Chaturmas: Time To Strengthen Inner Healing

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Posted: Wednesday, July 20, 2011

by Dr K K Aggarwal
Heart Care Foundation of India

The "Chaturmas" begins on the Ekadashi in the month of Ashadha and ends with the Ekadashi in the month of Kartik and has got both spiritual and health implications said Padma Shri and Dr B C Roy National Awardee Dr K K Aggarwal, President Heart Care Foundation of India and MTNL Perfect Health Mela. It’s a period when no marriages and auspicious functions are held.

Four months of monsoon are called holy months of the year or chaturmas coincide with many festivals.

Chaturmas start with Guru Poornima, a festival to worship your teacher.

Next comes is month of Shravana, in which Mondays are worshiped for Lord Shiva. The Narali Poornima in this month marks the end of heavy rain and the throwing of the coconut in the sea appeases the sea and it calms down. Nag Panchami and Gokul Ashtami are part of this month.

Bhadrapad is the next. The first half is dedicated to the worship of Ganapati, the lord of removal of obstacles and the second half to shrads when religious ceremonies are held in memory of the departed souls. The month of Ashwin starts with the "Navratri" through Dussher to Dewali. Kojagiri Purnima in this month is the bright Purnima. The last two days of Ashwin and the first two days of Kartik are usually the days of the Diwali festival. The Ekadashi in the first half of the month of Kartik marks the end of the Chaturmas.

The days of monsoon are not usually healthy days. For doctors it is a healthy season as they get a large number of patients.

Health implications

· In the monsoon all the three doshas as per Ayurveda (movement, metabolism and structure) are vitiated.

· Vata aggrevation is the main in rainy season leading to movement disorders.

· Light diet and less oily food is advised, as digestive power is weak.

· Weak digestive also leads to stomach upsets.

· Ground worms come to the surface and contaminate underground and surface vegetables.

· Community feasts, marriages, social functions, gatherings are therefore prohibited in this season.

· River water gets contaminated

· Observance of regular fast counteracts these unhealthy conditions.

· Snake come open and snakes bites are common. Nagpanchmi represents not to kill them unnecessarily as most of them are not poisonous.

· Green leafy vegetables are avoided in the Shravan month, Curd in Bhadrapad, Milk in Ashwin and Pulses (split variety) and oils in Kartik month.

· In rainy season Vata dosha is aggravated. Green vegetables aggravate vata and hence are avoided. · In Bhadrapad month pitta is accumulating and hence pitta producing foods are avoided (curd and fermented foods).

· In Kartik the kapha dosha accumulates and hence hence oils are restricted.

· In allopathy vata is movement, pitta is metabolism and kapha is structural functions.

· One should abstain from tea, coffee, sugar, rice, wheat etc and avoiding garlic and onion as it can stimulate unnecessary excitements and cause indigestion.

· Chaturmas is the time to meditate, read spiritual scripture, and strengthen inner immunity by meditation.

· In Chaturmas the negative thinking and emotions are common due to vata imbalance and hence most agreements and important celebrations are avoided during this period.
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)
» left by J Prism from Mumbai 1 year 254 days ago.
There is legend about Lord Vishnu because of which usually Hindu Marriages do not take place during Chaturmas.
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