Posted inDeath/Rebirth Science

Near-death experiences could be hyperactivity of dying brain

Here's another nail in the near-death experience (NDE) coffin for those who believe that NDE's point to some sort of supernatural, non-physical, soulful, heaven'ish aspect of reality. The brains of dying rats show signs not of a lack of brain activity, but of hyperactivity. A last neurological gasp, so to speak.  A burst of brain activity just after the heart stops may be the cause of so-called near-death experiences, scientists say. The insight comes from research involving nine lab rats whose brains were analyzed as they were being euthanized. Researchers discovered what appears to be a momentary increase in electrical…
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Posted inReligions

Preachiness on my churchless blog is irritating

I'm pretty patient with people who want to leave religious'y comments on this blog. But eventually my patience wears thin.  I don't mind a few "I love [insert name of divine being] so much!" kinds of comments. Hey, I've been there and done that -- wanted to share my religious zeal with the world.  Eventually, though, the situation becomes akin to an alcoholic coming to a 12-step group where the members are dedicated to weaning themselves from a dependency on excessive drinking. And supporting each other in finding non-alcoholic ways of living life. The first question is: why is an…
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Posted inReality

Two poems by Mary Oliver and Wei Wu Wei

Mary Oliver: The Lilies Break Open Over the Dark Water Inside that mud-hive, that gas-sponge,  that reeking   leaf-yard, that rippling dream-bowl, the leeches' flecked and swirling  broth of life, as rich   as Babylon, the fists crack open and the wands  of the lilies   quicken, they rise like pale poles with their wrapped beaks of lace;  one day   they tear the surface, the next they break open over the dark water.  And there you are   on the shore, fitful and thoughtful, trying to attach them to an idea—   some news of your own life.     But the lilies are slippery and wild—they are devoid of meaning, they are  simply doing,   from the deepest spurs of their being, what they are impelled…
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Posted inScience

“Scientism” is a compliment, not an insult

I've never understood why so many people fear science. Science has never harmed me. In fact, I have no idea how I'd ever recognize this "Science."  Kind of difficult to be afraid of something that doesn't exist. Science isn't an actual entity. It is an abstraction. Likewise, nobody has ever listened to Music. They have heard actual pieces of music, compositions of one sort or another, but never Music with a capital "M." So when people criticize Science, I have no idea what they are talking about. Often their dislike is expressed through the supposedly perjorative word, "scientism." Another abstraction.…
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Posted inReality Universe

Robert Kuhn’s nine levels of nothing: mind-blowing

I'm a big fan of the age-old question, "Why is there something rather than nothing?" However, after spending many years marveling at the evident fact that existence exists, I'm inclined to take out the why. A statement seems more apt than a question. "There is something rather than nothing."  In other words, I'm highly dubious that the question is meaningful. We can ask why things within existence exist. But to ask why existence itself exists... absurd. My attitude is: It just is, dude. Nonetheless, I can understand the appeal of asking why there is something rather than nothing. I haven't…
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Posted inReality

Something is wrong with our understanding of reality

Love mystery? There's no need to embrace mysticism. Rather, embrace modern science. You end up with genuine mystery, not a religiously-tinged variety. Case in point: the cover story in this week's New Scientist, "Reality Check." The online title is "Quantum Weirdness: the battle for the basis of reality." This video, Reality's Hidden Layers, that is based on the story tells you the basics. Something has to go -- reality, relativity, causality, free will. They can't all coexist as how they are currently understood to be.   Here's how the cover story ends.  Rudolph doesn't have an answer – no one…
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Posted inBuddhism Taoism/Tai Chi

Wei Wu Wei (Terence Gray) on non-duality

Wei Wu Wei's "Open Secret" is a fascinating book. I took a stab at talking about this attempt to describe the indescribable here and here.  I've been re-reading the first few chapters. Though sometimes I get irritated by Wei Wu Wei's (pen name of Terence Gray) often-obscure way of writing, he draws me in with a feeling of There's something he's trying to say that is really interesting and important, but the truth of it is beyond the saying. Every time I pick up "Open Secret," I get a different sort of glimpse of what that might be -- because…
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Posted inRadha Soami Satsang Beas Spiritual practice/meditation

Ken Wilber’s error: mistaking personal experience for universal reality

I used to enjoy reading Ken Wilber's writings. Then, I didn't. As I said in a 2009 post: I've got a love-hate thing going with Ken Wilber, a prolific writer and creative thinker who relentlessly preaches the marvels of an Integral approach to understanding reality. Sometimes I like what Wilber says (see here and here). Sometimes I don't (see here and here). David Lane's essay, "Ken Wilber's Eye: Exploring the Danger of Theological Reifications," encapsulates my reasons for don't.  Basically, Wilber has an annoying egocentric attitude. I talked about this in Integral Egos Gone Wild: WIlber and Cohen relish worship. First, Wilber and Cohen assume that God is real…
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Posted inSpiritual practice/meditation

Here’s what the end of spiritual searching looks like

I'm sixty-four years old. I guess my spiritual searching for whatever began when I was thirteen. At least, that's when I composed my first documented philosophical writing. So I've done more than fifty years of meditating, guru-worshipping, psychedelic drug-taking, mystical contemplating, and other sorts of spiritual'y pursuits. Golden anniversary gifts, please! Send them on, Ultimate Secret of the Cosmos, I deserve them. But you know what? The older I get (I'm not saying wiser, just older), the more I feel like my spiritual searching has pointed to one conclusion: There never was anything to search for. I've said this before.…
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Posted inBuddhism Taoism/Tai Chi

A New Age’y slogan that doesn’t make much sense

Browsing through my Facebook feed today, I came across this post that someone had passed on: If you are depressed you are living in the past...If you are anxious you are living in the future...If you are at peace you are living in the present...       ~Lao Tzu~ At first read, I liked it. Made sense. But I was pretty sure that Lao Tzu never said such a thing. For one thing, Lao Tzu may not have ever existed. And even if a person by that name actually was the source of the Tao Te Ching (or Dao De Jing),…
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Posted inBooks

“When Death Comes” and “The Summer Day” by Mary Oliver

I've encountered Mary Oliver poems now and then throughout the years. Now I've bought several books that are collections of her creations.  Most days I read a couple of poems before I meditate. I'm not much of a poetry admirer, but Oliver speaks to me with her love of nature, honesty, and general sense of spiritual-but-not-religious.  Here's two poems that I particularly like in her "New and Selected Poems, Volume 1." When Death ComesWhen death comeslike the hungry bear in autumn;when death comes and takes all the bright coins from his purseto buy me, and snaps the purse shut;when death…
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Posted inSpiritual practice/meditation

Return to the Source via Parkour (nature, not God)

Hey, this looks like a fine Church of the Churchless video "sermon" to me. Get whatever meaning you like from it, as I did. From my 64 year-old perspective, this parkour'ing guy reminded me of what it felt like to be young, fearless, and wildly energetic. I guess we never really lose those qualities, psychologically speaking. But physically... I'll leave what this guy does to him. (Thanks to David Chapman for sharing the video via a tweet.)  
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Posted inReality Spiritual practice/meditation

How likely is it that your supernatural beliefs are true?

About seven years ago I wrote a blog post called "What are the chances you're right about God?" It's a great question. I started off the post with: More and more, for me spirituality comes down to two basics: “What are the chances?” and “The odds are pretty good.” The first question points me toward humble skepticism, the second toward energetic inquiry. Here’s what I mean: What are the chances…?--That my chosen religion or philosophy, out of the thousands of religions in the world, just happens to be the one that is right about God, while the others are wrong.--That…
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Posted inHumor

A woman’s shapely body proclaims the glory of the Lord!

Once in a while I find some Christian beliefs that I can heartily agree with. Such as this excerpt from Sharon Hodde Miller's "How 'Modest is Hottest' is Hurting Christian Women." Second, we must affirm the value of the female body. The value or meaning of a woman's body is not the reason for modesty. Women's bodies are not inherently distracting or tempting. On the contrary, women's bodies glorify God. Dare I say that a woman's breasts, hips, bottom, and lips all proclaim the glory of the Lord! Each womanly part honors Him. He created the female body, and it is…
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Posted inScience

Uncertainty principle doesn’t support observer-created reality

I wish I could create reality through my intention. Believe me, I've tried. After the Mini Cooper (modern version) was released, I put a lot of time and energy into visualizing a Mini manifesting in our carport.  I even promised whatever god might be hearing my "prayer," that if he/she/it made a Mini Cooper appear, along with a clear sign of the god's identity in the driver's seat (holy book, divine icon, other form of sacred communication), I'd make a highly public conversion and start worshipping that god. Alas, no luck. Eventually I did get a Mini Cooper, but only…
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Posted inScience

Your brain on drugs is like your brain NOT on drugs

Even though I used lots of psychedelic drugs in my college years, my brain is able to readily remember the War on Drugs campaign that featured the slogan, "This is Your Brain on Drugs." Along with a photo of eggs sizzling in a pan.  Ooh! Scary! If I take drugs, my brain will be cooked! Well, not really, because I functioned just fine before, during, and after my drug years. Here's an even better non-anecdotal neuroscientific reason: the brain is always on drugs. If the brain wasn't, it couldn't function.  So explains Steven Johnson in his book, Mind Wide Open.…
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Posted inBuddhism

Jet-setting money-hungry fugitive Thailand monk

It's good to see that Buddhist monks are getting into the scandal business. For too long they've pretty much gotten a pass on the can you believe they did this?! front. Way behind Catholic priests, for sure. But thanks to someone who emailed me a link to this story, I'm now aware of a Thailand monk who breaks the traditional Buddhist mold. He's known as Thailand's jet-setting fugitive monk, and his story has riveted the country with daily headlines of lavish excess, promiscuity and alleged crimes ranging from statutory rape to manslaughter. Until a month ago, 33-year old Wirapol Sukphol…
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Posted inPersonal/Stories Reality

Be confident in what you believe, knowing you could be wrong

In one of Huston Smith's books he mentions a Zen friend who has a new koan: "I could be wrong." I loved those words when I came across them.  This is the crux (or at least one of the crux's... or cruxii?) of being human.  We have to go through life confidently. Dithering is a poor excuse for genuine living. And dancing. I learned this early on when my wife and I started taking ballroom dance lessons. The man usually is the leader. It's much better if he decisively does something wrong, then hesitate while the beat of the music…
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Posted inScience

Science (and common sense) finds no sign of the soul

I'd happily believe that I have, or am, a soul if there was any good evidence that soul animates the body. Instead, it's pretty damn clear that the physical human brain is the source of notions about the soul.  A nice fantasy, because almost everyone likes the idea of living on after the body dies. However, Stephen Cave's article in Skeptic magazine, "What Science Really Says About the Soul," demolishes familiar arguments for the existence of a non-material me. I was pleased to see that Cave makes many of the same points that I have in posts about the brain/soul.…
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Posted inRadha Soami Satsang Beas

Osho Robbins’ Sant Mat 2.0

Today I came across a Twitter tweet by Osho Robbins which reminded me of the post I put up in 2011 about his three videos that describe Sant Mat 2.0. I re-watched the videos shared in "How Sant Mat is moving from duality to oneness." Liked them even better second time around. Even if you don't know much about the updated and original versions of the Sant Mat philosophy Robbins talks about, his basic distinction between duality and oneness is quite universal. Realization-wise, there's nothing to do if reality is one, because there is no independent doer nor anything outside…
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