Would I support the development of a "bionic" person?:
As I may have mentioned on another of my blog entries, (or it might have been in Chemistry, not sure) - my only sister is disabled, and has been wheelchair bound her entire life (she is older than me by 18 months). In addition to her disability (cerebral palsy), I have been around many different people with many different kinds of disabilities, and I do think that this field of study has some promising applications possible. On the other hand, it does seem to me that people who have disabilities often have developed amazing compensatory abilities that they would not otherwise have been compelled to explore and discover. Additionally, I believe that adversity creates in us as human beings a unique opportunity to examine ourselves and our lives, and can lead to a deeper and richer experience of life; I have known many disabled people in my life who have been utterly inspiring in their strength and compassion and capacity for acceptance and joy of living. Who's to say that it is a good thing to attempt to change that by mechanical or technological means? I sometimes think that humanity has lost its way in that we sometimes seem so obsessed with "perfection" and somehow apply that to "health" and quality of life.
How would I rate "the control of artificial limbs by thought alone"?:
It seems to me that there is still a long way to go with this technology, but that what they have developed so far seems amazing and really promising. Once again, though, I have to refer to my comments above - in that I am not sure that altering the circumstances in an artificial and technological manner, which have been handed us in this life, is necessarily a good thing. Also, even though the article about the "Darwin Machine" was compelling evidence about the brain's ability to regenerate itself - I have to still wonder if this would still be true with an application of a technology which is by definition outside of the realm of the normal "wear and tear" that is exerted on the brain in the course of a natural lifetime?
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Aura Photography - a review
First of all, I am really glad to have been able to discover the store, Psychic Reality - its a very cool place, IMO, full of a lot of beautiful stuff and it is all pretty reasonably priced. Its a must see for anyone into metaphysical stuff - they have a pretty comprehensive collection of tarot cards, for example - I found a deck there that I had been looking for pretty much everywhere, including the manufacturer (USA games) and had been unable to find completely - or was able to find at a super inflated price (Amazon wants $75 for it as of today, and the deck I bought at the store was $22.50). Anyway, that's my plug for the store.
As for the aura photography - I just wanted to share a bit about my experience, which was not really anything I expected - and I am not exactly a stranger to this kind of thing....in fact I would generally describe myself as pretty self-aware, as I have devoted a substantial amount of time over the years to my personal "work" as it were, and in particular my spiritual process. That being said, I was really blown away by what came through for me - and I am very grateful to have had the experience.
I have had a number of experienced readers over the years (myself included), using a variety of methods (tarot, palm, runes, etc., or just plain 'ole clairvoyance) - and I found Michael's approach to be really simple and direct and refreshing. He was also right on target with me - and although he really didn't have a whole lot to say to me ('cuz my aura pretty much says it all...) what he did say was profound and very helpful. There was one thing in particular that he said that related to something I have struggled with for a very long time, and that one piece of information was worth the $20 alone, and then some.
Anyway, I am again really grateful to have had this opportunity, and I highly recommend the whole thing to anyone else even slightly interested. You will have fun at the very least.
As for the aura photography - I just wanted to share a bit about my experience, which was not really anything I expected - and I am not exactly a stranger to this kind of thing....in fact I would generally describe myself as pretty self-aware, as I have devoted a substantial amount of time over the years to my personal "work" as it were, and in particular my spiritual process. That being said, I was really blown away by what came through for me - and I am very grateful to have had the experience.
I have had a number of experienced readers over the years (myself included), using a variety of methods (tarot, palm, runes, etc., or just plain 'ole clairvoyance) - and I found Michael's approach to be really simple and direct and refreshing. He was also right on target with me - and although he really didn't have a whole lot to say to me ('cuz my aura pretty much says it all...) what he did say was profound and very helpful. There was one thing in particular that he said that related to something I have struggled with for a very long time, and that one piece of information was worth the $20 alone, and then some.
Anyway, I am again really grateful to have had this opportunity, and I highly recommend the whole thing to anyone else even slightly interested. You will have fun at the very least.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Week 11 Assignments - Energy Medicine and Energy Fields
Acupuncture as effective energy medicine:
In the most simplistic of terms, Qi can be described as energy. While this is not in any way a complete understanding of Qi - it is often the easiest concept for a western thinking person to get their head around. Likewise, this is often the easiest way for people to understand acupuncture and how it works; again, simply speaking, acupuncture taps into energy lines which run throughout the body, and then the treatment changes the course of that energy.
As for acupuncture being considered an affective energy medicine, I imagine that many of us as students have come to study TCM because of our experiences with acupuncture treatment. I suspect many of us have similar stories in the respect that we have sought treatment through conventional means and ultimately tried acupuncture - often as a last resort or with the attitude that there was nothing left to lose. In my own case, I definitely sought treatment out of a sense of desperation - in that western medicine had nothing much to offer me other than a dire diagnosis and even direr (is that a word???) prognosis. While I am probably a more open minded patient than most, I am also definitely a skeptic and for me often seeing is believing. While I have not found that acupuncture was a miracle cure for me, I have found that treatment makes me feel better than anything else has, and that over time I have regained some of the health that I thought was gone permanently. And so, in my own personally limited opinion, I would say that acupuncture has been proven to me to be an effective energy medicine.
On Kirlian photography:
I don't really know what I would draw in the way of conclusions about Kirlian photography. I think it is really interesting, and as I mentioned in class, I think that it isn't really all that far fetched to think that the energy field surrounding living beings is tangible enough to be photographed. What is fascinating to me is the variety of colors, and the correlation of those colors to certain spiritual systems and their beliefs about different colors relating to emotions or states of emotional being - and that upon interview, people who have those colors show up in these photos will often confirm the presence of those emotional factors. So, this does seem to suggest some sort of efficacy for this information being recorded on film....
Human Intent as it affects health:
This is probably something I have the least to say anything about - I have worked in both cancer and aids research and I have seen first hand how people are directly affected by their intent in the face of catastrophic and mortal health conditions. I have watched people who were simply unable to get past the anger over the injustice of their disease, and subsequently die rapidly and often badly. Conversely, I have watched people struggle to accept their mortality with grace and courage, and watched those people survive months and even years longer than anyone ever expected. Simply put, one's intent is the key to everything when it comes to health - both positively and negatively.
In the most simplistic of terms, Qi can be described as energy. While this is not in any way a complete understanding of Qi - it is often the easiest concept for a western thinking person to get their head around. Likewise, this is often the easiest way for people to understand acupuncture and how it works; again, simply speaking, acupuncture taps into energy lines which run throughout the body, and then the treatment changes the course of that energy.
As for acupuncture being considered an affective energy medicine, I imagine that many of us as students have come to study TCM because of our experiences with acupuncture treatment. I suspect many of us have similar stories in the respect that we have sought treatment through conventional means and ultimately tried acupuncture - often as a last resort or with the attitude that there was nothing left to lose. In my own case, I definitely sought treatment out of a sense of desperation - in that western medicine had nothing much to offer me other than a dire diagnosis and even direr (is that a word???) prognosis. While I am probably a more open minded patient than most, I am also definitely a skeptic and for me often seeing is believing. While I have not found that acupuncture was a miracle cure for me, I have found that treatment makes me feel better than anything else has, and that over time I have regained some of the health that I thought was gone permanently. And so, in my own personally limited opinion, I would say that acupuncture has been proven to me to be an effective energy medicine.
On Kirlian photography:
I don't really know what I would draw in the way of conclusions about Kirlian photography. I think it is really interesting, and as I mentioned in class, I think that it isn't really all that far fetched to think that the energy field surrounding living beings is tangible enough to be photographed. What is fascinating to me is the variety of colors, and the correlation of those colors to certain spiritual systems and their beliefs about different colors relating to emotions or states of emotional being - and that upon interview, people who have those colors show up in these photos will often confirm the presence of those emotional factors. So, this does seem to suggest some sort of efficacy for this information being recorded on film....
Human Intent as it affects health:
This is probably something I have the least to say anything about - I have worked in both cancer and aids research and I have seen first hand how people are directly affected by their intent in the face of catastrophic and mortal health conditions. I have watched people who were simply unable to get past the anger over the injustice of their disease, and subsequently die rapidly and often badly. Conversely, I have watched people struggle to accept their mortality with grace and courage, and watched those people survive months and even years longer than anyone ever expected. Simply put, one's intent is the key to everything when it comes to health - both positively and negatively.
Week 10 Assignments - Life and Living Systems
I know I'm a living system because....:
Strictly speaking, and based on my existing amount of education, a living system exhibits certain biological functions and so do I; a living system grows and changes and evolves, it uses oxygen to sustain life, it reproduces, and it ultimately degrades and then dies.
I have heard another definition yet, that a thing is considered living when it exhibits consciousness - or when it appears to be capable of independent thought and then is able to make cognitive connections between thought and action....I am reading Robert Heinlein's "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress", and this concept is addressed in this novel when the computer system begins to exhibit these qualities and the main character realizes that the computer has come to life. While this has been a popular notion in sci fi for quite a long time, when one looks at the rate of technological advance which exists now and which is projected into the future (see url below for an interesting youtube video on this), then this concept really doesn't seem so far fetched after all...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL9Wu2kWwSY&feature=email
Biophysics and Oriental Medicine:
Someone in class brought up the concept of 5 element theory when we were talking about autopoiesis, and it occurs to me that this concept also applies to biophysics - taken quite literally, the 5 elements encompass those natural elements that are essentially the building blocks of that which we consider to be living. Furthermore, these elements act upon each other and are affected by each other, and balance is critical for a healthy system. Biophysics is one aspect of the biosphere, but involves an understanding of how systems interact and affect one another - and imbalances are studied for cause and effect, while a state of balance is understood to be the ultimate goal for a system.
This just seems to be a very small example of the similarity and synthesis of western science and eastern medicine.
Strictly speaking, and based on my existing amount of education, a living system exhibits certain biological functions and so do I; a living system grows and changes and evolves, it uses oxygen to sustain life, it reproduces, and it ultimately degrades and then dies.
I have heard another definition yet, that a thing is considered living when it exhibits consciousness - or when it appears to be capable of independent thought and then is able to make cognitive connections between thought and action....I am reading Robert Heinlein's "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress", and this concept is addressed in this novel when the computer system begins to exhibit these qualities and the main character realizes that the computer has come to life. While this has been a popular notion in sci fi for quite a long time, when one looks at the rate of technological advance which exists now and which is projected into the future (see url below for an interesting youtube video on this), then this concept really doesn't seem so far fetched after all...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL9Wu2kWwSY&feature=email
Biophysics and Oriental Medicine:
Someone in class brought up the concept of 5 element theory when we were talking about autopoiesis, and it occurs to me that this concept also applies to biophysics - taken quite literally, the 5 elements encompass those natural elements that are essentially the building blocks of that which we consider to be living. Furthermore, these elements act upon each other and are affected by each other, and balance is critical for a healthy system. Biophysics is one aspect of the biosphere, but involves an understanding of how systems interact and affect one another - and imbalances are studied for cause and effect, while a state of balance is understood to be the ultimate goal for a system.
This just seems to be a very small example of the similarity and synthesis of western science and eastern medicine.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Week 9 Assignments - Towards a New Synthesis
Can I synthesize East and West:
I am going to follow suit here, and start with the easier of two writing assignments (!!!). Strictly speaking and only in my own experienc, I personally do find that it seems to be my work to find a way to synthesize these two approaches to life and consciousness - and so yes, it is my hope that I will be able to eventually find some middle ground between these two philosophies.
I actually have a background in Western medicine, having been a medical assistant from 1994 - 2007. I still find myself thinking with a Western medical mind when it comes to disease/pathology, and in particular in the area of diagnosis. To be perfectly honest, even though I am learning TCM philosophy and treatment, I don't really ever see myself losing completely my Western mind when it comes to these things...but where I do find that I am most comfortable with Eastern philosophy is when I consider the underlying causes for disease/pathology. I have long been comfortable with the ideology that we are complete and holistic beings, and that our physical well-being is directly tied to not only physiological processes, but to our emotional and conscious processes as well. A holistic approach has always made more sense to me, and in that regard I have long been at odds with the Western medical approach to health and well-being.
The upshot here is that yes, I think I am well on my way to synthesizing East and West.
My E-Prime Day:
I awoke today to what appeared to be a sunny and slightly breezy day. I went to a place where food is cooked and served for a fee with my partner and we requested food be cooked for us and then brought to our table, which we ate - in my present mixed state of culinary education, the food seemed to taste good and I subsequently felt full.
I then got into my personal mode of transportation that is sometimes called a car with my partner and we went to a place full of electronic equipment which can be taken home for a fee, where my partner bought a machine which purports to play music, and we transported it back to his apartment.
I am now sitting in a place where coffee and tea and snack foods can be purchased for a fee, tapping away at my laptop attempting to fulfill an assignment.
I am going to follow suit here, and start with the easier of two writing assignments (!!!). Strictly speaking and only in my own experienc, I personally do find that it seems to be my work to find a way to synthesize these two approaches to life and consciousness - and so yes, it is my hope that I will be able to eventually find some middle ground between these two philosophies.
I actually have a background in Western medicine, having been a medical assistant from 1994 - 2007. I still find myself thinking with a Western medical mind when it comes to disease/pathology, and in particular in the area of diagnosis. To be perfectly honest, even though I am learning TCM philosophy and treatment, I don't really ever see myself losing completely my Western mind when it comes to these things...but where I do find that I am most comfortable with Eastern philosophy is when I consider the underlying causes for disease/pathology. I have long been comfortable with the ideology that we are complete and holistic beings, and that our physical well-being is directly tied to not only physiological processes, but to our emotional and conscious processes as well. A holistic approach has always made more sense to me, and in that regard I have long been at odds with the Western medical approach to health and well-being.
The upshot here is that yes, I think I am well on my way to synthesizing East and West.
My E-Prime Day:
I awoke today to what appeared to be a sunny and slightly breezy day. I went to a place where food is cooked and served for a fee with my partner and we requested food be cooked for us and then brought to our table, which we ate - in my present mixed state of culinary education, the food seemed to taste good and I subsequently felt full.
I then got into my personal mode of transportation that is sometimes called a car with my partner and we went to a place full of electronic equipment which can be taken home for a fee, where my partner bought a machine which purports to play music, and we transported it back to his apartment.
I am now sitting in a place where coffee and tea and snack foods can be purchased for a fee, tapping away at my laptop attempting to fulfill an assignment.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Week 8 Assignments - Classical Physics
Newton's Three Laws and Me:
So, finally we get into some of the concepts in physics that are more difficult for me to get my head around...nevertheless, I will take a stab at it here. The law of inertia is probably one that I am most familiar with, as I am definitely a body at rest if at all humanly possible, and if there is no measurable motivation I can remain at rest indefinitely (LOL). But I get it, the baseline, if you will, is that you start with an object that just "is" - without any additional stimulus or interaction, that object will remain where it is, without change or growth - without getting either better or worse.
I have a lot more trouble with the second law - 'cause this is where the math comes in. Again, in essence I understand the concept, that my ass is more likely to get up off the couch and go for a walk if the sun is shining and there is nothing good on tv or there is nothing interesting in front of me to eat (ok, just kidding here, but I suppose to get a body out of the state of inertia there needs to be an outside force acting upon it - say motivation, in the example above?) - but I guess this is the part where the equation explains the strength of that motivation. Just don't ask me to actually calculate that equation, because my brain will break and it won't be pretty.
The third law - which makes more sense to me when stated as "to every action there is an equal and opposite reaction" is much easier for me to relate to. Again, from a strictly scientific perspective, it seems like it would be impossible for anything to actually ever move at all, because according to Newton's theory, objects are always pushing against each other, and I believe this is the essence of this law. That being said, in a more metaphysical sense, and perhaps more related to chaos theory and the theory of quantum mechanics - it seems to me that objects (or events, or thoughts) that are in motion will affect objects (or events, or thoughts) in a directly proportional way - not necessarily in an oppositional way....such as the stone in the pond analogy - throwing a stone in a pond creates motion in the water, which expands and moves ever outward from the source.
Our "Energy Efficient" Culture:
Does not exist. A lot of people are talking a lot about energy efficiency, and it is certainly popular to talk the talk - but actually walking the walk is a totally different matter, and it seems to me that there are more than just a few things that need to change in order to achieve this state; and I am actually not sure it is possible to achieve at any rate. Since energy "is conserved" in the universe, it never goes away or increases, it just changes from one thing to another.
I used to live in a collective household which was theoretically committed to green living - and a prime example of a very simple way in which energy efficiency can be thwarted would be the fact that the house (three story victorian) was completely fitted out with low wattage light bulbs - and then people left the lights on in rooms and stairwells on all three floors all night long, all day long, all the time. So. Not very "efficient".
Descartes has a lot to answer for!:
I think that it really is truly amazing that in our history as humans on this planet, that there have consistently been people who have challenged the dominant paradigm with new ideas and theories and who have also consistently advanced our knowledge of our world and ourselves in the process. The scientists of the 17th and 18th centuries had so many social and religious parameters which framed their consciousness and beliefs, both restricting and expanding their ability to understand and to even consider alternate truths - and yet in so many ways they "got it" and were able to move scientific thought and ultimately human understanding forward on the backs of those truths. I think that most likely the truths that scientists are now beginning to embrace and tinker with will do the same thing.
That being said, I am also really grateful that science appears to be moving into a new era of holistic thought - acknowledging the power of the mind and factoring in that power as they re-examine the work of their predecessors. Western science for too long has influenced overall human thinking and interaction - in the sense that it has separated out the power of the mind and emotions and the overall metaphysical aspect of our existence - and this has led to untold imbalances which have been destroying our world.
So, finally we get into some of the concepts in physics that are more difficult for me to get my head around...nevertheless, I will take a stab at it here. The law of inertia is probably one that I am most familiar with, as I am definitely a body at rest if at all humanly possible, and if there is no measurable motivation I can remain at rest indefinitely (LOL). But I get it, the baseline, if you will, is that you start with an object that just "is" - without any additional stimulus or interaction, that object will remain where it is, without change or growth - without getting either better or worse.
I have a lot more trouble with the second law - 'cause this is where the math comes in. Again, in essence I understand the concept, that my ass is more likely to get up off the couch and go for a walk if the sun is shining and there is nothing good on tv or there is nothing interesting in front of me to eat (ok, just kidding here, but I suppose to get a body out of the state of inertia there needs to be an outside force acting upon it - say motivation, in the example above?) - but I guess this is the part where the equation explains the strength of that motivation. Just don't ask me to actually calculate that equation, because my brain will break and it won't be pretty.
The third law - which makes more sense to me when stated as "to every action there is an equal and opposite reaction" is much easier for me to relate to. Again, from a strictly scientific perspective, it seems like it would be impossible for anything to actually ever move at all, because according to Newton's theory, objects are always pushing against each other, and I believe this is the essence of this law. That being said, in a more metaphysical sense, and perhaps more related to chaos theory and the theory of quantum mechanics - it seems to me that objects (or events, or thoughts) that are in motion will affect objects (or events, or thoughts) in a directly proportional way - not necessarily in an oppositional way....such as the stone in the pond analogy - throwing a stone in a pond creates motion in the water, which expands and moves ever outward from the source.
Our "Energy Efficient" Culture:
Does not exist. A lot of people are talking a lot about energy efficiency, and it is certainly popular to talk the talk - but actually walking the walk is a totally different matter, and it seems to me that there are more than just a few things that need to change in order to achieve this state; and I am actually not sure it is possible to achieve at any rate. Since energy "is conserved" in the universe, it never goes away or increases, it just changes from one thing to another.
I used to live in a collective household which was theoretically committed to green living - and a prime example of a very simple way in which energy efficiency can be thwarted would be the fact that the house (three story victorian) was completely fitted out with low wattage light bulbs - and then people left the lights on in rooms and stairwells on all three floors all night long, all day long, all the time. So. Not very "efficient".
Descartes has a lot to answer for!:
I think that it really is truly amazing that in our history as humans on this planet, that there have consistently been people who have challenged the dominant paradigm with new ideas and theories and who have also consistently advanced our knowledge of our world and ourselves in the process. The scientists of the 17th and 18th centuries had so many social and religious parameters which framed their consciousness and beliefs, both restricting and expanding their ability to understand and to even consider alternate truths - and yet in so many ways they "got it" and were able to move scientific thought and ultimately human understanding forward on the backs of those truths. I think that most likely the truths that scientists are now beginning to embrace and tinker with will do the same thing.
That being said, I am also really grateful that science appears to be moving into a new era of holistic thought - acknowledging the power of the mind and factoring in that power as they re-examine the work of their predecessors. Western science for too long has influenced overall human thinking and interaction - in the sense that it has separated out the power of the mind and emotions and the overall metaphysical aspect of our existence - and this has led to untold imbalances which have been destroying our world.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Week 7 Assignments - Chaos Theory
On "Ordered Chaos":
What is interesting to me is the paradox of order and chaos - and the seeming oxymoron of these two terms being used together to describe their dynamic relationship. Order arises when a system becomes too chaotic - and conversely, chaos is required when a system has become strangled by too much order. Both rely upon each other in the constant struggle for balance, or homeostasis. In fact, I don't think I really like the word "struggle" - because this also seems to imply that the process is in some way negative or adversarial. In fact, this is just the natural state of dynamic systems (healthy ones, anyway); they are always in motion, always changing and always flowing into one another, becoming each other. Here again, the concept of Yin and Yang comes to mind...
Fractals as Patterns of Complex systems:
First of all, I have to say that I TOTALLY dig fractals!!! I have been looking at them online, and I haven't found one yet that wasn't really beautiful and fascinating - and I am equally enamored of those found in nature as I am with the ones that are computer generated. I also wonder if the mandala is a form of fractal - one which is used to train our minds and bodies for changes of consciousness...the ultimate "complex system", IMO.
There is something amazing about the fractal's "random uniformity" that speaks to the creative side of me. I have also always been fascinated by the "butterfly effect" and in much of my spiritual practice I have found this concept to be the way that things work - one AHA moment, or leap of faith on my part will then lead to other ideas or events which will eventually take me wherever it is I am supposed to go - and often this will ultimately entail a complete life changing experience for me which is never anything that I originally planned on or expected; and yet, there is somewhere within it the kernal of an idea or truth that makes sense to me, and I can always trace events back to that original moment or action which set everything in motion.
Consciousness out of Chaos:
So which comes first, the chicken or the egg? Does chaos create consciousness as suggested above - or is our consciousness the random force which drives chaos? Are the chaotic events in our lives the catalysts that lead to leaps of consciousness and self awareness and would we cease to grow and change if for some reason chaos were to disappear from our lives? I think the answer to that question is yes, that consciousness requires chaos in order to grow and thrive. However, I think that due to the dynamic and "coupling" nature of order and chaos, that it is also true that our consciousness and process of self-awareness is what gives rise to that chaos in our lives. If we are self-aware (which is one aspect of how I view "consciousness") then we are looking for random ideas and events which don't fit into the norm of our existence or which give us a fresh perspective or direction - and which challenge us to move in a different way or direction than we have done before. When we take up that challenge, when we follow an idea or event, often as an act of faith - big and beautiful things can happen in our lives; or sometimes big and not so beautiful, but it has been my experience that ultimately I am grateful for the lesson learned and I always end up somewhere new and unexpected.
What is interesting to me is the paradox of order and chaos - and the seeming oxymoron of these two terms being used together to describe their dynamic relationship. Order arises when a system becomes too chaotic - and conversely, chaos is required when a system has become strangled by too much order. Both rely upon each other in the constant struggle for balance, or homeostasis. In fact, I don't think I really like the word "struggle" - because this also seems to imply that the process is in some way negative or adversarial. In fact, this is just the natural state of dynamic systems (healthy ones, anyway); they are always in motion, always changing and always flowing into one another, becoming each other. Here again, the concept of Yin and Yang comes to mind...
Fractals as Patterns of Complex systems:
First of all, I have to say that I TOTALLY dig fractals!!! I have been looking at them online, and I haven't found one yet that wasn't really beautiful and fascinating - and I am equally enamored of those found in nature as I am with the ones that are computer generated. I also wonder if the mandala is a form of fractal - one which is used to train our minds and bodies for changes of consciousness...the ultimate "complex system", IMO.
There is something amazing about the fractal's "random uniformity" that speaks to the creative side of me. I have also always been fascinated by the "butterfly effect" and in much of my spiritual practice I have found this concept to be the way that things work - one AHA moment, or leap of faith on my part will then lead to other ideas or events which will eventually take me wherever it is I am supposed to go - and often this will ultimately entail a complete life changing experience for me which is never anything that I originally planned on or expected; and yet, there is somewhere within it the kernal of an idea or truth that makes sense to me, and I can always trace events back to that original moment or action which set everything in motion.
Consciousness out of Chaos:
So which comes first, the chicken or the egg? Does chaos create consciousness as suggested above - or is our consciousness the random force which drives chaos? Are the chaotic events in our lives the catalysts that lead to leaps of consciousness and self awareness and would we cease to grow and change if for some reason chaos were to disappear from our lives? I think the answer to that question is yes, that consciousness requires chaos in order to grow and thrive. However, I think that due to the dynamic and "coupling" nature of order and chaos, that it is also true that our consciousness and process of self-awareness is what gives rise to that chaos in our lives. If we are self-aware (which is one aspect of how I view "consciousness") then we are looking for random ideas and events which don't fit into the norm of our existence or which give us a fresh perspective or direction - and which challenge us to move in a different way or direction than we have done before. When we take up that challenge, when we follow an idea or event, often as an act of faith - big and beautiful things can happen in our lives; or sometimes big and not so beautiful, but it has been my experience that ultimately I am grateful for the lesson learned and I always end up somewhere new and unexpected.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Week 6 Assignments: Vibrations
Are all vibrations "good"?
So, this is actually kind of a metaphysical question to me; vibrations are not really "good" or "bad", they just are, they exist. I guess the question is more along the lines of degrees of "goodness", so vibrations that ultimately result in a favorable outcome. But frame of reference seems to apply here, because while one level of vibration might be more than my body or mind or whatever can handle - some other entity or structure even, might actually benefit from that level of vibration and might not experience any adverse reaction at all. And "favorable outcome" is also a subjective concept - it again depends on who or what is receiving the vibration and what the desired outcome ultimately is.
Resonance in my world:
I find that I seek resonance in my world and that I am disquieted and faintly disturbed when it does not exist. For example, music has always been very important to me; both the creation of it when I played, for instance, the violin or when I was singing in a choir - or just in being able to listen to it. When I was playing the violin or singing, hitting the notes and getting them right was only a part of it and I was able to "feel" the resonance when I was able to achieve a perfect pitch - it was a very different feeling than when I was almost there but not quite, a very physical reaction for me and one which is hard to describe. I experience something similar when I listen to music performed by others; again it is a physical thing for me, I feel when it is right. When resonance is not present, it is also a physical sensation that I have that is very uncomfortable for me and which I will go to great lengths to change, or failing that I will have to move away from the source of discord...
Connections I can make between Energy and Qi?
Well, the most obvious connection would be that energy and qi are the same thing...but which is also a bit simplistic and not entirely true. I think energy and qi are in some ways the same thing, but that qi is a bit more complicated - sometimes I feel that qi is a sentient entity and may be more tied to the concept of a soul. I do, however, feel that energy is a good way to describe the basic function of qi in our bodies - the way that it flows (or doesn't flow, as the case may be) and the way that it affects our health - and that for lack of a better way to describe it energy helps the novice to understand the basic premise of qi.
So, this is actually kind of a metaphysical question to me; vibrations are not really "good" or "bad", they just are, they exist. I guess the question is more along the lines of degrees of "goodness", so vibrations that ultimately result in a favorable outcome. But frame of reference seems to apply here, because while one level of vibration might be more than my body or mind or whatever can handle - some other entity or structure even, might actually benefit from that level of vibration and might not experience any adverse reaction at all. And "favorable outcome" is also a subjective concept - it again depends on who or what is receiving the vibration and what the desired outcome ultimately is.
Resonance in my world:
I find that I seek resonance in my world and that I am disquieted and faintly disturbed when it does not exist. For example, music has always been very important to me; both the creation of it when I played, for instance, the violin or when I was singing in a choir - or just in being able to listen to it. When I was playing the violin or singing, hitting the notes and getting them right was only a part of it and I was able to "feel" the resonance when I was able to achieve a perfect pitch - it was a very different feeling than when I was almost there but not quite, a very physical reaction for me and one which is hard to describe. I experience something similar when I listen to music performed by others; again it is a physical thing for me, I feel when it is right. When resonance is not present, it is also a physical sensation that I have that is very uncomfortable for me and which I will go to great lengths to change, or failing that I will have to move away from the source of discord...
Connections I can make between Energy and Qi?
Well, the most obvious connection would be that energy and qi are the same thing...but which is also a bit simplistic and not entirely true. I think energy and qi are in some ways the same thing, but that qi is a bit more complicated - sometimes I feel that qi is a sentient entity and may be more tied to the concept of a soul. I do, however, feel that energy is a good way to describe the basic function of qi in our bodies - the way that it flows (or doesn't flow, as the case may be) and the way that it affects our health - and that for lack of a better way to describe it energy helps the novice to understand the basic premise of qi.
Week 5 Assignments - Symmetry and Sacred Geometry
My (a)symmetrical world:
On a physical level, my body is constructed in a symmetrical fashion; I have two arms, two legs, two hands, and two feet - all of them arranged more or less equally, and so I am essentially a symmetrical being. Of course, on closer examination, one arm or leg might be a little bit longer than the other, there may be profound differences between either one of my hands or feet, and as is well known, the right side of my face is not the same as the left side...I have even noticed that my hair is different on one side of my head than the other.
This makes me think about the spiritual concepts of karma and reincarnation, or at least of my understanding of those concepts; karma being in some ways an illustration of the concept of cause and effect, and reincarnation in one way an illustration of how a soul will return again and again in an attempt to finally become fully "enlightened" or "balanced", before being granted entrance to the state of nirvana or final resting - and how these are states of striving for balance which may or may not ever really become balanced, and indeed perhaps should NOT do so.
So I suppose that the bottom line here is that while nature strives for balance and equality, the reality is that this state rarely, if ever, actually exists. And this is probably a good thing when one considers that, if equal amounts of matter and anti-matter existed at the same time they would cancel each other out and so the universe would cease to exist...
Just what does this CP violation really mean?
What has stood out for me in trying to get my head around this concept is the whole thing about matter and anti-matter and how they would cancel each other out if they did indeed exist in equal amounts at the same time...and the other bit about this that I find significant is the time factor - that the anomaly exists when one tries to move backward in time. I don't think that I am capable of understanding this idea more than just getting the bare bones of it, so to try to ascertain what it means is beyond me - but it feels like something I could meditate on further and perhaps have some sort of "aha" moment about later on....
Are there connections between Sacred Geometry and Physics?
Short answer to this question, yes.
I believe ancient cultures actually had a pretty good handle on this concept, and that symbols that exist in all of the world's major religious traditions reflect this. I also think that the modern phenomena of crop circles may be related in some way; there has been some research to suggest that they have a connection to music and sound as well (I have a book and DVD about this, but can't remember the title or author right now and they are both in a box somewhere from my recent move...sorry!).
On a physical level, my body is constructed in a symmetrical fashion; I have two arms, two legs, two hands, and two feet - all of them arranged more or less equally, and so I am essentially a symmetrical being. Of course, on closer examination, one arm or leg might be a little bit longer than the other, there may be profound differences between either one of my hands or feet, and as is well known, the right side of my face is not the same as the left side...I have even noticed that my hair is different on one side of my head than the other.
This makes me think about the spiritual concepts of karma and reincarnation, or at least of my understanding of those concepts; karma being in some ways an illustration of the concept of cause and effect, and reincarnation in one way an illustration of how a soul will return again and again in an attempt to finally become fully "enlightened" or "balanced", before being granted entrance to the state of nirvana or final resting - and how these are states of striving for balance which may or may not ever really become balanced, and indeed perhaps should NOT do so.
So I suppose that the bottom line here is that while nature strives for balance and equality, the reality is that this state rarely, if ever, actually exists. And this is probably a good thing when one considers that, if equal amounts of matter and anti-matter existed at the same time they would cancel each other out and so the universe would cease to exist...
Just what does this CP violation really mean?
What has stood out for me in trying to get my head around this concept is the whole thing about matter and anti-matter and how they would cancel each other out if they did indeed exist in equal amounts at the same time...and the other bit about this that I find significant is the time factor - that the anomaly exists when one tries to move backward in time. I don't think that I am capable of understanding this idea more than just getting the bare bones of it, so to try to ascertain what it means is beyond me - but it feels like something I could meditate on further and perhaps have some sort of "aha" moment about later on....
Are there connections between Sacred Geometry and Physics?
Short answer to this question, yes.
I believe ancient cultures actually had a pretty good handle on this concept, and that symbols that exist in all of the world's major religious traditions reflect this. I also think that the modern phenomena of crop circles may be related in some way; there has been some research to suggest that they have a connection to music and sound as well (I have a book and DVD about this, but can't remember the title or author right now and they are both in a box somewhere from my recent move...sorry!).
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Week Four Assignments: Energy, Matter and the Four Forces
E=mc2 and me:
So, I have never really spent a significant amount of time pondering the meaning of this equation, since it IS an equation and I generally avoid anything mathematical as much as humanly possible (with the exception of say recipe conversions, cocktail measurements, etc…). The idea of wondering how it has affected me is also pretty alien to me, but I will give it a shot.
I think the one thing that jumped out at me during our discussion of this concept was that essentially mass (or matter) and energy are the same thing. What occurs to me, again, is that this is another example of the yin/yang principle that keeps coming up for me as I study TCM. To digress, the single most compelling thing that I learned about yin and yang is that they are constantly in motion and constantly becoming each other. I had always visualized yin and yang as being static, as they appear in the universal symbol of the black and white circle; it was really amazing to find that this representation of the two forces was indeed an idealized concept – it illustrates that the ultimate goal of the two forces is to be in this balanced state – and yet, the dynamic reality of the energy is something quite different.
I guess the way that I apply this to myself, is that I am always in motion, always becoming something different, and that my ultimate goal is to someday become balanced and static; perhaps I will never achieve that in this lifetime, or perhaps that is when I will die????
Comparing the Four Forces:
It seems to me that a study of the inter-relationship between the four forces is in some ways an expansion of the same concept above – but with more than just two elements striving for some sort of balance.
It also strikes me that the attempt by Western science to in some way explain the forces in some sort of organizational structure that in some way equalizes them is again an illustration of the difference between the western and eastern mindset. If one were to consider each of the forces as a person existing in a societal construct, say a community – then one would automatically allow for individual differences in each of those persons; while still acknowledging the intrinsic value of each of those individuals. The contribution that each of these people would make to the whole of the community might easily appear to be disparate in nature, because each person would possess their own unique skills and gifts that would be of use to the community as a whole; and yet the mere fact that each of these persons contributed those skills and gifts to the community equalizes them and renders them useful and indeed necessary to the whole.
In the same way, each of the four forces is necessary to the whole of the way that our world works – despite the obvious differences in quantifiable properties existent in the forces individually.
Function of Gravity:
Well, it seems to me that a genuine and thorough definition of the function of gravity is beyond my simple mind; after all, physicists and greater scientific minds than my own seem unable to really get their heads around it.
However, simply speaking, I would say that the function of gravity is to keep everything in some sort of order and relative control – while at the same time providing the environment necessary for change to occur. What I mean is that gravity seems to be the force that keeps humans and everything else on this planet from floating off the planet and out into space. At the same time, it appears that gravity exerts this same control on the planets as they go through their cosmic dance with one another; and indeed apparently gravity maintains this order in some way or other throughout the universe. In some majestic way, gravity maintains things in their place and space in time, while those same elements are busy moving about and evolving and doing whatever else they do. In a way, gravity is there doing its job, so that those other elements don’t have to worry about doing it – it facilitates whatever processes are taking place and keeps those elements safe while they are doing it….
So, I have never really spent a significant amount of time pondering the meaning of this equation, since it IS an equation and I generally avoid anything mathematical as much as humanly possible (with the exception of say recipe conversions, cocktail measurements, etc…). The idea of wondering how it has affected me is also pretty alien to me, but I will give it a shot.
I think the one thing that jumped out at me during our discussion of this concept was that essentially mass (or matter) and energy are the same thing. What occurs to me, again, is that this is another example of the yin/yang principle that keeps coming up for me as I study TCM. To digress, the single most compelling thing that I learned about yin and yang is that they are constantly in motion and constantly becoming each other. I had always visualized yin and yang as being static, as they appear in the universal symbol of the black and white circle; it was really amazing to find that this representation of the two forces was indeed an idealized concept – it illustrates that the ultimate goal of the two forces is to be in this balanced state – and yet, the dynamic reality of the energy is something quite different.
I guess the way that I apply this to myself, is that I am always in motion, always becoming something different, and that my ultimate goal is to someday become balanced and static; perhaps I will never achieve that in this lifetime, or perhaps that is when I will die????
Comparing the Four Forces:
It seems to me that a study of the inter-relationship between the four forces is in some ways an expansion of the same concept above – but with more than just two elements striving for some sort of balance.
It also strikes me that the attempt by Western science to in some way explain the forces in some sort of organizational structure that in some way equalizes them is again an illustration of the difference between the western and eastern mindset. If one were to consider each of the forces as a person existing in a societal construct, say a community – then one would automatically allow for individual differences in each of those persons; while still acknowledging the intrinsic value of each of those individuals. The contribution that each of these people would make to the whole of the community might easily appear to be disparate in nature, because each person would possess their own unique skills and gifts that would be of use to the community as a whole; and yet the mere fact that each of these persons contributed those skills and gifts to the community equalizes them and renders them useful and indeed necessary to the whole.
In the same way, each of the four forces is necessary to the whole of the way that our world works – despite the obvious differences in quantifiable properties existent in the forces individually.
Function of Gravity:
Well, it seems to me that a genuine and thorough definition of the function of gravity is beyond my simple mind; after all, physicists and greater scientific minds than my own seem unable to really get their heads around it.
However, simply speaking, I would say that the function of gravity is to keep everything in some sort of order and relative control – while at the same time providing the environment necessary for change to occur. What I mean is that gravity seems to be the force that keeps humans and everything else on this planet from floating off the planet and out into space. At the same time, it appears that gravity exerts this same control on the planets as they go through their cosmic dance with one another; and indeed apparently gravity maintains this order in some way or other throughout the universe. In some majestic way, gravity maintains things in their place and space in time, while those same elements are busy moving about and evolving and doing whatever else they do. In a way, gravity is there doing its job, so that those other elements don’t have to worry about doing it – it facilitates whatever processes are taking place and keeps those elements safe while they are doing it….
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Discovery Channel Article - The earth has twin cores
http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2009/01/06/earth-twin-cores-02.html
Above is the link to the article that I was mentioning yesterday, about how some scientists are thinking that at the earth's core there are actually two bodies circling each other.....while the article itself was really interesting, I found myself wondering about the duality of the earth's core being really symbolic and relating to the whole yin/yang concept which seems to be at the heart of how everything works, at least to me and IMO.
Anyhoo, hope the link works - if not, try copying and pasting it...or go to the discovery channel website and search for earth twin cores.
Above is the link to the article that I was mentioning yesterday, about how some scientists are thinking that at the earth's core there are actually two bodies circling each other.....while the article itself was really interesting, I found myself wondering about the duality of the earth's core being really symbolic and relating to the whole yin/yang concept which seems to be at the heart of how everything works, at least to me and IMO.
Anyhoo, hope the link works - if not, try copying and pasting it...or go to the discovery channel website and search for earth twin cores.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Week Three Assignments: Synchronicity
On Synchronicity:
I found the article on “The Law of Attraction and Manifestation” to be particularly interesting as I looked further into this topic. There were many things mentioned in that article that I have found to be true in my own life; for instance, “Synchronicities are people, places or events that your soul attracts into your life to help you evolve to higher consciousness or to place emphasis on something going on in your life” – this has proven to be true many times in my spiritual practice, as I become aware of a need in my own life for a mentor or teacher, I find myself drawn to often a series of events which will inevitably lead me to a person or course of study which eventually fills that need.
Likewise, another phenomenon that I have noticed in my personal life occurs when I am feeling a need for a change, either of job or where I will live. I have found that when I feel the need to find another job, that I can apply to many different job postings and go to multiple job interviews, or I can look at multiple places to live and fill out application after application – but that nothing will come of any of it if it is not the path that I am destined to take – which is actually how I ended up studying TCM and ultimately how I ended up here at AIMC.
On Connectivity:
This was another of those fascinating scientific principles which I didn’t know anything about. Again, I did have a spiritual understanding of the interconnectedness of the whole world – this concept is actually an integral cornerstone of my personal belief system – but to find that there is scientific thought devoted to this concept is frankly exciting to me.
So. My understanding of the concept is that every action has a reaction, and that my actions can influence another person who may be on the other side of the planet from me. While that perspective is a bit hard for me to get my head around completely, I do know that if I am having a really really bad day, and I am subsequently cranky or out and out angry about it all – that I can adversely affect all those that I come into contact with; or perhaps on a more positive note, a smile can change the world – one smile can spread like a contagion, and in a very real sense this can change the life of someone I have never met nor will ever meet.
I found the article on “The Law of Attraction and Manifestation” to be particularly interesting as I looked further into this topic. There were many things mentioned in that article that I have found to be true in my own life; for instance, “Synchronicities are people, places or events that your soul attracts into your life to help you evolve to higher consciousness or to place emphasis on something going on in your life” – this has proven to be true many times in my spiritual practice, as I become aware of a need in my own life for a mentor or teacher, I find myself drawn to often a series of events which will inevitably lead me to a person or course of study which eventually fills that need.
Likewise, another phenomenon that I have noticed in my personal life occurs when I am feeling a need for a change, either of job or where I will live. I have found that when I feel the need to find another job, that I can apply to many different job postings and go to multiple job interviews, or I can look at multiple places to live and fill out application after application – but that nothing will come of any of it if it is not the path that I am destined to take – which is actually how I ended up studying TCM and ultimately how I ended up here at AIMC.
On Connectivity:
This was another of those fascinating scientific principles which I didn’t know anything about. Again, I did have a spiritual understanding of the interconnectedness of the whole world – this concept is actually an integral cornerstone of my personal belief system – but to find that there is scientific thought devoted to this concept is frankly exciting to me.
So. My understanding of the concept is that every action has a reaction, and that my actions can influence another person who may be on the other side of the planet from me. While that perspective is a bit hard for me to get my head around completely, I do know that if I am having a really really bad day, and I am subsequently cranky or out and out angry about it all – that I can adversely affect all those that I come into contact with; or perhaps on a more positive note, a smile can change the world – one smile can spread like a contagion, and in a very real sense this can change the life of someone I have never met nor will ever meet.
Week Two Assignments - Quantum Mechanics
On Uncertainty:
As a student of metaphysical thought since early adolescence, I find that the idea of uncertainty does not in any way make me uncomfortable. I actually find that I resist the idea of certainty more often than not; for instance I find that in any of my examinations of interpersonal behavior, I spend a great deal of time wondering about the many different circumstances in another’s life which lead them to a particular place in time and hence to a particular way of behaving/being. Because of this, I find it difficult to classify a person’s behavior as being due to anything certain, or any one thing which may have been a part of their experience – and because of this I also acknowledge that there are so many variables in another’s experience that I could never know or even understand or appreciate – due to my own personal and specific life experiences - and so the examination is by definition, uncertain.
On Causality:
I found the idea that in quantum particle experiments, that the intention or thought of the experimenter has a direct affect on the experiment itself to be totally fascinating and a little mind blowing. I do know from my own personal experience that intention is a crucial element in much of my own spiritual practice; and I have suspected for some time that intention is also a driving force in the world all around us as well – but to find that there is scientific thought which examines this phenomena was news to me.
I guess a good example from my own life which illustrates my understanding of the concept, at least in a very rough sense, would be a time some years ago when I had a car in the shop for repairs – and which I had to leave at the mechanic’s overnight. My mother happened to drive by the shop after hours, and saw my car sitting outside in the lot – and she called me worrying that my car was not safe outside and then she spent the rest of the night obsessively worrying that something would happen to it. In the morning I got a phone call from the shop, telling me that my car had been broken into overnight…..(as a result I often go to great lengths to keep information of that sort out of my mother’s radar). J
Is the Universe Weird?
This is a really interesting question. I looked up the definition of “weird”, just to make sure that there weren’t any different definitions of a scientific nature that I didn’t know about, and the first thing that came up was that the word relates to the supernatural. What I am finding so far in this course, is that an understanding of these principles does seem to involve a certain amount of ability to also understand the supernatural; and I have found in my own life and spiritual studies that the supernatural plays a big part as well. I also found a reference to the “Weird Sisters”, or another spelling would be “Wyrd Sisters”, which is the representation of a triple goddess from Norse tradition, also known as the Norns, or the Fates; Urd/Past, Verdandi/Present, Skuld/Future. It sometimes seems to me that the ancient world and its peoples had a pretty good understanding of how everything works, even without our modern scientific minds.
As a student of metaphysical thought since early adolescence, I find that the idea of uncertainty does not in any way make me uncomfortable. I actually find that I resist the idea of certainty more often than not; for instance I find that in any of my examinations of interpersonal behavior, I spend a great deal of time wondering about the many different circumstances in another’s life which lead them to a particular place in time and hence to a particular way of behaving/being. Because of this, I find it difficult to classify a person’s behavior as being due to anything certain, or any one thing which may have been a part of their experience – and because of this I also acknowledge that there are so many variables in another’s experience that I could never know or even understand or appreciate – due to my own personal and specific life experiences - and so the examination is by definition, uncertain.
On Causality:
I found the idea that in quantum particle experiments, that the intention or thought of the experimenter has a direct affect on the experiment itself to be totally fascinating and a little mind blowing. I do know from my own personal experience that intention is a crucial element in much of my own spiritual practice; and I have suspected for some time that intention is also a driving force in the world all around us as well – but to find that there is scientific thought which examines this phenomena was news to me.
I guess a good example from my own life which illustrates my understanding of the concept, at least in a very rough sense, would be a time some years ago when I had a car in the shop for repairs – and which I had to leave at the mechanic’s overnight. My mother happened to drive by the shop after hours, and saw my car sitting outside in the lot – and she called me worrying that my car was not safe outside and then she spent the rest of the night obsessively worrying that something would happen to it. In the morning I got a phone call from the shop, telling me that my car had been broken into overnight…..(as a result I often go to great lengths to keep information of that sort out of my mother’s radar). J
Is the Universe Weird?
This is a really interesting question. I looked up the definition of “weird”, just to make sure that there weren’t any different definitions of a scientific nature that I didn’t know about, and the first thing that came up was that the word relates to the supernatural. What I am finding so far in this course, is that an understanding of these principles does seem to involve a certain amount of ability to also understand the supernatural; and I have found in my own life and spiritual studies that the supernatural plays a big part as well. I also found a reference to the “Weird Sisters”, or another spelling would be “Wyrd Sisters”, which is the representation of a triple goddess from Norse tradition, also known as the Norns, or the Fates; Urd/Past, Verdandi/Present, Skuld/Future. It sometimes seems to me that the ancient world and its peoples had a pretty good understanding of how everything works, even without our modern scientific minds.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Week One Assignments - The Meaning of Time
Quiz Answers:
- What attracts me to Chinese Medicine?
How I ended up here, in this place and time, is actually a really long story which would take a very long time to tell. Short story, I developed serious health issues which Western medicine had little or no answers for, and even less viable treatment options. Several friends suggested I try acupuncture, and so I became a patient at ACTCM's clinic. At the same time, I was very unhappy with my job, and when I subsequently lost my job, I decided to consider returning to school, and so here I am now.
I find that the entire philosophy of Chinese Medicine fits well with my personal world view - that of interconnectedness, the concept of Yin/Yang and the mechanism of balance and/or imbalance and the importance of this in all areas of life, and from a strictly medical perspective the need for a holistic approach to personal health - the integration of body and mind. These are the things that I am most attracted to in Chinese Medicine.
- What do I honestly think of Physics, really?
Although I am fascinated by science and medicine, I have honestly struggled with some of the basic science requirements - mainly due to the fact that I have always had trouble with math and I don't have the kind of mind that "gets" it very well - I am much more comfortable with writing and reading. However, I also have an extensive background in metaphysical and religious thought, so as it turns out, Physics is actually a topic that I feel that I should be able to get my head around after all. At least I am hoping that this is so..... :)
- Now that I think about it, have I ever experienced time "slowing down" or "speeding up"?
As several of us mentioned, there does seem to be an odd phenomenon of the whole world moving faster than it used to. As I have grown older I have noticed this in a more pronounced way, and I have had friends say they have also noticed this in their lives as well, so I am thinking that for the most part this is a perception that for some reason has to do with aging; that being said, I have also noticed that people of all ages across the board are saying that the world seems to be moving faster - and so I am also thinking that there is something else going on in addition to whatever is a "normal" progression of time in our lives....as for time slowing down, I would say the only time that I have noticed that phenomenon is when I am meditating or taking place in some intensive spiritual work.
- Reflections of the class discussion of the concept of "The Meaning of Time":
When we broke into two groups, the "western" perspective, and the "eastern" perspective, and I found myself in the "western" group - I immediately had a bit of a dilemma, as my thought is already far closer to eastern philosophy than to that of the west. Additionally, a great part of my personal world view is dedicated to changing the western paradigm which predominates here in the US and which has also overtaken so much of the rest of the world. So for me, the entire exercise was a challenge for me right from the start.
I found that the discussion of "time is money" and the way that so much of our society is enmeshed in this philosophy was interesting - and as I have also been exploring my relationship with the concept of money in my life, I find now that equating time and money is really so impossible - neither one of them have anything in common, and so how is it that we in this culture have bought in so completely to this way of thinking and being in the world?
Although we didn't spend very much time on the topic, I was also interested in the idea of "white holes" - something I confess that I had never heard anything about. I would like to explore that topic further.....
- What attracts me to Chinese Medicine?
How I ended up here, in this place and time, is actually a really long story which would take a very long time to tell. Short story, I developed serious health issues which Western medicine had little or no answers for, and even less viable treatment options. Several friends suggested I try acupuncture, and so I became a patient at ACTCM's clinic. At the same time, I was very unhappy with my job, and when I subsequently lost my job, I decided to consider returning to school, and so here I am now.
I find that the entire philosophy of Chinese Medicine fits well with my personal world view - that of interconnectedness, the concept of Yin/Yang and the mechanism of balance and/or imbalance and the importance of this in all areas of life, and from a strictly medical perspective the need for a holistic approach to personal health - the integration of body and mind. These are the things that I am most attracted to in Chinese Medicine.
- What do I honestly think of Physics, really?
Although I am fascinated by science and medicine, I have honestly struggled with some of the basic science requirements - mainly due to the fact that I have always had trouble with math and I don't have the kind of mind that "gets" it very well - I am much more comfortable with writing and reading. However, I also have an extensive background in metaphysical and religious thought, so as it turns out, Physics is actually a topic that I feel that I should be able to get my head around after all. At least I am hoping that this is so..... :)
- Now that I think about it, have I ever experienced time "slowing down" or "speeding up"?
As several of us mentioned, there does seem to be an odd phenomenon of the whole world moving faster than it used to. As I have grown older I have noticed this in a more pronounced way, and I have had friends say they have also noticed this in their lives as well, so I am thinking that for the most part this is a perception that for some reason has to do with aging; that being said, I have also noticed that people of all ages across the board are saying that the world seems to be moving faster - and so I am also thinking that there is something else going on in addition to whatever is a "normal" progression of time in our lives....as for time slowing down, I would say the only time that I have noticed that phenomenon is when I am meditating or taking place in some intensive spiritual work.
- Reflections of the class discussion of the concept of "The Meaning of Time":
When we broke into two groups, the "western" perspective, and the "eastern" perspective, and I found myself in the "western" group - I immediately had a bit of a dilemma, as my thought is already far closer to eastern philosophy than to that of the west. Additionally, a great part of my personal world view is dedicated to changing the western paradigm which predominates here in the US and which has also overtaken so much of the rest of the world. So for me, the entire exercise was a challenge for me right from the start.
I found that the discussion of "time is money" and the way that so much of our society is enmeshed in this philosophy was interesting - and as I have also been exploring my relationship with the concept of money in my life, I find now that equating time and money is really so impossible - neither one of them have anything in common, and so how is it that we in this culture have bought in so completely to this way of thinking and being in the world?
Although we didn't spend very much time on the topic, I was also interested in the idea of "white holes" - something I confess that I had never heard anything about. I would like to explore that topic further.....
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