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About this Course

This course is based on the books ‘Ṛtu Vidya’ and ‘Women & Sabarimala’ by Sinu Joseph. This course uses the framework of women’s menstrual health to revive the Bhāratiya Jñāna Paramparā. In the process of explaining the ancient science behind menstrual practices, this course will introduce you to various Indian knowledge systems such as Ṣaḍ-Darśana, Āyurveda, Tantra, Cakra, Yōg, Āgama Śāstra, Jyotiṣa Śāstra, and several sub-texts from these categories. As a result, the course goes beyond just describing cultural practices and takes a deep dive into explaining the scientific and logical reason behind the origin of these practices and how it impacts our physiology. As explained in this course, the correct understanding of the science behind menstrual practices will help women prevent menstrual difficulties, develop a positive attitude towards menstruation, and learn how to work in sync with nature’s cycles.

One of the Sanskrit words for menstruation is Ṛtu (pronounced Rutu). Vidyā is Hindi for knowledge. The author, Sinu Joseph’s attempt to combine numerous indigenous knowledge systems that offer knowledge on the science of menstruation, which is still relevant today, is called “Ṛtu Vidyā.”

This course is intended for all Indian women who have unresolved questions about menstrual practices, menstrual researchers who will discover a wealth of potential areas for research pertaining to menstrual health, athletes who want to learn about ancient techniques that worked with women’s periods rather than against them, and feminists who believe that cultural practices surrounding menstruation are taboos that should be eliminated.

Important note: This is a self paced course. Here, you can access the videos as per your convenience, from anywhere, any time. No regular live sessions by the instructor will be happening that you have to attend in allotted time and date.

 

Course Information

Duration: 25 hours
Level: Introductory
Medium: English
Delivery: Online
Contact Details: cis@indusuni.ac.in

 

What You’ll Learn

① The origin of ancient Indian knowledge systems and their basis, which will provide an introduction to the Ṣaḍ-Darśanas and Āyurveda and how it differs from modern science.
② The science behind celebrating menarche and the need for it.
③ The science behind the menstrual regime, which includes menstrual seclusion, specific dietary recommendations, bathing, cooking and other rules as followed by Hindu women during menstruation, and how it impacts our menstrual health.
④ The impact of sports on menstrual health and how sportswomen can tap into a more profound knowledge which will enable them to improve their performance without having to suffer menstrual and reproductive health issues.
⑤ The influence of the moon, sun and other planets on the menstrual cycle.
⑥ How to recognize the gifts of each week of the monthly menstrual cycle, which can transform your outlook on it.
⑦ The science and reason for menstrual restrictions in religious places, especially Hindu temples, and the impact of breaking those rules.
⑧ Details of the temples of menstruating Goddess – Chengannur Bhagavathy temple in Kerala and Ma Kamakhya temple in Assam.
⑨ The Sabarimala controversy, the science behind the restriction, and how such a temple can affect women’s menstrual health.

 

What You’ll Get

① Videos of high quality, of around 25 hours, instructed by Sinu Joseph.
② Special guest interactions with subject-matter experts, interviewed by Sinu Joseph.
③ Special insights into the fieldwork of Sinu Joseph through photos and video clips of interaction with rural women, which formed the basis of this work.
④ Reference materials such as online links and books for further study.
⑤ Quizzes which will make you learn faster and more thoroughly.
⑥ Indus University certificate to certify that you have gone through and passed this course.
⑦ Interactive sessions with the instructor from time to time.
⑧ Projects where you can indirectly engage with Sinu Joseph’s endeavours.


Refund Policy: Since these courses are available at subsidised rates, there is no provision for refund once you have enrolled for a course. In case you are not able to attend the course due to any unforeseen circumstances, we can accommodate you in a different course in lieu of the course you originally enrolled for.

Special Bulk Discount: We are offering a special discount for large groups of students from educational institutions. If you would like to avail this discount, kindly send us an application to cis@indusuni.ac.in with the relevant details about your institution.

 

Course Curriculum

Part - 1
Preparation for the course 00:00:00
Lecture 1: What do we mean by ancient sciences
Welcome to Lecture 1 00:00:00
To Start You on Lecture 1 00:00:00
1.1 An overview of the Presentation 00:00:00
1.2 What does Indian Ancient Sciences mean? 00:00:00
1.3 Understanding the core of India’s Ancient Sciences 00:00:00
1.4 Decoding Indian Ancient practices through Āyurveda 00:00:00
1.5 Did other nations have similar ancient sciences? 00:00:00
1.6 Ancient indigenous science vs. modern science 00:00:00
1.7 The Role of Rural Grandmothers in Preserving India’s Ancient Sciences 00:00:00
1.8 A Glimpse into the Indian Systems of Philosophy 00:00:00
1.9 What is Sāṃkhya Darshana 00:00:00
1.10 A Detailed View of Sāṃkhya Darśana 00:00:00
1.11 Pramāṇas: Proof of knowledge 00:00:00
1.12 What is the Yōg sutra of Patanjali about? 00:00:00
1.13 How does the Citta work? 00:00:00
1.14 Bahiraṅga Practices: The five steps of Aṣṭāṅga Yōg 00:00:00
1.15 Antaraṅga: The three steps of Aṣṭāṅga Yōg 00:00:00
1.16 What is Nyāya Darśana? 00:00:00
1.17 What is Vaiśeṣika Darśana? 00:00:00
The Guest Interaction: Chapter 1 00:00:00
RV Quiz 1 Unlimited
Lecture 2: Menarche: The need for celebration
Welcome to Lecture 2 00:00:00
To Start You on Lecture 2 00:00:00
2.1 What is rtu kāla saṃskāra (menarche ritual)? 00:00:00
2.2 The Practices Associated with Menarche 00:00:00
2.3 Menarche: Through the Lens of Modern Medicine & Native Sciences 00:00:00
2.4 Influence of a Woman’s Attitude on her Experience of Menstruation 00:00:00
2.5 Traditional Diet Recommended During Menarche 00:00:00
2.6 The Science Behind the Menarche Diet 00:00:00
2.7 Antioxidants: Menstruating Women’s Best Friends 00:00:00
2.8 What causes Oxidative Stress? 00:00:00
2.9 The Impact of Oxidative Stress on Menstrual & Reproductive Health 00:00:00
2.10 How Āyurveda Understands Food? 00:00:00
2.11 Food as Therapy in Āyurveda 00:00:00
2.12 Decoding the Finer Nuances of Menstrual Seclusion 00:00:00
2.13 What is Prāṇa? 00:00:00
2.14 Menstruation: A Route to Experience Prāṇa 00:00:00
The Guest Interaction: Chapter 2 00:00:00
RV Quiz 2 Unlimited
Lecture 3: Rajaswala Paricaryā
Welcome to Lecture 3 00:00:00
To Start You on Lecture 3 00:00:00
3.1 An Overview of Presentation 00:00:00
3.2 Perspective on Menstruation: Rural Women v/s Modern Women 00:00:00
3.3 The Signs of Healthy Menstruation 00:00:00
3.4 Reflection of Āyurveda in Cultural Practices 00:00:00
3.5 Āyurveda & Rajaswala Paricarya 00:00:00
3.6 Menstruation & Sapta dhātu 00:00:00
3.7 What are Tridoṣa? 00:00:00
3.8 Menstruation in Vāta Prakṛiti Women 00:00:00
3.9 Menstruation in Pitta Prakṛiti Women 00:00:00
3.10 Menstruation in Kapha Prakṛiti Women 00:00:00
3.11 Study on Rajaswala Paricaryā 00:00:00
3.12. Understanding the Notion of Menstrual Impurity 00:00:00
3.13. What is Āmā? 00:00:00
3.14. Methods to counter Āmā & Reduce Menstrual Discomfort 00:00:00
The Guest Interaction: Chapter 3 00:00:00
RV Quiz 3 Unlimited
Lecture 4: Menstrual Huts of the Gollas: A Case Study
Welcome to Lecture 4 00:00:00
To Start You on Lecture 4 00:00:00
4.1 An Overview of the Presentation 00:00:00
4.2 Who are the Gollas? 00:00:00
4.3 Voice of the Gollas 00:00:00
4.4 Menstrual Seclusion: A Joint Decision by Men & Women of Golla Community 00:00:00
4.5 Menstrual Hut: What Golla Women Need? 00:00:00
4.6 Why is a ban not the right answer? 00:00:00
4.7 A Practice Revealed as a Taboo In India ‘Transforms’ into a New Exotic Discovery in the West 00:00:00
RV Quiz 4 Unlimited
Lecture 5: Menstruation In Sports Women
Welcome to Lecture 5 00:00:00
To Start You on Lecture 5 00:00:00
5.1 An Overview of the Presentation 00:00:00
5.2 Menstruation in Vāta Prakṛiti Sports Women 00:00:00
5.3 Menstruation in Pitta Prakṛiti Sports Women 00:00:00
5.4 Menstruation in Kapha Prakṛti Sports Women 00:00:00
5.5 Menstrual Disorders Among Sportswomen 00:00:00
5.6 Injuries Among Sports Women 00:00:00
5.7 Āyurveda’s Understanding of Amenorrhea, Oligomenorrhea and Injury 00:00:00
5.8 Dysmenorrhea Among Sports Women 00:00:00
5.9 Āyurveda’s Understanding of Dysmenorrhea 00:00:00
5.10 Menorrhagia Among Sports Women 00:00:00
5.11 Ayurveda’s Understanding of Menorrhagia & Anemia 00:00:00
5.12 PCOS Among Sports Women 00:00:00
5.13 Āyurveda’s Understanding of PCOS 00:00:00
5.14 The Side-Effects of Period Postponing Pills & Hormonal Contraceptives 00:00:00
5.15 The Solutions Native Sciences have to Offer from Ayurveda and Indigenous Martial Arts for Modern Sports Women 00:00:00
5.16 Preventing Over-Exercising and Building Endurance as per Āyurveda and Kalaripayattu 00:00:00
5.17 Diet for Sports Women as per Āyurveda and Kalaripayattu 00:00:00
5.18 Sports Medicine: Kalaripayattu v/s Modern-day Sports 00:00:00
5.19 “Menstruation – a hidden advantage for sportswomen” 00:00:00
RV Quiz 5 Unlimited
Lecture 6: Celestial Influence On Menstrual Cycles
Welcome to Lecture 6 00:00:00
To Start You on Lecture 6 00:00:00
6.1 An Overview Of The Presentation 00:00:00
6.2 The Celestial Influence On Menstrual Cycles 00:00:00
6.3 Jyotiṣa Śāstra 00:00:00
6.4 Influence of Moon on Menstrual Cycle 00:00:00
6.5 Influence Of Sun: Solstice & Equinox 00:00:00
6.6 The Influence Of Mars On Menstrual Cycles 00:00:00
6.7 The Prediction Of Menstrual Date 00:00:00
6.8 The Plotting Of Menstrual Dates 00:00:00
6.9 DIY Exercises To Understand This Lecture In Depth 00:00:00
RV Quiz 6 Unlimited
Lecture 7: Ṛtu cakra and Ṛtu cārya
Welcome to Lecture 7 00:00:00
To Start You on Lecture 7 00:00:00
7.1 The Gifts of the Menstrual Cycle 00:00:00
7.2 What Causes Menstruation to Occur? 00:00:00
7.3 The Play of Hormones 00:00:00
7.4 Menstrual Cycle from The Perspective of Āyurveda 00:00:00
7.5 Earth’s Fertility Cycle 00:00:00
7.6 Āyurveda on the Play of Seasons 00:00:00
7.7 A Study on Effect of Ṛtu on Bala 00:00:00
7.8 Modern Menstrual Products and Hygiene 00:00:00
7.9 Menstrual Products Used by Rural Women 00:00:00
The Guest Interaction: Chapter 7 00:00:00
RV Quiz 7 Unlimited
Part - 2
Introduction to Part 2 00:00:00
Lecture 8 (A): How Do Hindu Temples Impact Menstruation?
Welcome to Lecture 8 (A) 00:00:00
To Start You on Lecture 8 (A) 00:00:00
8.1 An Overview of the presentation 00:00:00
8.2 Para Vidya and Apara Vidya 00:00:00
8.3 How do Hindu Treat Women? 00:00:00
8.4 Comparison of India’s Treatment of Women with that of Other Nation 00:00:00
8.5 Hinduism as Religion 00:00:00
8.6 What is the Idea of God According to Hindus? 00:00:00
8.7 The Concept of Reincarnation in Hinduism 00:00:00
8.8 The Concept of Mokṣa 00:00:00
8.9 The Concept of Karma 00:00:00
8.10 Dual Paths of Mokṣa 00:00:00
8.11 How Did Temples Come into Being? 00:00:00
Lecture 8 (B): How Hindu Temples Impact Physiology
Welcome to Lecture 8 (B) 00:00:00
To Start You on Lecture 8 (B) 00:00:00
8.12 How did Tantra understand the process of reaching Mokṣa? 00:00:00
8.13 Hindu Temples: A Path to Connect with the larger abstraction. 00:00:00
8.14 Types of Temples 00:00:00
8.15 Yogic and Tantric Systems to understand cakras 00:00:00
8.16 Ida & Pingala Nadi from the perspective of modern science 00:00:00
8.17 Types of Temples for Bhukti and Mukti 00:00:00
8.18 How did we lose the knowledge of rituals at Temples? 00:00:00
RV Quiz 8 Unlimited
Lecture 9: Sabrimala’s Restriction on Women in the Reproductive Age
Welcome to Lecture 9 00:00:00
To Start You on Lecture 9 00:00:00
9.1 An Overview of Presentation 00:00:00
9.2 Background of Sabarimala Case 00:00:00
9.3 ṣaṭ cakra Temples 00:00:00
9.4 Sabrimala Temple: Its Impact on Women’s Reproductive Health 00:00:00
9.5 The Condition of Women Who Visited Temples During Menstruation 00:00:00
9.6 Places in the World Restrict the Entry of Women 00:00:00
9.7 The Influence of High Altitude on Women’s Reproductive Health 00:00:00
9.8 The Impact of High Altitude on Native People 00:00:00
9.9 The Impact of Chanting Particular Mantra 00:00:00
9.10 Brahmcarya from Indic View 00:00:00
The Guest Interaction: Chapter 9 00:00:00
RV Quiz 9 Unlimited
Lecture 10: Temples: Chengannur and Kāmākhya
Welcome to Lecture 10 (A) 00:00:00
To Start You on Lecture 10 (A) 00:00:00
10.1 Menstruating Devī at The Chengannur Bhagwati Temple 00:00:00
10.2 Chengannur Bhagwati Temple: Liberation From The Reproductive Health Issues 00:00:00
10.3 An Occurrence Of Red Colour In Devī’s Cloth 00:00:00
10.4 Kāmākhya Temple: Significance of Devī’s Menstruation 00:00:00
10.5 The Legend Associated with the Kamakhya Temple 00:00:00
10.6 Who is Ma Kamakhya? 00:00:00
10.7 Overlapping Of Sinu Joseph’s Periods With Ambubachi Mela 00:00:00
10.8 The Spiritual Significance of Menstruation 00:00:00
Welcome to Lecture 10 (B) 00:00:00
To Start You on Lecture 10 (B) 00:00:00
10.9 Menstruation: An Outcome Of Indra’s Curse On Women? 00:00:00
10.10 Menstruation: A Route For Bhukti & Mukti 00:00:00
Welcome to Lecture 10 (C) 00:00:00
To Start You on Lecture 10 (C) 00:00:00
10.11 An Overview Of The Presentation 00:00:00
10.12 Menstrual Restrictions In Christianity 00:00:00
10.13 Menstrual Restrictions In Islam 00:00:00
10.14 Menstrual Practices In The Reformist Religions 00:00:00
RV Quiz 10 Unlimited
Concluding Message 00:00:00
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