Download 3.5-Intro-to-the-Vital-Force-Part-2

Introduction to the Vital Force, Part II
From a Vitalist perspective, the nature of ‘health’ and ‘disease’ take on different meanings. We no
longer speak in terms of one being ‘infected’, or ‘sick’, but rather examine to what degree the normal flow
of lifeforce has changed in that individual. This has been a perennial debate between those who advocate the
‘germ theory’ of disease and those who espouse the doctrine of the Vital Force: while the first camp will
argue that imbalance comes as a result of invasion from pathogenic bacteria, the second camp contends that
the body/mind/spirit is constantly exposed to pathogens, but only becomes ‘ill’ when the flow of lifeforce
within the field or the individual has become compromised, reduced, blocked or hindered in some way.
Needless to say, both views are important in maintaining good health (for example, good hygiene has
dramatically reduced the cases of infant nephritis, or kidney infections, and has controlled many infectious
diseases such as cholera), but consider this: Louis Pasteur, the ‘godfather’ of the germ theory or disease,
was rumored to have exclaimed ‘It is the field, not the germ!’ on his deathbed. For the purposes of herbal
therapy, we will sometimes focus on reducing the chance of opportunistic infection in the
body/mind/spirit, but more often we will attempt to restore a balanced flow of Vital Force to the affected
tissues and to the whole organism.
If you will remember, three important characteristics of the energy phenomenon of Vital Force are:
 Observable effects. As lifeforce moves through the world, be it through a plant, an animal, a
human, or a stone, it causes and modulates changes within that organism. We can observe these changes
and extrapolate what the lifeforce is up to ~ conversely, we can manipulate it in certain ways by using its
powers of change within the organism.
 One and many. Lifeforce, although representative of a single, primal ‘light-beyond-the-light’ and
animating energy, nonetheless takes on different hues, or essences, and can appear different in different
organisms. This is like a radio signal, for instance: it is the same wave moving through the air and picked up
by your receiver, but depending on the shape and frequency of the wave, you will hear different sounds.
 The Law of Similars, sometimes termed ‘doctrine of correspondences’, exemplified for instance
by the presence of signatures in Nature that point to similarities between different portions of the natural
world. This concept relies on a theoretical explanation of the general nature of the Vital Force, which has
been amply proven through experience: primal, archetypal ideas such as the concept of ‘cold’, ‘heat’,
‘emptiness’, etc… flow from the World of the Stars (Plato calls it the Sideral, I prefer the term Astral),
which is the realm of thought, ideas, and archetypes, into the World of Form (which is where matter
resides, and what most consider ‘reality’). As it flows from the Astral into the World of Form, the Vital
Force animates those primal ‘ideas’ (or essences) and carries this animating power into matter. It is no
coincidence, therefore, that such similarity exists in the natural world: things that are similar are the result
of the same essence manifesting on multiple different levels.
These three points serve to describe the nature of lifeforce, as a diverse, fractalized, all-pervading
animating energy that flows through various essences into our world of Form. It serves not only to enliven,
but also to connect every aspect of Nature, and could almost be considered the ‘Soul of the World’ (some
have described it as such). In the microcosm of the human body/mind/spirit, the Vital Force enters every
organ and tissue, flowing along meridian and energetic channels much like the blood does, according to the
essence of each particular organ or tissue. The kidneys, for example, embody the essence of Water. They
perform ‘watery’ duties and also respond well to ‘watery’ treatment when they are suffering from a
deficiency of Vital Force: again, this is because the ‘watery’ herb administered allows the Water Essence to
permeate the tissue more effectively.
Most homeopaths and many herbalists will tell you (and I agree) that, if left to its own devices and
given natural amounts of fresh foods, good water, and rest, the body/mind/spirit will tend to heal itself of
acute and chronic complaints, by just being a part of the self-regulating system of lifeforce flow. This
analysis can get a bit complicated, however, when you look at an individual as a whole: perhaps the physical
body needs to express weakness or disease in order to bring an imbalance of the mind or spirit to the
forefront of our attention ~ and in these cases, even with the best diet and rest we fail to see natural
recuperation, unless the whole is fed and nourished on all levels, mental, social and spiritual, as well as
physical. If this nourishment is provided and the body/mind/spirit left to heal, in most all cases disharmony
will vanish. Be aware, however, that we all die – and that the Vital Force plays an important role in
mediating this ultimate transition.
Herbs, with their own complement of specific lifeforce essences, powers, and affinities, can be very
helpful in both accelerating natural healing responses in the physical body, and also nourishing the more
subtle components of our minds and spirits. Being so good at working in both worlds, herbs play a vital role
in any therapy: keep in mind that, the more connections with an herb a ‘patient’ has, the more effective this
deep-level nourishing will be (as you recall, Vital Force flows through connections and relationships).
A final point to remember when considering the healing powers of the Vital Force is what has been
termed ‘Hering’s Law of Direction of Cure’. This law describes the healing process in terms of
lifeforce flow being restored first at the core of the organism. This makes good sense: if you were to
renovate an old house, you would start with the foundation, not the windows! In the same way, as the Vital
Force becomes re-balanced, symptoms will move from chronic (deep) to acute, and from central (deep
inside the chest and abdomen) to peripheral (at the extremities, on the skin). This is the direction of cure: as
we heal, imbalances are eliminated from the inside – out.
There are important implications of this law: first, you should always strive to give a treatment
whose essence is similar to the deepest imbalance, so it can be driven out. Although it is not always the
case, very often the deepest imbalances reside in the liver and intestines (and sometimes the nervous
system, which is closely tied to these two). Second, as the imbalance is corrected at the deep levels, it will
move to more superficial levels and start manifesting acute symptoms: the combination of these two facts
gives what has been called the healing crisis, such as a fever, rash, ‘detoxification’ reaction, etc… This is a
perfectly normal, healthy and good thing for everyone but the most debilitated individuals, and you should
welcome it when it happens. It’s a sure sign that the imbalance has reached the surface and that, therefore,
Vital Force is flowing smoothly in the deeper tissues. Usually healing crises last no more than 3 days. This
‘crisis’ is an expression of lifeforce: all too often people attempt to suppress acute inflammatory conditions
(colds, fevers, etc…) which are just examples of the Vital Force initiating its own treatment and resultant
healing crisis. If you suppress it, you are also suppressing lifeforce: no good can come of this, long term.
In summary, the Vital Force is constantly working at keeping our selves (and every living being)
balanced and self-regulated in harmony. When an imbalance does manifest, most often it is just a part of a
healing process the lifeforce initiated, and will resolve for the best all by itself (given adequate rest, simple
food, and good water, of course). As a result of suppressing symptoms (by administration of anti-lifeforce
suppressant medications, or by ignoring necessary changes in the mind/spirit), the imbalance may become
chronic. In this case, we may administer substances (herbs) with specific essences that are similar in nature
to the imbalanced area, to attempt to bring in a stronger flow of lifeforce. As proper flow is restored,
symptoms may become acute, initiating a healing crisis.