West Meets East: Simplifying Constitutional Diagnosis

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West Meets EastSimplifying Constitutional
Diagnosis

• Jeffrey S. Meyers, M.D., L. Ac.
• AAPNA National Ayurveda Convention
• Ayurveda for Optimum Health and WellnessAn
  Integrative Approach
• October 31, 2009

05/21/09
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Introduction
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Purpose

• Explore the role of seeing and awareness in
  structural and functional assessment of the body
  from a Western Perspectives
• Explore usefulness of somato-typology
• See how this sheds light on Prakriti
• Simplify holistic/constitutional diagnosis
• See affect on treatment regimen

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Goal
Flexibility/Balance within Environment Tridosha
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Foundations Western Holistic Models

• Holistic Models for studying biology/behavior
• Systems Theory (Bertalanffy)
• Organismic Theory (Goldstein/Angyal)
• Ethology/Sociobiology (Lorenz/Wilson)
• Evolutionary Medicine
• Non-Verbal Communication/Micro-expression
  (Birdwhistell/Ekman/Gottman)
• Consciousness Studies

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Tools

• Overview
• Observation
• Not knowing
• Embodiment

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What is Health?
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History of the BodyTime, Place, Body Politics,
and the Body Politic
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Constitutional Models

• Serve as models of how the organism organizes,
  contains, throws off, and integrates energy

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Models of Somato-typology
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Constitutional Psychology

• Ernst Kretschmer
• Related physique to behavior
• Psychotic states are directly continuous with
  normal behavior.
• William Sheldon
• 3 basic typesEndomorph, mesomorph, ectomorph
• Based on embryonic developmental layers

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Sheldons Endomorph

• Endoderm predominates
• Soft, round shape
• Dense bones, short legs
• Organs/Digestion prominent
• Stores fat
• Smallest surface area to mass
• Leads to Less sensory exposure
• Smallest CNSLess sensitive

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Sheldons Mesomorph

• Mesoderm predominatesmuscle, bone, CT
• Firm, muscular
• More rectangular shape, medium height
• Action oriented
• Tolerates fluctuating conditions
• Upright
• Insensitive

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Sheldons Ectomorph

• Ectoderm predominatesCNS
• Thin, long legs, light muscles
• Stooped
• Largest surface area to mass
• Greatest sensory exposure
• Sensitive/Nervous

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Sheldons Constitutional PsychologySummary

• Suggested types correlate with personality

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Ayurvedic Doshas

• Constitutional types correlate with doshas

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Sheldons Constitutional PsychologyContinuum
Principle
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Character-Based Models

• How organism shapes/contains excitement
• Pathological model/Based on exaggeration
• Continuum

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5 StylesParanoid/Alerted

• Hyper-alert or Fighting style/ Angular/Sympathetic
  ANS response, irritable, nervous
• Focuses easily/Picks out inconsistencies
• Creative
• Sees what others dont

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5 StylesPassive-Aggressive/Weighted

• Set, weighted
• Parasymp., pear-shaped, dense, slower
  pace/response, digestive quality
• Responds to excitement by dampening it and
  weighing it down, slows it

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5 StylesCompulsive/Rigid

• Physical traits Tense back
• Bracing against excitement, stiff, symmetrical,
  aligned
• Can be very organized, cant bend without
  cracking
• Analytical/meticulous

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5 StylesNarcissistic/Presentational

• General sense of health in tissues, muscular
  competence, confidence
• When extreme,pushes others around
• Inability to pick up on more subtle feedback in
  environment

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5 StylesHistrionic/Seductive

• Tissues or joints affected by hormonal shifts
• System cant contain amount of excitement
• Difficulty keeping even emotional or physical
  tone
• Seductive

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Other Models
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Autonomic

• Sympathetic
• Type A
• Fight or Flight
• Parasympathetic
• Type B
• Feed and Breed

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Reflex Models
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Organ System Models
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GyandromorphyMale/Female
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Structural and Functional Energetic Models
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Other Models
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Oriental Models

• IndiaAyurveda
• China
• 5 Element
• Yin/Yang

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Ayurvedic Doshas
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5 Phases/Elements
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Golden Keys Model

• What is odd, curious, or unusual? about the
  person
• Neo Worsley
• Non-traditional resonances
• What organ/constitution can explain it?
• What aspect of the patients potential is not
  being realized

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Yin/Yang6 Temperaments/Biopsychotypes

• Shao Yin/Tai Yang
• Jue Yin/Shao Yang
• Tai Yin/Yang Ming

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Assessment and Treatment

• Now What?

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• What Interests You About Your Patient Today?

4/29/07
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Goals of Treatment

• Balance organism in environment
• Flexibility/Plasticity
• Responsiveness/Vitality

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Take HomeO-N-E

• Develop your senses and intuitive skills
• Embodiment
• Not Knowing
• Become exposed to a variety of models
• Observation
• Fluid applicationRely less on pre-set models

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How can Western Somato-typology contribute to
Ayurveda?
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What Interests You About Your Patient?
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Thank You!

• Jeffrey S. Meyers, M.D., L. Ac.
• 1600 Washington Street
• Wilmington, DE 19802
• jeffreysmeyersmd_at_aol.com
• www.ProteusHealingArts.com