Holistic healing and therapy approaches of the elements (Pancamahabhutas) for body and psyche

Ayurveda believes that whole physical creations are made of the five basic elements that is Panch MAHABHUTA this implies that the body, the prakriti of the human beings, the components of samprapti and treatment be it drug, diet or any other directly depend upon the PANCH MAHABHUTA.

charak says -
SARVAM DRAVYAM PANCH BHAUTIKAM i.e. all matter is PANCH MAHABHAUTIK

Here we have to be conscious that doshas, dhatus, garbhavakrnti in (i.e. Embryology), rasas (SHARASAS), all are affected by these. Most important BHUTAGNIS take a very important role in healing.
So, without considering the PANCH MAHABHUTA its impossible to diagnose, treat or manage or plan the drug treatment in Ayurveda as KAYAGNESHCHIKITSA KAYACHIKITSA that is the treatment of 13 agnis is the whole treatment.

Psychophysiological aspects
Susruta says -
tatra sattavam bahulam akasham (akash is sattva predominant)
sattva rajobahulam agni (agni is sattva & raja predominant)
sattva tamobahulo apah (water is sattva & tam predominant)
tamobahulo priwiriti (earth is tam predominant)

(Su.Sa.1-25)

So while considering the manas & manas prakriti of the pesent we have to be aware and conscious of these components in relating the samprapati as well as planning the management & diet.

If it is not assessed and related properly, the whole management being perfect, the result may not be positive. It is very subtle level of healing and a fine tuning at this level goes a long way in proper healing.

Tridosha and PANCH MAHABHUTA
The awareness and consideration of PANCH MAHABHUTA and its relationship with the doshas is imperative as tridosha are actually further abbreviation of this only.

- VATA - VAYU AND AKASH
- PITTA - AGNI AND JAL
- KAPHA - PRITHVI AND JAL

So the awareness of this and applications of the qualities of these while managing the healing, facilitates the success and ensures healing.

PROPERTIES OF PANCH MAHABHUTA
KHARDRAV CHALO SHNATWAM
BHU JAL ANIL TEJASAM AKASHYAPRTIGHATAM
DRISHTLINGAM YATHA KRAMAM (Ca.Sa. 1.29)

- Prithvi (earth) - kharattva (roughness)
- Jal (water) - dravattva (fluidity)
- Teja (fire) - ushnatwan (heat)
- Vayu (air) - chalattwa (mobility)
- Akash (space) - apratighat (intouchable/unbreakable)

The applicability of these qualities has to be decided by the physician as per the requirement of the situation in the healing processes.

- Akash (sound) has the quality of shabda (sound)
- Vayu (air) - sparsha (touch) and sound
- Agni (fire) - Rupa (form) - shape and sparsh (touch) and sound
- Jal (water) - rasa (taste) - and shabd sound, touch, shape and form
- Prithvi (earth) - Gandha (smell) - and sound, touch, form and taste

The importance of PANCH MAHABHUTA in management of pregnancy
These Bhutas govern the development of the fetus after zygote formation Air (vayu) is responsible for cell division, TEJA (fire) is taking care of maturity. The fluidity or moisture as aspect is by water (jal) mahabhuta. Samhanana or the compactness depends upon - earth element. Prithvi MAHABHUTA. the development per se (vivardhan) depends upon AKASH (space).

So in antenatal care proper nurturing of these individual elements is crucial in healthy development of fetus in the embryonic stage.

Shadrasas and MAHABHUTA

- Madhur (sweet) - Prithvi (earth) Jal (water)
- Amla (sour) - prithvi (earth), agni (fire)
- Lavana (salty) - jal (water), agni (fire)
- Tikta (bitter) - Vayu (air), Akash (space)
- Katu (punjent) - vayu (air), agni (fire)
- Kashaya (astrigent) - vayu (air), prithvi (earth)

So planning the diet and medication in each situation. Consciousness goes a long way in the healing process.

Bhutanis
Panch mahabhutagnis or the final level of digestive process. The diet we take is acted upon by the jatharagnis first which is most important. Then further fine action is completed by dhatwagnis, the last stage of digestion is completed by the bhutagnis. If proper bhutagnis is not there then the actual utilizable form of the dietary components is not prepared so proper nutrition will not reach the body tissues, hence will suffer from some deficiencies which hamper physiological function as well as the healing process in a diseased person.

Treatment and mahabhuta
As the treatment in Ayurveda has been conceptualized as management of KAYAGNIS the knowledge of mahabhuta is crucial to decide the drugs as ras, guna, veerya all will depend upon mahabhuta.
The diet as well cannot be properly planned without considering the mahabhuta.

To summarise panch mahabhuta after “panch panchikaran” take the physical form which are the basic elements of the body and then their qualities have been considered and relation with embryology,brasas and bhutagnis were discussedbin nutshell.
All this has to be done of course in relation to the planning of comprehensive diagnostic and dietary and drug treatment. Incidentally psychophysiological aspects of the individual in the healing process.