you do? According to SVA, the answer is simple: replenish the soma reservoirs of your eyes. How do you replenish the “soma reservoirs”?



Here are some SV Ayurveda recommendations

1) Get a double layered piece of cheesecloth or cotton cloth and cut it lengthwise into a band so as to cover your eyes – from temple to temple. Add a few drops of fresh water to the SVA Skin Clay Powder to make a thin but consistent paste. Take a spoonful of the paste and place on the cheesecloth strip – one spoon for each eye. Lay down and place the cotton strip with the clay on top of your eyes – the clay should be situated to fit the orb of your closed eyes. Make sure you do not get any clay into your eyes – it may tingle and burn a bit but will wash off easily with cool water. Leave it on for 10-15 minutes – you can take off earlier if your eyes start to feel cold.

2) Then rinse your eyes and face with warm water, dry with a cloth, and apply the ALA lotion – this cream is water (not lipid) based. You may feel a little tingling around your eyelids or surrounding areas – this is a good sign – do not worry It means it is activating and improving circulation. ALA (alpha lipoid acid) is highly effective for improving micro-circulation without heating the area. You can do some research on the latest scientific findings about ALA to learn more. 

3) You can also use the SVA Triphala Ghee: apply it in the mornings, massage in and leave on. But ALA cream is the best product for this protocol and it will target your dark circles. Do this every night for 15 days. This protocol will also calm you down, you will feel very relaxed after a long day, it may even improve your sleep, and calm your mind. 

4) Last but but not least – a very important point is to go to bed by 10pm! You are certainly aware of the different energies that are at play during the day. Between 10pm and 2am, we have an agneya period. If we are awake during this time slot, our pitta dosha is prone to going out of balance. If our body is enjoying somagenic sleep during this time, then the pitta organs in our bodies get to do their job without further aggravating our pitta dosha. This is why many people who have been going to bed late at night for years without necessarily overexposing their eyes to EMF devices also get dark circles around their eyes. Staying up late throws off all the pitta sub-doshas, just like over-exposing the eyes to too many EMF devices does. So make sure you target a 9:30pm bedtime so as to be asleep by 10pm.

REMEMBER: Mother Nature is your best healer!

Namaste…

Let’s Delve a Bit Further

into the Knowledge for Eyecare ….

During Summertime, with the increased heat in the environment, our bodies, hearts (and minds!) get overheated! We may experience sadness or find that we get angry too fast and too much, sometimes unnecessarily… In addition, we may experience trouble with digestion – crave too much sweet stuff (ice-cream!); and then overeat… Or skin breakouts – rashes, dry skin, dark spots, etc. Ayurveda teaches us that most of the organs that get impacted during the summertimes are run by pitta dosha – they respond to high heat and fire. So which organs are those primarily pitta dosha predominant? There are 5 of them:

1) the stomach or Pachak Pitta;

2) the emotional heart or Sadhak Pitta;

3) the eyes, or Alochak Pitta;

4) the liver or Ranjak Pitta;

5) the largest organ of our body, the skin or Bhrajak Pitta. So basically, the key is to address and make sure these aspects of our physiology are nurtured and kept in balance, especially during the summertime. But here’s an important detail: when we transition into Autumn, if we don’t cool things off, we will carry accumulated summer heat associated with any of these organs/tissues. What does this mean in practical terms? For example: during summertime pachak pitta gets imbalanced, and if we don’t follow a corrective diet, in Autumn, we will experience issues with our digestion – lack of appetite or too big insatiable appetite resulting in lots of cravings followed by heaviness after meals; also issues with bowel movement – loose bowels and/or constipation… When one pitta subdosha is out of balance, it impacts ALL of the other organs/subdoshas….

The eyes are a primarily agneya organ – they are an expression of the cosmic energy of agni. The inner physiology of the eyes is governed by “Alochak pitta.” Pitta dosha is made up of fire and water. The fire element in pitta has the quality of giving light. Fire burns! But fire gives light. Fire has the ability to transform and give light. This is why the eyes are an predominant organ prone to pitta imbalances.

But the optic nerve and the eyelids are governed by Vata dosha, while the overall lubrication of the inside of the eyelids, and the eyeballs are governed by kapha dosha. Vyana vata governs the optic nerve and eyelids, and Shleshak kapha lubricates the eyelids and eyeball. So whenever any formula for the eyes is put together, it should first be pitta pacifying: cooling. However, and at the same time, it should not be too cold so as not to aggravate Shleshaka kapha and Vyana vata.

So, if we have heat trapped in Alochak pitta, when we resume full-on work upon returning from our Summer vacations, we may feel our eyes are tired, or feel dry, our vision may feel weaker, etc. Ayurveda offers us a wealth of information, recipes, and herbal protocols. Vaidya Mishra made things easier for us and in addition formulated some unique SVA lotions and drops to helps us even further. 

Did you know that Vaidya Mishra’s

Soma Netra Eyedrops are a best-selling item on chandika.com? They help cool off and lubricate dry tired eyes immediately during the day so you can continue your work! But there are other protocols you can do to deeply nourish and balance the doshas in your eyes. Triphala Ghee is one such product that can be used at night-time for full restoration.

Vaidya Mishra’s unique SVA Triphala Ghee formula for the eyes has probiotic ghee as its primary ingredients. Ghee is cooling and lubricating, but unlike other fats, it is also “agneya” – it has enough agni or fire molecules which make it an ideal fat that does not freeze our channels like other fats. Triphala is an ancient formula consisting of 3 fruits – “tri” for three, and “phala” for fruit. It is known for being 3 dosha pacifying. Not only that, but it also detoxes and rejuvenates. It has “shamana” or pacifying, “shodhana” or detoxifying, and “rasayana” or rejuvenating effect for all 3 body types and imbalance tendencies.

In the ayurvedic tradition, triphala has been used extensively for the eyes for both detoxification and rejuvenation. The unique combination of the 3 fruits – Haritaki (Terminalia chebula), Bhibhitaki (Terminalia bellirica) and Amla (Phyllanthus emblica)- has an enhanced role in this SVA formulation since it is combined with Mum’s Probiotic Ghee. The process of making this ghee adds to the medicinal properties of both the ghee and the 3 fruits: according to an ancient recipe handed over for generations in Vaidya’s SVA lineage, all the lipid soluble molecules of the fruits, along with very little water soluble molecules, are captured through a unique SVA method of preparation.

In order to ensure added pitta pacification for extreme pitta aggravation or pitta predominant people – since even Triphala may sometimes provoke high pitta – Vaidya Mishra has added rose-buds to the formula, much like his unique High Pitta Triphala capsules – for oral use only.

Why use Triphala Ghee for the eyes?

Of course, due to wear and tear, our eyes need additional care as we age. But we need to take even more care of them if we use them extensively for computer work. Long hours of exposure to electrical devices that contain more “agni,” such as computer screens, can have a drying effect on the eyes. When we use our eyes for extended periods of time, then Shleshak kapha goes out of balance or dries out. Shleshak kapha is the balancing factor for Alochak pitta and Vyana vata. Alochak pitta and Vyana vata become imbalanced when Shleshak kapha gets aggravated from over-exposure to EMF devices.

Triphala Grit or Triphala Ghee supports your eyes through helping restore Shleshak kapha, soothing and cooling Alochak pitta, and nourishing Vyana vata.

Ingredient-wise benefits:

Haritaki (Terminalia chebula): the molecule of Haritaki transdermally detoxifies because of its shodhana effect. In addition, it also carries a rasayana effect that rejuvenates the eye and the muscles around the eye area, nourishing the nerves as well. The astringent property of Haritaki pacifies the “acidity” or “high pitta” that may be accumulated in and around the eye area, binding the toxic micro-molecules.

Bhibhitaki (Terminalia bellerica): is known for pacifying the “shleshma” (shleshak kapha plus ama combination). Lipid soluble micro-molecules of Bhibhitaki break down and disperse the molecules of “shleshma” so that the Haritaki molecules can easily capture them and evacuate them.

Amla (Phyllantus emblica): has a very specific “prabhava” or subtle post-digestive effect called ‘chakchushya’ – which means overall inside-out nourishment that rejuvenates the eyes. So it’s an ideal fruit for the eyes, either orally or transdermally as in this Triphala Grit.

Rose buds carry a calming and nourishing property, specifically for pitta. They have an overall pacifying effect for the eyes, including the optic nerve.

Probiotic ghee: as discussed, ghee does not only carry the ideal blend of Soma and Agni, but probiotic ghee is additionally lively, nurturing and supporting, without clogging and freezing. It is light and supplies the benefits of the three fruits to the eye area transdermally for immediate absorption and benefit.

After a few applications of this SVA Triphala grit, with all its balancing and soothing properties, your eyes will feel relaxed and lubricated. This Triphala Ghee will enhances sleep, as it gently takes away any dryness in and around the eyelids and eye area. This is a short-term benefit. Long term benefits will be: rejuvenation and detox of your eyes and eye area.

Directions: before going to bed, take a small amount of Triphala ghee with the use of a q-tip or cotton swab and apply on and around your eyelids, eyebrows, and temple area. Use very little. After applying, spread out with your fingers, and massage in with gentle circular motion. Then close your eyes and lie down for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes wipe out all the ghee with lukewarm water cotton pads or a cotton towel. Make sure to remove all physical residues of the ghee. It is not necessary to keep any ghee left behind, as within 15 minutes of application, all micro-molecules of the ghee have already been absorbed and used up by your skin. Any residual ghee may cause toxicity by blocking your pores.

PLEASE NOTE: If you have a medical condition or are experiencing any eye symptoms or problems, do not use Triphala Ghee. Check with your medical physician immediately for proper care and treatment.

This product has not been evaluated by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). It is not intended to be used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent any known or unknown diseases. 

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if you ever had the opportunity to meet Vaidya Mishra in person, or have encountered him via his many youtube videos or online courses, then you know what we mean! We all want to have him travel with us in this earthly journey, to help us in our decisions along the way, through the timeless wisdom and knowledge of SV Ayurved. And now we can! If you have not discovered our podcast channel yet, we invite you to look it up and explore the timeless teachings of SVAyurveda, as well as fabulous talks by other SVAyurveda doctors and educators.

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