The reason I went to Berlin was to meet the Ayurvedic specialist who is treating me with chronic ear problems and a dysfunction of the digestive system. I had seen him 18 months ago and it became necessary to do some adjustments in the therapy, and the pulse diagnosis cannot be done by phone…

My friends in Berlin had arranged everything for me and saw that I was brought to the place where the Ayurvedic therapist was working. He explained to me that Vedya is the title for an Ayurvedic healer, and not doctor. He is from a long tradition of healers and has a deep knowledge of medicine and healing.

I was again impressed how by feeling the different rhythms of the pulse he was able to locate several problems, some of them were known to me. I was to visit him 4 times during the three day’s stay in Berlin. He first gave me another combination of herb powders and tablets to be taken during these days and explained some health advise.

He trained with me a number of breathing exercises to strengthen the oxigen circulation and to cast off unhealthy mucus. And the exercises expelled quite some mucus from the lungs.

In the next meeting he checked again the pulse and gave some Yoga exercises to stimulate the digestive system and certain energy channels. So some more exercises are adding to my daily routine. Trying them out this morning showed a good energizing effect.

The last pulse check this morning indicated some betterments. So with this “multi-pack” of natural medicines and therapeutical exercises there is a good chance of stimulating a curative effect counteracting the physical defects.

Shiva Shop in Berlin

Ganesha greeting at the entrance

Yesterday my friend where I staid in Berlin asked me if I would like to go with her to the “torture rack”: An automatic massage system developed in Korea. I was a bit sceptical, but thought I might give it a try. When we entered the small studio, there was a gentle smell of exotic herbs in the air. Two rooms were filled with thermal massage couches, where people were lying, covered with a blanket. We were offered a tea by an elderly Korean lady, and after some minutes one of the couches became free. It was now my turn.

As soon as I had laid down on the warm couch and was covered, a little mechanism with jade stone rollers started moving along the spine, pressing it up a bit at certain points, rolling to and fro. At first it gave me a certain tension, but then it was more and more relaxing. Pleasant smells streamed into the plastic capsule which was put over my head. At the same time another mechanism was waruming my feet. The pressing, kneading and stretching of the jade rollers all along the spine went on for 40 minutes. Their with gentle movements were massaging the different vertebrae from top to bottom – a very vitalising and harmonising feeling.

At the end we got another cup of tea, this time by the Korean husband, who explained us a bit about his work and plans of spreading this innovative massage system, combining different therapy forms with modern technology (they have won a number of prizes with the DWZone-Master massage system) – and this at a very reasonable price.

A friend wrote me some days ago that she sometimes feels depressed and disappointed and that she has troubles in getting the equilibrium. She had read that this is related with the solar plexus centre: “Although I know it represents the balance between the soul and the body, I don’t know yet how to manage my emotions.”

A short time ago when she was feeling quite bad, she went to a doctor. The lab analysis said that she is physically healthy, and the doctor told her that she has a depression. She should see a psychiatrist or a psychologist. She didn’t want to go to any of them, but decided to go through the process alone with meditation and studying. She also was planning to do some work for needy people to overcome loneliness.

I encouraged her plan to do some volunteer activity, for helping others is a good antidote against solitude and feeling depressed. I have observed that these feelings come when you are not in the flow of life. Life wants to flow like a river, being active for others is like flowing water, being blocked within your own circle like stagnated waters. Meditation and studying alone don’t help in getting into a flow, but activity for others does. For a good flow in life the wisdom teachings recommend the triangle of meditation-study-service, and in this a meaningful activity is very important and must not be neglected.

A rhythmic routine does wonder in stabilising. Having ups and downs is very normal, like high tide and low tide. Especially on the spiritual path these fluctuations can be quite intense for some time. It isn’t a disease, but an integration process. During these processes an academic psychologist might not be the best help.

I told my friend that for stabilising emotional ups and downs the wisdom teachings recommend the use of silver. It is related to the Moon, to psyche, and to the zodiacal sign of Cancer governing the circulatory processes in the body. Silver affects sensitivity, psychic susceptibility and behaviour. It is related to the solar plexus centre and the reactive faculty of the mind. Silver in homoeopathic form (Argentum nitricum) is a remedy suited for calming the solar plexus. You also can fill water into a silver cup in the morning, keep it in a room with a current of air and drink it in the evening. Then you refill the cup, put it to the air and drink the water on an empty stomach in the morning. The water gets impregnated by the quality of the silver.

My friend answered: “l tell you that just today I’ve begun drinking the water which was during the night in a silver jug, and I feel happy, really believe me, I’m feeling well, it’s true. And besides now, nice days are coming and that makes me feel well, too. The sun is so important to me that I can’t explain you the good it makes me.”

My African friend from Congo (see the previous blogpost on Finding our Common Origin – Sanskrit and Kikongo Wisdom Teachings) just sent me a page with reflections about the veiled significance of eating: “Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who your are“. A few extracts:

In the Kongo tradition, there is an expression related to both material and spiritual nutriment. Besides, the Kingdom of Kongo is picturesquely seasoned with cooking implements, hence the frequently used expression “MAKUKU MATATU MALAMBA KONGO” (Three fireplaces serving to cook Kongo) putting forward the tasty side of full existence as concocted by Nabi Kongo (Kongo Great Initiates).

On the other hand, the following formula comes as buzz words: ” Muana Ngo Tu Dia” = We are going to eat the leopard cub”. As regards the importance attached to this animal in most African societies (representing inter alia a symbol of royalty), the above-mentioned expression evokes a situation in which an emergency solution is a must on a given fact or problem undermining life in the village; otherwise, no one is entitled to escape from the case.

From the spiritual standpoint, words generally assuming double sense in Kikongo (a matter-of-fact sense and a lofty one), this means attaining self-realisation; The Multiple must merge into the One, to reach the Buddhist nirvana, moksha, Unio Mystica or triumph over the wheel of incarnations, uplifting towards celestial spheres.”

Enjoy reading.

Buddha statue in the house of a friend

Some days ago a friend wrote me and told me about experiences at a sensitivity training seminar. There they were asked to see into the “chakras” of other participants and describe their experiences with sensing these energy centres in the human body.

The interest in subtle experiences is spreading, and many people are experimenting with the chakras. There exists a huge amount of books and courses in the “esoteric supermarket”. Though this field is very fascinating, the wisdom teachings caution very much about such “playing with fire” and advise not to focus on the chakras. It is like trying to open a flower which is still in the bud-form. It needs time and light, the flower will unfold by itself. Using force or techniques to open the flower will destroy it. I have come across people who have experimented too much in these fields and caused psychic damage to their lives. You’d better leave the development of these centres to nature and focus on doing something useful for life.

When the energy centres blossom naturally, they are described as lotuses. They give rise to a beautiful development of consciousness. You probably won’t cut them off and sell them like the merchant in a road in Pondicherry, India, January 06:

I just came across a study released in November 06 by Konica-Minolta on the “Impact of Colour” on the psychological wellbeing of employees. Each week for six weeks the colour of the office of an independent fashion recruitment agency was changed and the responses and behaviours were monitored. Six colours were surveyed in total: red, grey, blue, green, yellow and black.

(c) Konica-Minolta

Results: “It’s not just Monday mornings, rush hour or having to work late that can affect the office environment. Colour has a huge impact on the workplace in many ways and its importance shouldn’t be underestimated,” says Robert T Sethre of Konica Minolta.

Employees’ psychological wellbeing was found to be 72% less positive when they were working in a blue environment as opposed to any other colour. They were found to be less positive about their work-life balance (64%), pay and benefits (51%) and job security (40%). Blue creates greater job dissatisfaction and unrest amongst employees.

On the other hand, yellow was found to be the colour to spread a little sunshine through the workplace. The psychological wellbeing of employees with yellow surroundings was found to be 72% more positive, while 85% reported feeling more energised and focused. Employees in a yellow environment were also more positive about their work-life balance.

Fiery red stimulated passions and some employees reported feeling angrier. With black people claim to feel tougher and more macho. The highest proportion of respondents (52%) perceived themselves to be least productive in a grey office, which suggests they find it dull and uninspiring.

Grey and black howevever are the colours of most of the clothes I see here in Switzerland – what a contrast to the bright colours of the sarees in India… Have a look on the Lunar Messenger on Light and Colour if you would like to know more on the subtle effects of meditating on colours.

I yesterday read a press release by the German organisation “Target Human Rights” about a conference they had organized at the Al Azhar University in Cairo about the delicate topic of female genital mutilation (FGM). This is a crime against women practised in many African countries, regardless of religion and nationality.

For two days internationally renowned scholars and doctors discussed the topic and came to the result on November 23rd: “Female genital mutilation is a punishable crime and offends against the highest values of Islam”. Before that scholars had discussed the different theological dimensions and agreed that genital mutilation has no roots in the Islam. Then doctors had presented insights into the horrors of the mutilation practice.
At the end of the conference the Great Mufti of Al Azhar, the highest authority for legal decisions, gave a decision which equals a Fatwa, a binding legal expertise. It says that the lawmakers are asked to declare this cruel deplorable custom as a crime, which has nothing to do with Islam.
This decision is a theological sensation, for every day about 8000 girls especially in the countries of the Sahel influenced by the Islam. Hopefully this decision will help strengthening the fight for eradicating this monstrous habit.

Yesterday I came across an article in the NZZ (New Zurich Newspaper) about the missing co-operation between doctors and building biologist (in English they also use the word Baubiologie, as the word was coined in Germany). Often general practitioners don’t recognize morbid environmental influences and see the causes of unspecific functional pains as psycho-somatic diseases. The people don’t fimd themselves taken seriously and turn to paramedicals or building biologists. There is a whole spectrum of possible influences, from asbestos, radon to electromagnetic pollution, which building biologists take into account. Electromagnetic pollution, from mobiles, computer micro-waves and the like is much disputed and the pro-advocators of mobiles see the symptoms of diseases often just as existing psychiatric diseases.

In Switzerland an association of doctors for environmental protection has just been formed who is trying to sensitize medical practices in the whole of Switzerland for the questions of building biology. If you would like to know more about the spiritual dimension of buildings you might read the issue on “Body and House” (pdf) of Good Will in Action.

Some days ago I came across the website of Slowfood.com, a world-wide movement “counteracting fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes and how our food choices affect the rest of the world.”

Under the title “Terra Madre” they are organising a world meeting on food communities from 26-30 october in Turin, Italy. 1600 food communities from 5 continents and 150 countries, 5000 farmers, breeders, fishermen and traditional food producers, 1000 cooks and 200 universities will meet to share experiences and discuss the development of a new concept of agriculture and good, clean and fair food.

A very good initiative for finding new ways for better qualitative food. You might like to read the text on “Food and Drink“(PDF) from our series “Good Will in Action“.

Yesterday early morning when I just stood up around 4.40 am, my youngest son (14) stood radiating in the hall and told me he had just finished programming the four language version of the website Paracelsus – Health and Healing. He had been working on it the last weeks, and since we are leaving today for some days holidays, he wanted to get it finished – and it was, after this night’s sprint. It was the first bigger project for my son, who had acquired quite a lot of web-skills over the last two years. Last night we did some final “polishing”, and now it is ready for launch. (You might read also the blogpost on Paracelsus’ Birthplace.)

It has been a long story getting the site ready, and several friends had helped with it. The Paracelsus magazine for which the site has been made gives interesting insights about new an old knowledge about medicine and healing art in the east and west. Look here if you like to see a sample issue of the magazine.