CHEMISTRY: WEEK 7











Alchemy is a medieval chemical science that was interested in transforming base metals into gold and other precious metals.  Is it science, magic or art? I think it’s all three. Isaac Newton wrote over a million words of alchemical notes over his lifetime  during his study of gravity and laws of motion.  In terms of art, both alchemists and artists are fascinated by the mystery of transformation using different modalities and mediums.  Alchemy has also been a science that has been shrouded in magic and secrecy based on its pursuit of transformation.  Alchemists regarded their dreams and visions tor guidance in perfecting their art and recorded their information using mysterious symbols instead of words.  These symbols were then used as powerful tools for changing states of consciousness.



The idea of non-action is explained in the Tao Te Ching.  It is through a genuine path of effortless doing or action without action that we can achieve harmony with the universe. When we exert our will against the world, we disrupt the natural harmony that already exists.  This can be a difficult concept to grasp since life is full of action.  We are constantly "doing" at every given moment, so how can we participate in the act of non-doing?  The key may be found in our outlook on life.  Personal expectations disrupt us from experiencing the world as it truly is.  When we look at the way a child perceives the world, we see that their experience is a pure and genuine encounter.  Therefore, our desires cloud the world that lies before us.  Non-action requires eliminating our sense of self, the "I" in which we see the world.  It is this self or ego that is programmed to interfere.







Comments

  1. Heather RaeJune 25, 2018 at 2:25 PM

    Thank you for pointing out the states of consciousness aspect relating to symbolism! It reminds me of a technique I saw in a movie. To solve a complex problem, the scientist wrote it out and worked on it for a time, then switched to his hobby of building and painting models in order to set his brain on a different path. After a time he returned to the whiteboard and there was progress.
    The answer to the problem was allowed to come forth not by banging it out by by allowing the brain to do its thing while the scientist was in his flow state building models. Have you heard this concept before? I'm afraid Google searches are not helping me figure out what that movie was, or who the scientist was.

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownJune 30, 2018 at 1:40 PM

    Hey Heather,
    I can relate. I used to teach at an expeditionary learning school and despite trying to shove the concept of neurotransmitters on my students in the classroom it wasn’t until I turned the concept into a game of tag. At first they didn’t get it but when the kids who were neurotransmitters had to run across the synaptic cleft to drop their message into the appropriate receptacle before being tagged by the “enzyme” kids it seemed to click. Especially when one of the enzymes chased a neurotransmitter back to their base and one 11 year old yelled,”Hey! Get out of my presynaptic vesicle!” Perhaps all we need a new context or perception in which to process certain information.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PHYSICS: WEEK 10

Image
When an object has symmetry, it can be divided into two pieces which are mirror images of each other.  Although we are always striving for symmetry, there is an underlying asymmetry within everything.  As an esthetician, I find this in my work on a daily basis.  Clients come to see me hoping that they can turn their brows into the perfect symmetrical work of art.  I do my best to perfect the mirror imaging of their brows but in reality, there is always some form of asymmetry no matter what.  I believe that we seek symmetry in our daily lives because it is built into our DNA.  We see this in art, music and all that we create.  Our animal instincts recognize that the symmetry reflected in facial features and bodily proportions is a better indicator of good health, so prospective mates may be chosen for healthier offspring.  Symmetry is also equated with the divine in many religions since it represents the ultimate perfection.  Through our cr...
Read more

RACHELLE'S PHYSICS BIO

I was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii and have been living in the Bay Area with my family since 2004.  I've worked an esthetician for the past decade by helping clients achieve their skin care goals.  I am now dedicated to being a student in Chinese medicine school and fulfilling an interest that was sparked long ago as a young child in my grandmother's kitchen.  She brought her knowledge of village medicine from China to the United States and used it in our household to treat various illnesses and ailments.  I am hopeful that my current journey will be a bridge for the knowledge of the inner and outer landscapes of the human body.
Read more

PHYSICS: WEEK 6

Image
Organized chaos can be described as the process of gaining desirable outcomes through a state of disorder.  This might reveal a hidden natural order that governs all living things, even when the environment seems chaotic.  If we think of the principles of yin and yang, we see that there is always an element of both within each other.  Therefore, chaos resides in order and order resides within chaos.  Organized chaos provides an environment for unpredictability and ultimately, creativity.  The lack of a system of rigid order results in numerous creative possibilities and outcomes.  Chaos can be seen as an environment of freedom that provides a breeding ground for systems of natural order to arise A fractal system is a complex, non-linear interactive system which has the ability to adapt to a changing environment.  Such systems are characterized by the potential for self organization, existing in a non-equilibrium environment.  Chan...
Read more