Ojas is the ultimate resort of strength, patience and endurance for body and mind. Ojas is cultivated in Ayurveda for disease prevention, deep healing, rejuvenation and longevity. Ojas is cultivated in Yoga for inner strength, determination and vitality, steadiness and focus of mind and a more powerful prana for higher meditation practices. Developing Ojas is the key to warding off all diseases and pathogens and promoting rejuvenation.
Nature of Ojas
Ojas is the essence of all seven bodily tissues of plasma, blood, muscle, fat, bone, nerve and reproductive. As such, Ojas is the ultimate product of the nutritional process and holds the seed energy of the entire body. It is most connected to the subtle tissues of nerve and reproductive, indicating its influence on the mind and creative force and its ability to hold Prana. Yet is gives muscular strength and physical stamina overall.
Ojas is the higher essence of Kapha dosha, the biological water humor, which is the main nutritional support of all the tissues, most of which are Kapha (watery) in nature. Ojas protects all the seven tissues (plasma, blood, muscle, bone, fat, nerve, reproductive) from within as their essence. In addition, we posses a certain inborn Ojas, our congenital strength and vitality. This varies at an individual basis and gets reduced through the aging process. We have eight drops of the higher Ojas in the heart behind all the tissues, but it has the power to pervade the entire body, just as a single drop of sandalwood can pervade the entire body with its fragrance.
The state of our Ojas is indicated by our long term health and capacity for positive energies and stamina of body and mind. It provides the inner power to take us through challenges, difficulties and dangers, in, particularly those that are unexpected or prolonged, without wavering or losing our strength and composure. It helps us overcome toxins and pathogens of all types.
This deep seated energy of Ojas can be depleted, however, leading to the breakdown of physical or psychological immunity, loss of resistance to disease, vulnerability to toxins, and hastening the aging process. Ojas can be weakened by serious or long term diseases and injuries, but stress, overwork and malnutrition over a period of time also undermine it.
Signs of low Ojas include chronic fatigue, hypersensitivity, nervous debility, depression, anxiety, insomnia, weakness of the muscles and bones, tremors and loss of body weight. Examining the condition and strength of our Ojas is a key factor of Ayurvedic diagnosis and treatment, as proper Ojas is necessary to keep the doshas in balance, holding our organic equilibrium overall.
STUDY AYURVEDIC IMMUNITY
Learn about Prana, Tejas and Ojas in Yoga, Ayurveda & Shakti Sadhana via 8 Video Lessons from Dr. David Frawley and Yogini Shambhavi
Building Ojas
Ojas is increased mainly by nutritional factors of nourishing foods and tonic herbs.
Ojas-increasing herbs include Ayurvedic tonic and rejuvenative agents like ashwagandha, bala, shatavari, amalaki, shilajit , guduchi, and preparations like Chyavan Prash, Brahma Rasayana, Agastya Rasayana and Ashwagandha Lehyam, including certain special guggul preparations. Ayurvedic massage oils like Mahanarayan, Dhanvantaram, Balashwagandha, Sahacharadi or Kshirabala strengthen Ojas.
Relative to supporting Ojas as psychological immunity important herbs are brahmi, manduka parni, vacha, tulsi and shankha pushpi, notably Brahmi ghee. Massage oils to the head like Chandanadi aid in psychological immunity, as well as aromas like sandalwood. While spices do not directly increase Ojas, they can help extract Ojas from the food, notably turmeric, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin and cloves.
Foods for Ojas include milk, ghee, almonds, cashews, sesame (tahini), as well as root vegetables (potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams), whole grains (wheat and oats) and dals (like mung and urad dal) and special foods like lotus root or seeds. or makkhana. Coconut water helps protect Ojas at times of stress and depletion.
Prana, Tejas and Ojas
Ojas is part of a triad of subtle energies as Prana, Tejas and Ojas. Tejas, our inner vital warmth and radiance, arises out of Ojas as its fuel, like that of the fire from ghee, in a ghee lamp. Ojas is the fuel for our higher Agnis, the powers of Tejas and Tapas in Yoga, including the Yogagni.
Good Prana, the higher Vata component, is necessary to activate Ojas, which as a watery factor requires to be circulated properly. Similarly, good Ojas is necessary to sustain Prana, as Ojas can hold a deeper level of vital force, our second wind as it were. Ojas supporting the lungs and heart helps us with deeper pranayama practices and kumbhaka. Without proper Ojas to hold it, strong pranayama practices can disturb the nervous system. Ojas sustains all deeper meditation practices as it upholds both the physical and subtle body.
Ojas and Immunity Challenges Today
Disturbed electrical energies from the environment deplete Ojas, just as they deplete immunity and increase stress. This means that most of us, particularly with high tech urban lifestyles and excessive media stimulation, are living in a condition in which our Ojas easily becomes low or irregular. Many of us are ungrounded, alienated from nature, lacking in composure, and easily disturbed or irritated by environmental factors. Ojas requires upon a sattvic and disciplined lifestyle (yoga sadhana), with regular meals, exercise, pranayama, mantra and and meditation. We cannot simply imbibe Ojas from the outside, though it can be renewed through retreats in nature and rejuvenation practices.
The Covid Pandemic reflected low or disrupted Ojas at individual and collective levels, weak immunity and greater vulnerability to pathogens. If we work at strengthening our Ojas, we can protect our immune system for future challenges, such as this high tech era makes us more vulnerable to and increase with age. Strengthening Ojas remains a primary therapy for immunity, harmony and wellbeing overall. It should be considered as part of all Ayurvedic treatment.
Ojas and the Practice of Yoga
Ojas is strongly connected to the mind and nervous system and gives steadiness, attention and focus, grounding our higher awareness. Without Ojas we lack the stamina for yogic disciplines and the flow of higher yogic energies like Kundalini Shakti. That is why great Yogis put an emphasis on Ojas. Bhakti Yoga is said to increase Ojas by helping us to surrender our ego, which is the basis of weak psychological immunity. Ojas in the brain and mind sustains deep meditation. Ojas is strongly connected to the root or Muladhara or root chakra as it holds the Earth element in the body and mind. Without its grounding power the volatile energies of body and mind cannot be held or concentrated.
If Ojas is strong at a psychological level, we will not suffer from depression, anxiety, fear, anger or emotional ups and downs. We will be resistant to flattery and insult, and all the myriad attractions and repulsions of the external world, possessing our own inner contentment. Our mental energy will follow a steady calm flow like a wide river, not a quickly dispersed agitated current. We will be in control of our senses and vital urges. Developing concentration and a strong power of attention is essential for building Ojas in the mind.
Ojas is symbolized by the bull, including Lord Shiva’s bull Nandi and Indra’s bull that holds the supreme strength in the Vedas. OM represents the power of Ojas at the level of primal sound. Many are the secret powers of Ojas that we can begin to explore through Yoga and Ayurveda.
Dr. David Frawley (Vamadeva Shastri)
