Week 9 - Synthsizing East and West

My E-Prime Day...

The consciousness I know as me becomes aware of what appears to be a new day. The body this consciousness calls me stretches and yawns. I appear to move this body out of the bed and into the kitchen. I turn a knob that allows water to flow through the faucet and fill the container that serves to hold the water while it is heated on the stove. The thick moisture in the air makes the sky appear to have no color. the temperature registers as 65 degrees on the thermostat. The erector pilli muscles contract and my hair becomes perpendicular to my skin. I pour the heated water into a smaller container that is made our of a hard earthen material that registers as blue and brown to most human eyes and has a loop of the same material to hod it by. I add some aromatic vegetative material contained in a small permeable cotton container to the water and let is sit until the molecules from the vegetative material are suspends in the water at a concentration that gives pleasure to my mouth when I drink it.

Synthesizing East and West

The idea of synthesizing east and west is very exciting to me. I love the philosophy of the east and have studied yoga and Buddhism for years. I also love the science and math of the west and feel comforted by the reliability of that system. That "our" conversation is including both at the same time just tickles my soul. I chose acupuncture as a career because of how it blends the east and the west, the body and the soul. That acupuncture is being accepted my the western medical world will open so many doors for healing on so many levels. Bruce Robinson said at my orientation that is it a very auspicious time to be getting into this field. I agree.

Week 13 - Bionics and Our Biophysical Future

Would I support the development of a bionic person?

I support the development of bionic technology. I think it is amazing how our technology can interface with our biology. So many people could regain use of lost functions, such as the use of limbs and vision. Being a child of the 70's, I grew up with the TV show "The Six Million Dollar Man" (Lee Majors was HOT!) It was pretty science fiction then. It is exciting to see the technology evolve. Not is we are talking about something more along the line of "borgs" from Star Trek, that is something entirely different. But back to bionics... I think the ethical questions about how good, strong, efficient we make a bionic part must be considered. The Six Million Dollar Man was like a super man, he could run faster, hear more clearly and see sharper than any normal human being. I think if we are going to use bionics they should be in the realm of normal, and not be above normal just because we can.

How would I rate "the control of artificial limbs by thought alone"?

I think this technology is very promising. We have learned so much about how the brain works from mapping the functions of the body on the brain to being able to follow specific neural pathways that facilitate specific functions. But the brain and its functions are so complex it may be awhile before it can be developed in such a way that it has real value. It reminds me of the evolution of the human genome project. There is so much information to map and classify. But we are a determined and persistent species. I am sure we will see the day that controlling artificial limbs by thought alone will be normal. That is, of course assuming that there is some mode of communication between the brain and the artificial limb and we are not just talking about telekinesis.

Week 8 - Classical Physics

Newtons Three Laws and Me...

Thewtos three law can be used to decribe me at any moment of any day, as long as I exsist in a gravitational field, that is. All three of his laws have mass as a variable. Since mass is a function of gravity andy event or situation in a gravitational field can be defined as one or more of Newton laws. As a massage therapist Newton's laws affect me like this.

First: Objects at rest stay at rest, or momentum = mass x velocity. My clients make an appointment with sets up potential momentum. When the day comes for them to see me they activate that impulse and move their body (mass) in the direction of my office and (hopefully) arrive on time. Because their velocity has them moving in the right direction and the right speed (velocity).

In the course of their trip they will be described by Newton's second law: The acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the force acting on it. They will exert force to vary tieir speed and direction from moment to moment on their way. Once they arrive and get settled on my table they will settle into "an object at rest". In this state I will use the mass of my own body to apply a force.

Newton's third law describes why I don't work too hard. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. As hard as I may push, they push back just as hard. This can be very hard on my body so it is essential that My body mechanics are set up in such a way that the force I exert is efficient and the force that comes back at me travels easily though my own body.

Energy Efficiency...

All I can say on this subject is: Thank God we, as a culture, are becoming more conscious about how INefficient we are concerning our energy uses. The amount of energy that gets wasted everyday is dispicable. Ther are some of us that have been hip to this dilemma for awhile. It is a relief that our society is starting to catch up. I just hope its not a case of too little too late.

Decartes Has A Lot To Answer For...

I think it really interesting how critics of Decartes and reductionism step into an either/or argument about which theory is "right". That is reductionistic thinking at its best. Cartesian perspective allows us to peek into the working of our world from a particular point of view. I has value, not just in how we have learned the ins and outs of how we are put together from a biological, chemical and physical perspective, but in how we continue to understand our existence. I thnk that "new science" can be as arrogant as cartesian thinking. In referring to "The Rise and Fall of Reductionism" I find the "differences in mindest" could be addressed more completely if we took the time to "define our terms" better. What is "thought"? What is "life"? Some scientific descriptions ARE independent of the observers. I do have a hard time with Decartes' position that we are separate from nature though.

Week 11 - Energy Medicine and Energy Fields

Acupuncture as effective energy medicine...

For a modality to survive and thrive for over 3000 years it must be effective. 3000 years ago the Chinese did not have the anatomical and physiological undersanding that we have today. They figured out the energetic connections between the body, mind and spirit. The traditional correlations they figured out are still valid today. If we look deeper and deeper into the roots of acupuncture we will see that the earlier approach to health and healing was much more energetic. The ancients looked more closely at the spirit and emotions as causes of disease. It is more recently that the more physical aspects are even addressed. But as we are coming to see more clearly, as a culture, in recent years, the subtle flows of energy, thought and emotion affect us profoundly on a physical level.

I don't know how Chinese medicine describes anxiety and insomnia, but I would guess it has something to do with a disturbance in the heart energy. From a personal perspective I find acupuncture t o be very effective in dealing with these issues. My last treatment was specifically designed to balance my emotions. I have slept well for 4 nights in a row and feel relatively calm during a very stressful time.

Krilian photography...

So, I am feeling a little cynical today and honestly, I don't know what conclusions I can make about Krilian photography other that some folks are making money on other people believing that something valuable is being exposed with this technique. I never had my aura photographed before and I can't say it was a great experience. The woman at the store took one look at my photo and said "what have you been doing today?" with and air of disapproval. Apparently a white aura means lack of consciousness. Well, I had been driving for over an hour to get there and I hadn't slept well at all the night before. Now I realize that my experience is influenced as much by the reader as by the technique, I'm just not sure I buy it. If indeed Krilian photography is showing differences in the electromagnetic field I would feel much better about it if other devices could show the same thing. Yes, I am feeling very "western" today.

Human intent as it affects health...

Oh, this is such a tricky subject. On the one hand those of us in the healing arts want to think that our intention has something to do with how a person responds to our treatment. And a people who are looking to heal a particular issue withing ourselves we want to think that our intention will make a difference. But what happens with everybody's intention is focused on someone getting better or a condition improving and we just don't get the results we were intending? In the other side of the argument are examples where sick people are being prayed for and not even know it. And they get better, against all odds, without believing they could. In my practice I will err on the side that intention matters, but need to figure out a philosophy that that allows for intention to be ineffective. And that is a pretty deep philosophical/spiritual question.

week 10 - Life and Living Systems

I know I am a living system because...

...day after day this thing I know as my body continues to exist. But it doesn't just exist in a static state as, lets say, a chair or a table, bit it is constantly renewing itself. I take in raw materials like water, oxygen, and food, use these materials to replace dying cells and release waste in the form of CO2, dead skin, water, urea, feces, etc. It is the ability to renew myself that makes me sure I am a living thing. If I wasn't, the raw materials that compose my body would become food for other living things and I would be nothing but a pile of formless goo.

Biophysics and Oriental Medicine...

Oriental medicine approaches the field of biophysics by looking at how energy flows through the body and how that energy can be manipulated and transformed by needles, massage, movement, herbs, color and intention. There are instruments that can measure the flow of, and change in flow, of energy in the meridians. Unforunately I don't know exactly what is being measured with these instruments. Some of these instruments are callibrated to reflect inflammation (excesses), balance and depletions in an "organ system". They are also designed to reflect what would happen if a particular substance (or suppliment) were added to the system.

So lets say a person was toxic with heavy metals and that was putting a drain on their liver and kidney function, a practitioner skilled with this system could pull a specific combination of suppliments from the shelf and put it on a metal plate that connects to the instrument and the individualo, lets say milk thistle and (for the liver) and chlorella (to pull out heavy metals). When the most supportive combination for healing was found, the intrument would register a strong reading.

Very cool stuff indeed!

physics or biology?

http://www.srcf.ucam.org/~lj237/BoP/

a fun quiz...not really physics, more physical science, but still interesting.

hysterical!

from the e prime link...

...Even more astounding, this Miracle can only happen if the priest has a Willy. Protestants, Jews, Zen Buddhists etc. have ordained many female clergy-persons in recent decades, but the Vatican remains firm in the principle that only a male -- a human with a Willy -- can transform the "essence" of bread into the "essence" of a dead body.

Week 7 - Chaos Theory

“Ordered chaos” – does this sound familiar?

When I think about ordered chaos I immediately think about kids playing on the playground. They dart this way and that way, jump up and down, spin, spill, no order at all. And yet there is order...there is a greater container that confines the chaos. The timing is ordered...recess is at a certain time of the day, for a certain period of time. I am sure if someone ran time lapsed photography or analyzed the movement for patterns they would find them. Like the seemingly random movement of birds flying, or fish swimming show complex patterns of movement. It looks like chaos, but under deeper scrutiny shows order.

Fractals as patterns of complex systems

Fractals are self-similar, meaning that they contain copies of themselves and while they may not exhibit the same details at all scales, they exhibit the same type of structure.
(http://icb.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/46/6/902)
It is interesting to me how simple mathematical equations describe such beautiful and complex patterns.

Consciousness out of chaos?

From what I have been reading, there are some people who ascribe the chaos theory to how order can arise out of disorder, contrary to the second law of thermodynamics, entropy. I don't know if that is consciousness out of chaos, or the effect of consciousness ON chaos. Certainly, the more I allow my mind to wander, chaotically, or randomly, the more interesting things I find in my consciousness.

Week 6 - Vibrations

Are all vibrations good?

Oh, I can't help but hear the Beach Boys singing Good, Good, Good, Good Vibrations. Wooeeeooo...oooh...oooh... Such great harmonies those guys came up with. On that levels, no, not all vibrations are good. Music can be harmonious or disharmonious. The vibrations of sound resonate or not. There is nothing worse than listening to a performance when someone hits a bad note. But that is just an experience of our human listening experience. Is that bad note really bad, or is it just in context. I think on a pure level there is no good or bad in terms of vibrations, it is the context or the perception we experience them in. We can talk about people having "bad vibes" or "negative thoughts" again, I don't think these as good or bad, just different frequencies that land on our human experience in a particular way.

Resonance in my world...

I have been sitting with this one for a few days now. I think about the way I feel connected so quickly with some people, how it is just easy and comfortable from the get go. I think it is because we resonate with each other. I don't know if it comes down to being a function of structure as in structural resonance or if there is really chemistry involved. But it very clear. There is no doubt. We connect easily, we resonate. Sometimes it is physical, like when I put my hands on a client I never met and they take a deep breath...instant resonance. Sometimes it is intellectual...we grok each other and easily follow each others thoughts. Sometimes it is emotional...we empathize effortlessly. On the dance floor is the best. When I find someone I resonate with it is like we are dancing to the same drummer. We flow together almost becoming one.

Connections I can make between energy and qi...

If we look at energy as in E=mc2 then we find energy in all matter. Energy and qi are one and the same. I think we may tend to see qi as something found in living organisms, but through my studies in Feng Shui we find energy in places as well. It is not just about the life in the places, although that can be an indication of qi. Qi can be changed by changing the relationship of objects in a room. But what about color? Color definitely is defined by energy, the length of the wavelengths of light it reflects. But is the energy of color the same as qi? Bringing color (energy) into the room will change the qi. Are the words qi and energy synonymous? I tend to use them interchangeably, but now that I think about it maybe I need to be more discerning.

In my bodywork practice I tend to use them interchangeably as well. For some people it is more comfortable to have the conversation about energy, as in how is their energy level, vs talking about qi. It is still an eastern concept and some mainstream Americans aren't up on the language.

Week 5 - Symmetry and Sacred Geometry

My (a)symmetrical world...

Oh how I love symmetry. Or more specifically...balance. As a Libra I take great pleasure in certain aesthetics. I have lived with people who are comfortable in a more chaotic form of design and it has been an issue. I like to create a space that radiates harmony. There is a degree of symmetry, but it is never perfect. Perfect symmetry is too formal for me. I like to balance the elements in a room. Large couches across from big windows. Tall bookshelves across from doors. A splash of color here... and then again over there... I will center a painting over a piece of furniture. If I have two candlesticks that are the same I will place them equidistance from the center of a piece of furniture. I bought matching lamps that sit on either side of my bed. This, by the way is very good Feng Shui if you are wanting a balanced relationship in your life. I, more often than not, will center things on things. I don't strive for perfect symmetry, but am more comfortable with symmetry than asymmetry.

Just what does this CP Violation mean?

The CP Violation gives us an understanding for why we exist in a universe made up of matter. The thing is the theories and experiments don't give us the whole picture. A quick scan of wikipedia indicates that the amount of matter indicated in the CP violation accounts for what would be found in a small galaxy. Obviously there is a lot more researching to be done. The CP Violation gives us (or should I say physicists more grist for the mill). How wonderful that we can reflect on such lofty ideas.

Are there connections between Sacred Geometry and Physics?

Well, Sacred Geometry describes the patterns of creation and physics also describes patterns of creation, so there is one connection. If we look into the nucleus of an atom we will see the protons and nucleus arranged in the shape of the platonic solids. This is an example of sacred geometry at a quantum level. I would imagine that when the movement of quantum particles are tracked they will then to travel in patterns described by sacred geometry, specifically spirals.

How has E=mc2 affected me?

Well, that is a good question. I work with "energy" all day in that I do bodywork. I work with my energy and my clients. I wonder how this equation fits into that activity. If I am low energy does that have something to do with mass? I guess thinking about how this equation affects me in everyday life leads to more questions.

On another level, there is something that I don't, but probably should, think more about. And that is nuclear energy. When I was in college there was a series of concerts on the east coast, the No Nukes concerts. I think there was a lot more awareness around the treat of nuclear weapons and nuclear energy back then. Seems like the issue has gotten a bit quiet. I am more concerned with the general acceptance of nuclear energy. I don't think we have handle on how to deal with the waste. The idea of radioactive material being transported by train or truck, close to where people live and the idea of radioactive waste leaking into our environment really scares me.

Compare the Four Forces:

The Four Forces are similar in that they define the relationship between objects, large and small. The two nuclear forces, the weak nuclear force and the strong nuclear force are very big, but there impact is over a very small distance and limited to the particles of an atom. Electromagnetic forces are also relatively big, but impact objects over a greater distance. Gravity is the weakest of the forces and impacts larger objects over great distances as well. Gravity doesn't fit into the quantum perspective.

What is the function of gravity?

The function of gravity is to define acceleration which gives us a guide to how objects are attracted to and connected to each other.

week 3 Synchronicity

What evidence can you find for synchronicity?

I find evidence for synchronicity around me every day. All I have to do is set an intention and watch what happens. How many times do I call someone and they say "I was JUST thinking about you", or visa versa. Or I'll be thinking about a situation in my life and a certain song will play on the radio, or I'll be thinking about how amazing our world is an how grateful I am to have the awareness that I do and the clock will read 11:11.

Just the other day I planted an intention before I went into the grocery store. I said to myself, "I want to have a special encounter. No, never mind, I am really to tired for a social interaction right now. No, I want to have a special encounter." I went about my shopping and ran into no one until I was in the checkout line. Behind me was an old acquaintance I hadn't seen in a year. He used to be a cashier at another story. He was Tall, Dark and Handsome with a heart of gold. I had grown quite fond of him (okay, so maybe it was a little crush). He was there with a woman who also used to cashier at the same store. I can't remember when I saw her last. Her name is Princess...really. Tall Dark and Handsome with Princess...hmmm...a special encounter indeed. My sweetie is Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome and me, well, I am a bit of a princess, especially with him. Our relationship has been a little stressed lately and this "special encounter" felt very encouraging. Consciously tapping into the quantum field and finding Tall Dark and Handsome with Princess. Sure, I consider that evidence of synchronicity. Plus, remember, I was a little ambivalent about even having a special encounter...Well, Tall Dark and Handsome and I only said "hi" to each other and then someone came along and swept him up into a conversation. I finished my transaction and left without another word with him.

Connectivity

When I think of connectivity I think of my days studying deep tissue bodywork with Joseph Heller. He used this image of how when we pull on one part of the structure the stress is felt everywhere. This seems to be a microcosm of our macrocosm. In biology I remember how we followed the "life" of a molecule. The air we breathe today, here in CA could be breathed by someone half way around the world next week. And learning that polar bears were found to have a measurable concentration of xenoestrogens when no xenoestrogens were in their immediate environment. Everything we do affects everything on some level.

synchronicity...

This quote came across my desktop the other day.
I noticed it but did nothing with it.
It came again today...
So now I have to share it.


"The creative mind plays with the objects it loves."
Carl Jung

"Next Life" by Woody Allen

Given what we are learning...couldn't it be like this?

In my next life I want to live my life backwards. You start out dead and
get that out of the way. Then you wake up in an old people's home
feeling better every day. You get kicked out for being too healthy, go
collect your pension, and then when you start work, you get a gold
watch and a party on your first day. You work for 40 years until you're
young enough to enjoy your retirement. You party, drink alcohol, and
are generally promiscuous, then you are ready for high school. You then
go to primary school, you become a kid, you play. You have no
responsibilities; you become a baby until you are born. And then you
spend your last 9 months floating in luxurious spa-like conditions with
central heating and room service on tap, larger quarters every day and
then Voila! You finish off as an orgasm!

week 2: Quantum Mechanics

Reflections on Uncertainty:

After class I reflected on the Bohr-Einstein Debate and while it looks as though they were on other sides of the argument, they were actually more alike than different. That debate happened in the context of western reductionism. Both were trying to reduce the nature of reality into predictable paths. Even if the result of the argument is that we are left with uncertainty, we still want to be able to predict uncertainty. We in the west are so uncomfortable with the Mystery.

As I drove in the car later that day I heard one of my favorite "profits" on KPFA. Caroline Casey, Visionary Activist, Weaver on Context. One of the things I hear her say from time to time is "believe nothing, entertain all possibilities". Anything is possible if we can let go of our beliefs about things. Our beliefs, how we expect things to evolve, will affect the outcome of events. This leads to...

Reflections on Causality:

I recently picked up a couple of books which seek to apply the concepts of quantum physics to everyday life. One addresses issues around money and abundance, 'Busting Loose From the Money Game" and the other looks at energy and healing "Matrix Energetics, the Science and Art of Transformation".

From Matrix Energetics: "Current science accepts that the act of observing something, at least at the subatomic level, changes the behavior and characteristics of the thing observed. This implies that consciousness has a direct and observable affect on the structure of composition of matter. This has been borne out in so many classic experiments in quantum physics that is is now considered a fundamental principle."

Years ago, while traveling in France, I encountered a saying that I think started me to open to the concepts of quantum physics. "C'est comme to veux". Translation: It is as you like. What we say, what we believe, what we put our energy into will affect the outcome of our lives. My French was not very evolved at the time, but that saying helped me help a friend navigate a very scary energetic experience. He felt like he was being attacked by some negative, unseen force. I reminded him that it was "comme tu veux" and that empowered him to have the boundaries he needed to get through it. I don't know what he was up against. I certainly didn't "believe" in that sort of thing but he taught me that saying and it had power. The power of positive thinking is part of this equation, but I think it goes deeper than that. Sometimes affirmations don't work and I am curious as to why that is.

Yes...The Universe is Weird...

That experience alone confirms it for me, but I have had many other unexplainable things happen in my life. The Universe IS weird, and its WILD and EXCITING and INSPIRING. I am grateful every day that I get to participate in the dance of photons and electrons and quarks. To me there is an incredible evolution happening here and now. It is not linear and a lot of the time doesn't make sense, but how amazing that we get to have consciousness and contemplate the nature and meaning of it all.

week 1 quiz questions

What attracts me to Chinese Medicine?

What attracts me to Chinese Medicine is the way that all aspects of a person are
considered...physical, emotional, chemical, mental, spiritual.  It is a wholistic
approach that is grounding in the principles that govern nature.  After being in
the alternative health care field for 20 years as a practicing massage therapist,
using principles of Chinese Medicine, I am also attracted to how the mainstream
is more accepting of it these days.  I am interested in have a credential that
allows me to work deeply with people's health, but don't want to got the conventional
western medical route.

What do I honestly think of Physics, really?

Physics is something I suffered through in high school, and dropped at the local
junior college. I have somewhat of a grasp of metaphysics, but the nuts and bolts
of quantum physics just scrambles my brain.

Now that I think about it, have I ever experienced time “slowing down”?

Time flies when you're having fun... Certainly, time slow down when I am waiting
for something to happen, not fully engaged in the moment.  Last week I underwent
major surgery.  I was under general anesthesia for four hours.  A gap in time...
I have been reflecting on how our consciousness impacts our perception of time.