Conversation with a Maharishi Ayurveda Physician:
Ancient Prescriptions for Blissful Modern Living

"I visited Dr. John Peterson of Muncie, Indiana, for a solution to my frequent headaches. He did ayurvedic pulse diagnosis, and asked me if I had a digestive disorder. The accuracy of his diagnosis stunned me. I was suddenly curious to know more about ayurveda and its approach to healing. And I returned not only with a solution to my problems, but with a prescription for long life," says a happy patient.

The patient is just one among hundreds who have benefited from Dr. John Peterson's pulse diagnosis and ayurvedic prescriptions for healthy living. Here, he shares his thoughts on pulse diagnosis, herbal healing and de-stressing.

On his methods as an M.D. - cum-ayurvedic physician
"People often ask me how I have been able to blend conventional medicine with alternative," smiles John C. Peterson. M.D. "My answer is that I consider myself more integrative than alternative. For I know that my practice of mainstream Western medicine is totally compatible with the 6,000-year-old ayurveda."

Dr. Peterson's method of treatment first rules out things that can best be approached through western medicine. Then, he uses ayurveda as a complement or as an alternative when other things don't work.

Ayurveda sets itself apart from other health systems, Dr. Peterson says, in that it is a completely holistic system. "It involves all the senses, which means incorporating daily oil massage, music, meditation, yoga, seasonal rejuvenation therapies, color therapy, aromatherapy, herbs and diet and even the architecture of your home. All of these, used in conjunction with modern medicine, can not only accelerate your recovery, but also give you a brand new formula for long and healthy living."

On the power of the pulse
Pulse diagnosis is wonderful for practicing medicine, says Dr. Peterson. It allows both the doctor and the patient to experience a taste of the Transcendent, Pure Awareness, the underlying Silence. "It is so intimately communicative that some healing occurs even while I am taking the pulse. The patient is relieved and is comforted by the settled attention she receives and then gives back to herself. The doctor feels refreshed. While taking the patient's pulse I must refer to my own pulse, a self-referral process that infuses bliss into the physiology. It's always the joy of the doctor to be able to take the pulse."

"And while I examine you, you may not even be aware of the other things I notice. Like your face, your eyes, your irises and conjunctiva, the texture of your skin-or obvious tightness in some areas of the face or neck -- I notice it all. Using all the senses is what makes the seemingly simple examination so comprehensive."

On what the pulse reveals
"I take the radial pulse with three fingers, which represent the three doshas, Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. The first finger feels Vata, the dosha responsible for movement, space and air. The second finger probes Pitta, which represents the elements of fire and water. Pitta governs areas where there is heat, digestive enzymes, metabolism -- where transformation is at work. The third finger picks up Kapha, representing water and earth: which governs structure, and fluid balance and has the qualities of heaviness, slowness and thickness.

Pulse diagnosis can give important information ranging from how well your body is functioning to what your personality is like.

The deep pulse reveals genetic information, which tells me how you are unique and different from everyone else on earth. In the superficial pulse, each finger can pick up information from the five sub-doshas for each dosha. You can feel those in different parts of the finger and they tell how those doshas that you inherited from your parents have gotten out of balance.

There's more. I can get very specific with organ systems. The mid-pulse is the level of the dhatus, which are the actual tissues. There I can perceive the patterns of ama or impurities -- how they are manifesting themselves in the different tissues. So just from a couple of minutes with the patient, I can locate the seeds of the medical problem. Based on the imbalances of the doshas, I make recommendations on how to get rid of the impurities and bring balance to the physiology."

His favorite dosha-balancing recommendations
As a first step, know your doshic constitution or prakriti. Through a consultation with an ayurvedic physician, you will awaken to those qualities that make you unique: imagine how wonderful it would be to know yourself so well that you know what to take in from the environment with each of your senses to create and maintain balance!

Apart from instructions from a qualified ayurvedic physician, use your power of discrimination to decide what to eat and how to eat it. Fresh food, for instance, is always superior to preserved or canned food. Light food is always better than heavy. Also, never put "foods that fight" on your plate. For instance, milk and yogurt do not mix. Use healing spices and herbs in your cooking to boost digestion and improve immunity.

Every season, rejuvenate your body, mind and spirit with the magic of Panchakarma. It involves several days of preparation of the body with various forms of deep massage, using a variety of oils. It is extremely helpful in balancing your doshas and returning you to your "prakriti" or basic nature.

On beating back day-to-day stress
The key here, says Dr. Peterson, is learning to turn your behavior patterns-giving them positive direction. "You might be surprised to know that Ayurveda treats even our behavior as a rasayana," says Dr. Peterson. "The Ayurvedic behavioral rasayanas are especially important when life gets complicated. A "pinch" in our heart due to restricted communication between the heart and the mind can mean that there is a lack of fulfillment of desires:some unhappiness. Behavioral rasayanas can work wonders for depression and cardiovascular disease.

Here is a list of these time-tested Ayurvedic formulas for a happier and simpler life. You might want to write them out in your own words and put them someplace where you'll run across them from time to time.

• Be unconceited, well-mannered, and simple in your behavior.Be truthful, at least to yourself and one good friend you can trust. Speaking the truth is healing, keeps life simple, and frees energy for spiritual growth.
• Be sweet-spoken. Always speak the truth, but speak it sweetly.
• Be free from anger. Anger is natural when needs aren't met. Do you know what your heart needs? Listen to your heart and take care of your needs. If anger is present, don't suppress it. Express it in a way that doesn't hurt anybody and then let it go.
• Abstain from alcohol and immoderate behavior. Everything in moderation!
• Observe cleanliness -- not necessarily "squeaky clean," but comfortably clean.
• Give yourself an all-body massage with a healing oil before your daily bath.
• Observe regularity in your daily routine.
• Keep the company of elders -- their wisdom will rub off on you. You'll gain a more balanced perspective of time and purpose.
• Be self-controlled and follow the precepts of your spiritual beliefs.
• Practice the technique of Transcendental Meditation® daily. Being established in the Transcendent allows all of these behaviors to evolve spontaneously. As Lord Krishna told Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita, "Become established in Being first, and then perform action!" The effortless process of transcending leads to Pure Consciousness, the simplest form of human awareness.
• Be devoted to the development of higher states of consciousness -- spiritual development is why we're here in the first place. Established in being, our actions are then spontaneously in harmony with nature's laws. The highest state of consciousness -- Unity Consciousness -- is a state of complete simplicity where the Upanishadic expression "I am That, Thou art That, all of This is nothing but That" is a living reality. In Unity Consciousness, everyday life is a continuum of bliss and all fear is left behind.