Caduceus

Soul in the body, gives the body energy to act, move and express mind impulses during the day. At night it must necessarily give the same energy toward repair and rebuilding of the used and worn out structures and cells of the body. The material is all there. It must now be properly distributed, and wastes removed, all of which cannot be done under tension of action. At night the soul energy or consciousness is withdrawn from the brain and descends the spinal column into the sympathetic plexuses where this energy is needed to absorb and distribute food and nourishment taken in during the day, to repair the tissues. There is unconsciousness in the brain, and we call this state sleep and rest for the brain.

In this respect, man is subject to the same law as all vegetation. During the day time, when the sun is in the horizon, all the plants' energies are in the stalks and green leaves, in order to absorb 'Prana' from the sun, carbon dioxide and nitrogen from the air, and convert these into its own substance called chlorophyll. The plant also draws energy from the earth, through its roots; for this purpose the sap flows upward. After sunset, the energy in the top, all goes to the roots and nourishes them with the energy gathered during the day. It is like the story of 'Castor and Pollux'.^[1] That is the reason all tubers below the ground, that have green tops, should be pulled up at night or in the morning before sun-up, when all the energy is in the roots, not in the tops. The green tops should be removed at once, or the energy will travel into the greens at sunrise. If both, the greens and the bottoms are to be used, it does not matter when the vegetable is harvested; but where the roots only are to be used, like carrots, it is best to pull them in the evening or before sun-up, and immediately remove the tops.

When consciousness descends to the cervical plexus in the human body, or what the Hindus call the 'Vishuda Chakra' [vishuddha, vishuddhi], or wheel of action, the light of animation leaves the eyes, the lids become heavy and we say we are very sleepy. When descent is completed to the throat center, then we are in the ether world of consciousness, where forms are as shadows, and we dream. This is the highest physical center from which the ethers are directed and reached.

When the consciousness descends to the 'Anahad Chakra' [anahata], or heart center, we are in the field of 'Prana consciousness' with its shapes and dream forms. At this stage pleasant sleep is the rule.

When the consciousness descends, repairs and works in the solar plexus or 'Manipura Chakra', and in the umbilical center,

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¹ According to Greek and Roman myths, Castor and Pollux were twins born to Leda. However, Castor was the son of Leda's mortal husband, Tyndareus, king of Sparta; and Pollux was the son of Zeus, and thus immortal. When Castor was killed, Pollux asked Zeus to give half of his immortality to his brother so they might stay together. Zeus granted his son's request, and the twins became the constellation Gemini. They spend half their time in Olympus as immortals, and half their time in Hades as mortals.