TaiChi Sage Blog

Renewable Energies - Human & Global - Link Roundup

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:58:35 -0800

It has been a quiet time here as we move on into Fall, and with that it is a good time of year to give renewed attention to our energy. Here are several links that have shown up recently having to do with our own body and the global body we are part of.

“Strange! Humans Glow in Visible Light” - Found this one intriguing as it points to what Seers have been saying about humans for ages…

The human body literally glows, emitting a visible light in extremely small quantities at levels that rise and fall with the day, scientists now reveal.
Past research has shown that the body emits visible light, 1,000 times less intense than the levels to which our naked eyes are sensitive. In fact, virtually all living creatures emit very weak light, which is thought to be a byproduct of biochemical reactions involving free radicals.
(This visible light differs from the infrared radiation — an invisible form of light — that comes from body heat.)
To learn more about this faint visible light, scientists in Japan employed extraordinarily sensitive cameras capable of detecting single photons. Five healthy male volunteers in their 20s were placed bare-chested in front of the cameras in complete darkness in light-tight rooms for 20 minutes every three hours from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. for three days.
The researchers found the body glow rose and fell over the day, with its lowest point at 10 a.m. and its peak at 4 p.m., dropping gradually after that. These findings suggest there is light emission linked to our body clocks, most likely due to how our metabolic rhythms fluctuate over the course of the day.
Faces glowed more than the rest of the body. This might be because faces are more tanned than the rest of the body, since they get more exposure to sunlight — the pigment behind skin color, melanin, has fluorescent components that could enhance the body’s miniscule light production.
Since this faint light is linked with the body’s metabolism, this finding suggests cameras that can spot the weak emissions could help spot medical conditions, said researcher Hitoshi Okamura, a circadian biologist at Kyoto University in Japan.

They also had a nice graphic showing this healthy photon emission:

Here is a short article on “how acupuncture works” in regards to pain management via nerve manipulation. It also has an interesting collection of outbound links: “New Scientific Breakthrough Proves Why Acupuncture Works”.

New groundbreaking research shows that the insertion of an acupuncture needle into the skin disrupts the branching point of nerves called C fibres. These C fibres transmit low-grade sensory information over very long distances by using Merkel cells as intermediaries. Dr. Morry Silberstein of the Curtin University of Technology will publish his research in the Journal of Theoretical Biology later this year.
We have never really had a scientific explanation for how acupuncture actually works,” he said. In the absence of a scientific rationale, acupuncture has not been widely used in the mainstream medical community. If we can explain the process scientifically, we can open it to full scientific scrutiny and develop ways to use it as a part of medical treatments.”
Dr. Silberstein mentions that they have known, for some time, that the acupuncture points show lower electrical resistance than other nearby areas of the skin. His research specifically pinpoints that the C fibres actually branch exactly at acupuncture points. Scientists don’t know exactly what role C fibres play in the nervous system, but Dr. Silverstein theorizes that the bundle of nerves exists to maintain arousal or wakefulness. The insertion of the acupuncture needle disrupts this circuit and numbs our sensitivity to pain.”

Here are those outbound links for further consideration:

Meridians conduct light by Dr. Sergei Pankratov, Moskow, Published by Raum and Zeit, Germany, 1991.Translated from the German by Wolfgang Mitschrich
Bonghan Channels in Acupuncture By David Milbradt, LAc, Acupunture Today
Bonghan Duct and Acupuncture Meridian as Optical Channel of Biophoton
Curtin University of Technology
Scientific Evidence in Support of Acupuncture and Meridian Theory Professor Julia J. Tsuei M.D., F.A.C.O.G.
Medical acupuncture gaining acceptance by the US Air Force
Acupuncture is promising treatment for cocaine addiction, Yale researchers find

Finally, powering the entire planet with only renewable resources: Wind, Water and Solar. “Study: Shifting the world to 100% clean, renewable energy by 2030 - here are the numbers”:

Most of the technology needed to shift the world from fossil fuel to clean, renewable energy already exists. Implementing that technology requires overcoming obstacles in planning and politics, but doing so could result in a 30 percent decrease in global power demand, say Stanford civil and environmental engineering Professor Mark Z. Jacobson and University of California-Davis researcher Mark Delucchi.
To make clear the extent of those hurdles – and how they could be overcome – they have written an article that is the cover story in the November issue of Scientific American. In it, they present new research mapping out and evaluating a quantitative plan for powering the entire world on wind, water and solar energy, including an assessment of the materials needed and costs. And it will ultimately be cheaper than sticking with fossil fuel or going nuclear, they say.
The key is turning to wind, water and solar energy to generate electrical power – making a massive commitment to them – and eliminating combustion as a way to generate power for vehicles as well as for normal electricity use.
Jacobson and Delucchi used data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration to project that if the world’s current mix of energy sources is maintained, global energy demand at any given moment in 2030 would be 16.9 terawatts, or 16.9 million megawatts.
They then calculated that if no combustion of fossil fuel or biomass were used to generate energy, and virtually everything was powered by electricity – either for direct use or hydrogen production – the demand would be only 11.5 terawatts. That’s only two-thirds of the energy that would be needed if fossil fuels were still in the mix.
In order to convert to wind, water and solar, the world would have to build wind turbines; solar photovoltaic and concentrated solar arrays; and geothermal, tidal, wave and hydroelectric power sources to generate the electricity, as well as transmission lines to carry it to the users, but the long-run net savings would more than equal the costs, according to Jacobson and Delucchi’s analysis.
“If you make this transition to renewables and electricity, then you eliminate the need for 13,000 new or existing coal plants,” Jacobson said. “Just by changing our infrastructure we have less power demand.”

That was a big enough chunk of stuff to work with for now. More later!

Daniel Dennett Podcast - the 'Culture as Operating System' meme is propagating

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 20:42:00 -0700

Daniel Dennett Podcast - the 'Culture as Operating System' meme is propagating:

Joe says: A fellow student turned me on to this. Select the last episode, “Consciousness Explained” an interview with Daniel Dennett, and play it (requires Flash). About 22 minutes in, he explains “…as if culture installs in us a different kind of operating system”. (We’ve run into Dennett before with his thoughts on belief systems…) Yet, the notion of cultures as operating systems seems to be an idea that is popping up in all kinds of places lately…, I just can’t help being reminded of Carlos Castenada’s comments concerning inorganic beings of the kind that parasitize humans leaving them only just enough light force to barely survive….

Heliobiology - The study of Life as dependant on the Sun

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:01:04 -0700

A term coined by taichi teacher Joe Deisher, that seeks to reframe the felt affect of the Sun on our home planet of Earth.

As Joe says: “How about life thought of as the sun made a difference? In case you haven’t noticed, all life is dependant on extraterrestrial input - Sunshine.”

Known as the Dalai Lama’s Healing Chant, this mantra is...

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 14:40:20 -0700

Known as the Dalai Lama’s Healing Chant, this mantra is actually performed by Hein Braat, a Dutch mantra practioner. A healing mantra from the Rig Veda, called the Maha Mrityunjaya chant, it is a very soothing song. Enjoy!

Something about Belief Systems: Daniel Dennett & Sam Harris

Sun, 08 Mar 2009 13:35:00 -0700

Joe: Hey J, Below is the book and the author that I mentioned…

“Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon”
by Daniel C. Dennett

He is being taken as a darling by the Skeptic crowd…, which makes me more than a little skeptical…. Since I have not, in fact, read his book I don’t really know which way he runs his approach to “Religion as a Natural Phenomenon,” but the topic area, especially if approached with a certain amount of respect, would be both interesting and valid I should think…. Perhaps I’m more interested in the “Religion as a Natural Phenomenon” portion, while it may be that
he is more interested in the “Breaking the Spell” aspect…. It is always revealing to see where people get their jollies…

John: It does sound like Dennett is doing something similar
to Sam Harris, “The End of Faith.” …he’s a powerful speaker.

Joe: I find myself left wondering, J., if either of the two authors has the spaciousness of mind to consider the function of belief systems in human consciousness and, even, evolution; it appears that both may be playing to “Gasp, how dare they!” audience….

Using a somewhat different language, John Bleibtreu in the introduction to his book “The Parable of the Beast” says,

“… metaphysical systems allow [human]kind the means to abide with mystery. Without a mythology we must deny mystery, and with this denial we can live only at great cost to ourselves.
It seems to me that we are in the process of creating a mythology out of the raw materials science in much the same way that the Greeks and Jews created their mythologies out of the raw materials of history. I feel strongly that this is not only legitimate, but a necessary process.”

(As a parenthetical observation, it may be worthwhile noting that with quantum theory there appears to be a certain amount of mystery, of indeterminablity, built into the system….)

So, perhaps both Sam Harris and Daniel Dennett are a part of the process of destroying some hithertofore (and perhaps no longer appropriate, at least in their hithertofore form…) mythologies / belief systems / religions and it will be yet awhile before anything like a popular writer can open a discourse upon the best - or even merely some “good” - use of the “belief system function” that is so widely distributed in human beings as to appear to be a property intrinsic to the species.

via Tai Chi Sage Page The Neijin Tu or Daoist model of the inner...

Sat, 07 Mar 2009 11:03:00 -0800

via Tai Chi Sage Page

The Neijin Tu or Daoist model of the inner universe.

Our world may be a giant hologram - space - 15 January 2009 - New Scientist

Sat, 07 Mar 2009 10:12:19 -0800

Our world may be a giant hologram - space - 15 January 2009 - New Scientist:

Joe says: I found the discussion delightful and provocative…!

Threads to follow: hologram, interference patterns, phase relationships, imaginary values, imagination, Karl Pribram’s proposal that the brain is itself a hologram, David Bohm, others….

"Deisher has a very wide ranging view of the benefits of Internal arts practice. He sees this..."

Sat, 07 Mar 2009 10:10:00 -0800

“Deisher has a very wide ranging view of the benefits of Internal arts practice. He sees this practice as away to develop the spirit, increase the fields of imagination, provide a basis for cultural advancement, and offer a lifestyle philosophy. He says, “In this country, we have educated people, but not a traditional culture. People cannot survive long without a culture. What we have developed in the place of a traditional culture is a culture by coercion. Ours is a culture based on controlling people by scaring them into doing the right thing, this is not the way to produce a smooth and functional society. What is needed is a philosophical base that will help people loose their fear.” Deisher continues, “A lot of things in life you have to figure out for yourself. You provide your own answers to your lack of knowledge from your philosophy. If there is no philosophical base, no root, no stable reference from which to make decisions, people can feel as though they are lost.””

- from the Pa Kua Zhang Interview

Here’s a protection mantra mp3 for 2009. A nice chant and...

Sat, 07 Mar 2009 09:56:00 -0800

Here’s a protection mantra mp3 for 2009. A nice chant and a great hope for wellbeing.

om aim hrim shrim shiva rama anagha dattaya namaha

“This raksha (protection) mantra has recently been given by Sri Swamiji, a master nada yogi, to chant as much as possible until Datta Jayanti 2009.
It is a powerful mantra that promotes personal and universal peace.
This mantra can be chanted at anytime ~ silently or out loud; alone or with group chanting.

The Book of Jook: Chinese Medicinal Porridges a recommended tome...

Sat, 07 Mar 2009 09:46:00 -0800

The Book of Jook: Chinese Medicinal Porridges

a recommended tome on living well with modest means.

A Dymaxion Map of Home

Sat, 07 Mar 2009 08:51:00 -0800

R. Buckminster Fuller asked the question: “How do we make the world work for 100% of humanity in the shortest possible time through spontaneous cooperation without ecological damage or disadvantage to anyone?” These days we probably have to talk about “ecological repair” as well.

Fuller’s notion of the “One World Island” fits well with the essential elements behind the idea of “a Trans-Cultural approach to TaiChi” — Joe Deisher

"What's a Modern,Intelligent, Imaginative (Bipedal) Hominid To Do?" - (paraphrasing) Carlos Castenada

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 21:32:00 -0800

This blog is a reference point and a storage spot for the work being put together in a more systematic fashion over at taichisage.com .

Joe’s further investigations into the deep connections between taichi, community building, and health will be documented here to help spread the word, and the actions, necessary in living well.

We welcome your thoughtful words and germane links in the comments section.

Thanks for rolling on by!