Human body and other life forms are a masterpiece of engineering. Our bodies are the product of the same time frame as the Universe and hence it is possible that they may contain the knowledge of all aspects of every complex machinery which exists in the Universe. We still do not understand its workings, but it is my belief that full understanding of how the body works will give us the mastery over nature and will greatly enhance inventions in science and technology.

Another marvel of body is that it heals itself. No man-made machine has that capability. There are innumerable cases where people have willed away the disease and we have yet no explanations how they got cured.  This is what is called the power of mind over matter. There is also a large body of research which tells us how body heals. When the self-healing process does not perform its function, immunity of body is reduced, and the body falls prey to the disease. If left untreated this may ultimately lead to death and destruction of the body or the form.

Genetic Switch 

Why the life forms and the human body has this ability to heal itself ?  Or why the nature has created a genetic switch for self-healing ?

Biological sciences tell us that body heals itself to return to homeostatic (state of balance) condition. It says that all the systems in the body are in equilibrium and whenever they go out of balance the healing process starts to bring. it back. This has been the basis of how Chinese and Ayurvedic system of medicines work. Various indigenous medicine systems and yogic asanas work to restore the body equilibrium.    

However, we still do not know why it happens. A possible answer could be that right from beginning when we get the form or the body (it is true for all life forms) it comes in equilibrium with all the external forces like gravity, electromagnetic (EM) fields, environmental factors, and other influences – both visible and invisible that surround the body.

Also, once a form develops it wants to sustain it. This form sustaining has origins since beginning of time and is a part of Darwinian evolutionary process. That is why all life forms are afraid of death since they want to retain their form and perpetuate it. This process of sustaining therefore gives our bodies the ability of self-healing since this helps in creating and maintaining the form. Disease happens when the form is disturbed by the external forces. The ability to master these external forces and return the body to state of equilibrium gives us the ability to heal our body and may even provide an elixir of life.

In Healing Mode 

Sage Patanjali also speaks about this equilibrium in Vibhuti Pad (Sutras III 45-47) when he says that a yogi, through Sanyam, master’s the knowledge of form and qualities of natural elements. This helps him to produce a body shield which resists the play of these elements and helps in keeping its equilibrium with the surroundings. According to Patanjali this process brings in the perfection of body which consists of form, grace, strength and brilliance of a diamond and is impervious to negative external forces and hence ialways in healing mode. 

(The writer, an IIT and US-educated Indian spiritual engineer and rural development pioneer,  a 2022 Padma Shri award winner, is the Director, Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (NARI), Phaltan, Maharashtra.  He can be reached at anilrajvanshi50@gmail.com/@anilraj24.bsky.social)