Body, Brain, Mind

It is now possible to connect a mechanical arm to an amputee.  The arm is connected to the nerves of the severed appendage and the person can run the arm simply by thinking. It takes practice but it works. Sensory pads can also be added to the finger tips and palm so the person can feel the composition of the object.

The next step the doctors want to do is eyes and legs. From there who knows what else is possible. The point is - we are not our bodies. The body is mechanical much like the prosthetic arm.

To move your body doesn't take much thought, but it does take thought. Some day it will be possible to connect a complete functioning body with arms, legs, eyes, ears, vocal cords, etc. to a brain.

However, the thing that is irreplaceable is the mind that extends beyond the brain and the body. Even though you are not your body the True You is forever connected to the universal mind.

Dialogue on Meditation

I tried meditation,
it didn't work.

What do you mean
it didn't work?

I still had thoughts,
they wouldn't go away.

Don't you know,the objective of meditation
is not to make thoughts go away.

The objective of meditation
is to think nothing of your thoughts.

What do you mean?
How do I think nothing of my thoughts?


There will always be thoughts.
Just don't get carried away by them.

I don't understand.
How do I not pay attention to them?

Focus on something that is always with you.
Focus on your breathing for example.

That seems kind of boring.
Can you give me another example?

Focus on your thumb, big toe, or belly button.
You could even focus on a thought.

I like that idea.

 

Impatient?

Oh, the pangs of impatience.
Time is going so slow it seems.
Having to wait is so painful.

Have patience so they say.
But I want it now not later.
If I wait any longer I'll waste the whole day.

Wait and wait and wait, wait, wait.
Woo is me, can't they see
I must go I cannot wait.

This is really not all that fun.
I'm much too important to put up with this.
There are many things that must be done.

I've been here for oh so long.
Can't they see I'm sitting here?
It just seems to be so wrong.

Hell, don't they know who I am?
I go here and I go there.
I'm more important than she or him.

They are so very impolite
to keep me waiting here like this.
I might have to sit here through the night.

But wait!
I know.
I'll meditate.

Does It Matter?

Science deals with matter - the material things in nature and reality. If you can't see it, dissect it, or measure it, science doesn't want to deal with it. On the other hand, ontology deals with the metaphysical philosophy of reality.

Matter is stuff which occupies space and can be perceived by the senses. Science has reduced matter down to particles called quarks which are said to be subunits of protons and neutrons.  And between all of these particles of matter lies empty space - the non-physical part of reality.

There is more empty space (>90%) than there is matter. So, why don't scientists put more emphasis on the 90% rather than the smaller part of reality?  They are beginning to as we speak. Scientists are beginning to understand that what lies between particles  (electrons, protons, neutrons, quarks, and photons) is very, very important.

That is where gluons come in.  Gluons hold matter together like glue, hence their name. There are said to be different kinds of gluons depending on what kind of particles they hold together. I'm not getting into all that because it doesn't matter. It will all probably change in a few years anyway.  Basically, scientists had to come up with something to explain how the space between the particles work. So they came up with more particles - gluons.

You can think of gluons as invisible strings linking particles together. This idea of strings is where the "string theory" came from - everything in the universe is connected with oscillating or vibrating strings. When something happens in the universe, whether it's cataclysmic or subtle, will, in one way or another, affect something else somewhere, at some time. This whole idea of gluons and strings is very metaphysical but it is now a big part of quantum physics.

So, science and ontology are coming together. You cannot be a particle physicist and not deal with the non-physical aspects of reality.  What lies beyond matter is so important science must learn to deal with it. It cannot be ignored any longer.  Non-matter matters.

Dissipation

Think back to a time when you were sad, angry, or just down-right pissed off.
Feel that emotion again, but this time pay real close attention to
your body and see if you can detect where in your body the feeling occurs.
Notice the feeling is nothing more than energy being generated in that part
of the body. See it as energy and focus on it.  What happens?
Dissipation.

Analogy

Oil companies are now able to creep further into the Arctic Ocean with drilling platforms due to the ice that has melted there.  About one-half of the Arctic Ocean has melted because of global warming and a large part, if not all, is due to fossil fuel burning.  Isn't this a lot like a person with lung cancer continuing to smoke?

Take a Seat

Do 
meditation.
Take a seat in the middle of your life.
Intentionally bring yourself into a direct
and intimate relationship with the present moment.
Notice what is arising in it for you without judging.
Take time to become familiar with who you are,
beyond all the wanting, having, and doing.
Become aware of your own presence
with a sense of kindness and caring
you may not have done before.
There is dignity and honor
in doing 
so.

Shanti