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Alex Hankey

Publications and source records attributed to Alex Hankey.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Studies of advanced stages of meditation in the tibetan buddhist and vedic traditions. I: a comparison of general changes.

This article is the first of two comparing findings of studies of advanced practitioners of Tibetan Buddhist meditation in remote regions of the Himalayas, with established results on long-term practitioners of the Transcendental Meditation programs. Many parallel levels of improvement were found, in sensory acuity, perceptual style and cognitive function, indicating stabilization of aspects of attentional awareness. Together with observed increases in EEG coherence and aspects of brain function, such changes are consistent with growth towards a state of total brain functioning, i.e. development of full mental potential. They are usually accompanied by improved health parameters. How they may be seen to be consistent with growth of enlightenment will be the subject of a second article.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2006

CAM and the phenomenology of pain.

Many CAM modalities afford relief from pain, each in its own way, or according to its own terminology. Comparison of different CAM modalities results in a simple phenomenology of pain centered around the idea that pain may be associated with blockages of the flow of energy in the system of nadis/acupuncture meridians.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2005

A test of the systems analysis underlying the scientific theory of Ayurveda's Tridosha.

A previous paper hypothesized that the tridosha of Ayurveda--vata, pitta, and kapha--constitute regulatory systems respectively controlling input/output, turnover, and storage; functions systems analysis identifies as fundamental to all open systems. This would make them universal properties of all living organisms, as Ayurveda itself maintains. This paper proposes independent scientific evidence for the proposed identification of the doshas and for the systems analysis on which it is based. In particular, it points to coenzyme A, a key component of fatty acid metabolism. Its universal presence in all cells implies that it is an evolutionary invariant ant that the biochemical pathway on which it lies must be exceptionally significant. The systems analysis shows that the pathway connects the cellular functions of energy turnover and energy storage, fundamental to the overall strategy of cell regulation. This, combined with the requirement for the pathway's close regulation, makes it effectively impossible to replace coenzyme A by a combination of simultaneous mutations or sequence of mutations and it should indeed remain invariant during evolution. The universality of coenzyme A is therefore consistent with its identified role, and supports the systems analysis identifying the doshas. Their systems functions survive developmental transformations of evolution with recognizable continuity. By virtue of that, vata, pitta, and kapha can be identified with them in all species.

Coenzyme A↗
PubMed2005

The London outrage.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2005

CAM Modalities Can Stimulate Advances in Theoretical Biology.

Most complementary medicine is distinguished by not being supported by underlying theory accepted by Western science. However, for those who accept their validity, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) modalities offer clues to understanding physiology and medicine more deeply. Ayurveda and vibrational medicine are stimulating new approaches to biological regulation. The new biophysics can be integrated to yield a single consistent theory, which may well underly much of CAM-a true 'physics of physick'. The resulting theory seems to be a new, fundamental theory of health and etiology. It suggests that many CAM approaches to health care are scientifically in advance of those based on current Western biology. Such theories may well constitute the next steps in our scientific understanding of biology itself. If successfully developed, these ideas could result in a major paradigm shift in both biology and medicine, which will benefit all interested parties-consumers, health professionals, scientists, institutions and governments.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2004

Are we close to a theory of energy medicine?

Critical phenomena offer an attractive new theoretical resource for biophysics. Physical instabilities result in fluctuations, the quantum properties of which can be applied to regulatory control mechanisms in living organisms with promising results. Many aspects of energy medicine can be scientifically modeled, in agreement with previous theoretical ideas and speculation, such as the existence of macroscopic quantum coherence in living systems. Light is shed on areas of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) such as Ayurveda, naturopathy, and the nature and action of potentized medicines in homeopathy and other aspects of vibrational medicine.

Holistic Health↗