Medicine and Mind in 21ST Century (Part 1)

Swami Vijnananand Vision

In series of Blogs under “Disease Cure”, we saw in details the relation of Health with Emotions directly and Mind indirectly. The theory of ‘Recipropathy’ is also explained in details. The advice of Swami Vijnananand to “add peace to the prescription” is seen to be acceptable as per the latest findings in the field of human health. Some of these are listed below. 

Swamiji often mentioned while he put forward his analysis fifty and odd years earlier, that “I am telling the facts which shall be appreciated in 21^st century”.

While the mental stress related reasons have assumed major base for the ill-health and as depression has become the second largest disease of 21^st century, thinkers in the field are required to go into the details of remedies and peruse the  policy makers to evolve suitable policies for implementation.

We shall see some of the latest development in the field of health in light of the information provided under the articles in this series. (Source - Daily Science News)

1 Even mild stress is linked to long-term disability, study finds.

2 How our bodies interact with our minds in response to fear and other emotions.

3 Negative emotions in response to daily stress take a toll on long-term mental health

4 Emotions adjust not only our mental, but also our bodily states.

5 Our feelings and beliefs impact our every cell.

We shall see details in brief.

1 Even mild stress is linked to long-term disability, study findsMarch 24, 2011, BMJ-British Medical Journal

Even relatively mild stress can lead to long term disability and an inability to work, reveals a large population based study published online in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

It is well known that mental health problems are associated with long term disability, but the impact of milder forms of psychological stress is likely to have been underestimated, say the authors. Between 2002 and 2007, the authors tracked the health of more than 17,000 working adults up to the age of 64, who had been randomly selected from the population in the Stockholm area.

All participants completed a validated questionnaire (GHQ-12) at the start of the study to measure their mental health and stress levels, as well as other aspects of health and wellbeing.

During the monitoring period, 649 people started receiving disability benefit -- 203 for a mental health problem and the remainder for physical ill health. Higher levels of stress at the start of the study were associated with a significantly greater likelihood of subsequently being awarded long term disability benefits.

But even those with mild stress were up to 70% more likely to receive disability benefits, after taking account of other factors likely to influence the results, such as lifestyle and alcohol intake. One in four of these benefits awarded for a physical illness, such as high blood pressure, angina, and stroke, and almost two thirds awarded for a mental illness, were attributable to stress.

2 How our bodies interact with our minds in response to fear and other emotions
April 7, 2013, British Neuroscience Association

New research has shown that the way our minds react to and process emotions such as fear can vary according to what is happening in other parts of our bodies.

In two different presentations on April 8 at the British Neuroscience Association Festival of Neuroscience (BNA2013) in London, researchers have shown for the first time that the heart's cycle affects the way we process fear, and that a part of the brain that responds to stimuli, such as touch, felt by other parts of the body also plays a role.

Dr Garfinkel and her colleagues hooked up 20 healthy volunteers to heart monitors, which were linked to computers. "Our results show that if we see a fearful face during systole (when the heart is pumping) then we judge this fearful face as more intense than if we see the very same fearful face during diastole (when the heart is relaxed). To look at neural activity underlying this effect, we performed this experiment in an MRI [magnetic resonance imaging] scanner and demonstrated that a part of the brain called the amygdala influences how our heart changes our perception of fear.

"Lastly, we have demonstrated that the degree to which our hearts can change the way we see and process fear is influenced by how anxious we are. The anxiety level of our individual subjects altered the extent their hearts could change the way they perceived emotional faces and also altered neural circuitry underlying heart modulation”

In a second presentation, Dr Alejandra Sel, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Psychology at City University (London, UK), investigated a part of the brain called the somatosensory cortex -- the area that perceives bodily sensations, such as touch, pain, body temperature and the perception of the body's place in space, and which is activated when we observe emotional expressions in the faces of other people.

"In order to understand other's people emotions we need to experience the same observed emotions in our body. Specifically, observing an emotional face, as opposed to a neutral face, is associated with an increased activity in the somatosensory cortex as if we were expressing and experiencing our own emotions. It is also known that people with damage to the somatosensory cortex find it difficult to recognize emotion in other people's faces," Dr Sel told the news briefing.

However, until now, it has not been clear whether activity in the somatosensory cortex was simply a by-product of the way we process visual information, or whether it reacts independently to emotions expressed in other people's faces, actively contributing to how we perceive emotions in others.

The researchers found that there was enhanced activity in the somatosensory cortex in response to fearful faces in comparison to neutral faces, independent of any visual processes. Importantly, this activity was focused in the primary and secondary somatosensory areas; the primary area receives sensory information directly from the body, while the secondary area combines sensory information from the body with information related to body movement and other information, such as memories of previous, sensitive experiences.

"Our experimental approach allows us to isolate and show for the first time (as far as we are aware) changes in somatosensory activity when seeing emotional faces after taking away all visual information in the brain. We have shown the crucial role of the somatosensory cortex in the way our minds and bodies perceive human emotions. These findings can serve as starting point for developing interventions tailored for people with problems in recognizing other's emotions, such as autistic children," said Dr Sel.

3 Negative emotions in response to daily stress take a toll on long-term mental health
April 2, 2013, Association for Psychological Science

Our emotional responses to the stresses of daily life may predict our long-term mental health, according to a new study published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

Psychological scientist Susan Charles of the University of California, Irvine and colleagues conducted the study in order to answer a long-standing question: Do daily emotional experiences add up to make the straw that breaks the camel's back, or do these experiences make us stronger and provide an inoculation against later distress?

Using data from two national surveys, the researchers examined the relationship between daily negative emotions and mental health outcomes ten years later. Participants' overall levels of negative emotions predicted psychological distress (e.g., feeling worthless, hopeless, nervous, and/or restless) and diagnosis of an emotional disorder like anxiety or depression a full decade later.

The results were based on data from 711 participants, both men and women, who ranged in age from 25 to 74. They were all participants in two national, longitudinal survey studies: Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) and National Study of Daily Experiences (NSDE).

According to Charles and her colleagues, these findings show that mental health outcomes aren't only affected by major life events -- they also bear the impact of seemingly minor emotional experiences. The study suggests that chronic nature of these negative emotions in response to daily stressors can take a toll on long-term mental health.

4 "Emotions adjust not only our mental, but also our bodily states."
December 31, 2013, Aalto University

Researchers found that the most common emotions trigger strong bodily sensations, and the bodily maps of these sensations were topographically different for different emotions. The sensation patterns were, however, consistent across different West European and East Asian cultures, highlighting that emotions and their corresponding bodily sensation patterns have a biological basis.

The findings have major implications for our understanding of the functions of emotions and their bodily basis. On the other hand, the results help us to understand different emotional disorders and provide novel tools for their diagnosis."

The research was carried out on line, and over 700 individuals from Finland, Sweden and Taiwan took part in the study. The researchers induced different emotional states in their Finnish and Taiwanese participants. Subsequently the participants were shown with pictures of human bodies on a computer, and asked to color the bodily regions whose activity they felt increasing or decreasing.

The results were published on 31 December, 2013 in the scientific journal Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences.

Healing of body through Mind.

In the words of one of the leading thinkers in health care of this century:

“We have forgotten the inner ability of the body for self-cure and we are so much engrossed on the technology, we have lost touch with one of the most important things what body knows to do. Every empowered patient and every conscious health care provider should start to think this way about the health. It is the healers’ job to give calming influence to the amygdala, to remember the healing power of love, show support to nurturing, caring. I am not suggesting to ditch the power of   modern medicine and technology. It has its place of importance. But that alone is not enough! Even the good diet, exercise and taking vitamins is not enough!! We have to take next step to see how do we deal with the stress response and develop relaxation response so that we help the body to heal itself.”

(To be continued)

Vijay R. Joshi.

DISEASE - CURE (Cure Your Self - 8)

Medicine: A New Meaning !

(Excerpts from book “Cure Yourself”, author Swami Vijnananand, S.V.)

Under the pressure of anomalous exigencies Recipropathy approves or rather ignores having recourse to medicine. Contingencies in which so-called medicine can be accepted as a first aid, is detailed elsewhere. Here we may analyze its principles slightly in a different perspective.

1.  Recipropathy assumes that my "disease" is "exact measure of my wish for ease". Hence, in eradicating a malady at a given moment, modus operandi beneficial is to apportion or scatter disease in other suitable organs of body. No type of infirmity can be got rid of, unconditionally.

1A)  Make out an overall picture: We have six emotions, craving for ease. What are the external instruments for satisfaction of these cravings?

Five sense-organs of ours: Eyes, tongue, skin, ears, nose, which respectively see (colors), taste, touch, hear (sound), smell.

Emotions number about six, while each of the sense-organs distinguishes equal number of varieties or grades. Colors are about six, six are main taste varieties, and so on. In between the six major emotions as well as expressions, uncountable shades and grades are manifested.

1B)  On the strength of these fundamental observations we can construe that each emotion is linked to all the sense-organs as its visible or expressible counterpart. In other words, at the assumption of life every emotional personality collects such "matter" suitable to its ends. Consequently, when "greed" about food, say of sweet variety, is incorporated in my emotional personality, I construct my tongue with the help of "matter", that conveys sweet sensation more readily. In short, the emotion of greed in terms of sense-organ, may, in hypothetical case, choose to like sweet for taste, yellow for color, low pitch for sound, smooth touch and a mild scent. Intermingling six emotions with each of likes and dislikes expressed by respective sense organ, a total set of likes and dislikes (which we call expression of a given personality) comes into existence. Consequently, if I detest a certain color, taste, smell, touch and sound, the set of these dislikes certainly represents a significant facet of my inner personality.

1C)  This set or list both of my acceptances and aversions, likes and dislikes is a measure of my disturbed emotions. If I can slowly adjust myself and win over these weak points of mine, assuredly the safest prophylactic (preventive) method is being implemented. In the process of winning the sense-organs, mastering my dis-approbations (disapproval), my mind is purified in due course and purpose of "disease" is defeated.  One way traffic between emotion and sense-organ must be counteracted by nullifying the emotions, effecting purification of inner personality.

1D) There can be shown a link in our logic in a hypothetically isolated case. Why am I infuriated with anger? Because, a green color pen which I do not like has been purchased for me. Obviously, green color in a given case becomes an observable measure of my rage. It can be defeated only by persuading myself to fancy the green color.

1E) we hesitate to learn this correlation till the onset of diseases. We are obliged to learn it when disease invades the body. Cure in real sense can hardly be affected by what is palatable, but by what is not. Rebelling tastes of medicines and punches of injections substantiate the premise.

1F)  in practice you would ask me, how much quantity of salt need be consumed to get cured, if salt is not palatable to a given constitution. I would leave it to that individuality. Cure code will be: Go to a point each day beyond normal till 'you' feel uneasy. Continue the practice till you experience that salt is not your enemy. Incidentally, remember that problem of salt i.e. taste is not an isolated enigma. It is in conjunction with taste, smell, sound etc. For instance, a good dish is less enjoyable when served on a dining table surrounded by an aggressive, un-agreeable odor. In conclusion, "Cure" in a given case may be conventionally restricted to salt. It however must be unmistakably remembered that salt is only one of your remedies.

2.   An inquisitive reader may intervene, "I do not like salt as salt upsets my system. Why should I not suppose that it is but a chemical action?" Let us chase out explanation of this "chemical action" to its rational end.

My body-bricks may have enough salt, in the first place. So I reject it. Or, my ingredients cannot tolerate salt.

Both 'A' and 'B' have the true ring. But the moment the question of 'toleration' comes in, it ceases to be purely a chemical action. The 'mind' indispensably ushers in the argument.

2A)  White does not tolerate black spot. But white and black produce a nice picture. Truly, there is no antipathy between white and black. It is our misconception that a black spot may spoil a clean white. A pot of salt-water may refuse to dissolve more salt, saturation point being reached. Still, ignoring the saturation point you may add more salt to the pot, no question of the bowl 'liking' the salt will ever crop up.

2B) It is a different story when the salt has to deal with mind instead of an earthen jug, jar or pot. Curiously enough, when it comes to 'mind', 'liking' and quantity consumable have no relation to each other. A wealthy owner of a flower garden may not reject either more of flowers or more of money.

2C) This is exactly where 'mind' steps in. One 'mind' may accept 'more' roses, another mind may not. A greedy capitalist may or may not set aside a fortune. A sex-dominated man married to a beautiful wife may or may not be faithful to her.

2D) Thus and therefore the inference; when the 'human mind' comes into play, alternative '2B' stands valid, which points out that ingredients of my structure cannot tolerate salt irrespective of quantity, because my mind has aversion for salt. When the sun 'strikes' on darkness, none can presume that darkness dislikes the sun. With man, sun-rays may please his constitution or may not. Sun-rays falling on a slice of butter may cause action without question of 'likes'. Obviously, in all the three cases, to avow that night, man or butter dislike sun, having in their ingredients enough of sun, is absurd. The distinction between likes and dislikes assumes significance exclusively when mind is on the scene. We must say that when man dislikes salt his mind has aversion for salt, and so he has fabricated his body-structure with the material that rejects salt, irrespective of quantity of such material used.

3. And for this same reason homeopathy misses the mark again. To neutralize salt or anger in me, how can I put in salt and anger in me, how can I add salt and anger and get the desired result?

4.  For diagnosis of a cause, the faultless option open is to take symptoms as equal and opposite of cause.

How to measure the symptoms and their cause?

4A) The measure of symptoms can doubtlessly be indicated by our sense-organs. Our 'feeling of disease' is sensed strictly at the level of sense-organs. So choose such medicine as is disagreeable to the sense-organs.

4B)  Are we not guilty of a gross contradiction when, refuting homeopathy, we ourselves recommend 'dislike' as a drug? Furthermore, our attentive reader may protest here and say that a patient detests pungent taste but it need not be his medicine since he may also like sweet and the two quit leaving untoward action.

The fallacy crops up in as much as no patient mixes pungent and sweet dishes together before they are consumed. Subjectively for patient, relishing dish produces action. Laws of motion have no concern with the taste of the dish - sweet or pungent - but with the action produced in the subject. View it from the other side. The subject likes the sweet but not the bitter taste. Pleasure of chewing a chocolate and a quinine tab MAY produce same effect in metabolism in terms of pure 'action'.

It is not the case that Recipropathy takes 'dislikes' to task and leaves 'like' scotfree. On the other hand 'likes' are fiercely assaulted by this theory. It is a negative yet more meaningful aspect. The positive way is to win the dislikes. It is a two pronged attack.

Homeopathy fails to take these aspects into consideration. It is inadequate to bear in mind that 'dislike' acts as my remedy. Its full implication is: Removal of dislike may work as elixir, subject to main tenets of Recipropathy, since the dislikes serve as a combined, expressible, though, general measure of the 'equal and opposite' initiating cause in body i.e. emotional personality.

In conclusion, the nearest flawless approach for defeating disease is to win our emotional dislikes, the way they are totally and cumulatively manifested in our modes and habits. At the level of sense-organs, therefore, an action ought to be initiated that conveys unfavorable sensation to mind - mind, where the disease originates, dwells, and develops.

5.  In effect allopathy employs the parallel method. Application of iodine to a cut on the arm is a significant illustration. An already ailing patient is subjected to pain (injection, operation etc.) Bitter doses are administered to patient who has spoilt his stomach by too much of sweets. In sickness doctors serve notice against using emotional properties. Bans, ordinances, restrictions rule. No spicy food. No talk, no listening too. Sex relations remain out of question in serious cases. Apparent similarity between Allopathy and Recipropathy ends at this stage. Allopathy bears no lasting result. One of the basic reasons for this fundamental lack is: modern medicine fails to furnish to patient's logical background of his ailment. At no stage the poor sufferer is helped to realize the correlation between his actions and disease.

6.  Our shrill cry of pain as sequel to pain, in reality, has its origin specifically in accumulated 'action'. We heave a sigh grumbling against headache. More hammering in the part of the brain, more action. Originally was there no action in the cerebrum at all? That was not the plight. Pulsation accelerates owing to accumulated action i.e. stored up action or in other words - potential energy. Quick relief from pangs, is a mirage. The only scientific cure is to produce still more pain to patient in the same or other part of the body. Repudiating this course under the guise of impracticability leaves us to try distribution of disease in other sense-organs and to get acclimatized to it. The latter recourse may be termed as Disease Distribution method. Decidedly, this latter available medium of relief, will not be fit to hold a candle to, nevertheless, its dependability excels any media of redress. To counter frequent headache, overcome your dislike for a color, taste, smell and sound.

Hundreds of patients have experienced a surprising solace. Superficially, an added peril to a patient and a relief therefrom, may be felt a psychological absurdity. This feeling is a fantasy. Science, mathematics and logic entertain no fanciful unsubstantiated imagination. The more a patient accepts discomfort, with reasoning behind it - mark the words 'accepts with reasoning behind it' - the more will he experience a definite, slow, natural amelioration. Many a time the soothing effect is sudden, governed by the principle of 'coincidence cure'.

7.  The process is reversible, subject to adviser's discretion. A Recipropath is at liberty to resume treatment first with 'Disease Distribution' method. Subsequently, the patient may go through the literature or attend the seminar. The exact step in each case depends on the judgement of the authority advising the patient and results follow strictly in obedience to the rules governed by the principles of Recipropathy.

8. Patient plays a pertinent role in selection of color, taste etc. Assert from him the list of his dis-approbations. Prescribe accordingly in addition to what is suggested in the list 'substitute for medicine'.

(To be continued)

Vijay R. Joshi

DISEASE - CURE (Cure Your Self - 4)

Medicine Defies Evolution 

(Excerpts from book “Cure Yourself” author Swami Vijnananand, S.V.)

Prior to expanding our new theory, it is intended to put the modern medicine to one more test.

Provided the process of evolution contains a germ of truth, its corollaries and logic compel us to discard modern medicine. Modern medicine, then, becomes devoid of hope of attaining perfection any time in future. Rather, truth in the theory of evolution steers us towards understanding that every time we insert curing organisms in our body, we suppress the ailment only to invite it more aggressively at a later date. It is as risky as purchasing commodities against a cheque when one has no hope of depositing adequate amount in the bank.

The following facts throw more light in studying the above problem.

(I)                 The rate of bacterial growth: The rate of growth at the level of bacteria is proverbial.

(II)               Antibody and antigen: The definitions of antibody and antigen are provided as under: "An antibody is any substance which makes its appearance in the blood-serum or body fluids of an animal, in response to the stimulus provided by the parental introduction of an antigen into tissues, and reacts specifically with that antigen in some observable way. An antigen is any substance which, when introduced parenteral into the animal tissues, stimulates  production of an antibody, and which, when mixed with that antibody, reacts with it in some observable way".

Dr.  Adler offers a pungent explanation when he says, "This definition implies that (1) no antibody is present before the introduction of an antigen, (2) the antibody appears after parenteral introduction of the antigen, and (3) it reacts with this antigen only".

(III)             Antibody stimulated by specific species:  Each species of parasites gives rise to a specific antibody only.

(IV)            Work of antibody:  In the work "Virus and Man" we come across the following narration, "When a virus particle is coated or blanketed with attached antibody it is no longer capable of infecting new cells. If it does enter a cell it is mopped up like any inert foreign particle. The net effect of an adequate dose of antibody is that the infection involves only those cells which had already been invaded and goes no further".

(V)              Work of Antibiotics: At this stage, let us turn our attention to antibiotics. Since 1943, world has much rejoiced over the power of destruction of harmful bacteria invested in antibiotics. After a period of a decade of self-complacency it is coming to light that even harmless bacteria are not completely destroyed by penicillin. Repeated evidence is available to proclaim that no dosage can kill the bacteria wholesale and that there inevitably are certain survivors. When bacteria in the ailing body are killed, there are a few bacteria, though rendered ineffective at that moment.

This process holds well whether bacteria are classed as harmless or as injurious. Dobzhansky in 'The Genetic Bases of Evolution' observes, "Evolutionary changes of the type described in colon bacteria have been found in recent years in many other bacterial species. The increasing use of antibiotic drugs in medical practice has made such changes a matter of considerable concern in public health. As penicillin, for e.g. is used on a large scale against bacterial infections, the strains of bacteria that are resistant to penicillin survive and multiply, and the probability that they will infect new victims is increased. The mass application of antibiotic drugs may lead in the long run to increased incidence of cases refractory to treatment. Indications exist that this has already happened in some instances. In certain cities penicillin-resistant gonorrhea has become more frequent than it was.

(VI)            So, with few exceptions, resistant must appear:  Obviously evolution of resistant can take place if Nature provides supply of mutants to choose from. However, in practice, Nature rarely runs short of supply. More cardinal factor is a scientist's inability to control the discretion of Nature. Consequently, success of a physician in EACH CASE depends on Nature. The scientist in such circumstances is, and always remains, a tool of Nature;  an extremely damaging tool at that. For leaving the theoretical discussion, in practice, almost invariably we find at least a few surviving mutants. Demerce found frequency of mutation was one per billion. But even this one in a billion is inherent danger to the host, considering the stupendous speed of its multiplication within a few hours.

(VII)       Penicillin must be harmful: When doctors are blamed for use of penicillin, the poor community of doctors, at least looked at from this isolated aspect, is not so much intentionally dangerous. Physicians are conditioned to feel that penicillin is a wonder-drug.

The learned doctor inadvertently overlooks the observation that even if there are few survivors under the influence of antibiotics, through these survivors as a necessity the patient is obliged to invite a danger in future. The temporary relief bears seeds of super stroke.

          Man has caused this danger to himself from within and without in as much as he uses these killers to keep his house clean. To quote Dobzhansky, "DDT was a remarkably effective poison for houseflies when first introduced less than 10 years ago. But already reports have come from places as widely separated as New Hampshire, New York, Florida, Texas, Italy and Sweden that the DDT sprays in certain localities have lost their effectiveness. What has happened, of course, is that strains of houseflies relatively resistant to DDT have become established in these localities. Man has unwittingly become an agent of a selection process which has led to evolutionary changes in housefly populations".

(VIII)        Apparently useful, potentially disastrous: The reader need entertain no misgiving whether or not surviving virus creates disease. Dr. Burnet has himself admitted, that "new virus diseases most frequently arise by emergence of a mutation in some virus that survives in the hosts". Scientists give us one more alarming confession. Assuming penicillin tends to be beneficial to a patient, the price for this short-term relief too is enormously heavy, since the biotic kills the specific bacteria only to set free other variety of awful organisms unrestrainable by penicillin.

(IX)             Practitioners do admit the contingency. Dr. Walker concedes, "Pasteur, the great discoverer of the part played by micro-organisms in human illness, looked forward to the day when all pathogenic bacteria would be destroyed and when mankind would be immune from ineffective diseases forever, but it is extremely unlikely that this day will ever arrive for infective diseases belong to phenomena on a very large scale. They are not, therefore, things of trivial importance in the general economy of life on this planet, as Pasteur believed them to be, but are events of the very greatest importance. Humanity will undoubtedly improve its defense against ineffective illnesses in the future, but it is unlikely that it will ever free itself entirely from the onslaughts of pathogenic organisms".

Studying the laws of evolution, acknowledging their validity, understanding that a drug invites more harm than it eradicates, one who continues its use must either be insane or a knave.

(To be continued)

Vijay R. Joshi

DISEASE - CURE (Cure without Medicine - 8)

What is not “Medicine”? 

(Excerpts from book “Cure without Medicine”)

1. If we want to 'define' what medicine is and what not, then we will have to define the word 'Medicine', which is a rather tricky and difficult task.

When someone does not consume butter as a food, butter becomes medicine. When iodine is applied to a finger that bleeds, iodine is a medicine. Apply that same iodine to a normal finger, it ceases to be a medicine. By itself, a mixture or solution, or any substance can have no medical properties definable as a medicine, the use there of alone determines, whether it is a medicine or not.

It follows then that, if you use anything without the motive of cure of some disease then that substance is a normal one and not medicine. They are not medicine in the true sense of the term.

2.  One can boldly, assertively welcome medical treatment rendered as a 'first aid' measure by a doctor. One can consume medicine during the transition period that will eventually lead and is meant to lead a fuller understanding of the concept (given in this book). Such realized seeker can take medicine after some determined period of suffering. In that case, the patients over-belief (total reliance) in medicine as a lasting solution is absent and to that extent he is relieved of further addition to his already existing agony.

Both doctors and patients, knowing the limitations of medicine may certainly use medicine, since the new realization will render medicine less harmful and more useful. It is adding 'peace' to 'prescription'.

3.  A rough list of 'what is not medicine' was once prepared (By S.V.) It is reproduced in the book with all its drawbacks and then follows an analysis.

          (Refer the details on pages 113 to 115 of the Book)

4.   Basis of Analysis

The fundamentals behind the above list and analysis is as follows:

In disease foreign aid is not invited. What can be done is – (i) to take action to resort to the mobilization of one's internal strength; (ii) true understanding (realization) of the cause of disease; (iii) Internal adjustment of one's choice from the options available following the concept of recipropathy.

History teaches us that if any nation that takes military aid for resisting internal troubles, then that nation is destined to be doomed. Similarly, an individual should not 'import' a foreign body in an unnatural way to eradicate the internal troubles (of his body). Such foreign bodies may give temporary relief, but then they will permanently rule your body. The best way is to depend (to the extent possible) on internal individual strength and try to further strengthen it. Alternatively add (i) prescription (of medicine) + (ii) peace of mind, and (iii) vow for benevolence as reaction.

5. Yet, after all is said and done, foregoing analysis is not perfect. Absolutely anything that is consumed with the motive of curing of disease, without 'paying for' the real cause behind the disease amounts to resorting to medicine.

6. Again and again, we stress:- Do use your medicine (even) all your life, but add peace and understanding to your treatment.

7. Just by positive will power you can get cured. Just by repeatedly uttering 'Day by day, in every way, I am getting better and better' without doing anything is of no use at all.

Can 'will-power' compensate for past wrongs? 

The very conception is absurd. Will-power can 'suppress' the disease in its logical sequence. But no will-power in the world can prevent the delayed eruption of the disease.

8.   General phrases useful for daily repetition (like prayers)

The following sums up in convenient text form the significant teaching summary of this Book. There are general phrases useful for repetition purpose every day.

          "I am born out of my own evils and so are all my ailments. There exists no short-cut of relief from them. The only way lies in the full realization and full acceptance of this truth and through this realization slowly arriving at fuller truth. To the extent, I have genuinely understood this, I am being cured everyday".

In the above paragraph, the first sentence can be uttered as "for reasons, I do not know, Nature gave me a body that inherited these ailments".

9. Experience with a large number of patients has proved that the pain never recurred and certainly there was instantaneous stoppage of pain.

10. We have already said that all this is a theoretical discussion and in practice medicine just may be started under the doctor's advice right from the first stage, once principle is understood.

Summary – Concept of medicine is not totally barred. In fact, any medical treatment can be strengthened by adding the gist of our recommendations. At psychic level six phrases are given to meet the pain points.

Some Case Histories

Out of several cases treated personally by S.V., he has mentioned a few cases in this Chapter (starting from page 119 of book). In each case (which can be seen from the Book) S.V. has participated to some extent in bringing about the desired result, even by accepting self-pain.

He says – In none of the cases (mentioned in the Book), did we advise to discontinuation of the medicine or medical treatment (In support the recipropathy methods were used).

During my practice, I have utilized hundreds of variations in approach in conveying the new process to people. I have cured eighty percent of those who have approached to me. But my conviction always was and will continue to be that these intermediate variations were altogether UN-important. The genuine working was brought about by the real tenets of Recipropathy. In 20% cures, where patients were not relieved of organic pain, most of them could face their agony with a new understanding and a new boldness.

Case Studies 

Following cases are discussed (The details can be seen in Book, Chapter 15)

1.   A rich businessman – age 49 – Diverse complaints – major problem Insomnia – cured

2.   Upper middle class gentleman – Age 46, T.B. and Benign Tumor – Cured

3.   A rich family young girl – Age 19 – Hysteria, Irregular Menstruation – cured

4.   An administrator of India – Great renowned person – Acute Pain in stomach – cured

5.   A child of eighteen months – Headache – cured

6.   A businessman (middle age?) – Paralysis – cured.

Questions & Answers.

Question 1: You are propounding a correct theory. But I simply shudder at the idea of speaking all truth. Should I go even to my enemy and say the truth? What will a well-wisher of mine feel if I go and admit to him that I had committed a theft?

I had answered this question in some other context.  The question presupposes that your enemy does not know the truth. Search and you will find the same to be the cause of his being your enemy. Remove the cause and he remains no more your enemy. The other half of your question deals with your friend to whom you have to admit your theft.  This reveals the extent of faithlessness in your so-called friendship. Any way if you go and tell him the truth- you will no doubt have to suffer in the initial stage. But after the first pangs are over you will have full sympathy from others. However much your friend may abuse you openly, at the end he will always respect you for your courage. Because he should be convinced in his mind that he should not have been able to admit heroically his mistakes to others and in that respect he is inferior to you. The question is whether you want long suffering in your mind from within, or you aim to clear off the dirt around you at some initial disadvantage, followed by lots of satisfaction.

Question 2: Do you not think that instead of leading an emotionless life, it would be far preferable to have "small" emotions and get happiness?

I have time and again insisted that it is wrong to assert that life without emotions is not enjoyable: that it becomes inert and insipid. The trouble in getting along with "small" emotions is a mirage. When it comes to putting this so-called principled attitude into practice the individual concerned is never satisfied with a "small" measure. As he goes ahead his measure of "small", "reasonable". etc., goes up either with a leap and a bound or by slow degrees. The net consequence of "small" indulgences is the increase in greed. Never to be forgotten is the principle: All actions must have reactions equal and opposite. The Laws of Nature are too true lo be untrue.

Question 3: What is the fun in leading a detached life at all?

Nobody obstructs you from leading an attached life. The trouble is that grief will follow you as long as you crave for happiness. Light and shade are inseparable Year after year, or if you like life after life, this will continue till you feel exhausted.

Alternatively, accept the principle. Practice 6.25% of it to start with. Continue your doctor's advice. Miraculous results will surely materialize ultimately.

(To be continued .. )

Vijay R. Joshi

DISEASE - CURE (Cure without Medicine - 5)

Medicine and Mechanics

(Excerpts from book “Cure without Medicine”)

1.  The body is made of cells. The mind and in turn emotions are present in every cell of the body. The perfect co-ordination and unity of ‘self’ is shared and maintained by each cell. Each cell shares these living emotional property. Hence our proposition laid down earlier stands proved collectively (at body of the organism) and individually (at each cell in the body of the organism).

2.  If pulse beats were the only standard, then a hard working laborer would be the victims of the worse disease (since while doing the labor, the pulse beats variation is much more than doing the table work involving intelligence).

3. Pulse is not the only measure

But it may be noted that pulse is not the only measure. When the intellectuals pulse is accelerated, the brain potentials (electric changes) are more rapid in his case. The laborer, comparatively, has a small change in the brain potential. In the case of intellectual, the rate of change of brain potential is comparatively higher. Indeed, here the consideration of minute volume of heart crops up along with the pulse rate but we shall ignore it here to make understanding simple. Pulse beat if compared to prick of a match stick, then brain potential would be equivalent to pin-prick. The sharper the worse.

These are simplified statements. Indeed brain potential bear different contexts.

4. Role of Medicine

We now consider the mode of action of medicine on the condition of disease itself.

Emotions are spread throughout body.

On the showing of science itself, the human body is an integrated whole. One cannot assert that emotion is in one part of the body and a boil on the foot is at another altogether distinct part of the body, unconnected with the lame of emotion. Every part of the body and emotion is jointly responsible for all actions of commission and omission. All action in the body collectively face the reaction under the laws of science.

5. Illustration (Simplified) – to see the effect of medicine on the body.

5.1 Consider the case of a person who has become angry on six different occasions, say for 10 minutes on each occasion.

Assume his normal pulse rate is 72/minute.

When angry, it goes to 78/minute

PV (action)/minute is 6 stroke/minute

Total action produced in 60 minutes = 60 x 6 = 360 PV strokes

Therefore, the stored potential energy in the body = 360 strokes of action

5.2 Now assume that this potential energy (360 strokes) produces 60 minutes of headache. During the period of headache, the pulse will beat say at 78/minute. (This means, on the basis of discussion earlier, through the pain-emotions of headache, the body will react on the mind at the rate of six strokes per minute, i.e. reaction of 60 minutes x 6 strokes/minute = 360 strokes of reaction) Here we see the emotion (anger) has been fully compensated by headache.

5.3 But in practice, the person would take a pill to stop his headache. Say after 40 minutes (i.e. he suffered from the headache for some time and later his pain stopped due to the medicine he consumed), i.e. 20 minutes x 6 strokes/minute = 120 strokes of headache are saved by medicine.

5.4 But since these 120 strokes cannot be abolished, they are not destroyed or totally avoided, but merely withheld. The man gets relief from headache. Let us assume that the joy of relief the person enjoys for 10 minutes at the strokes of action of 6 strokes/minute. Hence 6 x 10 = 60 strokes the person has added to the potential quota of reaction (to be suffered sometime later).

5.5 Medicine itself creates some action on the body. It is not always possible to ascertain correctly in each case how much action a particular drug is likely to add to the body. Hypothetically in this case it is assumed that ¼ pill would have been sufficient to stop the headache. But since, one full pill was consumed ¾ pill was consumed in excess of the requirement. This excess medicine will also have strength to create action in the body.

We may say – 120 strokes saved by taking medicine

                   60 strokes created by Joy of relief

                   360 strokes created by unwanted dose of medicine (action)

                   540 Total strokes

Thus, the picture:

540 strokes – potential stored for future pain in spite of suffering headache for 40 minutes (40x6 = 240 strokes).

(In practice, the reaction thus stored because of joy or because of additional medicine may not be exactly as above. But then all that we are concerned with is that it is more than the original quota of reaction, the man should have been subjected to because of the headache).

5.6 Consider this again.

In the event the headache occurs again the next day, to give the individual the above 540 strokes. He does not wait even 40 minutes before taking medicine. He takes the medicine (pill) just within 5 minutes the headache starts. On each such occasion are added minimum of about 400 strokes. During three years, say 1000 days @ the above rate the body of the person has stored 1000x400 = 400,000 reaction strokes.

By taking medicine, the person has prohibited the body to react to the headache (suffering). So this large amount of reaction is directed to, say heart, in place of head. So the person gets a heart attack.

6. Alexis Carrel

Wrote in his famous book ‘Man the Unknown’ about the potential capacity of the body to retain, yet adjust itself. “Medicine is far from having decreased human sufferings as much as it endeavors to make us believe. Indeed the number of deaths from infection diseases has greatly diminished. But we still must die, and we die in a much larger proportion from degenerative diseases. The years of life which we have gained by the suppression of diseases (like diphtheria, small pox, typhoid fever, etc.) are paid for by the long sufferings and the lingering deaths caused by chronic affections and especially by cancer, diabetes and heart diseases.”

7 The route may be complicated, the analysis complex – yet the fundamental remains unaffected totally. They are identical in case of every disease. By any logic, there cannot be any other conclusion.

It is quite well-known that while the ‘Pill’ stops the headache, it simultaneously also acts on the nervous system. Where other medicines are concerned, they act either on the nervous system or on some other part of the body. There is no provision for the medicine to unconditionally be thrown out of body. On the contrary, the medicine becoming one with the body, metabolism again produces its effect. So all that person achieves by taking medicine is to delay the action of disease or to change its original nature ultimately to be all the worse for treatment.

8. Let me make it clear. In case you ask me whether we should not then take medicines at all?

Leaving details for later discussion, I emphasis that we should at least add to the medicine, appreciation of these findings and ‘Peace of Mind’ resulting therefrom (from this knowledge).

Summary

When emotion (cause) turns itself into disease (effect), the process is subtle (Fine and difficult to understand). Cause-Effect, Action-Reaction take place either immediately or (through medicine if can be) differed. In the first alternative, the manifestation of effect is immediately, or optionally (by postponement by medicine), it can be stored as ‘potential energy’. This is again purely as per another concept of physics).

(To be continued..)

Vijay R. Joshi