NATUROPATHY
Naturopathy is the drug less healing system, which is an art and science in itself. Nature cure indeed has originated from Ayurveda, the science of longevity. Medicatrix naturae (the healing power of nature) is the prime principle of Naturopathy. The individual is treated as a whole and emphasis is laid on finding the cause (tolle causam) and causing no harm to the client.
Naturopathy harmonises human’s existence at all planes viz., physical (bhautika), mental (manasika), moral (naitika) and spiritual(paramarthika) of existence. Thus Naturopathy promotes health, prevents infirmities, cures illnesses and restores balance. The main principle of Naturopathy is to cause no harm to the patient and to heal the patient within. In this, the patient is treated, not the disease. This is the best cure available specifically in long term chronic diseases.
The basic difference between nature cure and other systems of medicine is that of the holistic view of an individual within his environment as against particularistic view of other sciences of medicine. Nature cure believes in taking into account all the factors affecting an individual’s health; his mind, body, spirit and also the person’s relation with the environment both social and natural. Environmental factors like weather, pollution, workplace, lifestyle, food habits, sleep, sexual indulgences all these influence the normal functioning of body and may make it morbid, weak and toxic.
The five elements(pancha mahabhutas) are all present in the structure and physical formation of the human body. These elements are manifestations of consciousness and represent specific types of energy. Space is expansive omnipresent and comparable to nuclear energy in modern science. The fire element is penetrating hot and radiant energy; water is chemical energy. Earth is physical and mechanical energy. These energies exist even at the cellular level and hence striking a balance between these elements is important.
Accumulation of toxins and negativities in nadis and connective tissues at subtle and gross levels, originated due to unhealthy lifestyle, poor diet, excess or less sleep, poor digestion etc is the primary cause of disease. Our ancient systems of medicine, be it Ayurveda, Naturopathy & Yoga accentuate elimination of toxins accumulate, creating awareness, harmonising with nature and restoration of health.
Nature cure in India was revived by translation of Louis Kuhne’s book “New science of Healing”byu Shri D Venkat Chalapati Sharma in 1894. Gandhiji himself was influenced by the Adolf “Just book “Return to Nature” and he was a firm believer of Nature cure. Gandhiji advocated Naturopathy as the best healing system and resided at Nature Cure clinic of Dr Dinshaw Mehta for quite some time. Commemorating this the National Institute of Naturopathy, popularly known as the Bapu Bhawan is established at Pune.
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