The Aura and the Kirlian effect.

How to see and Read the Aura

Notions about some kind of body radiance are very ancient and can be found in many traditions throughout the world. Such radiance was held to indicate the quality of a person´s spirit. Mentions occur a number of times in The Bible, for example: ´when the prophets beheld God, and saw him in an aureole, they were inspired with profound veneration´. ( Daniel 7:9, 10, Revelation).

In the 19th century, together with the flourishing of spiritism, many people were claiming to be able to see luminescence around the body, and to even derive from it some notions about health and psychological condition. And even in the 19th century, some 30 years before the Kirlians, gas discharge had been observed to change with a person´s mood or condition (Pogorelsky, 1899). Pogorelsky´s idea of a ´physiological polar energy´ was in accord with other ideas of vital energy, which were current at the time.

Sometimes this aura was seen as multi-coloured, but more often as a monochrome bluish-grey. Only a small proportion of people can naturally see the aura in daylight. For most people it was necessary to have a darkened room with subdued lighting from the side. Many pages in the works of Rudolph Steiner are dedicated to the aura.

During the 1920s Dr Walter J. Kilner, an electrotherapist of Saint Thomas´ hospital in London, discovered that viewing the aura could be facilitated by looking through a deep blue filter. This was made by putting a solution of the dye dicyanin between two glass plates. The aura appeared as a greyish haze around the body, and could even be photographed by later researchers.

As we have discovered, the same effect can be obtained by using screens made out of polarisation filters.

The Russian inventor Zolotov developed a special method of photography. A person is placed against a black background - either the night sky or a big box upholstered inside with black velvet. Light from a bright bulb is directed frontally onto the object and photographs taken with considerable over-exposure. In the photos, due to over-exposure, the body appears uniform white, and a hazy radiant aureole can be seen in the black space around it. The appearance of this aura varies with individual human subjects. More recent use of this phenomenon has been made in the well-known exhibition device ´Aurograph´, by which photos of a man´s aura can be taken on Polaroid film.

In a quite different system the English researcher Harry Oldfield uses a video camera with normal lighting conditions. The digital output from the camera is processed by computer so as greatly to enhance the contrast, and make visible small differences in brightness which are not apparent to the eye. He makes diagnostic use of this in connection with his Electro-Crystal Therapy.

The fact that the aura can be registered by several photographic methods suggests that at least one component of it is conventional light. There appear to be no records of the aura being seen in total darkness, and so it is probably not self-luminous. Thus the light which is seen must come from light incident on the subject. If the light source is on the same side as the person viewing the aura, then the auric light would need to be somehow reflected back towards the viewer.

In principle this could happen either by reflection from particles in the air (e.g. dust) or by scattering from the air molecules themselves - which is what accounts for the blue light we see in the sky. On the other hand if the light is behind the subject then refraction may play a role.

This last seems a real possibility when one considers that the human body is usually some 15(C higher than the environmental temperature. This means that, close to the body, there will be a layer of warmer air with lower refractive index. These warm air layers are clearly seen beyond the asphalt surface in hot sunny day and often very well registered in cinemas.

In Zolotov´s experiments (fig.1.1) a flow of falling light is used; most part of a passing wave ´A´ is absorbed by an absolutely black body (or it goes away into the space) and only little part is reflected back towards the viewer. This light is very faint, but sufficient to exposure the photo-film even if the ratio of reflection is little.

What is the role of screens and polarisation spectacles? They transmit in a different ways light waves with different properties, and an observer gets a picture of the distribution of visible light fields. Of course, it is only a part of the whole Aura.

Thus, we can conclude that a man is surrounded by a shell of warm air. This is true, although less so, even if he is clothed. So long as he does not move too much, this warm air will rise, causing a slow convection current. There is no doubt that a complex convection-field exists around a warm-blooded organism.

Moreover, it is very sensitive to physiological, pathological and even mental states. Much diagnostic use has recently been made of this fact. For example skin temperature changes markedly immediately over a region of inflammation. It also changes even in the remote zones of projection of an affected organ. This distribution of temperature will of course influence the heat currents, and so may contribute to the visible aura.

In further confirmation are some experiments made by Fritz Gize in 1934, as described by Kalgren (1995). He made the convection currents more easily visible by projection on a transparent screen. If the subject (unclothed) is engaged in intellectual work, the maximum radiation moves towards the head, while radiation from the lower part of the body almost disappears. During intense intellectual concentration, as in mental arithmetic or learning by heart, the maximum heat appears in the midline between the eyes and upper boundary of the forehead.

If an emotional note is introduced into the mind, the radiation from the head decreases while that of the abdomen immediately starts again. It becomes especially strong in the thorax, where it takes on a distinct character, which differs from the head radiation in the presence of rhythmic, spurting impulses of heat waves.

When the person´s mind is engaged in strong mind activity his whole body emits enhanced heat. In this case the abdominal zones are often found in a special state, with little waves rising very brightly and rapidly. These average three times faster moving waves than in the case of the emotional contents of a mind. These heat waves can be detected as much as 2-3 metres above a man.

Besides this convection-field, it is now clear that a living organism has a very complex radiation-field. This field occupies a wide range of the electromagnetic spectrum from ultra-violet (about 1015 Hz) down to extra-low frequencies of a few Hertz or lower. At this lower end are found the electrical waves from the brain and heart, which can be detected with conventional electrical instruments. At the upper end visible, ultraviolet and near infra-red radiations have been detected with the use of the sensitive photon counter.

Between these two extremes lies a huge region of the spectrum, encompassing some 1013 orders of magnitude, going from radio and microwaves at the lower end to far infra-red at the upper end of frequency. Much less is known of these radiations since they are very hard to detect and characterise. Nevertheless there are good reasons to think that radiations throughout this band are significant for the organism and contribute to its field.

What stands out already, from many studies on both the extra-low frequencies of heart and brain, and the much higher optical frequencies, is that the electromagnetic field of an organism is varying all the time in response to the slightest change in physiological condition. This has been most clearly shown in relation to light frequencies, including ultra-violet.

The intensity is so low that it can only be detected by means of a photon counter. Nevertheless it can be shown that this radiation is exceedingly sensitive to physiological state. It thus has great potential for diagnostics. In addition it has a great many other uses, such as to indicate the freshness of foodstuffs, and the effect of pollutants on living trees, etc. In Germany now there is an installation whereby one can measure the emission of light from the whole surface of the human body.

The rapidly-growing scientific work on these ´biophotons´ already forms the basis of a new direction in biophysics [Popp 1992, Zhang 1996]. Although they are undoubtedly related to the aura, biophotons are too weak to contribute directly to the visible aura - especially as they do not penetrate clothing. There is also evidence that, although they are so weak, these fields can serve as a medium of communication between organisms. Likewise, organisms are exceedingly sensitive to some external electromagnetic fields.

For example, the earth´s field is necessary for health: a young organism may even die if this field is excluded by confining it to a Faraday cage. And there is much evidence for detrimental effects of some man-made fields, even if extremely weak.

In addition to conventional electromagnetic fields, there is good reason to suspect that the aura also comprises other, more subtle fields. For example it can very easily be detected by dowsing. A skilled dowser can show how the extent of the aura outside a person´s body varies both with his state of health and with his mental state. Less well known is the work of the talented researcher Polakov from Saint-Petersburg, who died in 1996. His method is based on automatic writing [Polakov 1982].

This is a standard method among mediums, who have been able to reveal much information unobtainable by the normal sense channels. Polakov´s method is essentially ´automatic drawing´: the operator (who must have acquired a certain degree of sensitivity) faces the patient, and holds a pen over a piece of paper on which is the outline of a human figure. In a while a shaded area, which resembles a pattern of the aura, appears around the figure (Fig.1.2). Being a gifted physicist, Polakov worked out a system of computer processing which took into account not only the form of the outline, but the frequency of hand movements in each part of the drawing of the aura. It was found that the spectrum of frequencies was individual for the patient, and in addition was related to disease conditions. Polakov was able thus to create a library of typical patterns.

The method cannot be too difficult, since he trained large numbers of his pupils to do it. What kinds of fields are responsible for dowsing phenomena? In Polakov´s case it cannot be electromagnetic because the method worked equally well with a photo of a person when the living person could be very far away. Even the person´s name could be sufficient. Thus far there is no clear physical description of this type of field. But it must surely be a very important component of the aura - perhaps the most important, in the sense of carrying the most information.
In addition to various types of radiation, it is reasonable to include smell in the aura. Smell in this case is a conscious impression of one person from a cloud of molecules surrounding the body of another person. We do not know really what is the role of smell in our life. Why a smell, drifted suddenly, arises an avalanche of reminiscences? Why do we spend so much money to different perfumes? One can only guess how much the world of a dog is richer, and how much the additional information it receives, perceiving the individuality of every molecule, brought by the air currents.

In natural life different attracting adores are widely spread especially ones for attracting males during the conjugal period. Forgetting about dream and food, overcoming any difficulties, often to meet the death, the beetle and cockroach, the octopus and shark, the deer and bear run, fly and swim, sensing the smell of their partners. Do smell sensations only rudimental unnecessary feeling for us or do they have some special, important for our life meaning? There are wide areas for study.

Consequently, the physical aura of the biological object and man in particular is the total combination of the physical fields and radiations, formed by a body in space both due to its own emission and interaction with the processes in the environment. An organism is an open system and as such cannot be considered without taking into account all the external connections and interactions.

Thus, the physical aura must be made up of many components. Which of these stands out above the rest depends on the conditions. It seems very likely that other physical fields exist in the aura, which have yet to be recognized by physics.

We can assume the existence of physical fields of unknown nature, we can develop a conception of these fields´ carriers as well as principles of their experimental discovering. Such an approach can be very productive. At the same time it would be surprisingly if all this fields and radiations served only as a buffer of the energy, worked out by an organism. Their diversity is very considerable and they are connected with the peculiarities of an organism too tightly.

Already considerable data point to the existence of an informational field. Such a field would form the next level of reality above the electromagnetic field. It is here that the processes of self-organization begin. The subsequent formation of more stable structures in matter then serves to maintain the integrity of the information field.

The structures within this field exist outside of common three-dimensional space, and are defined instead by co-ordinates of time, energy and information. Thus they exist in their own virtual hyperspace. This kind of idea is commonplace for mystics and spiritual adepts, as can be understood from many ancient holy books.

The aim of scientists is to express this idea in the modern language, bring it into the circle of scientific paradigm and, of course, to substantiate it experimentally [Korotkov 1995, Tiller 1997]. Within the framework of such a concept we can talk about the informational aura of a man. It manifests itself vividly in everyday life. Hundreds of examples can be found in literature - ´a monk in an aureole of sanctity´; ´his features radiated honor and dignity´; "they recognized the Empress by her features´, showing that many people have perceived this aura while meeting with renowned people, or beautiful women.

A person´s aura forms gradually, under the influence of education, up-bringing and atmosphere. Innate factors are of great importance too - for example in the little boys (tulkus) who are reincarnations of great lamas in Tibet have a strong aura from birth. So this aura is the result of action of many factors, functioning in the same direction.

Even if it is not consciously seen, the aura can have strong effects at a subconscious level. Thus when a great actor creates not only the physical face but the inner world of the part he is playing, something is transmitted to the audience which cannot be described entirely in physical terms. It is not merely the words and the visual image since, as is well known, most of the effect is lost in television drama. Art in its higher manifestations generates a particular state of informational space.

Physics is now beginning to conform with esoteric knowledge in that it is becoming reasonable to speak about the hierarchy of the aura levels. Next to the material body is a physical aura made up of the superposition of physical fields. These contribute to an informational aura, which may be seen as a combination of informational fields - still to some extent local. Beyond these there is a more global field, formed by contributions of the whole of mankind.

At present our physical instruments will only register the first, physical, component of these auras. However, the physical aura is connected immediately with the informational one, any change in this is reflected in the physical aura, and can be recorded instrumentally. This connection is mutual. It acts to the both sides. The difference is that the informational aura is connected with the structures of higher levels and it changes in accordance with the behaviour of these structures.

Consequently, studying the physical aura, one can get notions about the physical body as well as about subtle plans. But as we have seen, the physical aura consists of many different components. That is why, optimally, one should employ a combination of devices, based on different principles. At the same time we know that none of the known fields can be registered immediately, but only by their influence upon physical objects and processes.

The electric field is registered by diversion of a test charge, while the magnetic one by movement of a magnetized arrow or conductor of current, the gravitation field- by movement of a test mass. Moreover, various principles of registration allow revealing differing aspects of the properties of these fields, as was demonstrated by Gorshkov [1993] in analyzing magnetic fields generated by a person.

For optimal registration the fields of the physical aura it is necessary to find a physical process, sensitive to the maximum quantity of components of this aura. In fact the Kirlian corona does respond to several of these components. While the discharge is initiated mainly by charged particles and photons, its characteristics also depend on the distribution of electromagnetic field, the surface and volumetric properties of an object and the composition of its gaseous environment.

All of these are important components of the physical aura of a person. As we can see, the characteristics, registered incidentally, determine the state not only of the physical body, but first of the entire informational-energetic one. The structure of fluorescence of man´s hands reflects a wide spectrum of his energetic, psychological, physical and emotional peculiarities. Now we have got much more possibilities to penetrate deeper into the mystery of the human being due to appearance of new computer equipment.