Pranic Therapy - The Science of Life Energy 11

All the four forces in the Universe - weak nuclear force, strong nuclear



force, electricity & magnetism -are but different manifestations of


that Unitary power which the Vedists call Prana. Using this Vital Energy


to heal is called Pranic Therapy. This article is a continuation of the


earlier article Pranic Therapy Part V.










Integral Life & the Universal Stream of Consciousness, Prana






Never in the integral view developed in ancient India was life regarded


as restricted to certain cellular activities. Rather, life is a Universal


stream of Consciousness known as Prana in the Upanishads &


Consciousness- Force ( Chit Shakti ) in the Tantras. Each living being


represents a centre around which Prana moves at different levels known


as sheaths ( koshas). At the core of this multistoreyed personality


structure is the locus of the Self, known as the Atman.The Upanishads


state that just as the spokes of a wheel are fixed at the hub, so also


Prana and all psycho-physical structures are fixed in the Self. The


Self ( Atman ) is the Master Controller of Life that Western science


is seeking. The Vijnanamaya Kosha ( Intellectual Sheath) & the


Anandamaya Kosha ( Bliss Sheath ) are the sheaths where the light


of the Self is experienced.






The unattached Self, exercises its power through the Will ( known


as Dhrti), which in Yogic psychology is regarded as the dynamic aspect of


intelligence. With the help of the pure Will, a Yogi is able to keep all his


sense organs, all activities and mind under control, says the Geetha.


Acquisition of this pure will is the result of a Spiritual Awakening. This


Awakening, which takes place only through prolonged & intense spiritual


struggles, opens the divine door in the heart. This gives the yogi access


to all kosas or the five sheaths. He gains the capacity to open each kosa


to the stream of the Cosmic Prana. The stream of universal life flushes


out impurities & diseases from the personality system and brings in new


vigour and strength.






The world is overcome, aye even here,


By such that fix their faith on Unity


The sinless Brahma ( Absolute ) dwells in Unity,


And they in Brahma ( Absolute )! ( The Song Celestial )






The Cause all Disease - "Fault of Awarenes"






Intense striving alone can pave the way for this kind of yogic self-


mastery. But an inner alertness & some degree of general


supervision over all his activites such as eating, sleeping,exercise,


response to stressful situations etc can be attained by anyone.


It is failure of this inner watchfulness, known as Prajnaparadha or


"Fault of Awareness ", caused by ignorance and negligence that


makes a person yield to evil thoughts and deeds that is the root


cause of all diseases. .






Of the triune attributes of Nature - Rajas, Thamas and Satwa


( humanity, bestiality, divinity ), both Rajas ( humanity ) & Thamas


( bestiality ) are pathogenic. Satwa is non-pathogenic meaning


that living in rhythm with Nature can save us from diseases.






Charaka Samhita, an authentic treaitse on Ayurveda states


"The disturbance of the three humours are caused by Prajnapara-


dha, produced by the distortion of the intellect, will & memory " .


Some of the aetiological factors are carelessness, lack of alertness,


forgetfulness & misuse of will power.The root cause of most of


the psychosomatic or constitutional disorders is Prajnaparadha,


the misuse of our cognitive and conative faculties. It is our


unconscious way of living, not in conformity with natural law, that


is the primary cause of illness.






Health can be restored by changing our way of living to a Self-


directed style. Hyperacidity, rheumatism, irritable bowel


syndrome and similar disorders are the body's alarm signals


We can bring about integration of the personality if we extend our


Consciousness into the interior parts of the body & bring these


neglected areas closer to the light of the Self. This integration


fortifies our immune system and restores the coordination,


rhythm and balance in the working of the different organs. This


kind of extension of Consciousness can be done in different ways.






Extension of Consciousness by Meditation






The inner awareness which is the result of absorption in Meitation


can be extended into the affected part of the body through concentrative
visualization. If these meditative techniques are practised for some


days, the process of self-renewal & self-defence gets accelerated


and healing takes place automatically