The Non-local Moment?
There is ‘buzz’ about non-local space in new age circles but think about it; if space/location is ‘non-local’, then space/time must be non-local, right? Yes, two paired particles, separated in space, will simultaneously react to stimulation of one. The science is there folks. Numerous experiments have confirmed this. This phenomenon explains the success of such things as distance healing and the power of prayer, hence the buzz in new age circles. But bear in mind, time is a function of space. This is why we speak of ‘space-time’. Depending upon the point at which you ‘find yourself’ vis-a-vie the movement of the planets, you are positioned in space-time. Space-time itself is spread out. I find it helpful to think of...
Read MoreThe Power of the Moment
First and foremost, taking what I like to call a ’Buddhist Pause’, permits us to witness our own interior processing. We can then see the patterns of thoughts and feelings flowing by as if they were ‘debris’ floating upon the stream of consciousness. We become witness the very business of being. Secondarily, any and all opportunities to influence that internal activity exist in real time only. Only, as we catch the moment, can we discern the patterns that drive our internal states In the moment we can catch ourselves in the act of ‘filtering’. We can relax our filters, attending to more. We can strengthen filters, attending to less. This is important to any understanding of what is popularly called ADD. We can catch ourselves...
Read MoreRecollections are What Exactly?
Each moment you reminisce you are tapping your imaginational wherewithal. You are tapping the record of your past experience and, picking and choosing from that ‘data’, a piece of the puzzle. The event in real time was necessarily filtered; you saw from your own vantage point only. And now, something in the moment has triggered recollection of a piece of the remembered experience. It is likely to be more nuanced and as such, it may be particularly helpful. The nuanced recollection may include a piece of the original experienced ‘differently filtered’, therefore less constrained by your own vantage point. Neat huh? The Very Experience of Recalling May be Therapeutic Your imaginative capacity may allow you to now see the event from another...
Read MoreRaja Yoga and the Wellness Model
The new model of integrated health care in the United States is a wellness model, not a disease model. This represents a shift in what has been known as ‘western medicine’ to the direction of what has been known as the ‘eastern medicine’. This shift has been accompanied by recognition of mental wellness at it’s core. Raja Yoga, derived from the sutras of Patanjali, is a yoga that directly addresses itself to mental development. As such it is imbedded in and an essential component of eastern medicine. It addresses itself to exploration of and mobilization of consciousness itself. Mental Development is an interesting concept. There is no notion of ‘illness’ or ‘disorder’ implicit in the concept. Rather, what...
Read MoreRaja Yoga in Context
The place of Yogi Philosophy in India is roughly equivalent to the place of science in western tradition. Given centuries of experience and informal experimentation yogas have been developed to guide and assist us with all aspects of living. Karma Yoga (the yoga of action) helps us understand the place of our work life in the larger scheme of things. Karma yogis view their efforts in the workplace as a service, a contribution to the common good. This positive perspective infuses their work life with a special sense of accomplishment that offers rich rewards. Bhakti Yoga (the yoga of devotion) is the yoga path that each person travels as part of the religious community of their choice. Hatha Yoga (the psychophysical yoga) is the yoga developed...
Read MoreBecome a Botanist of Mind
Botanists get the ball rolling. They identify plant forms. They identify the position of each form on the phylogenetic chart. They distinguish it as a type. They note it’s relationship to other types. From that, much science follows. Typing permits one kind of understanding; the nature of the form, it’s history, it’s wherewithal. Exploration of those characteristics of the ‘types‘ as separate pieces of something larger is ‘reductionist science’ and it is not to be sneezed at. Holistic science is the study of the relationships between things or types of things. The concept is not but the science is new. It has only been possible to understand things in relation to one another as our mathematics have evolved. We now see...
Read More‘Witness’ your Thoughts
Can you witness your thoughts at least twice today? Obviously you are aware of your thoughts. We are typically immersed in our thoughts, profoundly influenced by them. Hopefully, we are frequently entertained by our them. This is good! However ‘witnessing’ your thoughts is tricky. Imagine yourself sitting beside the stream of your own consciousness. Oh, There’s one. There’s another and another. Become a Botanist of Mind. Is this thought, social commentary? Is it amusing? Is it kind or unkind? It doesn’t matter for purposes of this exercise. Don’t judge it. It is what it is. It is not a crime to be you. Allowing your thoughts to be what they indeed are creates a solid platform for growth. Noting that a given thought may...
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