Would I support the development of a bionic person? And do I support using the "BrainControl" headset to transform the lives of patients with 'locked-in' syndrome?
The questions this week are very challenging because it puts me in the position of questioning the value of human life versus the ethical considerations of keeping everyone alive or functioning at any cost. I think that development of prostheses are wonderful and can give so many people a much better quality of life. Why develop a bionic person, though? I guess I just don't see the need. Instead we should be focusing on preserving and reversing the damage done to our gene pools by GMOs, chemicals and pollution in our environment.
I saw The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, and it was both beautiful and horrific. Locked-in Syndrome is not something I would wish on my worst enemy, so I can imagine if it were a close loved-one--I would do anything to allow for communication and ease of any pain. I think that with any technology, medicine, therapy, it's important to set expectations of what the potential outcomes are, one of which may be 'no change'. But just because something is experimental doesn't mean that it shouldn't be tried, especially when options are limited. I have a friend who's aunt had ALS and before she started to deteriorate completely, she threw a huge party, said goodbye to everyone, and the next day she passed away via a planned, assisted suicide. My friend said it was one of the saddest, strangest experiences of his life.
When I think of his aunt, I feel like she was a wise soul, understanding what was to come, accepting it, and letting go of her life before she was ensnared by her own body. Reminds me of the Native Americans just 'knowing their time' to die and walking off into the woods and dying peacefully alone. I've heard animals do that as well. Anyway, easier said than done, we are victims of our culture and connections to nature and spirit have been lost in technology-centered world.
I love this quote and it beautifully simplifies how I feel about this subject:
"In the end, only three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you." --Buddha
Friday, August 8, 2014
Monday, August 4, 2014
energy medicine, the biofield and intention
Acupuncture serves to manipulate the energetic system of the body, something not completely defined or understood as of yet in Western medical models. The energetic system is more specifically defined as the conglomeration of meridians that run throughout the body and contain qi and blood. Along the meridians there are 'points of access' (areas of higher concentration of qi/blood) that have the ability, singly or in combination with other points, to help direct the qi and blood and thus affect the state of health of the patient. To say acupuncture is an effective energy medicine would be accurate but also an understatement. While the energetic system of the body is not entirely understood by Western minds, it is a direct line to aligning physical, emotional, and spiritual health.
Kirlian photography provides evidence of the bioenergetic field, or aura, around all living beings. Though the technology is currently unrefined, it is a wonderful tool to show that we extend energetically beyond the boundaries of our physical skins and that our energetic fields are affected by our emotional states, illnesses, and thoughts. It also makes me wonder about personal space...I've often felt that I don't like being in places with too many people too close together, and then there are people that I love to stand to close to, that give me a sense of comfort. With knowledge of our bioenergetic fields, this would make sense, as the closer range you are to a person or people, the more your fields are intermingling. For a sensitive or sick person this could be confusing! I think of the fields as either blending into braided harmony or repelling each other causing almost a physical pressure as the fields morph around each other trying to avoid one another.
Human intention is the essential ingredient in any healthcare formula. I've pasted my physics paper below on intention and its effects on health. Please note: This is a lengthy topic and in no way is this my full view on the subject! The takeaway from this whole subject is that we all have the ability to heal ourselves, it is the intention that is the facilitator.
Essay on Intention as Viewed Through the Practices of Meditation and Prayer
Intention. At one point in time it was a largely a reference to a man's plans for a woman with respect to marriage. Now, it's become a buzz word in the self-help world. We are constantly bombarded with phrases such as 'the power of intention' and 'manifestation through intention'. We are told that, through our intention, we can create our reality, relieve our suffering, and ultimately alter our life circumstances (or perception thereof). But what is intention and how do we create and alter our reality? This short essay will focus on how intention is viewed and expressed through the lenses of prayer and meditation.
Prayer involves actively focusing one's intention on someone or something and allowing God (or spiritual entity) to take over and divinely influence power to improve an outcome. The act of prayer serves to relieve one from suffering, offering acceptance of life situations that may be difficult to otherwise accept. Studies have shown that group prayer can help people recover faster from illness in hospitals. In a recent study it was shown that prayer lights up the frontal part of the brain, the area that also lights up when one is engaged in conversation. Essentially, prayer is an active process that allows one to converse with God.
The word meditation comes from the Latin word 'meditatio' which was the word used originally to describe a type of ancient Christian prayer. However, while there are now many types of meditation, the general act is practiced with the intention of letting go of thoughts and focusing attention on something specific, like breath or a mantra. Focusing on the breath or a mantra, for instance, allows one to let go of rampant thoughts that permeate the mind. This allows for a person to become more centered and relaxed. Insight or wisdom is said to come more easily to a person in this state. "All answers can be found within" is an ancient Buddhist idea that we are innately intelligent beings that are connected to the primordial wisdom of the cosmos. Meditation has been proven to drastically change the practitioner's health. Lowering blood pressure, improving sleep, curing depression and anxiety are among the list of dozens of health conditions that meditation can benefit.
Meditation is an active process, like prayer. However, studies have shown that depending on what type of meditation a person is practicing, different parts of the brain are activated. The frontal area, the area involved in conversation, is not activate during meditation which seems to show that the act of meditation is truly an internal process.
In conclusion, intention, whether expressed through prayer or meditation can heed great results. Both practices overlap in areas, however, they do have some distinct differences and benefits. We can benefit from practicing either or both, even if we aren't religious, as the intention behind the practices are what yield the results.
Kirlian photography provides evidence of the bioenergetic field, or aura, around all living beings. Though the technology is currently unrefined, it is a wonderful tool to show that we extend energetically beyond the boundaries of our physical skins and that our energetic fields are affected by our emotional states, illnesses, and thoughts. It also makes me wonder about personal space...I've often felt that I don't like being in places with too many people too close together, and then there are people that I love to stand to close to, that give me a sense of comfort. With knowledge of our bioenergetic fields, this would make sense, as the closer range you are to a person or people, the more your fields are intermingling. For a sensitive or sick person this could be confusing! I think of the fields as either blending into braided harmony or repelling each other causing almost a physical pressure as the fields morph around each other trying to avoid one another.
Human intention is the essential ingredient in any healthcare formula. I've pasted my physics paper below on intention and its effects on health. Please note: This is a lengthy topic and in no way is this my full view on the subject! The takeaway from this whole subject is that we all have the ability to heal ourselves, it is the intention that is the facilitator.
Essay on Intention as Viewed Through the Practices of Meditation and Prayer
Intention. At one point in time it was a largely a reference to a man's plans for a woman with respect to marriage. Now, it's become a buzz word in the self-help world. We are constantly bombarded with phrases such as 'the power of intention' and 'manifestation through intention'. We are told that, through our intention, we can create our reality, relieve our suffering, and ultimately alter our life circumstances (or perception thereof). But what is intention and how do we create and alter our reality? This short essay will focus on how intention is viewed and expressed through the lenses of prayer and meditation.
Prayer involves actively focusing one's intention on someone or something and allowing God (or spiritual entity) to take over and divinely influence power to improve an outcome. The act of prayer serves to relieve one from suffering, offering acceptance of life situations that may be difficult to otherwise accept. Studies have shown that group prayer can help people recover faster from illness in hospitals. In a recent study it was shown that prayer lights up the frontal part of the brain, the area that also lights up when one is engaged in conversation. Essentially, prayer is an active process that allows one to converse with God.
The word meditation comes from the Latin word 'meditatio' which was the word used originally to describe a type of ancient Christian prayer. However, while there are now many types of meditation, the general act is practiced with the intention of letting go of thoughts and focusing attention on something specific, like breath or a mantra. Focusing on the breath or a mantra, for instance, allows one to let go of rampant thoughts that permeate the mind. This allows for a person to become more centered and relaxed. Insight or wisdom is said to come more easily to a person in this state. "All answers can be found within" is an ancient Buddhist idea that we are innately intelligent beings that are connected to the primordial wisdom of the cosmos. Meditation has been proven to drastically change the practitioner's health. Lowering blood pressure, improving sleep, curing depression and anxiety are among the list of dozens of health conditions that meditation can benefit.
Meditation is an active process, like prayer. However, studies have shown that depending on what type of meditation a person is practicing, different parts of the brain are activated. The frontal area, the area involved in conversation, is not activate during meditation which seems to show that the act of meditation is truly an internal process.
In conclusion, intention, whether expressed through prayer or meditation can heed great results. Both practices overlap in areas, however, they do have some distinct differences and benefits. We can benefit from practicing either or both, even if we aren't religious, as the intention behind the practices are what yield the results.
Saturday, July 26, 2014
Synthesis: "As above, so below"
I wrote in my first blog entry in biochemistry about the concept of "as above, so below", a quote by the early philosopher Hermes. After studying physics, I can say that by understanding chaos theory and fractals, I see how reducing something in nature down to its smallest parts shows the same patterns as when its a whole. It still remains to be proven how this happens on a macro scale in the universe in comparison to our Earth. However, when it comes down to vibrations, we can see that all things, be it subatomic particles, cells, trees, buildings, humans, even whole planets all have them. Is this a coincidence? I don't think so, modern physics is proving what ancient philosophers have theorized for centuries. I wrote a research paper 10 years ago on the use of cosmically tuned tuning forks to help treat ailments when applied to acupressure points. The forks are tuned to the tones of the Sun's, Earth's, and Moon's vibrations. There are other planetary forks as well, and recently, I was told that there is actually a "Jesus Hertz", lol. Maybe this is why we, as humans, are so drawn to music? It does seem to be the highest form of communication, transcending otherwise impenetrable barriers between people, religions, races. The excerpt below will explain what I feel is the ultimate synthesis of vibratory states and is the concept of which the cosmic tuning forks are based upon:
From Wikipedia:
The Music of the Spheres incorporates the metaphysical principle that mathematical relationships express qualities or "tones" of energy which manifest in numbers, visual angles, shapes and sounds – all connected within a pattern of proportion. Pythagoras first identified that the pitch of a musical note is in proportion to the length of the string that produces it, and that intervals between harmonious sound frequencies form simple numerical ratios.[1] In a theory known as the Harmony of the Spheres, Pythagoras proposed that the Sun, Moon and planets all emit their own unique hum (orbital resonance) based on their orbital revolution,[2] and that the quality of life on Earth reflects the tenor of celestial sounds which are physically imperceptible to the human ear.[3] Subsequently, Plato described astronomy and music as "twinned" studies of sensual recognition: astronomy for the eyes, music for the ears, and both requiring knowledge of numerical proportions.[4]
From Wikipedia:
The Music of the Spheres incorporates the metaphysical principle that mathematical relationships express qualities or "tones" of energy which manifest in numbers, visual angles, shapes and sounds – all connected within a pattern of proportion. Pythagoras first identified that the pitch of a musical note is in proportion to the length of the string that produces it, and that intervals between harmonious sound frequencies form simple numerical ratios.[1] In a theory known as the Harmony of the Spheres, Pythagoras proposed that the Sun, Moon and planets all emit their own unique hum (orbital resonance) based on their orbital revolution,[2] and that the quality of life on Earth reflects the tenor of celestial sounds which are physically imperceptible to the human ear.[3] Subsequently, Plato described astronomy and music as "twinned" studies of sensual recognition: astronomy for the eyes, music for the ears, and both requiring knowledge of numerical proportions.[4]
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Newton and Descartes
Newton's Laws and Me
Law of Inertia: Depending on the task, it can take a lot of momentum for me to get started. Once I start said task, it is difficult for me to stop until completion or I have another priority or fatigue wins.
Law of Acceleration: Once an idea sparks my imagination, I want to actualize it. The inspiration is the propelling force that drives me to see the idea become a reality. The more inspired I am, the more driven I become, and as a result, the faster I make the idea a reality.
Law of Equal/Opposing Forces: I don't have a direct example pertaining to my life, but for some reason I keep thinking of people slam dancing in mosh pits.
Descartes and Reductionism
Descartes' idea of reducing something to its parts to explain it reminds me of Western medicine. Dividing a human being into systems or small parts to try to explain and heal a medical condition can be primitive. Taking a step back and looking at the human being as a whole entity--body, mind, and spirit--is the way of Chinese medicine and I believe a much more effective way of healing.
Law of Inertia: Depending on the task, it can take a lot of momentum for me to get started. Once I start said task, it is difficult for me to stop until completion or I have another priority or fatigue wins.
Law of Acceleration: Once an idea sparks my imagination, I want to actualize it. The inspiration is the propelling force that drives me to see the idea become a reality. The more inspired I am, the more driven I become, and as a result, the faster I make the idea a reality.
Law of Equal/Opposing Forces: I don't have a direct example pertaining to my life, but for some reason I keep thinking of people slam dancing in mosh pits.
Descartes and Reductionism
Descartes' idea of reducing something to its parts to explain it reminds me of Western medicine. Dividing a human being into systems or small parts to try to explain and heal a medical condition can be primitive. Taking a step back and looking at the human being as a whole entity--body, mind, and spirit--is the way of Chinese medicine and I believe a much more effective way of healing.
Saturday, July 5, 2014
Consciousness, chaos, and fractals
Yes, I'm familiar with the concept of "ordered chaos".
Life is undoubtedly chaotic. There is always something to do, someone to see, a problem to work out, a job to go to, futures to plan, pasts to reconcile. Vacillating between doing too much and not enough. Pressure...need to meditate more, eat less sugar, exercise more, find a partner, get married, have kids, travel, achieve, grow, actualize, create, don't forget to eat, sleep, do laundry, pay the bills, request time off, study, call your mother, call your sister, don't forget to send a card to grandmother. Time is ticking, you only have one life to live, you can sleep when you're dead. Think about it too much and you might go insane. Think about it too little and you might regret it. I tend to create a kind of ordered chaos by organizing my thoughts (taking control of my mind, planning a time to think about something rather than dwelling on it) and my schedule. But what happens when I let go of my system and give the reigns to chaos? I still do what I need to do, I just do less. This isn't always desirable, but it does remind me that mostly, the chaos is in my brain, not my life. ;-)
Fractals
Fractals are defined as "geometrical shapes whose structure is such that magnification by a given factor reproduces the original object." Reduce a snowflake to its smallest part and it still looks like a snowflake. If this is the case, maybe we are the bacteria that inhabit the earth, much like bacteria populate out bodies. And Earth is a system, maybe a cell in our solar system, and our solar system is an organ in our galaxy, our galaxy is a system, a collection of galaxies makes up our universe--one giant (to us) organism...which is maybe just one small organism in a super-world of other universe-organisms. Maybe our universe is just the bacteria in another organism?
Life is undoubtedly chaotic. There is always something to do, someone to see, a problem to work out, a job to go to, futures to plan, pasts to reconcile. Vacillating between doing too much and not enough. Pressure...need to meditate more, eat less sugar, exercise more, find a partner, get married, have kids, travel, achieve, grow, actualize, create, don't forget to eat, sleep, do laundry, pay the bills, request time off, study, call your mother, call your sister, don't forget to send a card to grandmother. Time is ticking, you only have one life to live, you can sleep when you're dead. Think about it too much and you might go insane. Think about it too little and you might regret it. I tend to create a kind of ordered chaos by organizing my thoughts (taking control of my mind, planning a time to think about something rather than dwelling on it) and my schedule. But what happens when I let go of my system and give the reigns to chaos? I still do what I need to do, I just do less. This isn't always desirable, but it does remind me that mostly, the chaos is in my brain, not my life. ;-)
Fractals
Fractals are defined as "geometrical shapes whose structure is such that magnification by a given factor reproduces the original object." Reduce a snowflake to its smallest part and it still looks like a snowflake. If this is the case, maybe we are the bacteria that inhabit the earth, much like bacteria populate out bodies. And Earth is a system, maybe a cell in our solar system, and our solar system is an organ in our galaxy, our galaxy is a system, a collection of galaxies makes up our universe--one giant (to us) organism...which is maybe just one small organism in a super-world of other universe-organisms. Maybe our universe is just the bacteria in another organism?
Friday, July 4, 2014
misbehaving particles; sacred geometry + physics
Just what does this CP Violation really mean?
Well, it means that in the realm of matter vs. antimatter, particles do not maintain symmetry as physicists would expect. At this point they don't know why.
How are Sacred Geometry and Physics related?
It all comes down to numbers.
Mathematics is the rhythm that forms the bass line of the universe. The word 'physics' is Ancient Greek and means "knowledge of nature". Now we know it to be, in a general sense, an in-depth analysis of nature in an effort to understand our cosmic origins and principles. Sacred geometry has been found in several ancient civilizations as the first depiction of a higher consciousness through shapes and diagrams arranged in a systematic way to offer spiritual guidance through mathematical principles. The I-Ching's 64 hexes correspond to the 64 codon structure of human DNA (discovered a few thousand years later!). Albert Einstein developed a higher dimensional math that was later found to correlate to the math underlying the structures of mandalas used in ancient Hinduism/Buddhism.
It's fascinating that Pythagoras, Leonardo da Vinci, Fibonacci and the like all had a detailed sense of the mathematics of the universe, the physics of sacred geometry. And after the advent of the computer, Benoit Mandelbroit was finally able to take complex calculations found in nature and create a theory around 'fractals', which later became the basis for chaos theory, the study of the relationship between math, life, and time.
Well, it means that in the realm of matter vs. antimatter, particles do not maintain symmetry as physicists would expect. At this point they don't know why.
How are Sacred Geometry and Physics related?
It all comes down to numbers.
Mathematics is the rhythm that forms the bass line of the universe. The word 'physics' is Ancient Greek and means "knowledge of nature". Now we know it to be, in a general sense, an in-depth analysis of nature in an effort to understand our cosmic origins and principles. Sacred geometry has been found in several ancient civilizations as the first depiction of a higher consciousness through shapes and diagrams arranged in a systematic way to offer spiritual guidance through mathematical principles. The I-Ching's 64 hexes correspond to the 64 codon structure of human DNA (discovered a few thousand years later!). Albert Einstein developed a higher dimensional math that was later found to correlate to the math underlying the structures of mandalas used in ancient Hinduism/Buddhism.
It's fascinating that Pythagoras, Leonardo da Vinci, Fibonacci and the like all had a detailed sense of the mathematics of the universe, the physics of sacred geometry. And after the advent of the computer, Benoit Mandelbroit was finally able to take complex calculations found in nature and create a theory around 'fractals', which later became the basis for chaos theory, the study of the relationship between math, life, and time.
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
ENERGY MATTER GRAVITY FORCE
According to Einstein's famous equation, e = mc2, energy is converted into matter and vice versa. They are one in the same. Since I'm studying Traditional Chinese Medicine, I look at energy as yang, and matter as yin. When we look at the the taiji symbol, yin and yang are transforming into one another, and there is a part of yin within yang, and a part of yang within yin. They are essentially the same, yet take on different forms. To take it a step further, within the medicine, qi is energy and blood is matter. Blood is the mother of qi, and qi commands blood.
In order of weakest to strongest force, gravity comes first, then the weak nuclear force, electromagnetism, and finally the strong nuclear force. What's fascinating here is that gravity, the weakest force is what we feel from the Earth, we can jump against it with just our muscles, and build crafts that can fly away from it. In opposition of that, the strongest force, the strong nuclear force, works by keeping the smallest of particles together on a subatomic level. The little pieces that form the foundation of everything have the strongest force. Cool. Electromagnetism, well, we see that all the time, literally and metaphorically. Opposites attract. And if the weak nuclear force, got its act together it would out-muscle electromagnetism.
I'm not sure my opinion of gravity has changed much now that I've studied it. Gravity's smallest particle that's never been found is the graviton. Reminds me of this ride at the county fair I used to love when I was younger, the Gravitron. You could go inside and stand along the walls of a large circle. At the start of the ride, loud music would blast, lights would dim and flash, and the ride would start to spin. Fast. As the velocity picked up, the standing "seats" would start to slide to the ceiling of the ride. At this point, my friends and I would turn upside down and if there was room even lie sideways. Exhilarating!
In order of weakest to strongest force, gravity comes first, then the weak nuclear force, electromagnetism, and finally the strong nuclear force. What's fascinating here is that gravity, the weakest force is what we feel from the Earth, we can jump against it with just our muscles, and build crafts that can fly away from it. In opposition of that, the strongest force, the strong nuclear force, works by keeping the smallest of particles together on a subatomic level. The little pieces that form the foundation of everything have the strongest force. Cool. Electromagnetism, well, we see that all the time, literally and metaphorically. Opposites attract. And if the weak nuclear force, got its act together it would out-muscle electromagnetism.
I'm not sure my opinion of gravity has changed much now that I've studied it. Gravity's smallest particle that's never been found is the graviton. Reminds me of this ride at the county fair I used to love when I was younger, the Gravitron. You could go inside and stand along the walls of a large circle. At the start of the ride, loud music would blast, lights would dim and flash, and the ride would start to spin. Fast. As the velocity picked up, the standing "seats" would start to slide to the ceiling of the ride. At this point, my friends and I would turn upside down and if there was room even lie sideways. Exhilarating!
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