Einstein made a surprising discovery: That all matter is an intensely concentrated amount of energy!
The famous formula E = mc^2 (E equals m times c-squared) states this fact, and gives the quantitative relationship!
Our thoughts concerning this remarkable relationship are generally limited to consideration of how many calories we consume.
In this course, we are going to consider the electro-chemical activity of our cells. Electricity is a form of energy, and our bodies use chemicals for these electrical signals. In particular, we will focus on our neurons which conduct the electro-chemical energy of our brains. This energy is constantly and easily accessible to conscious manipulation. We call this our "awareness," or our "attention." We also call it "consciousness."
We have all heard Mao's saying, "The journey of one thousand miles begins with a single step." We will use the same idea, that the largest oak begins in an acorn. This is to say, that each thought may consist of millions of neurons, but with the shift of attention even in the slightest direction, we can create a whole other scenario with associated consequences. [Insert the story of Heisenberg after the surrender of Germany in WWII.]
The energy of our thoughts goes someplace. With thoughtfulness, discipline and practiced awareness, we become more adept at shifting and directing our thoughts effortlessly. Mindfulness meditation is based on this.
The more practiced we become in the ability to be aware of what we are thinking at the time, the more awareness we are able to devote to strategic concerns - for example, thinking about where we want to direct our considerable cognitive capacity.
Energy is involved in all processes. Erwin Schroedinger, most widely known for his story of absurdity "Schroedinger's Cat", wrote about the phenomenon of two molecules having the same atoms, but different arrangements connecting the atoms. The molecules are called "isomeric". The Greek "iso" means "same," while the "meric" comes from "meros," and means "part". The molecules have the same parts, that is, they have the same combination of atoms, but the way they relate to one another is based on two different stable lowest level energy configurations. (Atoms form relationships with other atoms to form compounds and molecules by the way that they share electrons.) The interesting thing is that these isomeric pairs carry completely different characteristics!
He described two situations in which a lower energy-level stable configuration might experience an increase in energy. In the first scenario, energy is added to the molecule's environment, perhaps by heating up the surrounding air. The electrons jump to higher energy levels, but the overall configuration and characteristics stay the same. In the second scenario, energy is again added to the system, but this time so much additional energy is added that the bonds of the molecule themselves are broken!
In the resulting chaos of broken bonds, a transformation takes place. A new formation for the same set of atoms is found. New bonds are created. When the additional heat / energy is removed from the environment, the molecule again settles down to its lowest stable energy configuration. The remarkable thing is that its lowest stable level is higher than it was before! A transformation has taken place.
Schroedinger points out that this situation is not rare in nature. He says rather, it is the norm.
However, he says that the chemist and the biologist are not interested in the former sort of temporary energy increase. It is the long term transformation that calls their interest.
I suggest that we humans may be interested in both kinds. My thought is that a sustained exposure to the first sort of temporary energy increase can and will at some point transition into the second type. The first type might be viewed as the sort of enthusiasm the crowd experiences at a football or a basketball game. A charismatic leader may have the affect of creating a temporary increase in psychic energy. It "feels good." However, when the game is over, or the leader leaves, one returns to one's habitual state.
Consider the difference that takes place when this level of energy continues to flood the system. Here one might think of a student in the class of a dynamic and challenging teacher. Day after day, exposure to the heightened energy state may accumulate in such a way, including reflection of one's fellow students' augmented enthusiasm, that at some point, the students actually change their resting state to one of a higher intellectual energy level. I have heard stories of this from a friend raised in a small village in a remote area of Spain.
Another example that you can try for yourself is to begin a practice of some sort of daily meditation. There are all kinds of meditation, and practicing as little as five minutes a day makes a difference. The trick is to continue over many days.
When you think about it, even remembering to remind yourself to meditate at a certain time each day is a form of meditation!
The famous formula E = mc^2 (E equals m times c-squared) states this fact, and gives the quantitative relationship!
Our thoughts concerning this remarkable relationship are generally limited to consideration of how many calories we consume.
In this course, we are going to consider the electro-chemical activity of our cells. Electricity is a form of energy, and our bodies use chemicals for these electrical signals. In particular, we will focus on our neurons which conduct the electro-chemical energy of our brains. This energy is constantly and easily accessible to conscious manipulation. We call this our "awareness," or our "attention." We also call it "consciousness."
We have all heard Mao's saying, "The journey of one thousand miles begins with a single step." We will use the same idea, that the largest oak begins in an acorn. This is to say, that each thought may consist of millions of neurons, but with the shift of attention even in the slightest direction, we can create a whole other scenario with associated consequences. [Insert the story of Heisenberg after the surrender of Germany in WWII.]
The energy of our thoughts goes someplace. With thoughtfulness, discipline and practiced awareness, we become more adept at shifting and directing our thoughts effortlessly. Mindfulness meditation is based on this.
The more practiced we become in the ability to be aware of what we are thinking at the time, the more awareness we are able to devote to strategic concerns - for example, thinking about where we want to direct our considerable cognitive capacity.
Energy is involved in all processes. Erwin Schroedinger, most widely known for his story of absurdity "Schroedinger's Cat", wrote about the phenomenon of two molecules having the same atoms, but different arrangements connecting the atoms. The molecules are called "isomeric". The Greek "iso" means "same," while the "meric" comes from "meros," and means "part". The molecules have the same parts, that is, they have the same combination of atoms, but the way they relate to one another is based on two different stable lowest level energy configurations. (Atoms form relationships with other atoms to form compounds and molecules by the way that they share electrons.) The interesting thing is that these isomeric pairs carry completely different characteristics!
He described two situations in which a lower energy-level stable configuration might experience an increase in energy. In the first scenario, energy is added to the molecule's environment, perhaps by heating up the surrounding air. The electrons jump to higher energy levels, but the overall configuration and characteristics stay the same. In the second scenario, energy is again added to the system, but this time so much additional energy is added that the bonds of the molecule themselves are broken!
In the resulting chaos of broken bonds, a transformation takes place. A new formation for the same set of atoms is found. New bonds are created. When the additional heat / energy is removed from the environment, the molecule again settles down to its lowest stable energy configuration. The remarkable thing is that its lowest stable level is higher than it was before! A transformation has taken place.
Schroedinger points out that this situation is not rare in nature. He says rather, it is the norm.
However, he says that the chemist and the biologist are not interested in the former sort of temporary energy increase. It is the long term transformation that calls their interest.
I suggest that we humans may be interested in both kinds. My thought is that a sustained exposure to the first sort of temporary energy increase can and will at some point transition into the second type. The first type might be viewed as the sort of enthusiasm the crowd experiences at a football or a basketball game. A charismatic leader may have the affect of creating a temporary increase in psychic energy. It "feels good." However, when the game is over, or the leader leaves, one returns to one's habitual state.
Consider the difference that takes place when this level of energy continues to flood the system. Here one might think of a student in the class of a dynamic and challenging teacher. Day after day, exposure to the heightened energy state may accumulate in such a way, including reflection of one's fellow students' augmented enthusiasm, that at some point, the students actually change their resting state to one of a higher intellectual energy level. I have heard stories of this from a friend raised in a small village in a remote area of Spain.
Another example that you can try for yourself is to begin a practice of some sort of daily meditation. There are all kinds of meditation, and practicing as little as five minutes a day makes a difference. The trick is to continue over many days.
When you think about it, even remembering to remind yourself to meditate at a certain time each day is a form of meditation!
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