Philosophy & Science of Holistic Health

Question 1

What is the concept of holistic health?

Answer 1

All aspects of an individual’s conditions are taken into consideration and seen as whole.

Physiological
Psychological
Psycho-social
Emotional 
Spiritual

Question 2

Maslows Hierarchy of Needs

Answer 2

1. Physiological Needs
2. Security Needs
3. Social Needs
4. Esteem Needs
5. Self-actualizing

Question 3

What are the 3 Yogic Principles?

Answer 3

1. Illness begins at the spiritual level and if not corrected, progresses to mental, emotional, and physical levels
2. Disease is often a last resort the body will use to wake up the patient
3. Illness and injury represent an opportunity for learning and growth

Question 4

What are the 3 stages of disease?

Answer 4

1. Sub acute ( about 10 days) = suppressed vitality due to faulty lifestyle. Characterized by continuous mucus discharges 
2 Acute ( < 3 months) = good vitality, symptoms of heat, fever, skin eruptions. 
3. Chronic (  > 3 months) = Occurs when vital force is no longer able to react against the disease so toxins & pathological changes occur in the tissues and organs.

Question 5

What is the concept of Holism?

Answer 5

Seeing everything as a whole, rather than individual parts.

Question 6

How does the concept of Holism relate to Yoga?

Answer 6

Treat students as a whole
Understand and identify symptoms and root cause
Not just mask or remove the symptoms.

Question 7

What is the difference in treating the symptoms vs. treating the cause?

Answer 7

Treating the symptoms is not only narrow minded but also a temporary solution.
When we treat the root cause, we can not only can alleviate symptoms, but cure the illness altogether

Question 8

What is Vital Force?

Answer 8

The essence of life present in all living and non-living things
It seeks harmony & balance within and without.

Question 9

How does Vital Force relate to Prana?

Answer 9

Vital Force is the essence of life
Prana only exists in living things
Prana enables continuity of evolution (past, present and future lives)

Question 10

Name the 5 major Vayus?

Answer 10

Udana Vayu - Producing Sound
Prana Vayu - Cardiovascular & Respiration
Samana Vayu - Digestion & Cell metabolism
Vyana Vayu - Muscle Function (Contraction/Expansion)
Apana Vayu - Elimination of waste

Question 11

What is the Prana Vayu responsible for?

Answer 11

Cardiac function and respiration

Question 12

What is the Apana Vayu responsible for?

Answer 12

Elimination of waste

Question 13

What is the Udana Vayu responsible for?

Answer 13

Producing sound (i.e. speaking)

Question 14

What is the Samana Vayu responsible for?

Answer 14

Digestion and cell metabolism

Question 15

What is the Vyana Vayu responsible for?

Answer 15

Muscle Function (expansion and contraction)

Question 16

What is the concept of Systemic Health?

Answer 16

Addresses symptoms not cause of disease
often applying reductionist theory
(Dividing phenomena to its simplest elements
Studying it separately) In the hope of isolating a single causative factor