WATER AND FIRE - momohealth.co.za and water.pdf · My water and fire destroy and put together; From...
Transcript of WATER AND FIRE - momohealth.co.za and water.pdf · My water and fire destroy and put together; From...
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WATER AND FIRE
“I am the poison-dripping dragon,
Who is everywhere and can be cheaply had.
That upon which I rest, and that which rest upon me, Will be found within me by those who pursue their investigations
In accordance with the rules of the Art. My water and fire destroy and put together;
From my body you may extract the green lion and the red. But if you do not have exact knowledge of me,
You will destroy your five senses with my fire. “ Aurelia Occulta from Theatrum Chemicum (1613)
Over thousands of years, our system has adapted to change by designing feedback processes which use
specific biphasic influences, - influences that can be both beneficial and harmful to our system. This means
that our system is able to use a substance or situation that is harmful under certain conditions for its own
benefit. The process is called hormesis. Hormetic
interaction with substances and influences in the outer
world have become part of wide-ranging interactive
networks that have developed over time between our
system and specific outer influences
In the West, great scholars and medical philosophers, from
Galen to Paracelsus, Isaac Newton to CG Jung, have often
defined health according to the symbolic and practical
principles of hormetic dynamics. To them the concept of
hormesis is part of the health philosophies of all cultures;
natural philosophies which carry the ‘practical truths about
life and health’. In Eastern countries particularly, these
practical realities have been integral to a traditional understanding of healing, and today people in these
cultures still find it is easier to integrate non-linear models such as quantum mechanics or biophysics into
modern medical research, especially where it involves laser technology and the energy fields that are
related to meridians and acupuncture.
These hormetic principles or ‘practical truths about life and health’ functions like a form of ‘beforehand
conditioning’, irrespective of the content of the symbolic structures in which they are represented. This
conditioning activates feedback cycles which not only involve our imaginative processes, but initiate
networks that even influence our cells and their chemical responses. In other words, the conditioning
includes both the chemical reactions to the substance or influence ‘taken in’ as well as the historical and
social associations with the particular substance or influence. Like faith in the deep cuts that the traditional
healer makes in the skin of an aching stomach, or the ancient Greek’s acceptance of Apollo’s demands that
he who wounds should be the one who heals, we still have unconditional belief in the extensive wounds
created by the surgeon. This implies that the messages given in the symbolic details of religious rituals
and traditional medicine during previous millennia are still ingrained in the intuitive similes we use when
we think about personal health in a modern setting.
It may be a good idea to first read the previous
two articles on hormesis namely A Little Bit of Poison and Of Wood and Worm, to pick up the
general flow of thought about this interesting concept. In those articles we firstly consider the
possibility that we are naturally programmed to take in optimum amounts of things that are
‘bad’ for us. Secondly, we confirm our deep
unconscious relationship with the ‘poisonous’ substances of plants, and examine an example
of how we have made this mystifying association part of our religious and health
rituals since the beginning of human history. Here we try to connect this intuitive, archetypal
relationship to a practical or everyday view of life and health.
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between earth and fire...
Thou shalt separate the Earth from the Fire, the subtle from the
coarse, gently and with much ingenuity… Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegsitus.
As mentioned in the previous articles on hormesis, shamans
and traditional healers have consistently used so-called
poisonous plants and animals in rituals, both to improve
their own healing abilities and to treat those who are sick and
frightened. These natural hormetic substances influence the
body’s inner chemical substances such as neurotransmitters,
hormones, and metabolic products, which in their own right
act as inner hormetic substances. This means that at one
level they are essential for normal cell functioning and
survival, but in another amount they may cause malfunctioning and damage. Outer hormetic substances
such as medication or herbs could thus, via direct effects on receptors in the membranes of cells or
indirectly via neurotransmitters, hormones, and metabolic products, improve the maintenance of and
communication between cells, and yet cause damage to the same cells when they are active in ‘the wrong’
amount or under different circumstances.
However, we no longer live in a world where we can trust our instinctual ability to decide on the right
amounts of poisonous plants to stay alive and healthy. We also no longer have well structured religious
rites which could amplify the symbolic relationships and evolutionary trade-offs that we have developed
with these plants. We now need proper research to open up new ways of understanding plants with
hormetic qualities and to negotiate optimum interaction with these substances that were so crucial to our
evolution.
Unfortunately, modern medical research seldom happens in natural environments or in real life. No rats,
chimpanzees or dogs living in a laboratory have the same spectrum of interaction with the outer world as
animals that have to act and form their own survival strategies amidst climate change, hunger, illness and
competition with other species. Even situations of stress and unpredictability become artificially predictable
in the laboratory. More importantly, these animals are not in interaction with the same wide spectrum of
plants, whether in their areas of shelter, as possible alternative foods, as self-discovered remedies for
injury or as defences against invasion by microbes or attacks from natural predators. And yet, in this
unnatural world, scientists shape their essential hypotheses, which are loaded with subjective expectations
based upon laboratory results by the time they are tested on people 'out there' in the world.
Gradually there is a new sense in the medical world that we can no longer be satisfied with the crude way
in which research detaches scientific procedure from nature, separates “the earth from the fire”. Although
medical science can extract and refine natural substances one by one and predict with relative certainty
what the effect of each will be, that same substance in coordination with other substances and
environmental influences may have quite a different effect. It is especially the subtle relationships between
knowledge and nature, the psychological and mystical, which have to be included in discerning research. It
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is a mistake to believe that we have despiritualised plants and animals in the laboratory with our objective
research and now have a greater truth. In fact, we have only driven these embedded symbolic realities
into the unconscious from where they surprise us regularly with unexpected results.
Confusing research results about the effects of meat and carbohydrates on health, the constant but
diverse claims for a new wonder supplement or herb, unforeseen side effects of medicines, and
inconsistencies in the prediction of toxic or harmful effects of industrial substances are clear examples that
we are far from separating the “subtle from the coarse” with ingenuity.
Including the concept of hormesis into our reasoning when we design research methods and
make deductions from results could be a
first step.
the green lion and the red
“From my body you may extract the green lion and the red.
But if you do not have exact knowledge of me, You will destroy your five senses...” Aurelia Occulta
from Theatrum Chemicum
What is unknown about the inner mind's
functioning is still felt, and is always projected
on that which is known such as animals,
planets, chemical elements and subatomic
particles. Plants carry the most potent
projections, not only because they are part of the total evolutionary path of humans, but also because this
projection is continually amplified by their ongoing and direct interaction with our inner chemistry in the
form of food, medicine or when used for the induction of trance states. It is not only the immediate
chemical effect of the substances that is important, but also the potential effect that is woken up in our
mind whenever we interact with the plant through intake, ritual or imagination. The potential effect is
amplified by shape, colour, taste and effect inside the body, all of which contribute to the eventual
symbolic value of the plant, which then will decide whether it heals or poisons, stimulates or soothes.
In other words, it is irrelevant whether the plant carries a spirit as earlier humans believed, or whether it
has a specific scientifically proven chemical. The inner mind is not troubled by the conscious ego's sense of
reality. Whatever works to get the job done, to secure adaptation and improve survival, is the only reality
that counts to our system’s inner organisation. We will never really know whether a plant substance or
medication works only because of an immediate molecular exchange or also because of the network of
interactive feedback activities that it initiates through its influence on the more subtle dimensions of our
system - placebo or semi-placebo effects.
Medicine can therefore never be merely a science but is truly also an art, and the way the physician uses
his own unconscious may have a more powerful effect on the patient than the drug employed. Of course
the medicine must first and foremost have direct effects on chemical receptors in the body or influence
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neurotransmitters, hormones, and metabolic products to improve the maintenance and communication
between cells by becoming part of our inner chemistry. However, a herb, drug or other substance may
merely influence subtle energy shifts based upon highly symbolic impressions. And it is especially here
that they may have unpredictable effects and even cause damage to the same cells that they normally
heal.
Over thousands of years our system has adapted by designing networks of complex feedback processes
that use these biphasic effects optimally for our system’s own survival. This biphasic tendency is so
inherent to nature that it has become the essential quality of most mythological and religious systems. It
is no wonder that the involvement of hormetic substances in the symbolic processes of our inner
organisation can indirectly influence wide ranging energy exchanges in our system.
A bio-dynamic explanation of the modern world is based on complex systems rather than linear
causality and we need exact as well as inclusive knowledge to incorporate both sides of
biphasic or hormetic adaptation.
tea and spice...
The essence of all beings is earth, the essence of earth is water, the
essence of water is plants, the essence of plants is the human being.
(Chandogya, Upanishads)
Although almost impossible to the present scientific
model of medical research, we need to include the
subtle dimensions of our inner organisation to
understand and incorporate the full spectrum of our
interaction with nature. The list of plant substances that
have become part of our mythological self by nature
of their hormetic ability is endless. From camphor to
codeine, strychnine to digitalis, nicotine to caffeine,
resveratrol to tannin- all the substances that are so
popular in modern research take part in a fascinating
bio-mythological interplay between humans and plants.
In fact, hormetic substances in the form of wine, tea, witches’ concoctions, miracle cures or secrets stolen
from the gods have been part of the human story since the beginning of human consciousness. No myth
or ritual has ever forgotten that these are substances that have two sides, innocuous and dangerous,
supportive and destructive; they are like nature herself. It is impossible to imagine the everyday lives of
humans without the rituals and habits that existed and still exist around these substances. What would
social interaction and subtle human bonding be without tea, wine, coffee and tobacco?
Herbs and spices are particularly rich in hormetic substances, and many ingredients in our everyday diet
are the medicines of previous times. These substances have strong tastes and aromas because their
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function in the plants is actually to create natural avoidance responses. Just try and feed potatoes, garlic,
onions or broccoli to your dog. Humans, however, have excelled in learning how to use the substances
that cause a natural stress response in biological cells for their own benefit. Not only do these substances
enhance the enjoyment of food, they also stimulate the immune system and important enzyme feedback
cycles, even increasing the ability of cells to resist internal cancer changes. This effect has been widely
promoted in the media, making green and herbal teas central to daily social and health rituals in modern
urban societies. The same is true for the many spices we use to store and improve food.
Other hormetic plants are still mainly used as medication. There is digitalis from foxgloves, which is a
potent poison but was also the best medication against cardiac failure for many centuries. In Europe, the
elderberry tree in any possible form was essential to every healer's medicine supply, and Hippocrates
called it his ‘medicine chest’. St. Germain, the popular liqueur, and Sambuc, the trusty green ointment we
all know from our childhood, are familiar substances from this tree.
It is obvious that we cannot ignore the strong link between the bio-chemical effects of these substances
and the associative energy that they accumulated over millennia in the minds of people. This will always
influence the outcome of their value and toxicity to our system’s inner organisation.
The modern interest in food preparation and the
revival of traditional herbal treatments make the
effect of hormesis more evident again, and we
need to find a balanced view towards research in
this field.
old-fashioned modernity
“When a man undertakes to create something, he establishes
a new heaven, as it were, and from it the work that he desires to create flows into him...” Paracelsus.
Hormetic herbs are central to modern alternative
treatment regimes such as traditional Chinese
medicine, homeopathy and naturopathy. This
considerable interest in herbal medicine has forced
orthodox medicine to turn both their business seeking
Curcumin, for example, which comes from the roots of Curcuma longa and is the yellow substance in turmeric, is the key component of curry spice. However, it has been used as medication for at least four millennia and has
featured in Ayurvedic medicine since about 2000 BCE. In Nepal it is especially used for its anti-inflammatory and anti-septic effect. In China it is dominant in treating stomach and bowel conditions and in India turmeric is used
for liver, digestive and inflammatory conditions. In modern research, it has turned out to be a good scavenger of free radicals. It thus increases the cancer fighting ability of the immune system, and could actually have an anti-
inflammatory effect in low dosages. It has also shown promise in protecting the brain cells in Alzheimer's, but in certain dosages, it actually causes stomach ulcers and cancer in the colon.
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and technological expansion towards the properties of popular herbs. Ten years ago articles on herbal
medicine were few and far between on PubMed (a digital archive of life sciences journal literature from the
National Centre for Biotechnology Information). Now they appear regularly and comply with proper peer
review research standards. Let us explore a few examples.
Resveratrol, a substance in red wine, has been in the news recently for all kinds of health benefits. For a
long time, research with laboratory rats
convinced us that all alcohol contributed to
metabolic syndrome, until the reality that
red wine loving Italians have less heart
disease dawned upon the medical world.
Suddenly red wine became the answer for
heart disease, and researchers rummaged
around for the applicable justification. Soon
resveratrol (a phytophenol) became the
greatest of antioxidants, which would protect
against heart disease and cancer. However,
it also became clear that it may induce cell death in certain important parts of the brain. Is this scientific
discovery new or does it merely highlight the intuitive, age-old interaction between humans and the
natural chemicals of the archetypal grape?
In another example, we see extended research into Chinese herbal teas. The sweet wormwood (Artemisia
annua) called qing hao is a popular herb used in Traditional Chinese medicine to “clear heat from the
system”. This means that apart from countering feverish illnesses such as malaria and bowel infections, it
is able to create alertness without causing irritability and exhaustion. Lately there has been research into
its ability to prevent secondary infection in people with AIDS and auto-immune diseases and its ability to
fight breast cancer. Chinese scientists are also in the forefront of developing an anti-malaria drug from
sweet wormwood against resistant malaria parasites.
Phytochemicals activate stress-responsive transcription factors such as NRF2, CREB, FOXO-3 and NF-kB. They
up-regulate the expression of stress-resistance proteins inside cells such as antioxidant enzymes, Bcl-2 family members and neurotrophic factors. This improves neuronal plasticity and the general resistance and survival of
nerve cells. We are, however, far from understanding the nature of this interaction between phytochemicals and our nerve cells. The organo-sulfur compounds in garlic and onions, such as allium and allicin, have been
researched for their ability to protect nerve cells. The hormetic pathways are probably linked to mitochondrial stress resistance and the NRF pathways TRP channels in neurons. Broccoli is rich in sulfo-raphane (an
isothiocyanate) that usually stimulates NRF2 in certain astrocytes (brain cells) and actually damages these cells. Sulfo-raphane, however, protects the pigment cells in the retina against damage induced by light. The feedback
hormesis network of diferuloyl methane (curcumin) includes the NRF2 pathway, the production of HO-1, p38 MAP-kinase and other intra-cellular stress cycles. It has been shown to protect brain cells against ischemia. It
may also increase the levels of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) and noradrenaline in the hippocampus. In the stomach, curcumin inhibits the growth of Helicobacter pylori and is related to gastric ulcers and cancer.
Ondamtanggagambang is used for anxiety disorders due to its hormetic effect on both the brain and the muscle cells of the heart via the induction of HO-1, the expression of the anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, and
bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP7). Sub-neurotoxic doses of kainic and domoic acids in red algae can protect neurons against ischemic and excitotoxic death via the up-regulation of neurotrophic factors and protein
chaperones. Kainate receptors play a role in long-term potentiation of synaptic transmission (LTP), and subtoxic activation of these receptors with kainite agonists are presently being investigated for the treatment of memory
disorders.
Resveratrol is found in high amounts in red grapes and wine. It has strong antioxidant qualities, and recent research
suggests a hormetic feedback between it and our system. Studies have shown that resveratrol extends the lifespan of
worms by activating histone deacetylase Sir2, which is part
of an adaptive response to mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum stress. In humans, studies indicate that resveratrol
may protect neurons against ischemic injury by activating SIRT1 (a homologue of Sir2 in mammals). However, SIRT1
has been shown to deacetylate a specific subunit of NF-kB,
which could be harmful to brain cells, although at the same
time it inhibits the growth of cancer cells.
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A popular herb from traditional Western medicine that has caught the attention of medical science is St.
John's Wort. Its active hormetic phytochemical is hypericin, which increases dopamine and could function
as an antidepressant. However, it also sharpens the immune system's ability to 'see' cancer cells, and
there are many research projects in the pipe line that are investigating its anti-cancer properties.
Unfortunately its ability to increase sensitivity causes a heightened sensitivity to sunlight, and together
with other antidepressants it may cause the dangerous serotonin syndrome, where the immune system
goes into a state of psychotic exaggeration.
One substance that has set enthusiastic neurological research in motion, illustrates hormesis better than
any other. Kainic acid, in red algae, is neuro-excitotoxic and causes epileptic fits. It is often used in
medical research to cause epileptic attacks in animals for research. In high dosages it kills brain cells,
especially in the hippocampus, the part of the brain important for memory. However, new research shows
that it could be used to enhance repair in damaged brain cells.
In fact, neurologists are fascinated with research into hormesis and even use the term neurohormesis for
the way in which the brain uses hormesis as a specific adaptation tool. Neurons or brain cells learn over
time to alert our system about the presence of any molecules, which could be toxic in certain dosages. In
other words, the brain is quite inventive in using plant chemicals to signal to other cells when to increase
their natural stress responses – a creative process that happens amongst all living organisms that exist
together in nature. Because the brain is seen as a complex network, neuro-scientific research is also in the
forefront with the use of complex mathematics, making it easier to extend research into those natural
phenomena that rely on interactions that are too complex for linear research techniques.
It is thus clear that research into herbs with hormetic qualities opens up new ways of understanding the
relationship between humans and herbs. New insight into the way brain and immune cells work, in
particular, may eventually tell us why these substances influence people with such consistency that they
have become part of our archetypal and symbolic self-description.
At last there is hope for the hormetic substances which have been an inherent part of human
evolution, but fell out of scientific favour because of their association with traditional medicine.
Images:
The red sun rising over the city, the final illustration of 16th-century alchemical text, Splendor Solis. The word
rubedo, meaning "redness", was adopted by alchemists and signalled alchemical success
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Splendor_Solis_22_sun_rising_over_city.jpg
1632 copy of Avicenna's 1025 The Canon of Medicine, showing a physician talking to a female patient in a
garden, while servants prepare medicines
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Physician_talking_to_a_female_patient_in_a_garden_Wellcome_L00
73711.jpg
A Medieval physician preparing an extract from a medicinal plant, from an Arabic Dioscorides, 1224
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Folio_Materia_Medica_Dioscurides_Met_13.152.6_(cropped).jpg
Atropa belladonna https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Atropa_belladonna_-
_K%C3%B6hler%E2%80%93s_Medizinal-Pflanzen-018.jpg