Conquering Epilepsy With Maharishi Vedic Approach To Health
by Alex Kachan

Epilepsy is a tough health disorder. These of you who have it know. I was diagnosed in 1990, during my military service in the Israeli army when I began having sudden seizures, which would make my body shack violently, lose control over my bladder and leave me unconscious for hours. As a result I was dismissed from service but although the fatigue and tension associated with military life have ended, the disease kept on. My EEG, though, was normal. The CT scan revealed nothing unusual and so my doctors could not identify the cause. Seizures have come from time to time with no warning and occurred in many embarrassing locations and circumstances. I was treated with different drugs, Depalept, Dantoin, Lemictal, at different doses, having different side effects ranging from mild schizophrenia to anxiety and anger episodes. I did not like it, to say the least, but no other choice was available. I had to pay the high cost of my drugs, take them regularly, try to ignore the side effects and to conduct a normal life style (although an automobile license as out of the question). At the age of 20 I was not into any of the “new age” trends; conscious of holistic, natural healthcare alternatives. I was not familiar with herbs or vitamins supplements. Western medicine was all I knew. 

A transition came unexpectedly in the summer of 1992 when I decided to learn the Transcendental Meditation technique, a simple form of meditation, which had concrete scientific evidence for wide range of health benefits. The practice requirement--20 minutes twice a day--was not a problem and I decided to give it a try. It was easy, very calming and I did sense some improvements in my general well being soon after I learned. My mother and two sisters (12 and 15 then) followed me and learned the technique a month later (so now it became a family thing!) From the scientific perspective, TM, so I have learned, creates very deep state of rest in the physiology, which then naturally enable the release of deep-rooted stress and fatigue. On the mind, the practice creates coherent brain wave activity that is the basis for coherent brain and nervous system functioning. From the personal subjective perspective, I was just enjoying the relaxing effect of my daily meditations. Intuitively, I felt that this new addition to my life style had very good effect on minimize my Epileptic seizures. I also took advantage of Residence Courses, a weekend long meditation program designed for gaining very deep rest. The extended meditation program, the interesting lectures, the Yoga postures, the vegetarian food and the company in these courses enriched my life and made so much better. I loved it!

In these Residence Courses I learned about Ayur-Veda, India’s famous science of health and life, which Maharishi had restored and made easy and practical for the common western person to use. Maharishi Ayur-Veda was my key for restoring perfect health. I have incorporated its sensible principles to my daily life: early to bed and early to rise, lacto-vegetarian diet (which I went on gradually), avoiding foods and drinks which agitate the mind (“Rajasic”) and clog the body (“Tamasic”) and regular daily Transcendental Meditation and yoga practice. The result, my seizures became less frequent and less intense. Significant improvements were sustaining full bladder control during seizures and that the side effects from my medication became less apparent. My general well being-emotionally, mentally and physically-increased ten-fold!

The mind is naturally drawn towards anything that is pleasing to it and so in summer 1995 I enrolled as an undergraduate student at Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa. This accredited academic institute was founded by Maharishi in 1971 to bring to modern education a missing element: the development of higher states of consciousness in the student--the development of his/her full mental, emotional and intellectual potential. In MUM the twice-daily practice of the Transcendental Meditation program is an intimate part of the curriculum and in my opinion that was the greatest aspect; the whole curriculum was designed to maintain and promote the student’s health. Besides “traditional” subjects like Mathematics and literature, the students were made familiar with Ayur-Veda, Vedic psychology, Jyotish (Vedic astrology) and other subjects that make a young person understand life more deeply. Health, according to Maharishi, was not understood as only the absence of disease but rather as a state of enlightenment, fully developed human consciousness-and as a fundamental aspect for success in life-material as well as spiritual. Isn’t success why we go to school after all?

In Maharishi University of Management I had the opportunity to have a medical consultation with a western M.D. trained in Maharishi Vedic Approach to Health together with a Vaidya, an Ayur-Vedic expert from India. They have given me through recommendations that have included diet, daily routine, purification procedures and herbal preparations. I have started to take the herbs together with my western medication, as these Ayur-Vedic formulas act up on the physiology more like a food rather then rapidly active chemical. These ancient formulas of herbal medicine are created by using the whole plant rather then isolated active ingredients (as in western medication.) Besides treating the problem they promote the overall well being and health of the mind and body. I also liked the fact that these herbs are grown organically but not in farms in a monoculture system but in the wild, in India, in huge areas that are used only for herb growing and preserve biodiversity. They are also hand picked on specific times in the day and year, according to cycles of nature as described in the Ayur-Vedic texts and go through very precise preparation to ensure quality and potency.  As a student I noticed almost immediately that my memory, comprehension and concentration became better. Also my elimination- a very important aspect of healthy physiological functioning- became more regular and through. Compared to my western drugs and their side effects, the side benefits from the Maharishi Ayur Veda products were very refreshing.

Another leap forwards in terms of my health and personal evolution was learning the TM Sidhi program, an advanced form of the TM technique. Whereas the regular practice of TM unlocks and removes stress, the TM Sidhi program develop (based on that) and maximize mind/body coordination and produces inner experience of contentment and happiness, bubbling bliss. Evident by more then 600 scientific research papers, both create and greatly enhance orderly psycho-physiological functioning. To ease and relief mental health disorders such as Epilepsy there is nothing better than that! I’m talking from a personal experience. The TM Sidhi program that includes the technique for Yogic flying made me a new person: it stabilizes a constant state of inner happiness, greater alertness, creativity and….. just the joy to be living. It made me so much balanced.  

Due to the regular meditation, ideal daily routine, the intake of herbs and other modalities of Maharishi Vedic Medicine I am now free of seizures for more then a year. I cannot say I am cured from Epilepsy, that is the nature of this disorder, but I am free of my western medication for more then six month now. I am taking only Maharishi Ayur Veda herbal preparations that include Amrit Kalash, an herbal masterpiece that is also a very powerful anti-oxidant. These herbs help me to keep away Epileptic seizures and be in my best mentally and physically. Everybody who tries to guess my age says I look like 24-25 years old but I am 32. When I compare my self with others at my age I find that my health is better, I have way more creativity, vitality and organizing power then them. I am also much more happy and optimistic about life, have much more good luck and able to get alone with people in a way that make them my friends. 

Having all these benefits in my personal life I made Maharishi Vedic Medicine also my profession and today I have a wonderful job in one of the leading Ayur Vedic health spas in the world: the Maharishi Vedic Health Center in Lancaster, Massachusetts. This center offers the Maharishi Pancha Karma program and rejuvenation programs to purify and reverse the process of disease and aging. One of most effective and revolutionary modalities being offered here is the Maharishi Vedic Vibration Technology (MVVT) that treat chronic disorders. Being the Doctor's assistant, I can see again and again how this profound approach for human health creates health were disease was established and bring out the knowledge of maintaining and promoting it in simple ways. Judging from my own experience and of the so many who have benefited from it since Maharishi brought it out, it works!

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