August 1977

Kirtan
Swami Satyananda Saraswati
Inner Vision
Dr. Swami Shankardevananda Saraswati
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Kirlian Photographs
- Pictures of the aura or corona discharge
Dr. Swami Satyamurti Saraswati, Ph.D.
High voltage photography dates back to 1843. Images of the emanations
or effluvia from humans were first photographed using a high voltage field
by Carsten in England. Later in 1891 the same type of photographs were
taken by the electronics genius, Nicola Tesla, who developed alternating
current. Soon after, a number of scientists started using these techniques
to make 'in depth' studies of human emanations. However, the most systematic
and long term studies were those conducted in the Soviet Union by a husband
and wife team, Semyon and Valentina Kirlian. Their basic technique involved
a high frequency spark generator (similar to the coil of a car), or an
oscillator generating from 75,000 to 200,000 cycles per second. This is
connected to one or two electrode plates, and the object to be photographed
is inserted between the plates along with photographic film or paper.
When the current is turned on for a short time, the field created causes
the corona discharge which is registered on the plate or film. The technique
can be dangerous if not applied with care. The image formed results from
the ways in which the electric charge is conducted through and around
the object being photographed. Using this apparatus, the Kirlians have
discovered the following phenomena.
* Altered states of consciousness can be made visible. A photograph of
the finger of a relaxed man is much different from a photo taken when
he is angry or tense. Photos (in black & white and colour) show that
the emanations are constantly changing with different thoughts, emotions,
food and orientation. Even if the subject faces north, the photos will
be different from those taken when he faces south.
* Electrophysiological studies have shown that the emanations do not
relate to: skin temperature, the skin's electrical potential, vaso-constrictions
or dilations, or even to perspiration. Thus the energy being photographed
is not a simple physiological one.
* When a person is healthy the photo of the finger shows predominant
blue and white coronas. When emotionally aroused, anxious or nervous,
the photo also emanates a red blotch. Due to this and many more intricate
observations, many people feel that the Kirlian device could be used in
diagnosing illness even before any symptoms are visible. Many scientists
are now working on this idea, using the Kirlian device.
* In healing, there is some type of energy transfer taking place. Studies
done on people who claimed healing ability showed a small corona before
healing and a large one afterwards.
* A psychic in his normal waking consciousness showed a very small emanation,
but in trance he showed a brilliant, blue-white corona. This is similar
to reports from many people who practice prana vidya (a yogic technique
for healing).
* In general every person has his own unique patterns.
* During magnetic storms caused by sun spots, the corona changed to large
red spots. This ties in with work done on L-fields (life fields). Professor
Harold Burr of Yale University also found a similar distortion of the
life field, as measured by a special type of voltmeter, whenever there
was any disturbance on the earth's geomagnetic lines caused by solar storms.
* Music and coloured light affect the corona discharge.
* Plants were found to be ideal detectors of energy changes in individuals.
Holding one's hand near a plant and suggesting that the hand was warm
caused the plant's leaves to increase in luminescence. Suggesting that
the hand was cold caused a decrease in luminescence of the leaves.
* Acupuncture points have been photographed with the Kirlian device.
It was found that stimulation of certain points on an acupuncture energy
meridian could cause brighter luminescence at other flare points on the
channel. Much work is being done in this regard, especially by the noted
parapsychologist Dr. Hiroshi Motoyama, Ph.D, in Tokyo, Japan, as well
as by many other researchers in the field of psychophysiology.
* Kirlian diagnosis of both the physical body and the emotional condition
is possible.
* In the future, using X-ray methods and ultrasonic holography, a person's
three dimensional Kirlian photograph may be possible.
This is a partial view of the research being done in the field of Kirlian
photography. However, if one examines the Soviet literature concerning
this type of photography, it is clear that the basic question is still
unanswered. What phenomenon is revealed by this radiation field photography
(high voltage Kirlian photography) ? The Kirlians describe their photography
as 'a method of converting non-electrical properties of the object being
photographed into electrical ones... with a direct transfer of charges
from the object to the photographic plate'. We should not assume that
Kirlian photographs are in fact photos of the human aura, because this
has not yet been scientifically proven. However, let us examine what science
has proved about them. Why are many scientists undecided about the nature
of these emanations, which are affected by our thinking, feelings, environment
etc?
The Kazakh biologist, V. M. Inyushin, in 1968 used the term bioplasma
body to describe the emanations and internal structure of the objects
photographed. He sees the 'bioplasma body' as similar if not identical
to the 'aura' or 'astral body' as described in yogic literature. The Moscow
biophysicist Viktor Adamenko, who spent many years in intimate collaboration
with the Kirlians, sees the photographs as demonstrating the 'cold emission
of electrons', called corona discharge by scientists. He believes that
Kirlian photography reveals nothing more than a commonplace electrical
phenomenon. The question remains unanswered, what does this photography
reveal, bioplasma (aura pictures) or cold ion emission?
Corona discharges were apparently first noted in biblical times. Both
the old and the new testaments report 'miraculous fires', e.g. the flames
which allegedly appeared upon the twelve apostles on the day of Pentecost
(Acts 2:3), and the burning bush which Moses saw on Mt. Sinai (Exodus
3 :2), could in reality have been occurrences of corona discharge.
The corona discharge phenomenon has usually appeared hovering over sharp
or pointed structures, such as ship's masts, church spires, aeroplane
wing tips or tree tops. When it appeared over the masts of wooden ships,
it became associated with Saint Elmo, the patron saint of sailors. There
are numerous other names for this phenomenon such as the dioscuri, Castor,
pollux and Fermie's fire. Only in the nineteenth century did scientists
prove that these phenomena were due to an overabundance of electricity
in the atmosphere.
Nicola Tesla was experimenting in his laboratory on duplicating lightning.
He found that the high voltage coils which he used developed a bluish
glow around them due to the corona discharge phenomenon. This clearly
shows its ability to ionise the gases in the surrounding air. For these
and other reasons, some physicists claim the images recorded by the Kirlian
process are merely displacement currents which affect the photographic
emulsion.
A Czechoslovakian researcher proved that the flow of a high energy field
in a condenser is not constant. Thus some physicists argue that the spots
and filaments of light seen in the Kirlian photographs might indicate
that the high voltage currents have chosen imperfections in the emulsion
surface as paths of least electrical resistance. The spots could be defined
as Maxwell's currents (discovered in 1881) and the filaments of light
may in reality be what are called Lichtenberg figures. Plasma in physics
refers to a gaseous collection of positive and negative ions. The atmospheres
of stars in the far reaches of space are composed of such plasma.
In contrast to the plasma of physics, biological or bioplasma is said
to be a coherent organised system. The chaotic motion of particles is
reduced to a minimum. The bioplasmic body (or astral body as some people
call it) is relatively stable in changing external conditions, although
it is influenced by electrical and magnetic fields. The Soviets, however,
acknowledge that the biological plasma theory was originally conceived
in the absence of any experimental proof. It is the opinion of some scientists
that the concept of bioplasma is still very speculative, even by some
scientists engaged in research into psychic phenomena! Many researchers
believe that bioplasma is another word for consciousness. The only conclusion
we can draw, as to whether the photographs reveal corona discharge or
bioplasma (subtle or pranic body), is that the changes which have been
observed to occur in organic (living) materials demonstrate a most interesting,
still un-deciphered story. In this lies the challenge for us to proceed.
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