The Judy Stein Junkyard Dog Web Site

Ancient Healing Art
Exploited for Profit

As a medical doctor who also offers Ayurvedic therapies, I was pleased to learn that pitcher Brent Mayne of the Kansas City Royals feels that Ayurveda has helped his game (page one, Sept. 19). Your readers should know that "Maharishi Ayurveda" is merely an attempt to name and claim an ancient and universal system of medicine for purposes of profit.

Although I was educated and trained in Western medicine, I have found many patients prefer the gentler effects of these herbal and diet-based remedies. I have studied at major Ayurvedic centers in India and lecture to Ayurvedic physicians in Delhi and throughout the world. It is clear that the ancient Ayurvedic teachings decried the use of this healing science for excessive personal gain of the physician.

Maharishi's influence on Ayurvedic medicine is roughtly equivalent to Bill Graham's importance to Western medicine. Nobody in India doubts or criticizes the work of Maharishi as a religious figure, but "Maharishi Ayurveda" makes about as much sense as Billy Graham Natural Vitamins or Dalai Lama Herbal Pills. It's a brand name of a company and not a system of Indian medicine.

Modern Indians, like modern Americans, regularly make use of technologies provided by Western medicine. I always give my patients standard medical evaluations. It is important for your readers to know that the vast majority of Ayurvedic practitioners world-wide are devotees of good health, not the good yogi from Rishikesh. It seems your reporter got a good pitch, but not from a baseball player.

Scott Gerson, M.D.
Director
Ayurvedic Medicine of New York
Arya Vaidya Sala Ayurvedic College
Kottakal, India

Original post: Subject: "A brand name...not a sytem of Indian medicine"
Date: Mon, 12 Jul 1999 13:16:09 -0500
From: "Andrew A. Skolnick"
Organization: MindSpring Enterprises
Newsgroups: alt.meditation.transcendental,sci.skeptic