Science today has discovered that human body has an energy field that surrounds and permeates the body, which is referred as the “Biofield”. This biofield is also believed to have electromagnetic qualities.
In Indian yogic philosophy, it is known since ages
that human body is not just the physical body we see, instead it is composed of
5 bodies or layers imbibed in each other to make it a complete whole living
entity.
Panch Kosh or the 5 bodies:
The 5
bodies or layers
range from the dense organic
body to the more subtle levels of
emotions, mind and spirit. The
physical body cannot exist without contact with the other koshas. The 5 bodies are as
under:
- Annamay kosh – Sthul
Shareer or the physical body
- Pranamay kosh – Prana
Shareer or the ethereal body
- Manomay kosh – Mann
Shareer or the mental body
- Vigyanamay kosh – Karan
Shareer or the causal body
- Anandamay kosh – Anand Shareer or the bliss body
Amongst these 5 bodies (collectively referred as panch kosh) our immediate concern here is for the second sheath i.e., the Prana Shareer or the “Pran”. Throughout history, it has had many names and been described in many ways. It is the “Pranamay kosh” or the “ethereal body” or the electric body or the “chi” in Chinese. It is the same “life force” or “the vital force” or “the vital principle” or “dynamis” of which Hahnemann has referred to in his Organon of Medicine. The term “vital force”, first appears in the 5th edition of the Organon of Medicine published in 1833. In the 6th edition, the same is changed to “Vital Principle”. This was the first introduction to the medical world (other than Yogic philosophy) of the rational concept of life itself.
Pran (The Vital Principle) -
Pranamay kosh or the Pran Shareer is the energy sheath which is the second of the five layers, or sheaths, of the body and is said to be composed of prana or the life force energy. As such, pranamay kosh is the vital shell of the body that contains life. The existence of pranamay kosh is what differentiates the living from the dead. All living things have this integrated force that maintains and directs life by supporting all biophysical and biochemical processes.
The body and tissues are not life, but they are channels through which life functions. It is the reason why despite knowing the composition of each and every component of a cell, modern biochemists are still not capable of synthesizing a living cell by combining those chemical ingredients in the laboratory.
Yogic
texts tell us that Pran flows through 72,000 nadis, or energy
channels, in the body, that make up the pranamay kosh. Out of these three are
important - the Sushumna, Ida and Pingala, which compose the Kundalini System. These 72,000 Nadis interconnect the spinning energy centers,
or chakras that collect, transform and distribute the energy. Even though the
form of this sheath is subtle, it is very similar to the form of the physical
body. The pathways cannot be seen anatomically but the existence of some of
them seems to have been proved indirectly by using acupuncture needles tipped
with radioactive phosphorus.
Pranamay kosh is what unites the body and mind. Pran enters the body via nourishment and breath. As such, an important way of working with pranamay kosh is to perform Pranayama, or breathing exercises. These are believed to have a positive effect on the energy system of the body. Breath is said to be the link for body, mind and spirit.
Pranamay kosh, like all the other koshas, is interactive and dependent upon the other layers
of the body. As such, working with pranayama can also positively influence
other koshas. Similarly, performing asanas, although considered to primarily
influence Annamay kosh (the physical body), will also have a positive effect
on pranamaya kosh.
Vital Force and the concept of Health, Disease and Cure:
Hahnemann
categorically said that spiritual vital force is immaterial energy capable of
permeating the entire material organism and is powerful to coordinate all the
functions of the human body to preserve the health of the person. He clearly
stated in his Organon that diseases do not originate on the physical level. The
cause of illness lies in the vital force. In aphorism 12, Hahnemann says, “It
is morbidly affected vital force alone that produces disease…” The derangement of the vital force occurs first
and as a result of that our physical body becomes ill. Symptoms are only secondary changes – products of a deeper disturbance. They
can only occur when there is a disruption in the energy
field of the Prana, for which Hahnemann used the word “derangement”. Illness causes holes and cracks in the ethereal body,
through which negative energy can come in, for this reason, we are not able to
absorb the best of the universal energy within ourselves.
But
the above applies only in cases of non-miasmatic diseases. In, “The Chronic
Diseases” Hahnemann clearly mentioned that in case of chronic diseases
(those caused by a “chronic miasm”), the vital force alone cannot extinguish
the disease. Hence it requires medicinal help (anti-miasmatic remedies) for its
cure.
Homoeopathic
remedies have a materialistic look but they have an immaterial action. Homeopathic
medicines do not work materialistically on the physical body, but rather
energetically on the dynamic level; on the prana shareer. It fills the
gaps and the cracks in the prana sharer as a result of which the person is
again protected from negative energy. When the dynamic level heals, this
healing also extends to the physical body. Only the real simillimum can
perfectly restore the energy of the dynamic level and can lead to complete
healing.
In the
evolution of mankind, we find ourselves in a transitional period between the
materialistic and the spiritual methods of treatment. The healing method that
fits best into this transitional phase is Homeopathy. And our duty as
homeopaths for the future and for the new age to come is to contribute to the
unification of humanity and provide a better healthcare system.
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