Two important and fascinating aspects of Ayurveda are: Prakriti, the individual constitution and Nadi Pariksha, the pulse examination for diagnosis. Prakriti is not only the fundamental human constitution at physiological level, but also denotes the basic personality of an individual. People find it fascinating and are many times mystified when they are told about their basic likes and dislikes, as well as their fundamental behavioural patterns just by observing them externally. Prakriti ascertains your identity and individuality, though at a very basic level. Due to the prevalence of mechanistic view of life for the last two hundred years, all human beings are treated like machines and at the same level. Parents tell their children: Why cannot you be like your brother (or sister)? Couples tell each other: Why cannot you get dressed quickly like I do? A friend or someone in a group may be condemned for not deciding quickly or sleeping too much. Another may be criticized for eating too much or too little. With the concept of prakriti that ascertains natural variation in individuals, people get some breathing space for being and accepting what they are. Pulse is the music of life in our body. It helps us not only to diagnose our state of health but also enhances the sensitivity towards our own body. We discover that there is an ever-changing rhythm within us that gets affected with the change in our inner and outer environment. Learning about the pulse paves way for understanding of oneself and to de-mechanise the way of living. It also specifically helps those of you who lead very mind-oriented lives and are indifferent to the throbbing and pulsating 'ground reality'. Knowledge of pulse and its ever-changing rhythm help provide us the consciousness of the living element within us, thus leading an understanding of our system as an ever changing whole. The purpose of this book is to teach you practical wisdom of both pulse and prakriti. Therefore, the book has also the well planned practical exercises. It is impossible to learn these themes fast and put them in practice. They are learnt both by practice and experience and this book can lead you to gradually attain this wisdom. The wisdom of prakriti and pulse is beneficial for maintaining health and preventing ailments. This wisdom helps us to detect any diversion from health or from the natural state of being with an optimum energy level. For using it beneficially, one requires to attain fundamental knowledge of Ayurvedic lifestyle and methods to revert back from the state of vikriti (being unwell) to state of prakriti.
