HOW THE WONDER HERB- ARJUNA/SIDA CORDIFOLIA WORKS- ITS AYURVEDIC AND ASTROLOGICAL APPLICATION

Arjuna (Sida Cordifolia) is one of the most important herbs in Ayurveda. This is because it is one of the few herbs which is sweet (due to its highly alkaline properties coming from its calcium carbonate and loads of antioxidants), bitter, cold, light and highly astringent. Thus, the herb works very well to neutralize excess pungency (through bitterness), heat and acidity (through coldness and alkalinity), heaviness (through its lightness) and sourness (through its astringency) in one’s body. Such conditions arise when Pitta creates excess space in a Vata person thereby pushing excess sourness, sweetness, heaviness and thus blockages in the system starting from lymph and blood. Remember that excess Pitta (if not accompanied by sufficient kapha) in the long run is bound to increase Vata. Thus high Pitta accompanied by Vata in the core of the body itself (specifically stomach), flares up Agni and inflates the system which in medical terms leads to excess of Adrenaline thereby causing excess space and related issues as discussed above. Basically Vata pushes Kapha (especially pseudokapha i.e. sour and swollen Kapha) resulting in issues like high cholesterol, high BP, stress, weak heart and heart failure (weakened heart muscles) due to sustained pressure on heart to pump thick blood (sweet and sour) through narrowed arteries.

Thus, in simple words, Arjuna reverses the action of adrenaline which is why it blocks fight and flight reaction thereby slowing down BP by thinning blood (due to its astringency and other properties). However, it doesn’t work on our central nervous system which would also need calming down at the right point to ensure that Adrenaline doesn’t over increase in the beginning itself. That is why alongside Arjuna, one may need medicines like Brahmi and Shankhpushpi to calm down Vata of the brain if one has high Vata Pitta in the brain which is overstimulating the entire system thereby triggering adrenaline production in turn. On the other hand, if one has high Vata in the stomach/intestine area, one may need medicines like Bala (Sida cordifolia) which reduce Pitta of this area thereby reducing adrenaline production. Thus, Arjuna is essential for high VP people (those who have excess space in the system). Higher the Pitta in such people (as it flares up Vata and creates more space) more would be the need of Arjuna which also means that as a thumb rule, high Vata people need more of Arjuna during hot weather conditions. It goes without saying that Arjuna should be avoided when Pitta is low and Vata imbalance is high (due to weak circulation) manifesting in form of anxiety, nervousness, dryness, poor sleep, lethargy etc. On the other hand, if one feels hyperactive, overstimulated and hot then one may need Arjuna. This is one reason that Arjuna is ok during summers while during winters, one may need it with some warm med/spice like Ashwagandha.

*** When a person has excess Vata (excess space), then the bubble (space inside the body) keeps moving from one place to another whose movement is governed by the changing weather conditions (planets and zodiacs in Astrological terms). The pulse of such a person will always reveal high Vata in the system (even if the location of vata changes) which also means that such a person would need different medicines at different points of time to settle Pitta of the specific point and thus high Vata. This also means that the same person may need Brahmi and Shankhpushpi at one time and Bala at other depending on which point of the body has high Vata which needs to be calmed down by reducing Pitta of that point. This is one reason that many a times, Ayurveda docs give a combination of Brahmi, Shankhpushpi, Arjuna and Bala to cover all points. However, this may not always be the most accurate way of treating. Instead the person should learn to use the right medicine at the right time.

*** While the bubble will remain in the body (especially if they are in the deepest constitution of the native i.e. when his/her body was getting formed during initial years of life), its extent can be reduced by eating a very nutritious and weather friendly diet as it can keep Vata and Pitta in control. In other words, Vata (space/hollowness) can be tamed/reduced to a great extent. Of course, one may need to make consistent efforts and the extent of Vata will depend upon the extent of Vata present in the basic constitution of the person which gets created when the body and mind are formed in the developing stages of life. On the other hand, right Asanas, pranayama and acupressure can control the movement of this bubble thereby undoing Vata imbalance. My case history will explain how they helped me to undo Vata imbalance.

*** Since Arjuna reduces Vata Pitta (extra space), it strengthens the heart and reduces its rate of beating (by strengthening its muscles). Even Beta blockers used by allopathy reduce heart rate however the difference is that beta blockers work on electrical signal of the heart thereby reducing the BP, however they don’t undo the thickness of blood and narrowing of the arteries that Arjuna can. Thus in the long run, Beta blockers create lot of Vata imbalance in the body whereas Arjuna closes the entire body inwards including each cell and not just the heart thereby hitting the root cause. Also to note that since beta blockers shrink just the heart and not the entire body, consuming Arjuna by those who have consumed Beta blockers for long will experience further shrinking of heart thereby giving a feeling that Arjuna is doing harm to them which is not the case. Such people will need to undo effects of beta blockers by stimulating heart through acupressure. All in all, each one of us must know the functioning of medicines in our body.

Astrological Interpretation/Understanding of Vata Pitta and how to calm it using Arjuna

Astrologically the world is passing through the age of Rahu which increases high VP (high Vata Pitta) which in behavioral level leads of high and fluctuating desires. This is why we see too many high VP diseases on the rise including heart diseases, high BP, high cholesterol, ADHD, fibromyalgia etc. Even majority of the diabetes is due to high VP in the stomach area of the person. Since high VP evaporates thoughts/wiring of the brain due to high metabolism, it makes one forgets the basics of life (which includes right style of living and eating), thereby further increasing VP in the body and mind. This creates a distortion or say Vikruti which passes down from one generation to another with higher VP leading to further increase in such diseases. It is therefore so important to stick to the basics of Ayurveda (i.e. eating in line with weather, location and constitution) not only to reverse diseases but also furtherance of healthy progeny.

Since planets and zodiacs keep moving Vata Pitta and Kapha in different parts of the body, an Ayurvedic doc must learn Astrology to understand how planets and zodiacs create VPK in different parts of the body which will not only help them in accurate analysis but also in accurate medicine. On the other hand, a person who attains mastery on one’s body system, can also learn to control the movement of VPK through therapeutics/processes (or say Tantras as Tantra literally means process) like right Asanas, pranayama, mantras and acupressure (marma in Ayurveda) along with right foods. In fact, as one goes deeper into understanding the working of body and mind, one realizes that such Tantras (therapeutics) are essential and medicines/food alone cannot suffice to lead a healthy and blissful life. That is why such therapeutics are essential part of Ayurveda whose literal meaning is Vedas (knowledge) for a healthy and blissful life. Just to drop a hint, while Arjuna can reduce heat, sourness, it cannot totally undo excess space created due to high heat (pitta) piercing through hollowness (Vata). One would also need to perform certain Asanas, Pranayama to constrict/pull in the overstretched body inwards. However, this is true that without Arjuna (or tastes similar to it), such therapeutics will be of no use as excess sourness and kapha will push back the body into its overstretched state.