Humoural Pathology was in vogue at one time over a great part of the Globe. Even in Europe, it was believed in by all sects and theorists evidently about 400 B.C. Hippocrates, the father of the Greek medicine was the first who had a leaning towards it; but it was Plato who developed it and Galen who defended it very zealously. It was only at the commencement of the 18th century that a change had come in the then prevailing doctrine explaining the essential humoural nature of disease. Humoural Pathology which ascribed all disease primarily to a morbid condition of the fluids, had prevailed in all schools of Medicine up to the time of Hoffmann who argued that solids were more often the primary seat of diseases than even of the fluids. He thus revived the doctrine of solidism which gradually gained credit. The fall of the Galenic School paved the way for the growth of the Western Medicine of the present day. Humoural Pathology is still generally believed in and acted upon throughout Asia.

Some alchemical authors of the West held that the three invisible fluids which by their coagulation formed the physical body of man, were but symbolised sulphur, mercury, and salt - sulphur representing the aura and the ether; mercury, the fluids, and sale, the material and corporeal parts of the body. They believed that in each organ the three substances remained combined in certain proportions. They were also of opinion that the said substances which contained in all things, if held together in harmonious proportions constituted health; their disharmony, disease and disruption, death.

The Kabalistic school of the middle ages interpreted these three substances in a different way although they followed closely the above principle. The three substances were according to them the three forms in which the Universal Primordial Will was manifesting throughout Nature-sulphur representing the expansive power, the centrifugal force i.e., the soul or light in all things; ‘mercury’, the life or the principle which manifests itself as vitality; and ‘salt’ the principle of corporification or contractive and solidifying quality. The school also asserts that the physician should be thoroughly familiar with the substances by studying them in the light of nature and not through depending on his own imagination. It will be found that all the alchemical masters who have written on the magnum opus have so employed the said three symbolical expressions as to make them understood only by the adepts and not the profane.

Siddhars’ Science also tell us that a man generally takes 15 breaths a minute; and this makes 21,600

(15 X 60 X 24) breaths a day; and at this rate, he can live for a period of at least 120 years, taking into consideration the fundamental principle on which respiration is based viz., The force or energy lost in every exhalation operating to a length of space extending to *12 inches is regained or recouped by inhalation only to a partial extent; because the operation in this case extends only to 8 inches, thus losing every time the force or energy required for supplying the difference of 12-8 or 4 inches; and consequently as much force or energy that ought to enter the body i.e., lost in every rocess of inhalation taking place.

In eating or vomiting, the breath forced out extends to 18 inches; in walking, to 24 inches; in running, 42 inches; cohabiting, 50 inches; in sleeping, 60 inches and so on. It is for the purpose of saving such loss or losses caused by indulging in the action mentioned, that Yogis take up a silent posture and suppress their breath in such a way and to such an extent that they are able to live for any number of years as desired by them without disease or death, devoting their life all the time for the good of mankind. Such a kind of spiritual breathing is sure to develop spiritual powers of consciousness much sooner that the ordinary process of evolution. It is a fact well-known to the Hindus that Siddhars and Yogis remained in a state or trance known as suspended animation and continued to be so far a longer period of time without breathing. At first sight this may appear a physical impossibility; but it is now generally accepted by the Western physiologists who explain it saying that the skin may to some extent perform the function of the lungs just in the same way as a frog breathes without lungs, while its respiration is carried on sufficiently through the skin. Though naturally the capacity to perform the above said function is very small, yet it is capable of considerable increase as in cases of diseases of the lungs such as Asthma, wherein the needs of the body excite them to perform these functions or by special training as Yoga by practice.

Prana

The esoteric breath is spoken as Prana; because in ordinary breathing, we absorb a normal supply of Prana just enough to maintain our life keeping up the body in a healthy condition, and so it is found necessary for our readers to know something about this Prana. Prana is the Universal Principle of Energy which is absorbed and stored or assimilated and specialised in one’s system in the ordinary course. It is the essence of all force of energy useful for the proper functioning of the human body. It is taken in by the system along with the oxygen which is found in its purest state in the atmospheric air. It is also in the water that we drink, in the food that we take and in the sun-light, we bather in; and in fact it pervades all nature and as such is everywhere found in all things. It is in all forms of matter, it is in the air, but it is not the air. It is more subtle than ether, and so can penetrate where the air cannot reach. It is of the nature of the dynamic force of electricity and all the life depends on it for its sustenance. It is the vital magnetic force absorbed by every human being in various ways; but it can be made flow forcibly under proper and favourable physical conditions. Susceptible persons will feel it as an electric current; because it is the life-giving energy in all things.