Science has discovered four states of matter – solid, liquid, gas and plasma. This last one is a gas that exists in the outer space but it can be experimentally produced at very high temperature in laboratories. The Soviet scientist Grischenko recognized the possible existence of the fifth state of matter, one which exists in living organism. He names this fifth state of matter as biological plasma or bio-plasma. In the laboratory, experiments were conducted to determine whether bio-plasma actually exists. Many experiments proved in the positive sense that bio-plasma does exist in living organism. A living organism can be described as the biological field or bio-field, a field being region consisting of lines of force which affect one another. It is likely that bio-plasma represents one of the fields of living organism. The bio-plasma consists of ions, electrons and protons. In other words, subatomic particles exist independently of a nucleus. Moreover, the bio-field owes its structure to bio-plasma which is more stable than the other components of the bio-fields. This is due to the equivalence of positive and negative particles in the bio-plasma. There is a direct absorption of charges from environment. The lungs play an important part in the absorption of environmental charges. There is a constant interplay between the organism and the environment.
Viktor Inyushin conducted several experiments in the sphere of bio-plasma and he arrived at this conclusion, “We have obtained evidence that a fifth state of matter, bio-plasma exists as a part of each organism’s bio-field. Bio-plasma consists of ions, free electrons, free protons. It is highly conductive and provides opportunities for the accumulation and the transfer of energy within the organism as well as among different organisms. Bio-plasma appears to be concentrated in the brain and the spinal cord. At times, it may extend to considerable distance from the organism, raising the possibility of its involvement in telepathic and psycho-kinetic phenomena”.
The bio-plasma corresponds to the Indian concept of Prana. In Yoga-Shastra the term Prana is much more comprehensive; there is one primeval Prana which is known as Mukhya Prana or Maha-Prana, and it bifurcates into two, the individual and universal.
Modern scientists have discovered this essential energy and named it differently. Von Reichenbach was a well-known scientist of 19th century who discovered odylic force and he described it as garment of the universe. Wilhelm Reich discovered orgone energy the individual aspect of which he describes as follows: “the living organism contains orgone energy in every one of its cells and keeps charging itself organically from the atmosphere by the process of breathing. The red blood corpuscles, at a magnification of over 2000, show a bluish glimmer. They are vesicles charged with orgone energy which they transport from the lungs to the body tissues. The planned chlorophyll, which is related to the iron contained in protein of the animal food, contains orgone which it takes up directly from the atmosphere and the sun radiation”. Sergev V. King describes it as neo-energy and gives a vivid account of its form and function. He distinguishes new energy from electricity, magnetism, light etc, yet it has the current flow properties of electricity, some field properties of magnetism, some reflective properties of light and some of the properties of heat, yet it seems to be independent of each of these. In association it demonstrates the same fundamental and unique properties. The common principle governing neo-energy in relation to form is concentration or intensification. Each of the forms which displays neo-energy effects spirals, cones, pyramids, cylinders, detrahedrons and other products great or small depend on their size or complexity. In general the more complex the forms, the more intense the energetic effects. Serge V. King concludes – “We are surrounded by an ocean of energy of which we are barely aware and which probably holds potentials that have not yet entered our imagination. Even so the potentials already uncovered are enough to keep many of us busy for several life times. The promise of neo-energy is manifold. Its applications in health, in agriculture, in electronics and based on some recent research even transportation, may radically transform our lives in the next few decades”.
Lawrence Peynam has listed some of the characteristics of this energy.
1. It is observed in the operation of heat, light, electricity, magnetism and the chemical reaction, yet it is different from all of them.
2. It fills all space, penetrating and permeating every thing, yet denser materials conduct it better and faster, mentally refracts it while organic material absorbs it.
3. It is basically synergetic; it has a basic negative-tropic formative and organizing effect, even as heat increases it, therefore it is the opposite of entropy.
4. Changes in the energy precede observable physical changes and it is supposed to create matter, energy and light. This is also observed in certain psycho-kinesis phenomena where metals continue bending long after the initiating agency or psychic sensitive touched them.
5. In any structure that is highly organized – crystals, plants, humans - there is a series of geometrical points at which the energy is highly concentrated, that is, chakras in the yogic tradition, acupuncture points in the traditional Chinese medical system.
6. The energies are observed in several ways as isolated pulsating points, as spirals, as the cloud or aura surrounding the body, as the flame, as a tenuous web of lines, as etheric body, these are the significant terms which bring us nearer to the concept of Pranashakti with electro-structure.
Happily, physiology has discovered this electro-structure or Pranic body which it names the functional body. The points of contact between the functional body and the Pranic body, so far reached, may be summed up as follows:
1. There is an electro-structure lining up the physical body.
2. It is constitutionally electric hence it is called etheric.
3. It expresses the functional activity of the physical organs, being functional it is admitted to be causal and anterior to the physical body.
4. It is highly organized and the details of its organization broadly reflect the organization of Pranas dividing the structure into co-related areas and the subordinated functional levels.
5. The integration of function culminates in the self-conscious will.
The etheric body is described as a field energy that sustains every cell and atom of the physical body, permeating every part of it and extending beyond its periphery to form a part of health aura. The etheric body is therefore the archetype upon which the physical body is erected. Etheric body has three basic functions. It acts as a receiver of vital force or Prana, as an assimilator of Prana and as a transmitter of Prana. All the chakras are located in etheric body. A chakra may be defined as a force center or a focal point in the etheric body for the reception, assimilation and transmission of energies. These energies having passed through the chakras play upon the nerves causing the nervous system to respond and in so doing stimulate the endocrine glands. This effects the release of hormones into the blood stream thus making man what he is at any given time. The endocrine glands form the physical externalization of the chakras. Hence a close correspondence is held to exist between the glands of the physical body and the chakras of the etheric body.
Yoga speaks of seven major chakras; it locates two of them in the head and the remaining five along the dorsal part of the spine. The gonads, adrenals, pancreas, thymus, thyroid, pituitary and the pineal are the seven glands of the physical body which have their correspondence with these seven chakras of the etheric body, viz, Muladhara, Swadhisthana, Manipura, Anahata, Vishuddhi, Agnya and Sahasrara. A stimulation of the etheric centers or chakras stimulates the glands and the glands thus stimulated secrete the hormones which vivify the physical body.
One sees the seven colours of the sunlight or the seven wave lengths, namely violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and red. In occultism these energies are called matrikas which mean measuring units of energy. These seven wave lengths of energy having seven types of skin-cells work upon and the effect of sun’s rays falling on the skin is carried to the brain and the spinal cord at seven segmental divisions. Hence the divisions of the spinal cord from bottom upwards are seven segments or chakras. These different wave lengths of energy work through these chakras to produce seven different changes in the body – chyle, blood, muscle, fat, bone, marrow and sperm. For their efficiency in man – seven types of endocrine glands are present which have been already mentioned. The base chakra or Muladhara animates the substance of the physical body. The code of life is known to exist in the double helix configuration of the D.N.A. molecule. Curiously enough the ascent of Kundalini from the base to the crown chakra follows the pattern of the double helix reminding us of caduceus of inter-twined snakes long used as a symbol of the healing arts.
Purnanada gives a detailed physiological description of Kundalini in his Shatchakra Nirupana, “the Nadi called Sushumna (Spinal cord ) extends from the middle of the Kanda to the head. Another nadi called vajra lies inside the sushumna extending from the penis to the head. Inside the Vajra is the Nadi called Chitrani subtle like the spider’s web. Inside is the Brahmanadi extending from the mouth of Hara ( in the Trikona ) to the place of Adhi-Deva (in the brain ). In the mouth of Brahmanadi, shines Brahmadwara which is the entrance to the region from which Amrita or nectar flows. This is also called knot or Granthisthana where the Sushumna and the Kanda meet. Hence it is also called the mouth of Sushumna or Sushumna Vadana”.
Merudanda is the vertebral coloumn which is the chain of 33 bones called vertebrae; in the Yoga Shikhopanishad, it is said that just as a thread runs through several beads, similarly the sushumna runs through 21 pieces of bones forming the vajra. The spinal cord or spinal medulla passes through vertebral canal enclosed in a 3 layered covering called the meninges. It does not fill the whole length of the vertebral column but occupies only upper 2/3-rds of it. 21 beads of bones are strung on Sushumna. The lower end of the spinal cord tapers off into a conical extremity called conus medullaris from the apex of which a delicate non-nervous filament named filum Terminale descends to the back of the first segment of the coccyx. Sometimes Kundalini is identified with this filum Terminale which is wrong. Kundalini is neither a nerve nor a tissue nor even a substance, but it is a subtle energy which underlines the whole universe as well as all individuals.
Kundalini or Pranashakti has two aspects, one the individual and the other universal or cosmic. In its cosmic form Kundalini is highly diffused intelligent power spread everywhere. In other words Pranashakti is a supernal life energy to which the individual owes his existence and the existence of the world around him. In the individual it takes the specific form as the bio-plasma sustained by the cosmic portion of Maha Prana, permeates each and every cell of an organism. In fact it is the life of cells as well as of the organism itself. The individual considers himself to be no more than a mere occasion of this mighty force which continues to work through all the periods of his life.
There are two processes of Kundalini, one ascending or Arohana krama and the other descending or Avarohana krama. “The ascent of Kundalini from the Muladhara to the head centre is known as Laya krama or the process of dissolution. As She pierces each chakra, the world image of ordinary perception recedes further and further, dissolving as it were into the ever expanding pool of consciousness, until it completely fades away from vision at the 7th centre in the brain. After a spell of intense absorption and bliss the Shakti descends again recreating the world step by step in the same way as she had dissolved it at the time of her ascent. This is known as Srishti Krama or the process of creation.”