Is Acupuncture "energy medicine"?
"Energy medicine" pertains to a method of treatment designed to address all of the components and complexities of a complete human being. In contrast to "trauma medicine," which is focused on the alleviation of symptoms due to trauma, energy medicine focuses on the restoration of the natural balances which predate and inform the body in all of its manifestations. The two approaches work, to the extent that each works, based upon fundamental and conceptual differences in the very definitions of "human being" and "trauma;" that is, differences not only in the definition of the object upon which a medical approach is to be applied, but also definitional differences which determine the applicability of the particular approach. In other words, the two approaches could not be more different. These differences give each of them differing strengths and weaknesses. From everything I have observed and learned of the two approaches, the practice of acupuncture aligns with the very definition of energy medicine: providing a means to balance the energetic fields of the body, consequently supporting the body's own bias to restore and maintain health.
Do we need Kirlian photography to prove the aura exists?
Kirlian photography is a photographic process that captures the auras of persons or objects within the photograph. It was itself developed in order to photograph these multicolored, glowing emanations known as auras. Therefore, we do not need Kirlian photography to prove the aura exists, since the desire alone to develop this process would ipso facto prove the aura exists, since otherwise there would have been no desire to develop a method to capture and record it. (Is this reasoning too "West"?)
What evidence can you find for the Biofield and Morphogenic Fields?
Four things come immediately to mind: The fact that the Western sciences fail in their self imposed roles of "explaining it all;" the life I knew of my Grandmother (see below, Synchronicity); my own experiences with acupuncture and massage; and looking into the eyes of a human being.
Monday, April 2, 2007
Life and Living Systems
I know I'm a "living system" because...
... the entity known to me as "I" exhibits all known characteristics we attribute to living systems: 1) "I" possesses senses and responds to changes in the external environment; 2) The cells and tissues of "I" propagate and transmit waves of excitation from one point to another within it; 3) "I" grows--there has been and continues to be increase in the size and number of the cells of "I;" 4) There has been and continues to be an exchange of gasses between "I" and the environment; 5) "I" breaks down and absorbs food; 6) "I" moves digested nutrients into its fluids for transportation to every cell of its body; 7) "I" is capable of secreting special substances which are required within its own body; 8) "I" is capable of excreting materials no longer required within it, as well as materials produced but not required by it; 9) "I" is capable of circulating fluids and other substances from one area of its body to another; and 10) "I" is able to reproduce most parts of itself for growth as well as for repair. (Credit and thanks to N. Collins and all physiologists, everywhere.)
But perhaps more importantly, I "know" I am a living system not only because I possess all characteristics currently ascribed to living systems, but because I feel I am a living system. I feel an indestructible connection between my "I" and the larger, living environment. Also, I know I am a living system because my mother told me so...
Biophysics and me
We expect our long and satisfying relationship to continue for some time yet. Till death do we part. Wait; probably not even then! Let me say instead: Till death do we reconfigure.
... the entity known to me as "I" exhibits all known characteristics we attribute to living systems: 1) "I" possesses senses and responds to changes in the external environment; 2) The cells and tissues of "I" propagate and transmit waves of excitation from one point to another within it; 3) "I" grows--there has been and continues to be increase in the size and number of the cells of "I;" 4) There has been and continues to be an exchange of gasses between "I" and the environment; 5) "I" breaks down and absorbs food; 6) "I" moves digested nutrients into its fluids for transportation to every cell of its body; 7) "I" is capable of secreting special substances which are required within its own body; 8) "I" is capable of excreting materials no longer required within it, as well as materials produced but not required by it; 9) "I" is capable of circulating fluids and other substances from one area of its body to another; and 10) "I" is able to reproduce most parts of itself for growth as well as for repair. (Credit and thanks to N. Collins and all physiologists, everywhere.)
But perhaps more importantly, I "know" I am a living system not only because I possess all characteristics currently ascribed to living systems, but because I feel I am a living system. I feel an indestructible connection between my "I" and the larger, living environment. Also, I know I am a living system because my mother told me so...
Biophysics and me
We expect our long and satisfying relationship to continue for some time yet. Till death do we part. Wait; probably not even then! Let me say instead: Till death do we reconfigure.
Sunday, April 1, 2007
Towards a New Synthesis
My E-Prime Day
This title appears to request selection and recording of a partially random series of keystrokes in the curious attempt to describe experience without definitive statements of being and without a particular point of view. What fun! It seems possible. However, as I appear to struggle with the beginning, most thoughts seem to appear to include statements which slip outside the described parameters.
The morning seems nice and arrives somewhat early in the day. There appear to be requirements made of the organism. It looks like familiarity with these demands motivates the organism, for it appears to respond to them. Some elements outside the organism appear to disappear within it, while other elements seem to wrap it from neck to foot. The organism appears to leave its place of origin and wanders, apparently satisfying other external or internal requirements made upon it. What other reason for these behaviors might exist? Eventually, the organism appears to return from whence it came. The day's poor play, some might paraphrase, appears over. But who might know?
Can I synthesize East and West?
On a good day, with a quiet mind, rested and fed; yes. East and West are synthesized primarily by realizing that the basic qualities we ascribe to East and West are initially not really separated after all. It takes us some time to realize this, perhaps, and we always express surprise when what we originally think to be in opposition turns into the overlapped or complimentary. People everywhere are basically the same; it is only the externals which appear to make us separate. And there are some really strong powers which are invested in the development and maintenance of these separating externals. As we all have, I have felt the cultural and societal pressures of many of these externals of the West, but never felt particularly invested in some of them; they never "worked" for me. Some of the externals, of course, I must assume I remain blind to; to varying degrees we all still wear our cultural blinders. But the lack of investiture in some externals of the West, coupled with the known hypocrisy of some of their manifestations, has certainly kept me open to the possibility of new syntheses.
This title appears to request selection and recording of a partially random series of keystrokes in the curious attempt to describe experience without definitive statements of being and without a particular point of view. What fun! It seems possible. However, as I appear to struggle with the beginning, most thoughts seem to appear to include statements which slip outside the described parameters.
The morning seems nice and arrives somewhat early in the day. There appear to be requirements made of the organism. It looks like familiarity with these demands motivates the organism, for it appears to respond to them. Some elements outside the organism appear to disappear within it, while other elements seem to wrap it from neck to foot. The organism appears to leave its place of origin and wanders, apparently satisfying other external or internal requirements made upon it. What other reason for these behaviors might exist? Eventually, the organism appears to return from whence it came. The day's poor play, some might paraphrase, appears over. But who might know?
Can I synthesize East and West?
On a good day, with a quiet mind, rested and fed; yes. East and West are synthesized primarily by realizing that the basic qualities we ascribe to East and West are initially not really separated after all. It takes us some time to realize this, perhaps, and we always express surprise when what we originally think to be in opposition turns into the overlapped or complimentary. People everywhere are basically the same; it is only the externals which appear to make us separate. And there are some really strong powers which are invested in the development and maintenance of these separating externals. As we all have, I have felt the cultural and societal pressures of many of these externals of the West, but never felt particularly invested in some of them; they never "worked" for me. Some of the externals, of course, I must assume I remain blind to; to varying degrees we all still wear our cultural blinders. But the lack of investiture in some externals of the West, coupled with the known hypocrisy of some of their manifestations, has certainly kept me open to the possibility of new syntheses.
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