Pondering World Views

I struggle with the western neuro-anatomical perspective because I see a gap between functionality and a practical holistic application which I see as the root of the breakdown in our present system as the supportive perspective for modern psychopharmacology. In the Yogic-Āyurvedic perspective, one is able to experience the various philosophical concepts in one’s own body. With ‘awareness,’ we learn to be observers to these processes. I live in a world view that is primarily about observable phenomenon, where my terminology refers to observed and felt processes not inferred concepts and theories that a scientist tells me.

This view has an important impact on practice. The western psychobiology perspective presently understands the Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to regulate stress and relates to various disorders such as generalized anxiety. The implication of this perspective leads to various CBT techniques that don’t need to acknowledge soul and it validates creating medicines that manipulate the brain’s neurochemicals.

In Chinese Medicine, Kidney meridian holds deep seated anxiety from fear and shock, the Heart meridian is more generalized anxiety from emotional indigestion and the Liver meridian is anxiety caused by unprocessed anger. From a psychological perspective, what would be the difference between having anxiety and thinking my amygdala is going off line compared to my Liver chi stagnating? The difference shows up in the treatment that goes along with the theory- the amygdala needs neurotransmitter inhibitors while the Liver chi stagnation needs a particular set of Chi Gong, some herbs and activation of some pressure points.

In Āyurveda, stress is created by factors which imbalance vāta (which is a phenomenological state of the body-mind). In this way, vāta shows up as hyper aroused nervous system (rajas) seen through quickly moving thoughts, fast or scattered speaking, restlessness of the eyes, as well as digestive disturbances, poor circulation, and dryness of the skin. By using techniques to slow down the mind and ground it in the body/present, improve digestion with herbs, nourish the skin with oil and touch, practicing particular yoga āsana and breathing techniques the body supports the mind to process unbalancing psychological material. This leads to more awareness of the embodied state and builds long term resiliency in the body-mind to handle stress.

As human beings, we live in a culture that ‘educates’ us to believe a certain theoretical framework for perceiving ourselves. Western culture has a tendency to believe the latest theories of its scientists as facts, often without questioning the deeper implications, superficiality, or how quickly modern theories change. The perspective we use to make meaning of our embodied experience has an impact on how we treat ourselves. The more integrated the perspective the more holistic the treatment.