Written by Pavan Kanwar
At present it is the opinion of many people from a variety of backgrounds that the health of human society, and as a result the environment, is in a precarious condition. To investigate this view we can use the tools that Ayurveda provides us with. Using the model of Ayurvedic anatomy it is possible to analyse the current situation in terms of diseases across human society, by viewing society as a single organism. Thereby it is also possible to give a prognosis for society, corresponding to the stage of advancement of any disease.
Ayurvedic Anatomy
According to Ayurvedic anatomy, the human body consists of 7 main substances or tissues (dhatus) arising from each other in the order as follows:
1. Skin/Plasma
2. Blood
3. Muscle
4. Fat
5. Bone
6. Brain/Nerve
7. Reproductive and Immunity
There are 3 important aspects of nature which also make up an essential part of this model, known as Agni, Vayu and Soma. They have a relation to the great trinities which are evident across cultures, e.g. Father, Son and Holy Ghost or Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. Nutrition in its most general form is called Soma, and it flows through the above dhatu system under the direction of Agni, or digestion in its most general form. Soma is associated with wetness or the property to sustain (the basis of Kapha dosha or the biological water humour), and Agni is associated with heat or the property to change (the basis of Pitta dosha or the biological fire humour). The flow which is a product of these 2 is known as Vayu (the basis of Vata dosha or the biological air humour), and is associated with mobility. It is obvious that all these 3 aspects are essential for life.
According to Ayurvea, diseases arise when Agni and Soma combine in an unhealthy fashion, i.e. too hot and too dry. This disturbs the healthy balance of the doshas and creates toxins (Ama) in the digestion. The dry element corresponds more to the toxic part of a disease, and the heat element corresponds more to the penetrating power of a disease. Here instead of Soma flowing through the 7 dhatus of the body, we have disturbed doshas and Ama penetrating the dhatus which cause diseases. The exact nature of the disease depends on various factors such as the initial dosha environment, the source and strength of the hot and dry combination, and the level of penetration through the dhatus. The deeper into the dhatus, the more severe the condition.
Correspondence to Society
The entire earth can be viewed analogously to the human anatomy with a similar disease aetiology. The various kingdoms of nature can be the dhatus, the great flows of nature like that of air, water and the weather can represent the circulatory channels (srotas). In fact, the doshas operate in exactly the same way as with the human. Human society viewed as a single organism also has a similar anatomy. Society has its circulation systems, its various physical structures of support as dhatus etc. Currently our life-styles are increasingly out of touch with nature which disturbs the natural functions of Agni and Soma. This causes indigestion at the level of society, and can lead to disease conditions from a presence of excess hot and dry. The hot element relates to the over-activity, competition and aggression that is prevalent today as we are constantly searching for something due to our disconnect with nature, including our own nature. This corresponds to an excess of Rajas (quality of activity) heading towards Tamas (quality of inertia). The discontentment that is bred from this unnatural life-style leads to a lack of peace and happiness as evidenced by the wide-spread depression prevalent today. Peace and happiness are an important form of nutrition or Soma for our mentality, and when this is missing we feel dry.
Therefore it is not surprising that we currently have a thirst for the over-consumption of Soma as nourishing water in the form of excessive consumerism and food (mainly of the lower form as white sugar, soft drinks etc.), to avoid the hot and dry conditions of disease. However, this type of Soma is not thirst quenching or ‘wetting’ due to its poor quality (it is more like Ama) , and it also has the effect of trapping us in a vicious circle, as the Agni generated by it is once again Rajasic and Tamasic. Generally it requires a purer form of hot and dry to cure diseases such as corrective fevers, or therapies involving natural forms of hot and dry that help to correct the Agni and reduce Ama in the system. Examples of such therapies are the use of herbs, appropriate life-style and diet, meditation techniques etc.
Human society as a whole can be modelled by Ayurvedic anatomy as follows:
Skin/Plasma – Superficial Structures such as Buildings. This forms the outer and most visible form of society, acting as the first line of shelter, much like the Skin and Plasma in the human body.
Blood – Transportation Systems. These systems circulate components of society to where they desire to be or are required, which is similar to the function of Blood in the human.
Muscle – Military/Police/Legal. The self-defence and protection aspects form the connection.
Fat – Material Assets and Reserves. This represents the ability of a society to nurture and support itself, and thus resembles the role of Fat.
Bones – Institutional Structure. This is the basis upon which society functions and is structured. Bones also provide such a structure in the human.
Brain/Nerve – Administration and Communication. This is the decision making and information disseminating aspect of society.
Reproductive/Immunity – Ability to Reproduce and Survive as a Species. An aspect of the Military can be included here as well. Leading thinkers and reformers help with immunity and survival as well, due to their ability to change and improve.
The ecological environment can be seen as the food or initial Soma source, and work (as industry or commerce) can be seen as the Agni. Vayu would then be the movement of the food through the dhatus via work.
Illnesses of Human Society
Looking more specifically at disease conditions, when toxins reach for example the Fat dhatu and its quality begins to deteriorate, it can leak or spread into other parts of the body. In this case we often see excess cholesterol or sugar in the blood which is associated with conditions like heart disease and diabetes.
For a society the equivalent of the Fat dhatu leaking across the body and attacking its various systems is when the Reserves aspects start to circulate incorrectly. The Fat dhatu can be seen as becoming toxic if there is an over-production and over-consumption of Reserves due to a lack of contentment. This is like a toxic form of Soma which produces Ama (toxins) in the Fat dhatu. At a society level, the over-consumption of Reserves represents the toxic Fat entering into other parts of the society via consumption. For instance over-consumption of Reserves can lead to the over-development of the Transport element in terms of cars and planes, and depletion in other areas. This can be likened to diabetes where excess sugar (cars and planes) enters the blood (Transport), causing poor circulation and nutrition across the body. It can also be likened to cholesterol and heart disease, as the excess planes and cars can cause congestion in the circulation and Transport. The exact nature of any disease would depend on the overall nature of the toxic hot and dry present, as well as the doshas of the society as a whole.
When the Fat dhatu (Reserves) goes towards the Bone (Institutions), we can typically see Kapha type of arthritis. At a society level this would be equivalent to over-development of Institutions and their associated cumbersome function. Vata type of arthritis is due to insufficient lubrication in Bone tissue (joints), and can be due to a generally low level of Reserves leading to the under-consumption and under-development of the Institutions.
Prognosis for Human Society
As regards human society as a whole in the context of the toxic hot and dry factors mentioned earlier, the toxic heat led element is responsible for the mass infections associated with excess Pitta (as Agni/heat has penetrating power) we have recently seen, and some that are probably yet to come. It also explains the aggressive and penetrating actions such as the many wars that are prevalent. However this element has probably not yet reached the stage where it has attacked the Nerve dhatu, i.e. the ability for the administrative aspect of society to think and act sensibly about wars across society (though they are obvious exceptions), and also it does not seem to have seriously affected the Reproductive dhatu, i.e. ability to reproduce and survive as a species. The deepest dhatu most affected is still probably the military or Muscle. We can say that we did suffer from a corrective fever in this respect in the form of the World Wars (and similar other actions), but as yet they do not seem to have been pure enough in hot and dry to cure these diseases.
The toxic dry led element has caused wide-spread depression, and one of the results of this can be the cancer class of diseases (associated with mental stagnation and depression). We can see uncontrolled growth of industry and consumerism which is attacking the healthy aspects of our society much as a cancer (e.g. our environment, food, individual health and happiness etc.). It does seem to have penetrated up to the Nerve dhatu, as most administrations do not either accept it or do much about it. It also currently seems to be headed for the Reproductive dhatu, as it is threatening the survival of our species in the not too distant future.
We have to hope for a fever at the level of society level in the form of purer hot and dry for a cure. The question is, will we be able to withstand it if it does in fact come, or will it be toxic enough to destroy the Reproductive dhatu and thus the present human kingdom.
