:: June 2006 Volume 5/Number 4

Journey to Ayurveda Special Section:

Conference by the Sea
Where Science Meets Consciousness and Ayurveda meets tomorrow.

By Julie Deife

The 1st International Conference on Ayurveda “Where Science Meets Consciousness” debated the current status of Ayurveda in India, revealing how and why Ayurveda should move into the 21st century while tending to its roots and traditions to ensure its authenticity.

A mood of excitement pervaded the grounds of the Sterling Resort in Mahabalipurum, in the state of Tamil Nadu, where more than 600 delegates gathered for four days of spirituality, learning and community - all centered on the art and practice of Ayurveda. Sterling is a super-deluxe facility on the site of ancient grounds which are peppered with rock carvings from the time when it was a impromptu gathering place for artisans. It is located on the Bay of Bengal less than 100 yards downshore from an ancient temple that survived intact the full force of the deadly tsunami of 2004. The resort proved to be the perfect microcosm of what Punarnava Ayurveda, an Ayurvedic consulting group, sought to achieve in organizing this conference. Ancient meets modern, tradition merges with innovation and a beautiful work of art materializes and takes on life.

Conference planners set out with a far-reaching vision and fulfilled it by gathering world authorities in Ayurveda and unleashing them to expound freely on their favorite subjects: Dr. Deepak Chopra on consciouness; Dr. Robert E. Svoboda on spirituality; and Dr. Hari Sharma on science. They came because it was a rare opportunity to talk directly to the young Indian Ayurvedic physicians and soon-to-be Ayurvedic physicians about the amazing progress - and opportunity - world-wide in the field of Ayurveda.

In India today, training in Ayurveda colleges generally includes training in allopathic medicine as well. There is more money and prestige in becoming an allopathic physician than an Ayurvedic physician, so many new doctors simply practice allopathic medicine instead of Ayurveda when they graduate. There are few standards in place which distinguish to the public, who’s who in the world of healthcare. Because Ayurveda was banned during the Raj (the 200-year period in which Britain occupied and ruled India), the Indian public no longer chooses Ayurveda as the number one healthcare option. Today allopathic medicine is number one.

The conference organizers combed the Ayurveda schools across India for student delegates, offering scholarships often including transportation. Over 200 students listened in rapt silence first to Deepak Chopra, one of their own, in his eloquent stream-of-consciousness style not only discuss consciousness itself, but emphasize the importance of their Ayurvedic studies and career choices for the future. Chopra uncharacteristically lingered long after his allotted time, departing only after he had answered all questions raised.

Top: Priests who conducted temple ceremonies every morning are honored on the last day of the conference. Middle: Conference participants dined on traditional Indian food served in non-traditional elegance outdoors. Bottom: Experienced physicians as well as Ayurvedic physicians in training attend general training. Opposite page: Beach at the Bay of Bengal, conference site. In the background is the ancient Shore Temple.

Inviting three keynote speakers technically from the U.S. was a potentially risky move. “How do you enhance the image of Ayurveda in the minds of those who are studying and practicing Ayurveda?” said Dr. J.M.Sampath, one of the conference organizers, explaining the logic of the decision. And indeed, established Ayurvedic physicians in attendance voiced skepticism about Chopra before he took the stage, uncomfortable with his Armani suit, the well-known financial success he’s achieved through the promotion of “their” science (Chopra is actually an endocrinologist) and just downright skepticism as to whether he knew what he was talking about. Few had read his work and even fewer had ever heard him speak. Afterward it was a different story. The lunchtime buzz was full of complimentary comments such as “Chopra quoted exactly from Charaka!” or “He is explaining what Ayurveda is on the plane of pure consciousness!” It no longer mattered that he had arrived and departed in a limousine while many of them had traveled for days by bus from the far reaches of India.

Dr. Svoboda, a native Texan and internationally recognized Ayurveda expert, captivated the audience through his thorough knowledge of Ayurvedic texts and perfect Sanskrit as well as his command of various dialects of Hindi, humor and his active participation in the daily pre-dawn Dhanvantari homan. Because his style is one of a storyteller, the audience was able to grasp sometimes difficult concepts through metaphor. Dressed in traditional Indian clothing while on stage, Svoboda related that Ayurveda conferences are actually part of the tradition of Ayurveda, and that at the beginning of the Charaka Samhita (one of the seminal Ayurvedic texts) there is mention of a forest conference. Ayurvidyas would gather with no agenda, invested only in figuring out the right way to do things. Moving Ayurveda into the 21st century, he assured us, is only part of the natural progression of Ayurveda. Ayurveda, he said, continuously reincarnates in humans, and when we begin looking at what it takes to become a good vehicle, that’s when the study of Ayurveda begins.

For those Ayurvedic physicians and students who gravitate more toward left-brain explanations, Dr. Hari Sharma from Ohio State University, College of Medicine and Public Health, captivated the scientifically inclined with a power-point presentation illustrating, among other weighty topics, why the unified field of quantum physics is consciousness awareness, no other than atma as presented in the Vedas. Student pens couldn’t move fast enough and the other 400 older delegates fell into aural absorption mode, knowing perhaps that they would need to listen to the recording of his presentation later to grasp it all.

While keynote speakers were brought in to reinforce the global emergence of Ayurveda in addition to the knowledge and insights they could impart, conference organizers selected Ms. Sarada Von Sonn a student of Dr. Svoboda and also from the U.S., to talk on Swasthya: Abiding in One Self Through the Waves of Samskara. She provided a contemporary focus on ecological restoration through the use of these concepts. The students, in particular, were impressed that this young American woman was far better versed in Sanskrit knowledge and chanting than most of them.

There was no lack of illustrious Indian speakers covering such topics as: Vedantic Inputs in Ayurvedic Healing; The role of Sanskrit language in understanding Ayurveda; and one particularly insightful talk given by Sri. P.R. Krishna Kumar titled Need for Health purification for creating a healthy world through Ayurveda. Still, delegates didn’t sit glued to their chairs the entire conference. We were at the daily Dhanvantari homan by 4:30 A.M., attended cooking classes, had private consultations, practiced hatha yoga and watched demonstrations of treatments. Traditional Indian breakfasts and lunches were served outdoors. After dinner we attended plays, talent shows and concerts and visited far into the night with new friends from all over the world.

It seemed like there was neither an end to all that could be learned, nor to the beauty and authenticity of Ayurveda presented. Fortunately, maybe there isn’t, since the talks can all be listened to on a CD ROM. In India, one does not need to worry about the high tech end of the culture holding its own; in fact, we departed as industry-giant Satyam software arrived for their conference. Through the work of devoted Ayurveda practitioners and organizations such as Punarnava Ayurveda, I left confident that Ayurveda will be globalised and in doing so, its authenticity will remain intact.

Ayurveda - Where Science Meets Consciousness was organized by Punarnava Ayurveda; Indeco; Ayurveda Medical Assn. of India; and All India Ayurveda Congress. CDROM available at www.punarnava-ayurveda.com.

 

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