Yoga for Surgeons: Balancing Decision-making & Surgical Perfection Surgeons are special. They are dealing primarily with physical body and, therefore, indispensable. We may say, they deal with the Hardware and hardware has to be set right to proceed with the main work for which the hardware was made. Paediatric surgeons are even more special. They are dealing with infant children and at times newly born babies who cannot express themselves in any way. No doubt diagnostic facilities have immensely facilitated Surgeons’ work but ultimately decision-making and performing surgeries are two major tasks that 100% depend on the Surgeon’s proficiency and not the machines. How is Yoga Science relevant for Surgeons? It educates them about the three bodies – Physical, Subtle and Causal. Comparison with a Vehicle and Vehicle Driver beautifully illustrates this concept and inter- and intra-working of these three bodies. Physical body is our real vehicle and is operated by the 10 senses. Subtle body consists of Mind, Intellect and Memory plane (in brain that stores knowledge), which provides instrumentations to Causal body to guide the senses. Comparison with a Computer’s working provides clarity about Subtle body’s working. Senses work as Key Board, Mind as monitor, intellect as processor, Chitta as Hard disc and Gyaan (knowledge) as the software plus stored data on the hard disc. The three bodies have independent existence but work in close coordination with each other to provide the holistic identity of the individual. Yoga practices are essential for health and wellness of all three bodies. Having a firsthand experience of this knowledge and the way it works empowers us to deal with each and every situation in life – good or bad. If practiced regularly and sincerely, it assures: -Sound Health at physical, mental and spiritual levels; -Passion for achieving higher and higher goals; -Stress Management and Life Strategies Planning through Meditation; -Sound & Vital decisions making ability; -Energy and Creativity the whole day, -Excellence in personal and professional lives, -Upgrade life’s dreams and ultimate purpose. Three definitions of Yoga: i) Yogah Chittavritti Nirodah meaning Yoga is Managing Thought Process to Tranquility; ii) Samatvam Yog Uchyate meaning the ability to take balanced decisions is Yoga and iii) Yogah Karmasu Kaushalam meaning excellence in action is Yoga. Any Surgeon displaying these three skills will be highly successful in his/her profession and is a Yogi as well. Balancing Decision-making needs a sound Buddhi: intellect supported by required knowledge in brain memory. Meditation is key to sound decision-making. Excellence in action requires perfect physical and mental health. A Surgeon should spend few minutes of silence (meditation) to visualize the entire surgery before heading to OT, especially if it happens to be a complicated surgery. Dr. Sheinberg, an anesthesia doctor, who was among the first batch of 121 certified doctors in the US in Integrative Medicine, explains that when she meets with a patient, she conducts the standard examination and consent process. The following was reported in September 2015, Vol. 45/9 issue of Anesthesia Magazine about Dr. Sheinberg’s findings: “What I can offer differently is the connection side, the therapeutic side,” she states. “These are human beings who may have some stress and anxiety. … They’re rushed through this preoperative process, so I stop and speak to them like a human being.” Dr. Sheinberg may do a short deep-breathing exercise to manage a patient’s anxiety. Eventually she wants to use CDs to do guided meditation with patients. “I think the preoperative mental preparation is just as important as the physical preparation we make them go through.” However, Dr. Sheinberg noted that this is just the surface of how integrative medicine could affect the surgical setting. ... Much of integrative medicine is about finding therapies that are high on effectiveness and low on side effects. This is particularly important in pain management, where integrative medicine shows demonstrable benefit with non-pharmacologic interventions. Source
