In daily life I find myself subconsciously referring to the Boy Scout law, a modern rasayana from my youth: A Boy Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent. As a boy growing up in a small town in Iowa I memorized these words, not fully realizing their deeper meaning and implications. As I've gotten older - and a little wiser - they have stayed with me and helped guide my behavior.
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 means we experience a lack of fulfillment of desires: some unhappiness. Behavioral rasayanas are prescribed whenever there is depression or 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.
 |
|
Behavioral Rasayanas
Ancient Prescription for a Simpler Life by John C. Peterson, M.D. |
- Be unconceited, well-mannered and simple in 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.
- Be nonviolent and calm. Violence begets violence.
- Abstain from alcohol and immoderate behavior. Everything in moderation!
- Observe cleanliness - not necessarily "squeaky clean," but comfortably clean.
- Be charitable. When we are kind to others, Nature is kind to us.
- Be respectful to teachers and elders. All human behavior is learned and humans are social animals. The flow of knowledge from generation to generation takes place more smoothly in an atmosphere of respect.
- Be loving and compassionate.
- 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 positive in outlook, but avoid positive thinking when you're not really feeling that positive. This can create a conflict between the mind and the rest of the physiology.
- Be self-controlled and follow the precepts of your spiritual beliefs.
- Practice transcending 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. 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.
Dr. John is a board certified family
practice physician with 15 years' experience practicing Ayurvedic medicine
in Muncie. For more information call 765/286-5087.