A link between IVF and autism and psychiatric problems is presented in today’s Daily Telegraph
I often think that being conceived in a test tube must induce a particular state of being. Eg, if a person is locked in a prison cell they will feel a certain way, act and think a certain way. This state is induced by the environment (or our reaction to it). For some this state will stick, and become integral to our consciousness, others not so. Surely it’s similar for a living organism in a test tube? Imagine yourself in a test tube (there are plenty of such images available) or petri dish and allow yourself to feel what it must be like in there. Can you experience what this state might feel like? Get what I’m trying to say?¹
Have you seen the film in the early nineties Like Water for Chocolate? The girl making a chocolate cake for the guests at a wedding is in love with the groom. While making the cake she is upset and cries throughout her baking. This state of grief – a constitutional state of being – is assimilated by the cake. The result is that all the guests at the wedding eat the cake and take on the girl’s grief. They all end up crying, being in the same state as the poor girl! This gives you an idea what I mean with being conceived in a test tube.
We do see these assimilated states in reality. For example, a woman in pregnancy becomes sensitive to the labels on her clothing. Her child is born with the same sensitivity. A woman develops an aversion to pasta and the child subsequently hates pasta, which is unusual for children. A woman feels a slight during her pregnancy and becomes angry and indignant. the child, for no good reason is constantly prone to being indignant and angry.
Some words relevant to state and its origin may help unpack this concept…
State
1. the condition of a person, thing, etc, with regard to main attributes
2. the structure, form, or constitution of something: a solid state.
3. any mode of existence
4. position in life or society; estate
Origin: Middle English (as a noun): partly a shortening of estate, partly from Latin status ‘manner of standing, condition’ (see status).
Medical Definition of STATE: mode or condition of being: as
a : condition of mind or temperament <a manic state>
b : a condition or stage in the physical being of something <the gaseous state of water related words attribute – an abstraction belonging to or characteristic of an entity con·di·tion (kn-dshn)
Condition
1. A mode or state of being: “The Organization Man survives as a modern classic because it captures a permanent part of our social condition” (Robert J. Samuelson).
2. a. A state of health.
b. A state of readiness or physical fitness.
3. A disease or physical ailment: a heart condition.
4. Social position; rank.
5. One that is indispensable to the appearance or occurrence of another; prerequisite: Compatibility is a condition of a successful marriage.
6. One that restricts or modifies another; a qualification.
from condcere, to agree : com-, com- + dcere, to talk; stat·us
Status:
1. Position relative to that of others; standing:
Being
1. the fact of existing; existence.
2. conscious, mortal existence; life.
3. essential substance or nature: the very core of my being.
4. something that exists: inanimate beings.
5. a living thing.
6. a human being; person.
7. (cap.) God.
8. Philos. absolute existence in a complete or perfect state; essence.
Way of Being is a relevant idiom;
way: a method, style, or manner of doing something.
“worry was their way of showing how much they cared”
•a person’s characteristic or habitual manner of behaviour or expression.
“it was not his way to wait passively for things to happen” synonyms: manner, style, fashion, mode; More modus operandi, MO “she kissed him in her brisk way”
•practice, wont, habit, custom, policy, procedure, convention, routine, modus vivendi;
trait, attribute, peculiarity, idiosyncrasy; conduct, behaviour, manner, style, nature, personality, temperament, disposition, character “I’ve changed my ways”
•the customary modes of behaviour or practices of a group. “foreigners who adopt French ways”
•the typical manner in which something happens or in which someone or something behaves. “he was showing off, as is the way with adolescent boys”
Paul the apostle showed an understanding of this concept which he expressed in a deep and broad sense, “… for ‘In him we live and move and have our being.’ As even some of your poets have said, ‘For we are indeed his offspring.'” Acts; 17:28
But to understand being we need to study the branch of metaphysics known as ontology.
IVF and Homeopathy
1. Of relevance for homeopaths, or perhaps it’s not relevant and I’m am assuming too much here, is the remedy Sabadilla. Dr Julie Geraghty has, as have others (see Links), presented a case cured by Sabadilla. The aetiology in the case was induced by restriction from a plaster cast – even when it was the mother during pregnancy who was restricted by a plaster cast.
Another feature of Sabadilla is that it belongs to the Liliaceae family of plants, the lily plants, and the characteristic theme in this family is a feeling of being excluded. The feeling/sensation presented in Dr Geraghty’s case and others is: feeling ugly, unattractive and feeling ill at ease in their bodies – to the point of having out of body sensations.
While this little member of the human species above isn’t restricted to the same degree as someone wrapped in plaster cast and although modern methods of IVF have changed, it is at least worth keeping this remedy in mind for possible states induced by artificial conception methods using test tubes.
A further state to explore is that created by the fact that artificial fertilisation is exogenous, i.e. derived or originating externally, outside the originating organisms; in vitro rather than in vivo. This means excluding the warm, fleshy, human and hopefully loving encounter conception ideally is. So, what state is created by this artificial, clinical, exogenous fertilisation..?
Because these unhealthy states of being are not purely physical, it follows that the remedy cannot be purely physical – as in homeopathy.
Photo credit: ibnlive.com