A Wisdom Archive on Vitalism

Vitalism is the doctrine that "vital forces" are active in living organisms, so that life cannot be explained solely by mechanism. That element is often referred to as the "vital spark" or "energy" which some equate with the "soul". Vitalism has a long history in medical philosophies. Most traditional healing practices posited that disease was the result of some imbalance in the vital energies which distinguish living from non-livin ...

Read more here: » Vitalism: Encyclopedia - Vitalism

Vitality The jiva or life-force which manifests through the different principles of the human septenary being, as well as through the multiform hierarchies of nature. It animates the cosmic entity in which we live as vital monadic units and in man manifests as the pranas: "there is a regular circulation of the vital fluid throughout our [solar] system, of which the Sun is the heart -- the same as the circulation of the blood in the human body . . ." (SD 1:541).
 
The lowest principle of cosmic jiva is diffused through all nature and, among its innumerable activities on all the cosmic planes, on our plane produces all living beings and entities -- man, beast, plant, mineral, and the three kingdoms of the elemental world. "The animal tissues only absorb it according to their more or less morbid or healthy state," matter being the necessary vehicle for its manifestation on this plane (SD 1:537).
 
On cosmic planes of consciousness, the corresponding aspects of jiva are the vehicles of cosmic thought or ideation which manifest more or less consciously in entities, and automatically as the laws of nature. Likewise, in the human being the psychoelectric field of life-currents, vital fluids, or pranas provides the vehicles or avenues for transmitting his thought, feeling, emotion, and instincts. The tension of this life principle -- in one sense the liquor vitae of Paracelsus -- may be too high or too low, owing to the nervous changes in the matter it invests. Thus, an equilibrium of the vital currents of the body means a state of health, as disturbed or disordered conditions make for disease.
 
Vitality is not created by the nutrition and functional activities which afford conditions for its play in the body. Too much or too little of the lifestream may produce fatal convulsions or collapse, it being a neutral force with a potential action for both life and death -- for death is but a manifestation of life, and can as easily supervene from a vital excess which tears the body to pieces in time, as through a pranic defect therein. When its cohesive role is neutralized after death, it begins its dispersive "work on the atoms chemically" (SD 1:538).
 
The source of jiva manifesting as the human pranas is in the divine monad or atman, a reflection of the same fact on the cosmic scale where cosmic jiva originates in Brahman or paramatman.

 
(See also: Vitality, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul )

Hindu Quotes: A Hundred and One Vital Tracks
 
From the heart there radiate a hundred
 And one vital tracks. One of them rises
 To the crown of the head. This way leads
 To immortality, the others to death.
 
- Katha Upanishad

 
.
(See also: Hinduism Archives, Hindu Quotes, Inspirational Quotes, Love Quotes, Friendship Quotes, Life Quotes )

Read more here: » Hindu Quotes: A Hundred and One Vital Tracks

The ideologies of natural health hold that all health, illness, and healing can be positively affected by prevention and lifestyle modifications. These natural therapies are under the control of the individual. Natural health - Natural philosophy. Just like any other natural philosophy, the word 'natural' in natural health is referring to the physical realm of existence. Natural health excludes all belief systems that say disease is a result of anything other than natural causes. Faith and psy ...

Read more here: » Natural health: Encyclopedia II - Natural health - Basic Core Tenets

An idea created by French philosopher Henri Bergson, élan vital is usually translated as "vital force". It is a hypothetical force thought to cause the evolution and development of organisms. The British biologist Julian Huxley remarked that Bergson’s élan vital is no better an explanation of life than is explaining the operation of a railway engine by élan locomotif. Other related archivesBritish, French, Henri Bergson, Julian Huxley, biologist, development, evoluti

Read more here: » Élan vital: Encyclopedia - Élan vital

Although the term natural health did not become part of common usage until the late 20th century, many of its core beliefs developed in Europe and were brought over to the New World. Natural health - New World. Medical self-care was often the only health care available, and until the 1750s, most folk healers in the United States had little medical education beyond apprenticeships. Around the time of the Revolutionary War (1775-1783), the practice of medicine was seen as more of a part-time av ...

Read more here: » Natural health: Encyclopedia II - Natural health - History of Natural Health

The notion of the Celtic pantheon as merely a proliferation of local gods is contradicted by the several well-attested deities whose cults were observed virtually throughout the areas of Celtic settlement. Celtic polytheism - Cult of Lugus-Mercurius. According to Caesar the god most honoured by the Gauls was "Mercury (Greek: Hermes). ," and this is confirmed by numerous images and inscriptions. His Celtic name is not explicitly stated, but it is clearly implied in the place-name Lugudunon ("the fort or dwe ...

Read more here: » Celtic polytheism: Encyclopedia II - Celtic polytheism - Cults within Celtic polytheism

Insular sources provide important information about Celtic religious festivals. In Ireland the year was divided into two periods of six months by the feasts of Beltane (May 1) and Samhain (Samain; November 1), and each of these periods was equally divided by the feasts of Imbolc (February 1), and Lughnasadh (August 1). Samhain seems originally to have meant "summer," but by the early Irish period it had come to mark summer's end. Beltine is also called Cetsamain ("First Samhain"). Imbolc has been compared by the French scholar Joseph Vendrye ...

Read more here: » Celtic polytheism: Encyclopedia II - Celtic polytheism - Festivals

Chun-Li's appearance has differed several times in the Street Fighter series, as well as in official art and cameos she has made in other works. Chun-Li - Clothing. The clothing that Chun-Li wears is a traditional Chinese dress called a qipao in which it was quite popular clothing during the early 20th Century in China amongst girls; it should be noted, however, that Chun-Li's outfit is a modified version that allows a far wider range of movement than a normal qipao. In addition, she usually wears d ...

Read more here: » Chun-Li: Encyclopedia II - Chun-Li - Appearance

Chun-Li was an Interpol investigator who had been searching for clues to the recent death of her father. Getting into a friendly spar with an old teacher of hers and friend of her father, Gen, he gives her a lead into who may have killed her father-the mysterious crime syndicate Shadoloo. Finding its leader, M. Bison, she demands he tell her what happened to her father. To her surprise, Bison attacks and basically makes quick work of her, then flies away, laughing at her and telling her if she attacks him again he'll kill her-just like he did to her father. Chun-Li, ...

Read more here: » Chun-Li: Encyclopedia II - Chun-Li - Story

Worry causes fear, anxiety, tension and stress. These emotions deplete energy and weaken the immune system. Worriers become sick and this is manifested in poor health, because of all the problems that are eating into their vitals.
 
And worry is certainly not the same as constructive thinking; if it were, we would have found solutions to most of our problems.

 
(See also: Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul )

Read more here: » Love and Happiness: Don't Be a Worrier; Savour Your Life