Abstract:
This article provides a simplified explanation of the 9th aphorisms in 6th edition of Organon of Medicine, based on the insights of Dr. Manish Bhatia’s lectures. The aim is to make the complex concepts of vital force and its role in health more accessible and understandable. By breaking down the aphorisms and exploring their implications, this article seeks to facilitate a deeper understanding of homeopathic principles and their practical applications.
Vital Force In Health
• Dr Samual Hahnemann has explained the Concept of Vital Force in aphorisms 9 to 17 of Organon Of Medicine.
• The Aphorism 9 and 10 deals with the Role of Vital Force in Health.
• Vital means : Essential
• Force : Energy/Power
• So Vital Force means essential energy or energy that is essential for our life.
• Hahnemann did not discover the vital force. It is an Old concept that can be traced in the concepts of Hippocrate and Galen.
• Vital Force is something that differentiates between a living creature and a dead body. • Different People used Vital force as : Praan, Spirit, soul, Chi etc.
• People who believe in the idea of vital force are called vitalists.
• People who believed in pure biological or material existence are termed as materialists. • Hahnemann is considered as the last famous Vitalist.
• Once modern Materia started progressing, the vitalist tradition more or less died except in Homoeopathy
In Aphorism 9
• The first characteristic of Vital force mentioned is Autocracy.
• AUTOCRACY means Self Governed or governed or ruled by one single entity. • Vital is the one that controls or rules or governs our biological system. There is nothing else above it. • The next qualifier : “Spiritual”
• People with a scientific mind created lots of chaos and confusion with this word.
• Because Spiritual means Spirit Like so denied the concept of vital force. But these people failed to see the next phrase “the dynamis that animates the material body”.
The Dynamis that animates the material body
This gives two aspects of Hahnemann’s Philosophy.
1. He considered the body to be ‘material’
2. He believed that there is some ‘energy’ in our body that is responsible for our being ‘alive’. So the word before this statement “Spiritual” was not used to describe soul nor any religious connotations. The word Spiritual was used only to describe the ‘non material’ nature of vital force. The vital force rules with unbounded sway.
• Has two meanings –
1. to move from side to side.
2. Power, influence.
• Here the second meaning is applied.
• This phrase means the Vital Force has unrestrained influence over the material body. Vital Force Retains in an unbounded sway..
• Vital Force retain all the parts of the organism.
• Retains here means: to hold together.
• What happens when you stop holding all together.
• Things degenerate, they break, they disintegrate.
• That is what happens to our body when Vital Force is no more.
• The body needs a constant flow of energy or power to hold this biological creation together. Both sensation and functions
• Hahnemann mentions two important primary characteristics of living organism that need energy. • Living organisms can ‘sense’ and they can ‘function’.
• It is the vital force that imparts the ability to sense and function to our body parts and to the organism as a whole.
Harmonious and admirable fashion
• Harmonious means : the ability to work together appropriately or to maintain the equilibrium.
• Vital Force not only imparts sensation and function but also it makes sure that all the organs and system gel together to create a unit called LIFE.
Why does the Vital Force does what it does..
• Hahnemann says that the Vital Force keeps the body alive and functioning so that an indwelling reason gifted mind can freely employ the living, healthy instrument for the higher purpose of our existence.
• The Hierarchy is :
• There is a material body.
• Above that is our MIND (the mind that is reason gifted, it can not only ‘sense’ but it can also analyse, interpret and think actively.
• Above all is the Dynamic Power That keeps us ALIVE & Functional.
• There is a reason for us to be alive. The reason is that we have to attain our ‘higher purpose of existence’.
What is the Higher Purpose of Existence.? And how do we attain it??
• It is something that we do in our lifetime, as a contribution to make our society and ourselves better.
• Eg : I want to see Homoeopathy as a well established , scientifically accepted and dominant system of medicine in my lifetime.
• Becoming a good clinician, doing some particular research work, helping others, or just working well.
• Even a sweeper can have a higher purpose of existence if he/she realizes it. And put it to some good use.
Healthy Instrument for the higher purpose of existence….
• Hahnemann called the material body as a healthy instrument, a mode to attain our higher self.
• According to Hahnemann, the material body is an instrument that serves the vital force, allowing us to experience life and achieve our potential.
• Example: Consider a musical instrument, like a violin. The violin itself is an inanimate object, but when played by a skilled musician, it produces beautiful music. Similarly, the material body can be seen as an instrument played by the vital force, enabling us to express ourselves, experience the world, and achieve our goals.
Summary of 9th aphorism
• The Vital force is a dynamic energy that keeps us alive and maintains our organs and systems in a harmonious whole.
• It imparts sensation and functions to our body and helps us to work towards evolving as better human beings.
