PHOSPHOR


PHOSPHOR. Emotionally, the loss of inhibitions makes him easily excited, getting beside himself with anger, vehement, perspiring from excitement (as does the drinker and the anesthetized patient), fearful, cowardly, sad, hysterical, alternatingly laughing and crying, or just tearful and gloomy, weary of life, and misanthropic.


Phosphor, in its active yellow form, exhibits a phenomenon which unique among the non-radioactive substances. It p reduces light without heat independently of any exogenous irradiation. This luminescence is not incidental to a disintegration of the particles of matter but to the synthesis of a more complex compound, the oxide. Whereas the disintegration-products of radioactivity are rather inimical to vital functioning, the oxidation products of Phosphor are more closely related to living activities and actively participate in metabolism and cell structure. Unlike radioactivity, the Phosphor luminescence appears positively integrated into the cycles of life- functioning.

The oxidation of Phosphor is furthermore characterized by its gradual and slow pace. Rapid oxidation leads to loss of luminescence by rapid consumption in burning, while heat without oxygen abolishes the luminescence by converting the yellow phosphorus into the red, inactive modification. Thus, even in the most elementary form, the light activity is distinctly defined as different from heat processes.

Within the living organism the luminescence of ingested material can still be demonstrated, even after days, by the Mitscherlich process as used in forensic medicine. In spite of being exposed to the tremendous oxidizing power of the blood, Phosphor thus maintains its own independent autonomous pace and rhythm within the organism1. We are justified in assuming the what is so readily demonstrated in the gross, material process would not necessarily be abolished in the finer state of colloidal dispersion w here, as yet, we lack the proper means for direct identification. Moreover, that which is a physical phenomenon in the crude substance becomes a dynamic tendency in the potentized intramolecular functioning, the probable basis for all coordinated life-functioning.

Herewith is set forth a preliminary hypothesis of an autonomous “inner light” regulation, or metabolism, analogous to the autonomous inner heat regulation. Just as the autonomous heat regulation depends upon the variations of outer warmth in it response, so may the regulation of our “inner light” depend upon the interplay with outer light, yet in its own sphere be self- regulation. +The postulate of a light “metabolism” where no light at all can be seen directly within the body may at first appear strange. Yet even the is difficulty may resolve itself in view of recent discoveries concerning the regulation of physical functions by radiation-like phenomena arising within the organism. It may only be a limitation of our present techniques which prevents us from direct “visualization” of such radiant microphenomena.- E.W.

In order to test the validity of our hypothesis our first step will be survey of what is known about the function of light in relation to our psychosomatic unit.

Starting our investigation with the evaluation of the psychological aspect, as we at once note the interesting fact that the word, “Phosphor,” translated from the Greek, means “carrier,” or “conveyer of light.” The identical meaning is encountered in the Latin word, “Lucifer.” Phosphor-Lucifer is the angle who rebelled against the Godhead and conveyed the light of reasoning to men so that they “shall be as gods, knowing good and evil (Gen. 3:5).

Carl G. Jung points out that allegoric and picturesque tales of biblical, mythological and gnostic or alchemistic intuition convey actual and real insight of the soul into unconscious creative realms which are presented to our consciousness in the form of symbol-images. The treasure of wisdom from this material far transcends what slow evidence our gradual conscious research has been able to gather. None of it need be accepted at face value, but it may indicate new directions for research which will enrich our knowledge providing we can find confirmatory evidence.

According to the psychoanalytical experience of Jung, light, as a symbol or image of a transcendental force-principle, represents the “inner spiritual man,”2 as well as the qualities of consciousness, wisdom and intellect.3 4 This meaning becomes clearer when contrasted with the symbol of darkness which stands for the realm of the unconscious psyche.5 Of particular interest to us is the concept of the “dark light,” which appears in an alchemistic sources and would be analogous to our postulated invisible, internal light activity of Phosphor.

In this alchemistic “dark light” we can discover a similarity to the light that “shineth in the darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not” (St. John 1:5). As a matter of fact, in this alchemistic source the “dark light,” as inner light, is identified with the “monogenes” which means the “only begotten one,”6 the “Son of Man,” the “Light of the World.”

Thus the inner light, as a conceptual mental entity in the image of LUcifer, the materialistic intellect,7 arouses men from a state of childlike, paradisical, unconscious innocence and exalts itself in the “Son of Man” to represent the highest and sublimest force-principle of universal and personal consciousness.

Upon further scrutiny of the symbol material we encounter the principle of inner light as “logos” or “nous” (insight) identified with “pneuma, “8 meaning soul, but also breath. Thus Adam, of whom the book of Genesis records that “God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7), has in diagnosis the given name of “light”9 which is to indicate his inner spiritual entity.10 Lucifer, the representative of the intellect, is depicted as an air spirit.

11 Another representation of the light-carrier is Prometheus who, according to the Greek legend, seized the fire form the heavens for man and was bound by Zeus to Mt. Caucasus to have a vulture daily consume his liver. Prometheus, whose name literally translated means “for thinker.” is also called the “light man” or “inner man”12 in the diagnosis. The vulture who devours his physical liver again symbolizes thought and intellectualism.13.

In the Paracelsian and alchemistic language the terms Phosphor and Sulfur indicate the tendencies which are sublimating, dissolving and etherizing as contrasted to the concentrating, crystallising tendencies expressed by Sal. Also here. Phosphor is associated with light, Sulfur being linked with heat. Phosphor, Sal and the balancing Mercur are to be found as dynamic principles everywhere in nature, according to the alchemistic concept. In the plant, for instance, Sal represents the root, Phosphor the blossom. On the human level the Sal force would mold an introverted character, Phosphor an extroverted one.

Jung also refers to the blossom as the symbol of the spiritual self,14 thus confirming the uniformity, throughout, of the meaning of the Phosphor-light symbol as the representation of spiritual consciousness.

To summarize, we may state that the force-principle, called Phosphor, has to do with inner spiritual light, insight, intellect and ego-0control,.. AS flower, if reflects the spirit of the spheres,m refining and etherizing. As “pneuma,” it expresses itself in breath or respiration (Homer still has his heroes think in their diaphragm) and, as vulture, it destroys the liver. The main directions of the clinical Phosphor effects already stand out.

If this all appears utterly fantastic, we must remember that Jungs analytical methods have stood the acid test of clinical confirmation and are already now accepted as a sound scientific approach. If we can draw enlightenment of root problems from the same source, if we can confirm our hypothesis with the available clinical and experimental evidence an d succeed in explaining hitherto unexplainable facts, the postulates of unbiased and exact clinical investigation are satisfied.

We turn now to the biologic effects of light.

Plants kept in complete darkness do not grow. A small, insufficient amount of light produces stooping at the expense of stamina and color (Compare mushroom and fungus growth). Conversely, mountain and desert plants, exposed to a super abundance of light, develop extremely short but sturdy stems (even when sheltered from wind) with particularly bright, beautifully colored blossoms.

In the animal organism; strongly growing, embryonal organs have an increased radiosensitivity.15 Purely vegetative growth is sensitive to over-radiation.

On the human organism the effect of light is described as generally vitalizing and strengthening, stimulating perception and the ability to think.16 Finsen especially stresses the fact that the effect is not merely psychological but takes place on the biochemical level.16 So profound and basic is this awakening effect that it abolishes the soporific, depressing, central nervous effect of anesthetics and intoxicants; in order to induce anesthesia in high altitude, a greater concentration of anesthetic is required, not only in the alveolar air (which could be explained as due to the lessened air pressure), but in the bloodstream itself.

A greater awareness of the nerve centers has to be overcome. Similarly, a higher concentration of alcohol is required in the bloodstream to cause intoxication.17 A basic antagonism is indicated here between light and the consciousness- depressing effect of anesthetics and alcohol; this antagonism appears not limited to the functional sphere only, but effects also the organic physiologic level. The fact that light stabilizes an overexcited nervous system points in the same directed (excitation is similar to the primary effect of alcohol and anesthetics). The sympathicus tonus is reduced and the blood pressure decreased.18 Thyroid disturbances are favorably affected.19.

Edward C. Whitmont
Edward Whitmont graduated from the Vienna University Medical School in 1936 and had early training in Adlerian psychology. He studied Rudulf Steiner's work with Karl Konig, later founder of the Camphill Movement. He researched naturopathy, nutrition, yoga and astrology. Whitmont studied Homeopathy with Elizabeth Wright Hubbard. His interest in Analytical Psychology led to his meeting with Carl G. Jung and training in Jungian therapy. He was in private practice of Analytical Psychology in New York and taught at the C. G. Jung Training Center, of which he is was a founding member and chairman. E. C. Whitmont died in September, 1998.