that particular dh a tu . If the a g n i of that kala is low, there is undue accumulation of raw dh a tu . If kala a g n i is high, the d h a tu will be emaciated.
Ayurveda says sh u kra d h a ra ka la , the kala which nour
ishes sh u kra dh atu , the male reproductive tissue and artava d h a tu in the female, is present all over the body. When one touches someone with feelings of sex, it stimulates the agn i o f that kala and activates sperm or ova. The entire body is covered by sh u kra or a rta v a d h a ra kala which produces o ja s. Too much sex depletes o ja s, which can then diminish the body’s immune mechanism.
The Sanskrit word s r o ta s or sro ta m si (plural) means channel. Every d h a tu has its sr o ta s or channel and the root of the s r o ta s is present in the kala. K ala is not an imagined, intellectual, poetic concept but is an actual membranous structure. Each d h a tu has its own intelligence which is present within that membrane. The nucleus has a mem
brane, each gene has a membrane and even each individual cell has a membrane. The membranous structure of the genes and RNA/DNA molecules have their subtle k a la s in which are carried the memories of our ancestors’ illnesses.
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M ilk nourishes shukra on the same day.
K a la means time. When food is eaten, a h a ra rasa (chyle), the food precursor for cellular nourishment, is pro
duced within six to eight hours. Within 24 hours immature once in a month. Milk is the highly superfine essence of the rasa d h a tu of the cow and milk is transformed into sh ukra within 24 hours. Hence, an Ayurvedic su tra says, “M ilk nourishes sh u kra on the same day.”
Every organ has a mucous lining that maintains the nor
mal function of that particular organ and this lining is also kala. These mucous membranes are protective coverings.
When hot. food is eaten— for example, hot cayenne pep
per or curry pepper— it stimulates the production of hydro
chloric acid, the kala of the stomach dissolves and, in dissolving, stimulates more production of k led a k a kapha.
Within three to six hours a new mucous membrane lining, called sh le sh m a d h a ra kala, is formed. S h lesh m a means kapha. So the gastric mucous membrane, sh le sh m a d h a r a kala, produces gastric mucous secretion, which is kledaka kapha. This process is true for any kala.
The colon mucous membrane functionally corresponds to the periosteum. It is the colon mucous membrane which
Secrets o f the Pulse
have strong ja th a r agn i but weak d h a tu a gn i and this condi
tion can directly create am a in the dh a tu .
The root of all disease is weak a g n i which leads to the form ation of am a and there are many causes for its develop
ment. A m a develops whenever the function of agni is impaired. For example, whenever incompatible foods are ingested, ja th a r a gn i will be directly affected and am a or toxins will be created from these poorly digested foods.
Hyperactive agn i also affects the digestive process through overcombustion, and emaciation and lowered immunity result.
The kala in the gastrointestinal tract maintains the func
tion o f ja th a r a g n i and the functional aspect of d h a tu a g n i is maintained by d h a tu kala. There is functional integrity between the kala in the GI tract and the kala in the dh atu . If j a th a r a g n i is low and am a is produced, that am a can go
into the d h a tu and affect the d h a tu agni.
A m a is created by the malfunction o f any d h a tu kala.
For example, am a is created by the gastric mucous mem
brane when it is not properly secreting digestive enzymes and k led a k a kapha. The agn i is low and am a will be formed.
A m a is not always created in the stomach. It can be created in the colon because of constipation or in the individual d h a tu because of low dh a tu agn i or infection. A m a can be created in the liver or gallbladder because o f repressed emo
tions such as anxiety, insecurity, nervousness, fear or anger.
This condition is called mental am a stored in the d h a tu or * organs. Ayurvedic herbology discusses how each herb has a specific action on each dh a tu a gn i or k ala. For example, ginger stimulates rasa d h a ra kala, m anjishtha works on rakta d h a r a kala, ashwagandha activates m am sa dh a ra k a la , kutki acts on m eda dh a ra kala. There is a logical order in Ayurvedic anatomy, physiology and herbology.
Sea son a l Tim e
Time is movement, both within and without. The rota
tion o f the earth and its movement about its axis are respon
sible both for sunrise and sunset,, creating chronological time, and for the seasons, creating seasonal time. The
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son is called rutu. In Ayurvedic literature there are 6 basic ru tu s in the year: vasanta, g rish m a, varsh a, sh a ra d a , hem anta and sh ish ira . Each season has specific qualities that can influence the bodily trid o sh a . For instance, spring increases kapha d o sh a , may stimulate p itta and can normal
ize vata, as shown in the illustration below. The qualitative seasonal variations can produce qualitative d o sh ic changes in the pulse. So one can pay attention to the season by read
ing and experiencing the excited, increased, decreased or normal spike o f the do sh a .