Diagnosis By Kirlian Aura

Exponents claim that by photographing your aura, they can diagnose all manner of diseases. A disturbed corona may also indicate stress and anxiety, they say. What else can such Kirlian images detect?

When Russian scientists first announced the discovery of an `energy body, composed of so-called 'bioplasma' existing quite separately from the physical body, few scientists in the West were prepared to take them seriously. What evidence was there, they asked, to substantiate such a claim?

This question, despite much scientific investigation, still awaits a conclusive answer. What the Russians believed to be the `energy body' turned out to be the curious corona shown by Kirlian photography to surround almost all living things. But, as sceptics in the West have asked: what exactly is the strange corona effect that Kirlian photography captures on film? Is it, indeed, a picture of the 'aura that has been described by mystics and clairvoyants? Or is there perhaps some other perfectly ordinary explanation?

Recent research has concentrated on showing that whatever the nature of Kirlian photographs, they can be used to achieve practical benefits in medical diagnosis, as well as insight into the human mind. A relationship has been found to exist, for example, between the various patterns of Kirlian photographs of the human hand and the physical and psychological condition of the subject.

The left hemisphere of the brain corresponds to the right hand, and radiations from it detected by Kirlian photography provide clues, it is said, to the logical ability of the subject. The intuitive potential of the subject, meanwhile, can be discovered by a reading of the corona effect of the left hand, which correlates with the right hemisphere of the brain. Thus a well-balanced Kirlian image of both hands is said to indicate a well-balanced personality.

Characteristics that can be recognised by this method of analysis - characteristics that even the subject himself may not realise he possesses - include healing ability, creative potential and qualities of leadership. Kirlian photographs are also said to show the nature and extent of conflicts arising from professional and emotional life, as well as the existence of physical tension.

Initial investigations into the diagnostic uses of Kirlian photography have revealed a wide range of possibilities. Studies on rats, carried out by Dr Thelma Moss and Dr Margaret Armstrong of the University of Rochester, New York, indicate that marked changes occur in the corona discharge of the tails of cancerous rats, for example. Similar corona patterns have even been found in cancerous plants and in the fingertips of cancerous humans. Indeed, virtually all areas of the body photographed by the Kirlian method have yielded information about the physical and mental condition of the subject. However, the clearest corona pictures are usually obtained of the hands and feet.

The basic equipment used in Kirlian photography is simple. It consists of a high voltage `Tesla coil', which is connected to a metal plate and insulated from the subject by a non-conductive layer. A sheet of light sensitive material - bromide paper or film is generally used - will be placed between subject and machine.

The Kirlian machine radiates a high-voltage, high-frequency field. The `energy body' of the hand or object to be photographed repels the field and causes a pattern of interference to be established. This `energy body', or whatever it is that creates the pattern, varies. When the `energy body' is in a balanced condition, a regular interference pattern is produced when the field of the machine and that of the subject interact. When there is an imbalance in the field of the subject, irregularities appear in the corona that shows up. It is these irregularities, as research has shown, that can often be correlated to some physical or mental ailment.

Despite what seem to be promising uses, Kirlian photography is still beset with many theoretical and practical difficulties. Debate about its reliability therefore continues; and perhaps the most controversial area of Kirlian photography centres on the interpretation of results.

There are at present four broad views taken of Kirlian photography. According to the cynical view, the so-called Kirlian effect is merely the result of normal discharge between the subject, the film and the machine. Any accurate diagnosis produced is purely coincidental and due solely to the intuition of the researcher, sceptics say. And while accepting that Kirlian photography can monitor certain physical symptoms, such as the activity of the sweat glands and temperature, even sympathetic critics maintain that it still needs to be shown that these reflect changes in the physical or psychological state of the subject before proper diagnosis can be made.

Parapsychologists, however, insist that, although purely physical causes, such as sweat, may play a part in the production of the corona effect, these causes '' by themselves do not provide a full explanation. According to parapsychologists, Kirlian photography can only be fully understood if the existence of an `energy body, 'aura', `bioplasmic body or some other `paranormal' phenomenon is accepted.

But the most radical interpretation is that of the enthusiasts who claim that Kirlian photography has nothing to do with mundane physical causes, such as sweat. It shows, quite clearly, they say, the energies of the soul. The colours and shapes revealed by Kirlian photography are what mystics and clairvoyants have been talking about for centuries.

Before considering which of these four competing views is most likely to be correct, there are a number of factors that the serious researcher has to take into account. The Kirlian machine used must conform to a standard to ensure that skin resistance, sweat and other physical manifestations do not interfere with the corona. The subject being investigated must also be relaxed. It has been found that, when the subjects try consciously to project their `aura', the result is a weaker and more irregular radiation. A similar effect is caused by anxiety or fear on the part of subjects. The researcher must be able to distinguish between cases where the result is influenced by anxiety, sweat, or some other temporary physical manifestation owing to nervousness, and those effects that indicate some deeper physical or psychological significance.

There are, in addition, several areas in which the exponent needs to exercise caution if he or she is to avoid the more common criticisms levelled against Kirlian photography. First, the part of the body to be photographed needs to be chosen with care. A fingertip when photographed alone, for instance, presents a different image from that of the finger when photographed as part of the hand.

There is also often a temptation to correlate the colours of the corona with an emotional state. The colour cast, however, will often depend on the type of film used. Some 35mm film, for example, produces reds or yellows, while Polaroid film produces a red outer corona with a white inner band. Resin-coated paper produces blue and little else. The colours themselves are not always important, however. What may be rather more relevant is the regularity and extent of any colour effects.

Outside influences

Operator effect also needs to be taken into account. The ability of the mind to cause structural and emotional changes in both living and inanimate objects has been observed on many occasions. An aggressive attitude on the part of observers can sometimes be seen to inhibit the performance of ESP subjects, for instance; and we know that the voltage patterns of wired-up plants will change when disharmonious thoughts are projected. In order to exclude any possible effects of this nature, the operator should stand at least 4 feet (1.5 metres) away from the subject, maintaining a relaxed and open frame of mind.

Excessive voltage, meanwhile, will usually produce an artificially bright corona, so the operator needs to be able to recognise what voltage and waveform characteristics ought to look like. The golden rule is to use the minimum possible voltage to produce a readable pattern.

Too long or too short an exposure time can also produce misleading results. There appear to be slow cycles of activity that can be missed if exposure time is too short. For fingertip photographs, one second is sufficient; for a hand, two seconds.

In recent years, Kirlian photography has been used successfully in a number of quite surprising applications. In one study, for example, Dr Thelma Moss was able to predict the incidence of germination of Soya bean seeds with almost 100 per cent accuracy. The implications for agriculture are clearly immense. Other areas where Kirlian methods of interpretation might be used include personnel selection, compatibility assessment and estimation of the effect on young children of parental conflict.

While the practical benefits of Kirlian photography may have been clearly shown, doubt remains, however, as to whether this actually proves the existence of the 'aura'. There does seem to be a flow of energy surrounding almost all living things. But precisely what that energy is remains unknown.