23. Empathic Healing:

A Future Possibility?

There are stories of faith healing in most cultures, religions and eras, so it’s rather curious that we haven’t yet reached any sort of consensus on the possibility of developing such a power in the present. There is abundant evidence available showing that biofeedback is real and quite easily learned. We can raise and lower our blood pressure and heart rate; we can even alter our brain wave pattern once we are able to relate a particular frequency (ex. alpha, beta, theta) to our subjective feelings and state of mind.

We all know that our mind and body are attached.  We know that meditation is good for us, and that too much tension and stress is not; and yet there are some people (including members of the medical community) who still treat the subject of “therapeutic touch” as though it were only slightly more effective than trying nothing at all. In that state of mind, we have created a self-fulfilling prophecy, for disbelief dilutes any energy we might otherwise generate through belief, the very energy we need to develop this ability. 

When interest in a particular topic begins to increase, the subject at first seems to have few details.  It is vast and filled with generalities, superstitions and vague or undifferentiated information.  A "healing touch" might be called empathic healing but then it might get lumped in with words that suggest a superstitious foundation.  It might get mixed up with ideas of pre-scientific medicine, or of ESP, the laying-on-of-hands, shamans, witch doctors and medicine men, phoney faith healers, mind-readers and even fortune tellers. It's easy to turn away from an idea if the first images that spring to mind are of vulnerable or highly suggestible people falling in rapture at the feet of charismatic evangelists or hypnotists.

If such a visual is repugnant to us, we may become strongly sceptical of anything that hints at “faith” or “faith healing.” But before we disregard an idea, we must make sure that we don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.  We mustn't discard the subject just because we don't like someone elses explanation of it.  

Each of us has the ability to learn as much as we want about a subject and then to apply logic to our assessments.  And we need to look for satisfactory ways to explain what has yet to be understood or accepted in our current version of reality.

We'll call it FAB! (A what-if tale)

Earth Date: 17-September-2027

Suppose:

A group of scientists discovers that all human beings have the potential to heal others merely by focusing on them. But they also realize that out of the billions of people on Earth, they've identified only a few thousand who have managed to manifest this power and to use it. 

These healers are observed for decades but because of current attitudes (and their attendant technologies), researchers cannot find a way to explain this odd power or to reproduce it on demand. Eventually, their funding is cut and they must move on to other sources of intrigue.

As the years pass, hundreds of professional sceptics offer all sorts of arguments against the reality of such a power, implying that it was a trick or a case of mass hypnosis, and a soon-to-be urban legend. The farther away the events pass in time, the fewer people believe they ever occurred. But those who witnessed the phenomenon know it was real regardless of its resistance to present definition. They do not want the information quashed or obliterated by vocal non-believers, so how, they wonder, can they keep it safe?  What people or institution will protect the information as it is given for hundreds (or thousands) of years?  The Churches!  So they appeal to the leaders of all the ancient religions, asking that the information be held in safekeeping until the climate is conducive to understanding and development.

• Superstition is a placeholder for that which we have not yet defined.

Earth Date: 15-June-3998

Almost two thousand years pass before the phenomenon, FAB, (“Frequency Adjustment & Balance”) is finally understood, explained, named and practiced. Of course, some of those future scientists might read the religious text relating to the subject of “supernatural or faith healing” and deride the religion (and we ancients) for being ignorant, unscientific, and superstitious.

22. Empathy - A Neglected Psychic Power

Empathy is a powerful emotion we are encouraged to use and strengthen by the urgings of our own conscience and by our sense of interconnectedness. It is not something that needs to be taught directly nor can it be taught. The best we can do to instil empathy in children and in each other is to employ it ourselves, in our thoughts and in our treatment of life beyond the limits of Self. Empathy cannot be compared or judged. In fact, if we decide that someone else lacks empathy, we are doing little more than failing to have enough empathy ourselves!

“Life can only be understood backwards....it must be lived forwards.”

Søren Kierkegaard

We cannot be the actor and watch the play at the same time, any more than empathy can be extended and viewed simultaneously. By its very nature, empathy is an out-flowing emotion, filled with the spirit of equality or “oneness”. If we are trying to catch a glimpse of our own power, we are “not all there” in the outflow, and empathy is shut off at the source, becoming a mere shell of mannerisms. Suddenly this potential union* becomes a craft of separation; the “coming together” becomes the “moving apart”.

Developing our empathic power isn't a means to an end (a way to regard our own power etc.). Engaging empathy is an end in itself, for in our full, unadulterated desire for others' peace of mind, regardless of how we might be judged, we already exist within a place of strength, though we may not recognize it at the time. When someone relates to us empathically (or empathetically), we are subtly aware that its awesome power and strength lies in its connection. This power is not exerted over us. It is not an emotion of division or judgment, ego or Self. It lies within the letting go of ego, and in the broadening of our views to include the well-being of others. Empathy is a magnificent power that invites us to put Self aside and to see life and each other in a strong and accepting way.

"A suitable explanation or a comforting word to the patient may have something like a healing effect which may even influence the glandular secretions. The doctor's words, to be sure, are “only” vibrations in the air, yet they constitute a particular set of vibrations corresponding to a particular psychic state in the doctor. The words are effective only insofar as they convey a meaning or have significance. It is their meaning which is effective. But “meaning” is something mental or spiritual. Call it a fiction if you like. Nonetheless, it enables us to influence the course of disease in a far (more) effective way than with chemical preparations. We can even influence the biochemical processes of the body by it. Whether the fiction rises in me spontaneously or reaches me from without by the way of human speech, it can make me ill or cure me.” Carl Jung

Previous: Mind Over Matter (Part II)

21. Mind Over Matter - Part II

Finely-tuned Frequencies

It's exciting to know we might one day develop telepathy and clairvoyance and other untold “psychic” powers, now only semi-formed in our consciousness; but we cannot hope to build these abilities if we ignore the powers and endowments we already possess. For instance, we have the ability to tune ourselves in to someone else's frequency and then to regulate that person's energy field, re-establishing a more rhythmic brain wave pattern (or disrupting that pattern). We might also describe this power as an “energy-regulation response”, turned on by benevolent will, or, as my old Webster's dictionary describes that same ability, “the power to enter into the feeling or spirit of others” (italics added).

But we tend to narrow all descriptions down to single words then either take our words and our powers for granted, fail to express them (give them form or reality) or use them miserly. In this case, the word is “empathy”.

Next: Empathy - A Neglected Psychic Power

20. Second NatureLearning Something New

To our infant human mind, anything in the tangible world truly seems possible; but gradually the daily routines of life and lifestyle, language and common emotion define our view of the world. Eventually, reality is solidified as a relatively narrow range of islands in an endless ocean of potentiality. The newborn's brain is packed with nerve cells and fully equipped to handle trillions of possible connections; but after two years or so, the brain gives itself its first haircut, leaving the branches that have been connected and used repeatedly, and dissolving those that have not. [See: Neurons and Synapses]

Much human potential, such as sight, must be developed very quickly if it is to become a part of reality. Light must reach an infant’s eyes by the first few months of age, at the latest. If by that time, no particles of light have passed through a child's retinas to stimulate the visual neurons in the brain and to connect to perception, those connections will never be made and that child will never see.

If a person is to acquire fluent language, he must hear it spoken before the age of eight years or thereabouts. To become articulate in a second language, the same early-exposure rule applies: the earlier, the easier. Anyone who has ever learned a second language after childhood knows how difficult it is, certainly a whole lot harder than learning the first. And even when a second language is mastered by an adult, it requires a lot more brain space than the first.

• At birth, the cells in our brain have thousands more connectors (dendrites) than we seem able to use. The moment we are born, we are prepared to assess the world from virtually any perspective. However, once the terms of our existence are familiar, at approximately six years of age, the brain releases a chemical, which again prunes all unused connections.

• We share 98% of our DNA with our primate cousins: the great apes, orang-utans, chimpanzees, et al. Reality diverges within that 2% into a world of differences.

• It is said that a child loses 90% of his creativity in the first five years of life. It seems likely then, that there are many other natural human abilities, which must be practiced almost immediately, if they are to be developed and used at all.

How much viable human potential exists in the mind of an infant, beyond what we presently view as the limits of human ability? Until it is expressed, we do not know. We cannot know. And we may not hear or notice when it is expressed, if we have accepted too rigid a boundary around our own notions of reality.

When Second Nature overrides First Nature

If the emotional knowledge of a child's first nature suggests to him that worrying is a useless and wasteful mental past time, he may try to allow this into reality. If the adults around him acknowledge his reminder as innate wisdom, they not only benefit themselves but they help that child to strengthen his inner knowledge. On the other hand, if he is ridiculed or told he is wrong, he will learn to doubt his first nature and will probably learn to worry, for this is a highly practiced way of thinking in most modern cultures. Rather than developing the kind of attitude and beliefs that preclude worry, worry itself becomes second nature.

Next: Mind Over Matter - Part II

19. First Nature Life on a Molecular Level

Our first nature, as a human being, is encoded in our DNA. Without our conscious interference, our heart pumps and blood flows, we inhale and exhale. We do not need to understand how our cells work in order to fight infection or store a memory for this is the job of our first nature, and is intelligence at cellular and molecular levels. Our first nature describes our common Earth-bound reality as well as the evolutionary position of our species. We share the same senses, the same skeletal structure, organs, appendages, and emotions; and with them, we try to evolve further, for our first nature is open to all directions and every potential. (Within/beneath/beyond our “first nature,” intelligence lies at atomic and quantum levels.)

While each of us might have our own theory about why we are here, none of us actually knows if there is some Big Metaphysical Purpose beyond what our powers of observation can tell us. All we do know for certain is that this is a wonderfully sensual world and if we are to enjoy its pleasures, we must refrain from irresponsibility and maintain our equilibrium. The harmony of our first nature (whatever its combination) compels us to develop a balanced perspective, so that all we create and embellish as second nature echoes that equivalence. It does not tell us how to do that because becoming is the trial-and-error nature of physical evolution, and the way in which constant variety is ensured.

Next: Second Nature - Learning Something New

18. Mind Over Matter - Part I

“man may have a non-material consciousness capable of influencing matter.” Eugene Wigner, July 1982 [Nobel Peace Prize for physics, 1963]

The idea of mind-over-matter (or mind within matter) is no doubt as old as the universe but its profound impact on the very stuff of life is rarely given the attention it deserves. Obviously, if any part of us has the ability to affect, change, alter and induce future reality, the form our reality takes will depend on the nature of our consciousness, our power.

Altering our present tangible reality is relatively easy. We are working on a macro level here so we can simply bulldoze a hillside or chop down more trees, pursue a goal blindly, or drink and drive and risk ending up dead in a ditch. The possible repercussions of many of our choices are usually evident because we can track them in real time.

But existing alongside our macro-motions, are micro-motions. Everything we feel, think, say or do has an effect on life (ie. on the form reality takes), if not on a macro-level, then on a micro-level, which is the future-in-formation. Every second of our existence has an immeasurable impact on reality, even when we are asleep. [See "Delta: Long Distance Information?" in a future post.]

Mr. Wigner suggested that we have a "non-material consciousness" capable of "influencing matter". It sounds wild! It might even sound preposterous. Could it be that one day we might actually be able to move objects simply by willing them to move? Could telekinesis actually be possible?

Why not?

Next: First Nature - Life on a Molecular Level

Placeholder and Bridge

Some think (i.e. some believe) that "faith" is only about "believing" in something without substantial, identifiable, understandable proof of its existence.

(I believe that) faith is more about knowledge in the absence of belief.
Religion is the form of our beliefs. Faith is the formlessness of our intuitive knowledge.

Faith is a placeholder for what we may or may not be able to describe; and a bridge to what may one day be provable and proven.

And if you choose not to have faith?

Ask yourself just a few questions:

• What if everything you have not learned or experienced yet, contains all the proof you could ever possibly want?
• What if you just haven't arrived at the proof yet?
• Would you feel any differently about life than you do now, if you were to be presented with indisputable proof of God and life beyond this one? Would you behave differently?
  
• Would you see others or your own life in a differently way?

Do you live your life as if there will never be proof of an all-encompassing Universal Intelligence?

Do you live you life as if you will find proof around some corner one day - proof that you would not have been prepared to recognize if you had lived like some spoiled and quarrelsome child?

17. Fusing Science and Religion

Those who speak of the incompatibility of science and religion either make science say that which it never said or make religion say that which it never taught. Pope Pius XI (1857 - 1939)

If asked to picture the quintessential scientist, many of us would probably imagine the almost-archetypal Albert Einstein, his fluffy white hair a-tangle; brown eyes warm with wisdom and good humour. Scientists, we hope, are like him: humble, highly principled mental-powerhouses searching for answers that will benefit all humankind. We can hope, but the fact is that scientists are of every stripe. Virtually all accredited scientists are employed or funded by commercial backers who expect results: new sources of profit.

If a pharmaceutical company is researching depression, for instance, the knowledge gained is being channelled through the intellect of the chemist, not the biologist or the neurologist, not the nutritionist, theologian, or the psychiatrist, but the druggist (though all may contribute data). How that information is disseminated depends on the ethics of each person involved. That is not cynicism, nor is it a criticism of pharmacists. Research costs money. Very, very few people are funded if no monetary gain can be imagined from their research.

Evolution means trying new possibilities, making mistakes and correcting them. One of the most fundamental blunders was the belief that questions of ethical excellence belonged in a separate category and therefore had no right to infringe on other categorized inquiries. To restrict the issues of morals and values to narrow jurisdictions of theology, philosophy, and metaphysics was plainly absurd. But that was the inferred premise of the old science: a belief that beliefs (and values) could be stripped away from science and its methodology, and that the Truth of Reality could be reached through “objective” observation. Ignored was the fact that scientists carry with them to their chosen field, their own blend of ethics and values, whatever they are, determining the very avenue of inquiry and affecting the direction and evolution of knowledge.

• "It is wrong to think that the task of physics is to find out how Nature is. Physics concerns what we can say about Nature." Niels Bohr, Physicist

Old, Newtonian, or classic physics viewed the scientist as an observer who existed apart from, and had no affect on the object of observation, whereas quantum physics recognizes the scientist as an indivisible part of any observation. The “new physics” (new since 1900) hints at a universe so perfectly created that all knowledge and all potential is enfolded in underlying symmetries that give rise to the physical, tangible world. And yet, nearly a century later, many scientists and most non-scientists still think in causal and reductive terms. But the tide is turning; and the scientists of tomorrow are on their way. Let us hope that most of them have strong values.

As the late Carl Sagan wrote in his 1995 best-selling book “The Demon-Haunted World”, “... I know that the consequences of scientific illiteracy are far more dangerous in our time than in any that has come before.”

It is important that we are familiar with the trends of scientific knowledge, so that we may have an informed and confident voice as to how they are applied. Otherwise, we risk becoming little more than ignorant peasants who must dance to the beat of corporate technology's drum, no matter how frantic or erratic the pace.

Crack-the-Whip

It is as if we are playing “crack-the-whip” on an ice-skating rink. We are all at the end of Reality's rope with Science in the lead, searching for the First Cause, and the smallest component of Reality. Suddenly Science reaches the inescapable conclusion that it must change its perspective, its direction. Crack-the-whip! As the wave of change spirals out to Reality, pity those on the very end of the rope, who have ignored both science and religion.

Next: Mind Over Matter - Part I

16. Here a Frequency, There a Frequency,

Everywhere a Frequency

• A wavelength is measured from start of a crest (or trough) of one wave, to the same point on the crest (or trough) of the next wave.

• Frequency refers to the number of wavelengths that pass a certain point in a given amount of time, and, is usually measured in cycles per second or Hertz (Hz).

We shall see what we can see

Our view of the world, and of life itself, is restricted to our ability to translate the infinite frequencies that surround us. With one sort of sensor, we can pick up electromagnetic energy that has a frequency of between one-half to three-quarters of a million billion cycles per second (5 x 10¹⁴ to 7.5 x 10¹⁴). With a different kind of sensor we are able to detect mechanical energy that has a frequency higher than 15 to 20 cycles per second (or Hertz) and lower than 20,000 Hz. That frequency (15 – 20,000 Hz) is sound. The first range of frequencies is visible light—all the colours in the rainbow. And yet that is just the energy we sense naturally. It is not all that exists!

In the natural dimension (i.e. natural for human beings), our senses have built-in limitations, so our slice of perceived reality is extremely narrow. Anything that is smaller than a certain crucial size is invisible to us (ex. bacteria, viruses, certain algae and fungi). Detail is lost as an object moves farther away from us in space-time, so while everyone's eyesight varies, none of us can see a dust mite with our naked eyes. Neither can we see the rings of Saturn without visual aid, for in a natural healthy environment, we have no physiological need to notice this invisible world; it lives in balance with us. It is the wanting to see that motivates us to build powerful microscopes, telescopes, and particle accelerators.

There is a lot more “reality” happening than what we know about. We could stand right next to an elephant or whale, and not be aware that it is calling to a herd- or pod-mate a kilometre away, for both mammals have the ability to emit sounds so low, they slip beneath our threshold of consciousness. When a dog suddenly cocks an ear and listens intently to something we cannot hear, we can be reasonably certain that it is a frequency faster than 20,000 Hz. (a high pitched sound that we cannot hear). We cannot see (hear, touch, taste or smell) infrared light or X rays, radio waves or gamma rays, microwaves, ultraviolet light or brain waves but we know these various wavelengths are present because we theorized their existence through observation of the natural world, then looked for evidence of it, and for potential explanation. If our technology has shown us one thing, it is that reality (i.e. the present) depends on logical and complementary interaction between (what we see as) subject and object. The existence of something in the future rests on the nature of this interaction.

Just as astronomers speak of looking into the “past” when gazing at the stars, so it might be useful to think of looking at the microscopic world as a glimpse into the “future”, for the creatures that exist here are—from our point of view—preparatory Beings who permit (or prevent) life in the present. Just as the activity inside the brain manifests a particular observable reality, so the many organisms that exist are active in preparation or maintenance of our own tangible reality. If we imagine that certain small Beings (such as bacteria, insects and such) should be eradicated, we should give ourselves a little shake and balance this arrogant imagination by acknowledging that we cannot possibly know every last cause and effect, and may well be eliminating some vital part of our future.

Dust to Dust

• Where life exists, it exists with purpose and complementarity.

A small animal seeks sanctuary in your garden where it spends its last hours beneath the aromatic branches of a cedar. There it dies. Since the animal's body is no longer needed in the present macroscopic world, microscopic bacteria begin immediately to dismantle the cells, making it easier for larger beings (insects) to do their thing. Only the most steely-minded (and stomached) among us would not feel nauseous if we were to come across a rotting corpse. But extraordinarily, considering how many birds and animals live around us, we rarely ever come across such sights, not only because passing life forms usually try to find private peaceful places to spend their final moments, but because entire societies of animals (birds, insects, bacteria etc.) work quickly, keeping the present quite cadaver-free.

Next: Fusing Science and Religion

15. The Universe is Us

Protons, Neutrons and Electrons

Next Week:
- Here a Frequency, There a Frequency, Everywhere a Frequency;
- Fusing Science and Religion.

If I had studied physics in university, I might have enjoyed (much sooner) the coincidence of having a high school physics teacher named, Mr. Wheeler. I would have known that there was another physicist of the same name involved with a pretty strange branch of science called, quantum physics: the study of the universe on a subatomic level. John Wheeler proposed that the word “observer” be replaced with the word “participator” for he and other physicists had realized that this is a participatory universe. Even the mere act of observation has an impact on what is observed.

Most of us learned that the atom consists of a positive nucleus (containing a positive proton and a neutral neutron), with one or more negative electrons orbiting around the nucleus like planets around the sun. The trouble with that is that those who study physics these days (even in high school) do not view the atom that way, so all the rest of us poor clods are working with a faulty mental model. In quantum physics, electrons are said to exist in orbitals or shells around the nucleus, somewhere in a cloud of probability. In effect, no one can say where the electron is precisely. That’s important to remember. (Beware though. That description is simplified and rather paraphrased.)

Mental Models

Our view of the world is affected by everything we learn. However, if what we learn is incomplete or inadequate, we may forfeit valuable lessons that can broaden and add texture and detail to our perspective. Yesteryear’s high school view of the atom was adequate to explain the electron’s actions, charge and relative position, but it’s a bit like visiting an amusement park for the first time in your life – after it has been closed for the night. You might be able to describe it fairly well but what would be missing would be the descriptions of the way The Scrambler twists and turns as it revolves, or the sounds of the laughter and screams of thrilled riders. The atom too becomes far more interesting when we see it in action.

The Energetic Atom

The negative charge of the electron is always equal to the positive charge of the proton, so a great positive charge inside the nucleus equals a great and equal negative charge outside it, shared among the electrons. (The calcium atom, Ca, for instance, has 20 protons and 20 electrons.) When the atom is at rest, the two complementary charges exist in equilibrium, bringing the total charge of the atom close to zero. This is its ground state. When the electrons are in their lowest energy state, they are found at their lowest orbitals.

When interacting with the right amount of radiation (i.e. light), electrons become excited by the extra energy they have absorbed and jump to a shell or level farther away from the nucleus. Then, emitting the excess energy, they fall back to their original level. Electrons in orbitals close to the nucleus require less energy to become excited, and therefore radiate less energy than electrons farther away from the nucleus.

[Remember this mental model when you read a future post on anger.]

The amount of energy released by the electrons of a particular atom, create its own unique spectrum, by which the atom is known. Since the spectrum is described in terms of its range of frequencies, an atom of oxygen has a frequency pattern that is distinct from the frequency pattern of an atom of carbon, nitrogen, gold, silver, iron, and every other element.

When eleven carbon atoms get together in a particular formation with 12 hydrogen atoms, two nitrogen atoms and two oxygen atoms (C₁₁H₁₂N₂O₂), we call that chemical compound tryptophan. This molecule is required for serotonin production (C₁₀H₁₂N₂O), which is instrumental to our mental well-being. We get tryptophan from turkey, chicken, fish, dried dates, milk, cottage and other cheeses, bananas, eggs, avocados, nuts, peanuts, and legumes.

Next

14. We Haven't Lost Our Awe

We've Just Misplaced It

What would we do without our refrigerators, stoves, and cars, MP3 players, DVDs and USB drives? And the internet, with its easy access to brilliance and nonsense is absolutely amazing. Who in history, besides us, has been able to answer our own questions in a matter of seconds?

Science has come so far and has created so much; it’s easy to assume that everything worth understanding has already been explained. But though we accepted Johannes Kepler’s and Isaac Newton's explanations of the universe, Max Plank, Niels Bohr, Albert Einstein and so many other great minds came along who added to previous observations, suggested expanded explanations and shed new light on the universal configuration, or at least cast the configuration into a different part of the spectrum. Upon their knowledge, we have built new versions of structured reality; but that does not mean we have figured everything out!

Somehow, we have misplaced our sense of wonder and relinquished our claim to the mysterious. Though most of us do not know how to build a car, a television, satellite or cell phone or how to extract plasma from whole blood, we know that someone else does. Consequently, our day-to-day interaction with the “known” deflates our sense of mystery. We may be impressed with our technology, and served by it, and it may even seem mysterious when we do not possess an understanding of how it works; but it is not truly a mystery for it is created, or explicated, by human beings and we all know we could understand if we wanted to learn.

Mystery, Sweet Mystery

We need all the mystery that exists in our lives, but sometimes we stop seeing it. We have come to think that mystery is only that which has so far defied all rational definition. Then we either pursue explanation or dismiss it as non-reality. We want to know if there is life on other planets because we do not know. Are there really black holes and wormholes in space and is there some equation that might explain the whole universe? We go on archaeological digs and try to unearth the secrets of the past; and we examine ancient prophesies for clues to the future, but we assess everything through the mind of today.

Did Atlantis ever exist? Are UFOs real? Some were excited about the “face” on Mars and yet what would have happened if it turned out to have been deliberately carved by some ancient cosmological culture? The subject would quickly be snapped up by those in connected fields and for a few weeks or months it might be the prime focus of radio and television talk shows, debates and news and science magazines. But eventually we would feel that it had been “explained” and we'd all fall back into our routines, wondering, “Are there any more artefacts on Mars?” And if there were? “Well....is there anything on Europa???”

Solving a mystery, or at least finding reasonable explanations, always leads us to another level of mystery for our sense of incompleteness is also our evolutionary thrust. We have always wanted to know more, do more, experience more and we are forever asking “why” and “how”. Our search for the ultimate proof of God's existence has been continuous, as has our more recent search for the perfect equation that will explain the origin, and future, of the universe.

The Great Divide

Computers, carburetors, CAT scanners, nuclear reactors, guns, cloning, tailoring and dry masonry: all these objects and processes can be described or explained with equanimity for they mark their beginnings in the tangible world, as the creations or products of human observation and logic. If we lose our sense of mystery about our own inventions, we lose nothing; the understanding was ours for the learning. If the creations of our knowledge disappeared, we would still be here – able to create anew.

But trees, rocks, whales, water, lightning and crude oil, these and billions of others are wonders not of our own making and they retain their mystery even beyond our limited descriptions, applications and external observations, for they, like us, exist as complementary parts of this whole, we call the universe. Though we are capable of noticing, examining, experimenting, hypothesizing, and reasoning and concluding, we must constantly try to ensure that our interpretations of the natural world are offered with the greatest of caution. Description and supposition must never parade as resolution. And while we may decide how to explain photosynthesis or blood circulation, or offer ideas on why there's oil in the ground, we must be careful not to minimize the mystery that exists beyond our comprehension; for if the natural creations disappear, we will most decidedly disappear as well.

We must also be prudent with our own acceptance of explanations lest they strip away our awe and reverence for the things and processes they attempt to define. It is certainly not necessary to understand how the brain works in order to use it! Nor are we required to understand the “biology of prayer” for it to be effective.

• We can use our explanations to enhance our sense of mystery, reverence and awe, or to diminish it. The choice is ours.

On a television program about “life after death”, I heard a doctor explain that certain brain chemicals and body processes contribute to the perceptions often present in a near-death experience. Essentially, she suggested that this experience is not actually “real” but only a product of the mind. Such insinuations are unfortunate, for explaining our perceptions in terms of molecular or cellular function is no different from explaining the universe in terms of quantum physics or describing a whole tree in terms of all of its various cells, parts, and processes. Everything can be brought down to a subatomic level of explanation but that does not make anything less real.

We can describe how a rose grows, how photosynthesis works, how the capillary action of the roots and stem draw moisture to its leaves but our understanding doesn't include an explanation of how that particular combination of atoms combined to form a rose in the first place, without our help. Evolution? No. That only explains how the plant may have changed, not how the very first rose began, nor why. It is at this level that mystery remains and retains our awe while we make all sorts of educated guesses. When we appreciate the natural wonder and mystery in our lives, we want to tread carefully, and to keep our senses acute, our thoughts sharp and our emotions balanced, so that we may appreciate and understand life with as much perspicuity and pleasure as possible.

We must take care not to let our search for “explanation” reach the point at which we no longer feel a sense of wonder and awe, for it is that sense which keeps us humble long enough to take care with our observations and our explanations, lest they lead us to arrogance and despair. No species can survive if it continually repeats its errors and passes those mistakes along to subsequent generations.

• No words, equations or formulae equal what they describe.

• All “explanations” are merely fingers pointing at the awesome intricacies of life and saying, “Wow!”

Dr. Wilder Penfield, in his experiments on the brain could locate many areas that the brain controlled but could not find the “I” that controlled the dialogue.





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