One can never possibly have all the knowledge and answers to all questions. It is only when we come face up with a problem, succumb to an illness or disease, or seek a way of doing something that the answers come. It can be by way of our own research into the matter, through someone else's experience or advice from someone competent on the subject.
And so did I learn many things, each time I or my family came face to face with these problems or illnesses. I saw it as a blessing as I learned from these experiences.
The most recent was the fourth recurrence of the stabbing pain in my lower back and buttocks that ran down my right leg. When I mention it people immediately relate it to sciatica or a slipped disc. But it was neither as medically I was given a clean slate but something deeper as revealed by the Siddhas.
The very first time the pain came on was in 2011 when I was having a shower. I used to place my thumb into my mouth and massage my Uvula, which supposedly removes phlegm. And it did for me. So I made it a practice each morning after I brushed my teeth. I must have irritated it too long that it caused me to throw up. That was when I pulled my nerve. I felt a sharp pain in my lower back and buttocks that ran through my right leg till the toes, paralyzing me. I froze. I could not move for some moments. I pulled myself out of the hot shower once the nerve released its pull on me and dragged myself to my bed. I lived with the pain for some time, going to work and attending to my routine life. But it was increasingly becoming unbearable. If in the beginning, I found it difficult and painful to walk having to drag my leg behind me, soon I found it painful to even stand. I had to look for a seat. I used to lag behind my family too. But I cannot remember how I kept driving to and fro from work in the city.
Then I would crawl out of bed. Soon the pain was so severe that it woke me up from sleep. If the idea of going to bed was to get up freshen the next morning it wasn't so for me. I dreaded waking up for the pain would come on immediately.
I made my way to Dr. Krishnan, medical astrologer, and Siddha practitioner. He told me there could be three possibilities. Since my legs were not swollen he struck out any kidney problem. As I had no bleeding or difficulty in urinating he struck out kidney and bladder stones. Finally, he asked that I take an X-ray of my back to see if I had a slipped disc. Taking his advice I headed for the hospital. They referred me to the specialist. I was cleared of any problems. I was referred back to the clinic and asked to undergo physiotherapy beginning on 12 May 2011. It helped and brought some relief.
I next headed to my regular Nadi Nool Aasan to hear what Agathiyar had to say about my condition on 26 November 2011. Agathiyar brushed if off lightly telling me that the three humors in my body had run havoc, having gone out of proportion. He told me to consume Triphala, which would correct the ratio of the three humors. He told me to worship the Sun God and Lord Muruga. I immediately followed his directives.
On 4 April, feeling much better I asked to lay off the physiotherapy only to ask to continue again on 29 November after feeling some discomfort. Besides the usual heat therapy, I was told to do five stretching exercises too at home. I had been doing them regularly. I continued till 15 February 2012. A miracle took place that day. The physician asked me to do it in front of her. The moment I went into the posture and began to stretch my back, I felt as if a knot gave way in my lower back and buttocks. I cried out aloud in joy. The pain went away. I found an instant relief overcome me.
Then the pain came back in June of 2016 just days ahead of my daughter's marriage as I was busy preparing for the event. It lingered around and one fine day I realized that it had gone away.
It came back several months back as I was jumping around with my granddaughter breaking soap bubbles. As Bala Chandran and his wife had just returned from India, they came over with the temple prasad from the temples they had visited. When he mentioned he had prasad from Dhanvanthri's temple, I told him that I had an urgent need for it and mentioned about my pain. He applied the ash followed by Mahin. I was blessed to have Dhanvanthri himself come and treat me that day. I was told it was a case of excessive Vata and asked to heat up sesame oil and apply. After some time I realized the pain had gone away.
When the pain came back a couple of months back, upon me sneezing, as I was crossing the road, it was severe and exactly as I had felt the very first time. The pain ran through my back like a lightning bolt and traveled through my right leg. I made my way to my car and drove home in pain. Agathiyar told me it was a case of the Vasi or the breath gone wrong. He gave me five herbal preparations to consume and ointments to rub. While this reading was recorded and sent to me, the following day another reading was held at my home by someone else. Lord Muruga treated me and explained further. The next day he gave another reading through a friend. He recommended another ointment and herbal medicine.
I gained some clarification regarding what Agathiyar said from http://www.tknsiddha.com/medicine/vatham-pitham-kapham-tridosha/
Just as we are told what is out there is also within us, there is a distinct relationship with the external world and man.
The external air corresponds to the internal vayu; the external heat corresponds to the internal pitta and the external water corresponds to the internal kapham or phlegm. Man is thus linked with the external world and any change in the elementary condition of the external world has its corresponding change in the human organism. And it is upon this inter change of influences that the tridosha theory and the doctrines of humoral pathology are based.
According to the Siddha medicine system, the three humors, (Muppini or Mukkuttram in Tamil Siddha medicine system and Tridosha in Ayurveda system) normally occupy the lower, middle and upper parts of the body - vayu in the regions of the pelvis, the pitham in the region of the stomach and the internal viscera and kapham or phelgm in the regions of the breath throat and head.
It is interesting to note “that the characteristics of the three humors in the constitution of man are either hereditary (passed genetically, or capable of being passed genetically, from one generation to the next) or atavistic (relating to or characterized by reversion to something ancient or ancestral).”
Vayu is related to the functions of the central and the sympathetic nervous system; Pitta to the functions of thermo genesis, metabolism i.e. digestion, blood coloration, excretion and secretion while Kapha is related to the regulation of heat and the formation of the various preservative glands.
These three humors, vata, pitta, and kapha through their combined actions and the normal ratio of 4:2:1 help maintain the upkeep of the human body.
Any change in these proportions is sure to bring about disease to death, but the maintenance of their normal proportion gives vitality to the organisms and assures the preservation of health and longevity.
We refer to http://vkool.com/how-to-strengthen-nervous-system/ for a detailed explanation regarding what Lord Muruga said.
De-myelination is the loss of the myelin sheath insulating the nerves. Your brain, peripheral nerves and spinal cord pare covered by a layer of fat that is called myelin. This fat has a role in providing insulation to the nervous system and if you are lacking proper myelin or eroded, you may have to experience some symptoms of nerve dysfunction. They can be mentioned to muscle weakness, diminished vision, and inexplicable chronic pain.
To supply optical nutritional support to your nervous system, you have to ensure an adequate amount of healthy fats, and vitamin D and vitamin B12. They are all essential to keeping optimal myelin so that strengthen your nervous system health.
Lord Muruga revealed that it was his doing so that I would be forced to slow down and go within. His words surprisingly were posted by Srinatha Raghavan on Fb recently.
Relax the Body,
Energise the Nerves (Nadis),
Then the Mind too will retire, That's Meditation.
This is exactly what he wants me to do. He has asked that I go within taking up Tavam. As a recognition of the years of worship and accompanying rituals that were done, he conferred a name for our home Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia (AVM), one that I had picked many years ago. He named it Agathiyar Tapovanam Malaysia (ATM), appropriate for the next stage. We are obliged and grateful that he has brought us a step further on this long journey when he thought the time was right and we are ready to take the plunge.
It has been a wonderful journey. I was called to the path, asked to do rituals, and Siddha puja. After 17 years of adhering to the agamas, the Siddhas have asked us to go within now. With Persatuan Teman Setia (PTS) going about with its charity programs with funding through Amudha Surabhi (AS) and service towards the unfortunate provided by Thondu Seivom (TS), AVM that served as a learning center for rituals involved in Siddha Puja has taken on a new role, through ATM, that of bringing us together in meditation. Rituals will be held on a need-to basis, where devotees can carry them out if they desired.
It has always been interesting traveling this journey with the Siddhas, never for a moment letting us slip into boredom or settle for a monotonous regime or routine. The Siddhas keep creating a life full of surprises that is always changing. Our destiny is in their hands.