Autism and Varma Therapy

Welcome
Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have a critical need for treatments that will help their child. They recognise their child’s special gifts and qualities. At the same time they want their child to live more comfortably within society, to have friendships, to be happy, and to be able to have fulfilling lives in adulthood. Parents dedicate enormous amounts of time to treatment programs that are designed to assist with developing and improving the social and communication skills their child will need throughout their lives. Every success, no matter how small, is a breakthrough, a cause for celebration.
With our growing awareness and use of complementary medicines from non-mainstream traditional systems, parents may wonder if there are alternative therapies available that can help their child. And indeed there are. Traditional medicines and therapeutic treatments have formed the central body of medical practice for thousands of years in Eastern countries. Increasingly they are being integrated into the Western medical system. Widely known examples of these include ayurveda, acupuncture, yoga, kinesiology and energy psychology. However, these are only the tip of the iceberg. Literally, thousands of traditional therapies and medicines from around the world have been used with great effect throughout the ages. Many of these are still practiced today, mostly within their countries of origin.
From the knowledge developed within one of the leading traditional medical systems, a new treatment for children with ASD has been developed. It is currently being used in India and Malaysia, and great success stories are beginning to emerge. This treatment method is called Varma Therapy and it origins can be found in the ancient Siddha medical sciences of India. It has received little exposure in Western culture to date, as there has been no clear platform for its introduction until now. However, with the increasing uptake and application of traditional medicines and healing systems, Varma Therapy is beginning to receive the attention and recognition it deserves.
Varma Therapy involves the activation of energetic vital points in the body through gentle massage. This massage technique influences the body’s subtle energetic system and balances the electrochemical functioning of the brain and central nervous system. The varmam technique taught in this book has been specifically designed to help children with ASD. The beauty of this therapy is that parents can

safely and effectively give this therapy to their own child at home. It is easy to learn, non-invasive, and drug free. It provides parents with a loving, hands-on method for helping their child.
This pictorial self-help guide has been written to allow parents, children and the wider community to utilise the therapeutic benefits of Varma Therapy. Read with an open mind and a sense of hope. The practical techniques described in this book are both highly empowering and effec

Foreword
This book contains time-tested practical wisdom from ancient Indian Siddha science, the mother of all medical systems, including the well-known ayurveda. It reveals information on how to manage and treat autism using the Siddha science of Varma Kalai (the art of life force manipulation). The author of this book, Sri Pranaji has brought traditional knowledge pertaining to autism into the modern arena in a systematic and practical way. Through the Siddha Applied Science Institute (SASI), he has pioneered the use of energetically enhanced Siddha therapies to cure diseases. I applaud Sri Pranaji in being a unifying force of Siddha knowledge, through travelling to India and working with traditional Siddhar physicians to bring this ancient wisdom to light. He has walked against the norms to reveal secret knowledge of varmam to the world through this book. The book provides the reader with a non-invasive, effective, system for improving the lives of autistic children. The book is a must-read for parents, physical therapists and any person who has the heart to help these special children.
As a close affiliate of SASI and a student of Sri Pranaji, I am privileged to have been able to both contribute the herbal section of this book and be asked to write this foreword. As a medical scientist and molecular virologist, I have great faith in the ancient systems of the Siddhars and have been blessed to have been trained and gifted with ancient manuscripts on Varma Kalai, alchemy and Siddha medicine. In both my past experiences and current research on varmam, I am tremendously impressed by its practical content, which is derived from the sacred knowledge of the brain, closely guarded secrets of the Indian spiritual lineages of the Siddhars, and their practices in enhancing human brain function. I have used this method of Varma Therapy to treat autistic children with high success rates and have trained many parents in these techniques.
It is with great happiness and thankfulness that I commend this book - a modern gem on the subject of autism treatment.
Surej Aloysius(CEO, Cittar Herbals Integrated Pvt. Ltd., Varma Kalai Researcher, Former Faculty for Varmam, SASI, Former Research Scientist with the Indian Government)

Content
Foreword
Welcome
Siddha medicine - the roots of varmam
Vital points and energetic pathways in the body
What is autism spectrum disorder?
What are the causes of ASD?
Neural transmission and the synapse: the brains information superhighway
Alterations in neural transmission in children with ASD
How the science of varmam sees ASD
Varma Therapy - Practical section
Practice overview
Massage method
Part 1 - Therapy for the first 3 months
Part 2 - Therapy from 3 months onwards
Quick reference guide Part 1– Therapy for the first 3 months
Quick reference guide Part 2 – One month to a year
Absentia Varma
The current practice of varmam
The history of Siddha medicine and varmam
Siddha medicine history
Prehistoric period
Medieval period
The Siddha System of Medicine
Siddha medicine
Varmam
The origins of varmam
The anatomy of varmam
Varmology and sports medicine
Herbs used in Siddha medicine for the treatment of conditions similar to ASD
Additional links on varmam
References

Content
Foreword
Welcome
Siddha medicine - the roots of varmam
Vital points and energetic pathways in the body
What is autism spectrum disorder?
What are the causes of ASD?
Neural transmission and the synapse: the brains information superhighway
Alterations in neural transmission in children with ASD
How the science of varmam sees ASD
Varma Therapy - Practical section
Practice overview
Massage method
Part 1 - Therapy for the first 3 months
Part 2 - Therapy from 3 months onwards
Quick reference guide Part 1– Therapy for the first 3 months
Quick reference guide Part 2 – One month to a year
Absentia Varma
The current practice of varmam

Acknowledgements
I would like to thank the Siddha Applied Science Institute and Pranashakty students who have contributed their time and expertise in the making of this book. I am grateful to those who have contributed to sections of the text - Surej Aloysius (Cittar Herbals expert and former medical research scientist with the Indian government), Lin Foley (support worker for special needs children and freelance health writer in Australia), Jenny Foley (senior research scientist with the Australian government) and Thineswary for the graphics.
My special thanks go to Master Raj, Kumar, Masha and Abd Alaziz Saad for promoting this art and to Divya Ayer and her son for the fantastic images demonstrating the therapy technique. I would like to thank my family members who sacrificed their time helping me, especially my wife Thanaletchume and my children Thaniesyh and Sree Tanusyaa. I am forever indebted to my Guru and father, Sri Parasuraman, and my mother Muniamah for the knowledge and the spirit that I carry in this life, and to all my masters the 18 Siddhars behind this knowledge.

Autism & Varma Therapy
ISBN 978-967-12764-0-2 [Print book]
ISBN 978-967-12764-1-9 [eBook]
Copyright © 2014 Sri Panaji
Published by
PERSATUAN SIDDHA VARMA KALAI MALAYSIA
11A Lorong Markisah 14A
Taman Markisah
14000 Bukit Mertajam
Pulau Pinang
Tel: 010-5325011
Email: varma@siddhainstitute.com
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning or other – except for brief quotation in critical reviews or articles, without the prior permission of the copyright owner

Varma Therapy - Practical section
Varma Therapy is an easy to learn holistic healing therapy specially designed for children who are diagnosed with ASD. Varma points are stimulated to clear energetic blockages and restore healthy distribution of energy within the brain and to the rest of the body. This improves brain function, speech, motor activities and general health. It is a safe therapy that can be done at home, requires no special equipment, and will compliment any other treatment the child is receiving.
Practice overview
Varma Therapy is divided into two parts. Part 1 takes three months during which eight different varma points are massaged every day, preferably morning and evening. These points are found at the base of the neck, at various spots along the spine, above the collarbone, near the hipbone, and on the sole. During this time, some basic improvements of symptoms should become apparent. Part 2 begins after three months and can take from one month to one year. In this part, a further six varma points are massaged. The varma points are found on the face, underneath the jaw, on top of the head, at the base of the throat, and on the side of the body. Part 2 can be done on its own or in conjunction with Part 1. The therapy concludes after 12 months. After this, no further improvements are to be expected.
Massage method
Before commencing with the massage, locate the exact position as shown in the images accompanying the varma points (See Part 1 and Part 2 below). To calculate the amount of pressure needed the following procedure needs to be done. First measure the length of the last phalange (tip of the finger). The depth to which pressure is to be applied is ¼ of the length measured. Use gentle pressure on bony parts, especially on the spine. If possible, ask the child if the amount of pressure given is comfortable. If the child is unable to communicate, look for signs of discomfort. The pressure should never cause any pain.
Most points are stimulated using the pads of the index, middle and ring finger. Each point is to be massaged for 5-10 seconds in a circular motion using mild pressure. After each circle, release the pressure briefly before doing another circle but do not lose contact with the skin.

Massage using index, middle and ring finger

Vital points and energetic pathways in the body
How is it possible to alter my child’s brain function by massage?
Many traditional medical systems utilise knowledge of the body’s energetic pathways to treat energetic imbalances and illnesses. For example, Chinese acupuncture/acupressure, which has some similarities to Siddha varmam, utilises knowledge of the energy meridians of the human body. Acupuncture and acupressure have been validated and are increasingly being used within the modern medical framework. Brain function has been measured using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) while stimulating various acupuncture points and specific and largely predictable areas of brain activation and deactivation occur1,2,3. Likewise, Energy Psychology utilises techniques from acupressure, yoga, qi gong, and energy medicine that teach people simple steps for initiating changes in their inner lives. It works by stimulating energy points on the surface of the skin which, when combined with specific psychological procedures, can shift the brain’s electrochemistry to help overcome negative emotions, habits and behaviours4.
Integral to the Siddhar’s medical knowledge and descriptive terminology is their understanding of the body’s energetic system. They found that ‘life energy’ flows through energy channels (nadis) within the body and gets boosted at vital points within the body (varma points). There are three major nadis (dasa nadis) and 72,000 minor nadis located within the body. The nadis act as conduits, providing all the cells of the body with a constant flow of energy thereby maintaining health and balance throughout the body. The varma points lie dormant within bones, nerves, veins, muscles, joints and inner organs and are found either deep within the body, or at the surface. There are 108 varma points, and 70 of these are concentrated between the top of the head and the navel. Disruption of energy flow through these nadis and varma points can lead to sickness. The disease or ailment does not need to occur at the point of blockage but can occur at other, seemingly unrelated, locations within the body. The Siddhars discovered that the energy flow can be manipulated by applying pressure directly on the varma points and massaging in a defined pattern. This causes a shift in the energy dynamic of that area of the body. Blows or strikes to the points can interrupt the energy flow while gentle pressure restores or enhances previously interrupted energy flows. In Varma Therapy, a working knowledge of these vital points is used to balance the flow of energy within the body to treat and prevent illnesses.
Varma Therapy for children with ASD is a specifically designed program, where targeted varma points are stimulated through massage to clear energetic blockages, regenerate and rebuild connections, and restore distribution of energy within the brain. Improvements are seen in brain, speech and motor activities. Overall levels of health are improved. Sensory and motor divisions of the nervous system are improved, along with oxygen intake and distribution within the body, strengthening internal organs (heart, lungs, liver, gallbladder and spleen). In addition to the basic therapy program provided in this book, additional varma points can be stimulated based on the condition of the individual child, for example, varma points related to eye sight can be stimulated for a child with sight impairment. Children suffering from cerebral palsy also respond well to Varma Therapy.

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