THE VITAL FORCE

 

Vital force is an invisible, autogenerating power or energy that present everywhere in the living creature. It is an independent power which regulates each and every organ, parts of the body, every tissue and their activities & functions. In aphorism 9 of ‘Organon of Medicine’ Dr. Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann characterized the properties of vital force. The properties are:

***Spiritual: We cannot see the powers or energies, but only feel its existence by its activities or its functions. E.g. light of the lamp proves the existence of electricity. Like this the vital force is the power which is only recognize by its effects on organism. Our all body parts do its every day activities in appropriate way due to the existence of this spiritual power.

***Autocracy: ‘Auto’ means ‘self’ and ‘kerato’ means ‘power’. So, autocracy means self-power. Vital force is not depended upon any organs or system for generation of its power.

*** Dynamis: Having to do with force.

***Animates the material body: Animates means enliven. when vital force is present Our body is alive, when it ceases our body become functionless or died.

***Unbounded sway: It means boundless way or without any limitations.

***Retains all parts of the organism: It keeps all parts of the organs in same place without deviation.

***Admirable: Appreciable way.

***Harmonious: In sequential way.

***Indwelling: Intelligent.

Life is composed of three parts, one is the body, second is the mind and others is the spirit or vital force. The body or tissues are the channel through which the life is functions. The vital force is the power who maintain every function of the body, thus maintain the life. Up to 5^th editions of “Organon of Medicine” Dr. Hahnemann characterized this power as vital force, but in 6^th edition he used ‘vital dynamis’. He used the word dynamis for its defensive and preventive actions.

Role of vital force in maintaining health:

In healthy condition of man there is harmonious flow of order in mind and physical body as a whole. Vital force acts on immaterial plane over the mind and material plane over each parts of the body e.g. over the tissues, organs, systems. Ultimately all the functions of the body are done normally in physiological way and man cannot feeling any discomfort or uneasiness and any disorders are not detected. Thus, the balance between the body and mind is established during a healthy condition. Every day we face several situations both outwardly and inwardly. The inimical influences (germs) attack our body. But in healthy condition, vital force provide a protest against influences and saves our body from these influences and mans are able to achieve their higher purpose of existence on the earth e.g. thinking, reproductions & others.

          In next aphorism number 10 of ‘Organon of medicine’ Dr. Hahnemann state that,” The material organism, without vital force, is capable of no sensations, no functions, no self-preservation.”

 That means without vital force material body considered to be dead. Come to the point. When we look toward a dead body, we notice that all the organs like, eyes, nose, ears, mouth, hands, head, extremities are in exact position. After dissections of the body we found that all the internal organs like liver, kidneys, spleen, intestine in their same locations. But has no ability to do its functions. Late it rests for few days, what is seen? The material body is already start to putrefy.  It occurs because, the absence of vital force, all the sensation and functions of the each and every part of the body is ceased its action ultimately there is no self-preservation leading to this body as dead one.

Inimical dynamic influences (disease force) derange vital force: There is trinity of life – the vital force, mind and body. For deranging the actions of vital force their must be required a dynamic inimical force stronger than the life force. In healthy state, vital force is fully control over the body organisms and try to protect organism from the disease. Homoeopathy never consider disease as material one which only affects outwardly, but its affects internally over the vital force when it is stronger than life force and derange dynamically. The derangement of inimical dynamic force is manifested on material and immaterial plan, in the form of sing and symptoms which is called disease. These abnormal sign and symptoms give ideas about internal states of vital force, with the help of an expert Homoeopathic physician.

Role of vital force to establish cure: As there is unfeigned relationship between mind, body and vital force and the vital force is immaterial but physical body is material. Both the vital force is not considered without material body and vice versa. So, the derangement of vital force is only understood by studying the abnormal sensation and functions of the body and mind. For, removal of this morbific inimical dynamic influence the homoeopathic physician applies an appropriate homoeopathic medicine in dynamic plan. Vital force perceives the medicinal impressions by the sentient nervous system. Only by their dynamic action on the vital force that remedies are able to re-established health. In healthy states vital force again maintain the actions and function of organism in its finer and finest form and act as a safeguard of the body.    

 

___Amatul Zami Aditi

Student (final year B.H.M.S.)

Govt. Homoeopathic Medical College, Dhaka, Bangladesh