Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12Råm’s Arrows Return to His Quiver R åm’s arrows always returned to his quiver, which corresponds to feedback mechanisms that inform the central nervous system about specific activities that have taken place. These provide important information about the degree of success of an action. Within the muscles, for example, there are special sensory spindle fibres that enable information to be sent back to the brain describing how far the muscle has been stretched. In the autonomic nervous system there are also many types of sensory systems that provide information about the internal state of physiological activity, such as the blood pressure within an artery, or the level of sugar in the blood. The arrows’ return is also related to the inputs from our sense of sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch, which supply our nervous system with a variety of information about the outside world. In this story, we are told that Råm’s arrow returned from the seventh subterranean region [associated with the 7 sål trees that correspond to the 7 columns of the brain stem]. On a cellular level, the return of Råm’s arrows demonstrates that the nerve cell is capable of renewing itself so that impulses can go out again and again. This mechanism of renewal is present on the ionic level of the nerve, particularly within the nerve membranes. There are mechanisms whereby a mem- brane that has undergone depolarization or hyperpolarization can renew itself through an exchange of ions. This is an automatic homeostatic process constantly occurring throughout the physiology. The process of renewal described by the return of Råm’s arrows is everywhere, on all levels of cre- ation—atomic, molecular, and cellular, as well as the levels of the organs and organ systems. We see it especially in Maharishi’s description of the sequential unfoldment of Veda and the Vedic Literature.As Veda unfolds from its source in self-referral consciousness, it is the expansionary quality, embodied in the aspect of the Vedic Literature known as VyåkaraΔ, that gives it its tendency to sequentially elongate itself, and it is the self-referral quality found in Nirukt, which ensures that it always stays connected to its source in Åtmå. Excerpts from pp. 200 – 201 of RåmåyaΔ in Human Physiology Nerve impulses activate the end organs of action (muscles, glands, blood vessels, etc.), resulting in sensory feedback to the brain as the basis for the next action. Brain Spinal cord Nerves Muscles Råm’s Arrows Returning to the Quiver Feedback Loops of the Nervous System 8 8