Reviews-icon3 I first ran across a reference to this book in Earth Energies by Serge King (also recommended) & his word was this book was not to be missed if you have any interest in healing energy or earth energies. It covered a full investigation into vital energy, or as coined by von Reichenbach, odic force. This work was also part of the inspiration for Wilhelm Reich’s research into orgone energy. So, spurred on by Dr. King, I went looking for a copy of the work. It was hard to find, but eventually I managed to lay my hands on a reprint of the 1st edition & honestly I couldn’t put it down. My copy has margin notes all over it (in pencil). Then I found out that there was follow-up research done by von Reichenbach.

This particular book is the 2nd edition of von Reichenbach’s research into odic force & it took me the better part of a year to find a full copy of his work. There is at least one other edition that can be found, however there are issues with the images (such as rectangles of missing parts of them). A very thorough & intelligent work.

von Reichenbach was a brilliant man of many talents: (from Wikipedia)
“Dr. Carl (Karl) Ludwig von Reichenbach was a notable chemist, geologist, metallurgist, naturalist, industrialist and philosopher, and a member of the prestigious Prussian Academy of Sciences. He is best known for his discoveries of several chemical products of economic importance, extracted from tar, such as eupione, waxy paraffin, pittacal (the first synthetic dye) and phenol (an antiseptic). He also dedicated himself in his last years to research an unproved field of energy combining electricity, magnetism and heat, emanating from all living things, which he called the Odic force.”

Wikipedia on Odic Force:
“As von Reichenbach was investigating the manner in which the human nervous system could be affected by various substances, he conceived the existence of a new force allied to electricity, magnetism, and heat, a force which he thought was radiated by most substances, and to the influence of which different persons are variously sensitive. He named this vitalist concept Odic force. Proponents say that Odic force permeates all plants, animals, and humans.

Believers in Odic force said that it is visible in total darkness as colored auras surrounding living things, crystals, and magnets, but that viewing it requires hours first spent in total darkness, and that not everyone has the ability to see it. They also said that it resembles the eastern concepts prana and qi. However, they regarded the Odic force, not as associated with breath (like India’s prana and the qi of Eastern martial arts), but rather mainly with biological electromagnetic fields.

Von Reichenbach did not tie Odic force into other vitalist theories. Baron von Reichenbach expounded the concept of Odic force in detail in a book-length article, Researches on Magnetism, Electricity, Heat and Light in their Relations to Vital Forces, which anomalously appeared in a special issue of a respected scientific journal, Annalen der Chemie und Physik. He said that the Odic force had a positive and negative flux, and a light and dark side. Individuals could forcefully “emanate” it, particularly from the hands, mouth, and forehead. Odic force had many possible applications.”

Hint on his work: Someone with good peripheral vision &/or good night vision would allow one to see what he describes. (If his criteria is also followed – time allowance for the eyes to adapt to the dark, correct distance for the individual, a completely dark ROOM – not closet – & movement is kept to a minimum.)

Have a look here for some ideas regarding how the eye works in moonlight (it points to Reichenbach’s work being in line with actuality) – Strange MoonlightHere’s the book:

(just right click on the link to save the pdf – in Firefox it’s “Save Link As”)

Physico-Physiological Researches on the Dynamics of Magnetism, Electricity, Heat, Light, Crystallization, and Chemism, in Their Relations to Vital Force

von Reichenback’s work is like a practical confirmation of the dynamic & magical world we live in. We & the world araound us is SO much more than what “conventional thinking” would have us conform to. Believe again! The world is energy, energetic & full of vitality! So, if you’ve heard of odic force & thought you might like to know more, or simply have an interest in alternative science, grab the book, read & most of all, get your own vitality stirred up again.