THE PHYSIOLOGICAL FOUNDATION OF YOGA CHAKRA EXPRESSION.
Here is a new article on the chakra system by Richard Maxwell, which seeks to articulate a scientific explanation of the system. A lot of new research on yoga seeks to take the philosophical system of yoga and validate it. Humans are a meaning making species; philosophy and literature untethered from science also offer valid points of view. I think what is interesting is how yoga encourages interdisciplinary study (in this case philosophy, science and yoga studies) in an effort to make meaning of the human experience.
THE PHYSIOLOGICAL FOUNDATION OF YOGA CHAKRA EXPRESSION.(Report). Byline: Richard W. Maxwell (1)
Zygon 44.4 (Dec 2009): p807(18).
Keywords: acupuncture; cakra; chakra; electrical synapse; gap junction; glial syncytium; kundalini; meditation; nervous system development; subtle energy; yoga
Abstract. Chakras are a basic concept of yoga but typically are ignored by scientific research on yoga, probably because descriptions of chakras can appear like a fanciful mythology. Chakras are commonly considered to be centers of concentrated metaphysical energy. Although clear physiological effects exist for yoga practices, no explanation of how chakras influence physiological function has been broadly accepted either in the scientific community or among yoga scholars. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that yoga is based on subjective experience, and practitioners often shun objective descriptions. This essay builds on earlier work hypothesizing that intercellular gap junction connections provide a physiological mechanism underlying subtle energy systems described in yoga as well as other disciplines such as acupuncture. Three physical aspects of chakras are distinguished that are integrated through gap junction mechanisms and are proposed to have arisen during embryological development. Furthermore, electrical conductance associated with a high concentration of gap junctions could generate phenomena that, when subjectively experienced, have the radiant qualities attributed to chakras. This theory provides a scientific rationale for previously unexplained details of chakra theory and offers a new orientation to conceptualizing and studying such subjective phenomena.
Abstract. Chakras are a basic concept of yoga but typically are ignored by scientific research on yoga, probably because descriptions of chakras can appear like a fanciful mythology. Chakras are commonly considered to be centers of concentrated metaphysical energy. Although clear physiological effects exist for yoga practices, no explanation of how chakras influence physiological function has been broadly accepted either in the scientific community or among yoga scholars. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that yoga is based on subjective experience, and practitioners often shun objective descriptions. This essay builds on earlier work hypothesizing that intercellular gap junction connections provide a physiological mechanism underlying subtle energy systems described in yoga as well as other disciplines such as acupuncture. Three physical aspects of chakras are distinguished that are integrated through gap junction mechanisms and are proposed to have arisen during embryological development. Furthermore, electrical conductance associated with a high concentration of gap junctions could generate phenomena that, when subjectively experienced, have the radiant qualities attributed to chakras. This theory provides a scientific rationale for previously unexplained details of chakra theory and offers a new orientation to conceptualizing and studying such subjective phenomena.
Author Affiliation: Private practice clinical neuropsychologist and partner in Affiliated Psychological Consultants, PC. His mailing address is 34 Turkey Hill Road, Ithaca, NY 14850; emailrwmaxw@gmail.com.
0 comments:
Post a Comment