continued from last issue
Allen describes the miasmatic potential as “an invisible and unseen thing, yet we see the effects of its presence in the organism long before any change of tissue takes place.”
One of the downfalls of homeopaths today is that, for fear of appearing “unscientific” to the rest of the medical community, and because of lack of understanding of the theory of the chronic miasms and of the vital force, they tend to ignore them. Yet it is these exact concepts that make homeopathy a superior and advanced system of medicine.
If we equate the terms “vital force” and “prana,” Hahnemann’s philosophy can be explained and understood. The miasms have often been described as permanent distortions of the vital force. For example Sarkar defines miasm as a form of deranged dynamis in which the vital force, working under adverse circumstances, fails to maintain normal function, and thus produces the symptom complexes we call diseases. From the yogic point of view we can say the miasms create distortions in the pranic field with consequent disturbances in the functions of prana. Miasmatic affections at the deepest levels result in imbalanced concentrations of energy in the chakras so that the basic functions of prana may become hyperactive (rajasic) or underactive (tamasic) as dictated by the subtler controlling forces within the dynamic hierarchy of the human being.
Prana and its functions can be disturbed by a number of exogenous factors also, and when this occurs, conditions are created in the organism that can simulate miasmatic states. The major vehicles for taking prana into the body are the breath and food. Therefore, defective breathing habits may result in deficient intake of prana, as will also a diet poor in essential nutrients. Environmental pollution and rancid or impure foodstuffs may cause accumulation of toxins that can lead to blockage of the nadis, thus obstructing the proper movement of prana. A sedentary lifestyle and lack of daily exercise can also lead to sluggish and inefficient distribution of prana through its channels. Congenital structural deformities may be reflections of obstructions to the flow of prana through its intended passageways in the pranic- or bio-field.
Even though the evidence is pointing more and more strongly to the existence of subtle “potentiality” behind the cell, there are still those scientists who stubbornly persist in their search for the as yet to be discovered ultimate infecting organism. Some scientists believe that still undiscovered “slow viruses” are responsible for some neurological disorders and perhaps for Alzheimer’s disease too. But because such viruses have never been isolated and because of the nature of these diseases, some researchers suspect that a mysterious entirely different infectious agent is involved. We equate this “mysterious infectious agent” with the chronic miasms. In other words, the miasms are responsible for individual susceptibility to external or exogenous infection. Thus the three miasms, psora, syphilis and sycosis, represent three broad constitutional types that indicate different susceptibilities to the development of illness.
(to be continued)
Dr. Barbara Bova, HOD, Department of Homeopathy