The Importance of Lymph

The lymphatic glands supply raw material – lymph – to the factories – the glands – and the surplus lymph goes to the brain and provides food for the nerve cells in the cranium. When lymph comes in contact with an activated gland, hormones are created.
The lymphatic glands associated with the testes start functioning at the same time as the testes begin to work in a proper manner. The raw material for the testes is the [lymph] hormone generated by the [regional] lymphatic glands. That lymph is converted into semen by the testes. When lymph comes to the solar plexus, the spirit of love and affection for children develops. In the female body ova are created in the ovaries. Some other lymph helps to maintain proper energy in the body and physical glamour, and in the case of females a certain portion is converted into milk.
The solar plexus cannot function properly if the supply of lymph is not perennial or regular. In the case of spiritual aspirants, there is high secretion of lymph in the solar plexus, consequently love for children is converted into love for the Supreme. That is, love for unit beings is transformed into love for Supreme Consciousness. Lymph is thus a cause of psychic change.
In the female body the lymph glands become very active at certain points, and in the male body at other points. In the case of adolescent girls and boys, a special type of nerve sensation occurs in the genitals. This sensation increases vigour in the person and creates the feeling in the mind, “I have to do something.” At that age one decides or tries to decide one’s future. If the selection is defective, one will not progress. For example, if one wants to learn medicine but is forced to learn engineering by one’s parents, one may not be successful. But if the selection is proper, one will be successful. Generally in hot climates this occurs in boys at the age of seventeen and in girls at the age of sixteen, and in cold climates at nineteen in the case of boys and eighteen in the case of girls.

The lymphatic glands supply the raw material to the factories. All glands are factories. If hot static food or excessive animal protein is eaten by males, the quantity of lymph will decrease and the conversion of lymph into semen will increase. This will lead to intellectual backwardness. It may be observed that people who eat much animal protein tend to produce many children. This has its own sociological effect.

Men should have proper control over the conversion of lymph into semen. This is part of Brahmacarya sádhaná [meditation on the Supreme Entity]. Men should have proper control over their bodies. Human beings should be sentient in food, mind and intellect.

Although carnivores may be more clever or cunning than granivores, they are generally less intellectual. It will be very difficult for a tiger, a cat or a dog to perform spiritual practices. A monkey or a cow may perform spiritual practices because they get much chlorophyll from grass and other green vegetation. Granivorous animals produce more lymph than carnivores, and that is why their brains are more developed.

The lymphatic glands of monkeys are highly developed, although they utilize very little of their lymph. This is why they can jump so much. Human beings cannot jump as much as monkeys because they use more lymph in the functioning of the brain. Human qualities develop along with the increase of lymph.

Lymph is required for the production of milk. Most women can move fast until they give birth to children, but after childbirth they generally cannot move as fast. Deer are granivorous and can move fast, but they give little milk because they use their lymphatic glands a lot. As cows produce excessive milk, they cannot move fast.

Vegetarians produce more lymph because they get chlorophyll from grass and other green vegetation, and that is why their brains are more developed than those of non-vegetarians. Those who consume animal protein [neglecting green vegetation] suffer from want of lymph because animal protein contains very little chlorophyll. Tigers and cats are carnivores, which is why they produce less milk. Cows and buffaloes produce much more milk because they take chlorophyll from green grass and green vegetation.

Maximum lymph is produced from food which contains a lot of chlorophyll, such as green vegetables and especially the tips of the stems of creepers. Granivorous animals produce much milk, while carnivorous animals, such as dogs, give very little milk.

Lymph is produced from animal protein also, but because animal protein produces a lot of heat in the human body, the lymph is quickly converted into semen. Monkeys and deer produce much lymph, but it is not converted into semen because it is utilized in running and jumping.

What is the initial stuff in the manufacture of lymph? Lymph is produced from the energy and vitality acquired from the different quinquelemental factors of this universe, such as water, air and light. They are the initial stuff. The final stuff is shukra [which has three stages: lymph, spermatozoa and seminal fluid]. It is the most developed stuff – the cream of all creams. Chlorophyll accelerates the speed of the production of lymph, but it does not act as the initial stuff.

In certain people the major portion of lymph is eroded away and that is why they are intellectually deficient. But for spiritual aspirants, as the major portion of their lymph remains in their bodies, they should not suffer from any intellectual deficiency. This is why the intellectual standard of spiritual aspirants is higher than that of common people.

Positive or negative catalytic agents have an important effect on the manufacture of lymph. Positive psychic and positive physical environments are positive catalytic agents, and negative psychic and negative physical environments are negative catalytic agents. Even if the food one eats is sentient, but the environment is negative, it is detrimental to mental progress. Cinema halls, prostitute quarters and busy commercial places are negative physical environments. Bad discussions, bad books, and bad thoughts prevailing among the population are negative psychic environments – negative catalytic agents. If the environment is good, such as at Anandanagar, it is a positive physical environment – a positive catalytic agent. If there are many spiritual aspirants and elevating discussions, a positive psychic environment will be created. This will help in the manufacture of lymph.

Lymph itself is a hormone, and is converted into other hormones by different glands. Lymph is the initial hormone. The creation of hormones in the other glands depends upon these positive and negative catalytic agents. This is the reason why in olden times even Shiva placed much importance on satsauṋga [associating with good people]. Satsauṋga provides a positive psychic environment. Good company leads to liberation whereas bad company is the cause of bondages.

Taken from
Yoga Psychology