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!
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Musings on synchronicity and connection
"A man sees in the world what he carries in his heart." ~ Goethe
Synchronicity. I'm not sure I can provide evidence for it, but I can say that it seems to be tied into the law of attraction and karma. What you choose to focus on is what will surround you. I have no idea how or why this works, but my hypothesis has something to do with a game I heard about years ago. It's called "Mindball" and it utilizes the players' theta brainwaves to move a ball to opposite ends of the table. The more focused player will be able to push her ball to the opposite side and win the game. It works through electrodes attached to the players' heads which are then attached to a computer, the table, and the ball. So what does this mean?
Thoughts are physically charged masses, and thus, thoughts have power to attract, repel, and blend.
I think synchronicity and connectivity are easily explained through this imagery. Our thoughts are traveling along invisible wires...maybe strings or something smaller that conduct instantaneously...and the stronger someone feels or transmits a thought, the more likely it is to be "picked up" in the current of matching thoughts or "vibrations". This can be positive or negative.
In my life, I've had a lot of psychic type friends and experiences. I know that we all have psychic antennae, but our antennae can sometimes be better at receiving information or sending it. For instance, I am a decent receiver, and a very good sender of information. I also know that the more I meditate, the better at both sending and receiving I become. Meditation increases my "connectivity" which tells me that I'm exercising a psychic muscle that puts me into having more synchronous experiences.
There is a Chinese proverb called the Red String of Fate that says "An invisible thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but it will never break." I love this as it describes what we know in Western thought as soul mates or kindred spirits. Only a handful of people in my life I can say I've been absolutely destined to know, however, I feel that almost everyone I meet has something to teach me. I think there is something deeper at play here in the realm of connectivity, and the next level of human development will evolve into understanding and embracing the beauty swimming in our collective unconscious.
Synchronicity. I'm not sure I can provide evidence for it, but I can say that it seems to be tied into the law of attraction and karma. What you choose to focus on is what will surround you. I have no idea how or why this works, but my hypothesis has something to do with a game I heard about years ago. It's called "Mindball" and it utilizes the players' theta brainwaves to move a ball to opposite ends of the table. The more focused player will be able to push her ball to the opposite side and win the game. It works through electrodes attached to the players' heads which are then attached to a computer, the table, and the ball. So what does this mean?
Thoughts are physically charged masses, and thus, thoughts have power to attract, repel, and blend.
I think synchronicity and connectivity are easily explained through this imagery. Our thoughts are traveling along invisible wires...maybe strings or something smaller that conduct instantaneously...and the stronger someone feels or transmits a thought, the more likely it is to be "picked up" in the current of matching thoughts or "vibrations". This can be positive or negative.
In my life, I've had a lot of psychic type friends and experiences. I know that we all have psychic antennae, but our antennae can sometimes be better at receiving information or sending it. For instance, I am a decent receiver, and a very good sender of information. I also know that the more I meditate, the better at both sending and receiving I become. Meditation increases my "connectivity" which tells me that I'm exercising a psychic muscle that puts me into having more synchronous experiences.
There is a Chinese proverb called the Red String of Fate that says "An invisible thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but it will never break." I love this as it describes what we know in Western thought as soul mates or kindred spirits. Only a handful of people in my life I can say I've been absolutely destined to know, however, I feel that almost everyone I meet has something to teach me. I think there is something deeper at play here in the realm of connectivity, and the next level of human development will evolve into understanding and embracing the beauty swimming in our collective unconscious.
Friday, June 6, 2014
Uncertainty and causality in a wildly weird universe
Pertaining to the Uncertainty Principle: It is fascinating to me that, based on our own life experiences, cultural backgrounds, sex, age, and all other unlimited variables that shape our viewpoint, we are able to exist in this world together. The world changes depending on our vantage point, and I think it's what makes things spicy! That difference of opinions is the catalyst for change and growth. Heisenberg suggested that the universe reveals itself through the questions we ask. I find this to be intensely true, that my experience in this life would have been drastically different if I didn't choose to become an avid observer of the human experience, take notes, and ask questions. In this way, my own reality changes everyday in my search for a deeper understanding of my created reality and ultimately, the truth.
On Causality: Due to all of the variables that create what we know as the Uncertainty Principle, it can be difficult to nail down specific causes to events...that said, it is part of human nature to speculate and try to discover the cause. Because we love mysteries. It's in our DNA to ask why did something happen or where did we come from. A conversation comes to mind that many of us have probably had with others about their mutts..."well, we don't really know, but we think Fido is 1/2 german shephard, 1/4 chihuahua, and 1/4 cocker spaniel...don't you see it?" We don't really know what the dog is, but it is fun to try and figure it out.
The Universe is definitely weird. I only know this because I have an affinity for weird things and people and since I like the Universe, it must be weird.
On Causality: Due to all of the variables that create what we know as the Uncertainty Principle, it can be difficult to nail down specific causes to events...that said, it is part of human nature to speculate and try to discover the cause. Because we love mysteries. It's in our DNA to ask why did something happen or where did we come from. A conversation comes to mind that many of us have probably had with others about their mutts..."well, we don't really know, but we think Fido is 1/2 german shephard, 1/4 chihuahua, and 1/4 cocker spaniel...don't you see it?" We don't really know what the dog is, but it is fun to try and figure it out.
The Universe is definitely weird. I only know this because I have an affinity for weird things and people and since I like the Universe, it must be weird.
How I got here
How I got here, to be an acupuncture/herbal student at ACCHS is a looooong story, but to abbreviate, I will say that it started with a love of all things East, derived from a serious dissatisfaction with most things West. And organized religion. Around 20 years ago, there were several synchronous events that happened in that time, it seemed that all of the people I met were part of this other philosophy, I was handed the Tao Te Ching and never looked back. Here was a reasonable and poetic way to make sense of the world. I suddenly found so much beauty in my hardships. I studied marketing and multinational business in my undergrad, moved to Atlanta and became an outside sales rep for a telecommunications company. I hated it. I hated marketing and corporate America. I was too sensitive for that world. So I did my work, but the beauty was that I had my days "free" to do cold calls in the field. This was great because I was able to do a couple of hours of work, and then go see movies, go to bookstores, have lunch with friends. It wasn't until one day, I was in a bookstore walking around and literally, a book flew off the shelf in front of me and fell to the floor with the pages down and butterflied open to somewhere in the center of the book. I carefully picked it up and saw the book was something like Professions in Healing, and the page open was "Acupuncturist". Well, I had just been reading about acupuncture as I was engrossed in this book called "The Tao of Health, Sex, And Longevity". My boyfriend at the time had passed it on to me, he was a martial artist, we did Tai Chi and Qi Gong together. Next thing I know, I'm trying acupuncture, and it changed my life. I was immediately tapped into a deeper awareness of everything. That was 14 years ago, and I did go to a school in Seattle for 2 years that went bankrupt. I chose not to continue until now.
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
the paradox of time
Why does time drag on when things are dull, or fly by when things are exciting? A conversation with a friend that seems likes minutes and then a quick pause that prompts a glance at the clock shows that hours have gone by. When time passes quickly, I associate this with positive experience. When I actually notice time, it's generally when an experience is unpleasant or my mindstate is that of impatience. Lately, I've expanded my mindfulness practice into doing a 20 minute meditation every morning and evening. At first, it was difficult, my mind would race with thoughts and worries and I had to keep refocusing on my breath. Sometimes (and it still happens now too, just not as often) I would feel so defeated because the time would pass so quickly while my mind was lost in a maze of useless thoughts. But the sessions when I'm able to truly let my mind take a break, the time passes slowly, yet this time, instead of feeling like I'm waiting for water to boil, the slowness and stillness is precious and sweet. And when it's over, I feel like it passed too quickly. huh.
Friday, April 11, 2014
In favor of rights to our fellow non-human persons
I have a confession. I grew up in Florida and went to SeaWorld probably a half a dozen times in my childhood. Watching the dolphins and whales do tricks, seeing the trainers work with them...OMG! as a child it was mesmerizing. I was one of the brainwashed kids who was sold an idea that these wonderful creatures thrived in captivity and loved their lives. I wanted to BE a SeaWorld Trainer! How could I think any different? It was magic.
Flash-forward to the release of the documentary, The Cove, several years ago. I was made aware from the man that was once Flipper's best friend that dolphins aren't smiling, it's just their natural facial expression. And they are cruelly rounded up, most are bloodily massacred, and some sold to sites around the world. "Come swim with the dolphins!" To understand their limbic system and their emotional capacity, it makes me think that having dolphins and whales in captivity is as wretched as the sex trade industry. It's just sleazy.
I lived in Seattle for 10 years before coming to the Bay area. The orcas up there are very special, there's at least 3 pods, maybe more, and they've lived there a long time. They have their own languages and customs that are very different from orcas in other areas. I went on a whale-watching tour and I remember the guide showing us the oldest whale, a female, in the J pod was 99 years old. That's much longer than what SeaWorld told people the orcas in captivity could live. They said in captivity the whales live to be up to 35 years old, which is much longer than in the wild. I cringe now to think that we once bought into their lies. I am glad that California has a bill to ban the shows, and I do hope it passes and a message is sent out into the world that SeaWorld needs to stop. They are running a slave trade and need to free those highly intelligent beings.
I could go on an on about this, but I have finals to study for. So I will leave this entry by saying I believe India has it right in making dolphins "Non-human persons" and they deserve rights like humans. (Whales should be in there too.) And, if you haven't seen The Cove and Blackfish, definitely put them in your queue. The world deserves to know the truth!
Friday, April 4, 2014
BAD HUMANS
The human species IS living as if it had more than one planet to occupy. They are wasteful, disgusting, repugnant B#$%RDS and I'm so glad I'm not one of them.
Okay, okay--I am a human. I'm just embarrassed to admit it sometimes. Most people don't care about anything but the Rapture or the Kardashians. Us folks living here in NorCal are living in an elite bubble of higher-ordered thinkers, not that we aren't without fault here too. But, in some parts of our country, people have never even heard of recycling---gigantic gallon milk jugs, boxes, plastic bags--are still being thrown in the trash on a regular basis.
But even here, I've been surprised that more people aren't talking about the drought and water conservation. I'm continually taking "polls" from my clients on whatever I'm thinking about at the time, and my random polls on the drought have been surprising. It's sad to me that there are people out there that think that climate change is a made up conspiracy.
I do try to look at things in a positive light, and I think awareness is the first part of change. And environmental awareness is seeping into mass consciousness through such avenues as more demand for electric cars, paperless statements, better city planning (for less sprawl), and fair trade programs.
Unfortunately, I'm not sure it's happening at a pace fast enough for our poor sweet mama Earth.
But even here, I've been surprised that more people aren't talking about the drought and water conservation. I'm continually taking "polls" from my clients on whatever I'm thinking about at the time, and my random polls on the drought have been surprising. It's sad to me that there are people out there that think that climate change is a made up conspiracy.
I do try to look at things in a positive light, and I think awareness is the first part of change. And environmental awareness is seeping into mass consciousness through such avenues as more demand for electric cars, paperless statements, better city planning (for less sprawl), and fair trade programs.
Unfortunately, I'm not sure it's happening at a pace fast enough for our poor sweet mama Earth.
The solution? Strategic Marketing. MAKE GOING GREEN SEXY!
Show Jessica Alba using all parts of her chicken when she cooks, casually feeding the liver to her sweet cat. J-Lo driving her Tesla, Brangelina and the kids harvesting the food from their "food forest" in their front yard...and if we could get Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon to do some kind of hashtag rap about the hipness of green living, well we'd have a waiting list for the bandwagon!
I know this kind of celebrity marketing is happening already on a small scale, I just want to see it more and more, like green tsunami waves pounding the shores of mass media.
I know this kind of celebrity marketing is happening already on a small scale, I just want to see it more and more, like green tsunami waves pounding the shores of mass media.
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
on a tangent - Kekule's Ouroboros
The birth of benzene came in a dream. Really? I struggled to understand how one could get a chemical molecule from a hallucination of an ouroboros--a swirling serpent chasing its tail--and I realized that I was not alone. I found the New York Times article below which shows that many others also questioned the dramatic dream story.
http://www.nytimes.com/1988/08/16/science/the-benzene-ring-dream-analysis.html
As corny as it sounds, my intuition tells me that it was sort of a half-truth.
Are we all "tapped in" to some universal consciousness/knowing that we just have to relax enough into a certain brain state to discover its infinite wisdom? I have experienced the dream coming true or the sudden intuition that turned out in my favor. Maybe for Kekule, the benzene molecule had been there (in his mind) for some time but through the mountain of fatique and hyperfocusing he wasn't able to grasp it until his brain relaxed. Kind of like having a thought "on the tip of your tongue" and only being able to retrieve it driving down the highway 3 hours later. The ouroboros was Kekule's "ah-ha" moment.
Also, why do some of the most creative acts of genius happen when the artist has gone into oblivion on alcohol or other illegal substance? Again, a host of memories and collections that were always there, just accessed by being in some other altered state of consciousness. I believe it's a Buddhist perspective as well that "all knowledge is inside of us", but I don't think I could have come up with the chemical structure for benzene.
And from a TCM perspective, I have been taught thus far that we are not supposed to dream. We are supposed to "sleep like a rock" at night and wake rested ready for the day. If that's the case, I'm truly bummed out because I love some of my dreams and still remember some I had years ago. I do believe that dreams can guide us deeper into ourselves and sometimes just be another form of expression and source of inspiration. Of course nightmares and highly restless sleep would be pathological, but how can dreams, especially if they are exciting, empowering, and colorful be bad? I found the article below by an L.Ac. talking about dreams and TCM. I've pasted the most important part below pertaining to my questions, but if you have time, the whole article is great.
http://www.divinecaroline.com/self/dreams/analyze-your-dreams-traditional-chinese-medicine
"Ancient China did not have the technology to measure brain waves. Instead, they correlated the activities of the mind at night with the activities of the various spirits of elements. From 11 p.m. to 3 a.m., is considered wood element time. At this time, the wood channels are most active, therefore the wood element spirit, the Hun, is also active. This is the spirit of creativity, vision, and imagination. At night, it has adventures that we experience as dreams. Of course, the other element spirits can be involved too if the person has issues to work out. Each element spirit has emotional functions.
While the eyes are closed, the Hun resides in the liver. This is a time for creative energy to restore itself. Dreams are an expression of this creativity. If the wood element channels (liver and gallbladder) are balanced and the blood is strong, a person will have only a few dreams that help him or her work through obstacles along one’s path. If the Hun is not anchored, it flies around following the Shen, the fire spirit, and has many crazy adventures, which leads to excessive dreams. Too many dreams can exhaust the Hun and therefore create imbalances in the liver and gallbladder channels or vice versa."
http://www.nytimes.com/1988/08/16/science/the-benzene-ring-dream-analysis.html
As corny as it sounds, my intuition tells me that it was sort of a half-truth.
Are we all "tapped in" to some universal consciousness/knowing that we just have to relax enough into a certain brain state to discover its infinite wisdom? I have experienced the dream coming true or the sudden intuition that turned out in my favor. Maybe for Kekule, the benzene molecule had been there (in his mind) for some time but through the mountain of fatique and hyperfocusing he wasn't able to grasp it until his brain relaxed. Kind of like having a thought "on the tip of your tongue" and only being able to retrieve it driving down the highway 3 hours later. The ouroboros was Kekule's "ah-ha" moment.
Also, why do some of the most creative acts of genius happen when the artist has gone into oblivion on alcohol or other illegal substance? Again, a host of memories and collections that were always there, just accessed by being in some other altered state of consciousness. I believe it's a Buddhist perspective as well that "all knowledge is inside of us", but I don't think I could have come up with the chemical structure for benzene.
And from a TCM perspective, I have been taught thus far that we are not supposed to dream. We are supposed to "sleep like a rock" at night and wake rested ready for the day. If that's the case, I'm truly bummed out because I love some of my dreams and still remember some I had years ago. I do believe that dreams can guide us deeper into ourselves and sometimes just be another form of expression and source of inspiration. Of course nightmares and highly restless sleep would be pathological, but how can dreams, especially if they are exciting, empowering, and colorful be bad? I found the article below by an L.Ac. talking about dreams and TCM. I've pasted the most important part below pertaining to my questions, but if you have time, the whole article is great.
http://www.divinecaroline.com/self/dreams/analyze-your-dreams-traditional-chinese-medicine
"Ancient China did not have the technology to measure brain waves. Instead, they correlated the activities of the mind at night with the activities of the various spirits of elements. From 11 p.m. to 3 a.m., is considered wood element time. At this time, the wood channels are most active, therefore the wood element spirit, the Hun, is also active. This is the spirit of creativity, vision, and imagination. At night, it has adventures that we experience as dreams. Of course, the other element spirits can be involved too if the person has issues to work out. Each element spirit has emotional functions.
While the eyes are closed, the Hun resides in the liver. This is a time for creative energy to restore itself. Dreams are an expression of this creativity. If the wood element channels (liver and gallbladder) are balanced and the blood is strong, a person will have only a few dreams that help him or her work through obstacles along one’s path. If the Hun is not anchored, it flies around following the Shen, the fire spirit, and has many crazy adventures, which leads to excessive dreams. Too many dreams can exhaust the Hun and therefore create imbalances in the liver and gallbladder channels or vice versa."
Monday, March 31, 2014
Nerding out on bacteria
I enjoyed the refreshers on cell biology, bacteria and viruses. It's actually the latest information being released about bacteria that is most exciting to me. I heard an NPR podcast several months ago about the unique ecosystem of bacteria that inhabit each person and how they shape our individual personalities. The scientist talking said that in one study they were able to take gut bacteria from a "timid" mouse and implant the samples into a "brave" mouse and vice versa. The results were ground-breaking. The once timid mouse took on brave characteristics, and the brave mouse became more timid. In the medicine world, fecal transplants are starting to be "a thing", with people donating their flora-ful poop at donation sites to help those in need of *inspired* bacteria to rectify their digestion and overall health. It's seriously saving lives and is fairly simple in theory. But I wonder, will the donees take on characteristics of their poop donors?
I found this great blog by a guy that is even more excited about bacteria than I am and has gone forth and synthesized several articles and interesting research into one. Check it out:
http://ianchadwick.com/blog/infestations-microbes-parasites/
Most notably, one of my favorite parts of this article are from an article written recently by the Atlantic about swabs taken from individuals' belly buttons:
Instead of taking your fingerprint, maybe police should swab our belly buttons with Q-tips. No, that’s ridiculous, actually. But the idea illustrates a point made by a group of North Carolina-based researchers in their new Belly Button Biodiversity (BBB) project. Last month, the group published results of their first of many experiments, in which they swabbed 60 belly buttons and identified a total of 2,368 species of bacteria. People’s individual profiles were snowflake-ily, bacterially unique.
Going further, they were able to find only 8 (!!!) species that all of those people had in common.
I'm interested in finding a crossover in TCM, anybody out there have any input or experience?
I found this great blog by a guy that is even more excited about bacteria than I am and has gone forth and synthesized several articles and interesting research into one. Check it out:
http://ianchadwick.com/blog/infestations-microbes-parasites/
Most notably, one of my favorite parts of this article are from an article written recently by the Atlantic about swabs taken from individuals' belly buttons:
Instead of taking your fingerprint, maybe police should swab our belly buttons with Q-tips. No, that’s ridiculous, actually. But the idea illustrates a point made by a group of North Carolina-based researchers in their new Belly Button Biodiversity (BBB) project. Last month, the group published results of their first of many experiments, in which they swabbed 60 belly buttons and identified a total of 2,368 species of bacteria. People’s individual profiles were snowflake-ily, bacterially unique.
Going further, they were able to find only 8 (!!!) species that all of those people had in common.
I'm interested in finding a crossover in TCM, anybody out there have any input or experience?
Monday, March 24, 2014
"to see the world in a grain of sand..."
This entry is in response to the Water, Air, Earth, Fire article about the periodic table, 30 elements, universe, Jung, the amorous hug of art and science. I've often marveled over the fact that we came from stardust, we are the Stuff of the universe--expansive, precise, and perfect. I read somewhere once that water is neither created or destroyed on our planet, that the 85% or so of the water contained in my body has been recycled millions of times through the bodies, plants, animals, rivers of the world. We are one. And yet, for as dynamic and connected as we are, we are still just big kids in a gigantic sandbox. Lately, I've seen a couple of episodes of Cosmos, the modern version spin-off of Carl Sagan's original series. We now know so much more about our universe, that our universe is quite possibly just a drop in an ocean of other universes. To juxtapose that thought with the microcosm of the organization of our atoms, cells, systems (since we're talking about biochemistry here, lol), it really is incredible to think that the early philosopher, Hermes, had it right: "As above, so below". But what is the part of the elements in our varied imaginations, the ability to fantasize, marvel, love, and create? Is that too an evolutionary response? Maybe one day we will be able to explain everything in terms of science. Until then, I'm going to relish discovery and mystery, art and science, and making the most of my magnificently insignificant existence. :-)
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